Date:         Thu, 7 Feb 2008 20:40:54 -0800
Reply-To:     Ryan Alfonso <vangina@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ryan Alfonso <vangina@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      They pimped my ride! Old cars rule!
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At dinner this evening a friend went on a long and sad story of how he'd
just been charged 1200 for a 30k service on his Jeep.  We went over the RO
and were somewhat mystified.  It got me thinking about how economical older
vehicles like ours really are in spite of what we seem to spend on them
constantly.

For instance, today I went to my local guys in Santa Cruz, Folks Cafe,
www.van-cafe.com.  The did a TON of work!  Total front end rebuild: control
arm bushings, upper lower ball joints, tie rod ends, front and rear brakes,
etc. etc.  The thing is tight.  Like it's on rails.  At first I was like,
"damn, that's some serious coin". But then I realized just how much they'd
done!

Anyway, high 5's to the formerly volks-cafe guys (and their famous amos
cookies), and to all of us for sticking with our trusty rusty vanagons for
all these years.

The alternative, a new car, though appealing, isn't anywhere near as fun.
By the way, I haven't seen so many westfalias in years.  I saw dozens of
them, in fantastic condition, while I was hanging out in Santa Cruz when
they were pimping out my ride.  Swear to gawd one of ten cars there is a
vanagon.

Support your list vendors.  They're here to keep you on the road AND from
buying a new Jeep and getting ripped off.  Filters fluids and spark plugs
ain't worth 1200 bones.

-Ryan in Half Moon Bay, CA