Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:20:53 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Trip Contingencies
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
good question.
the standard CSAA ( califnoria ) premium package is four 100 mile tows a
year.
doesn't matter what state you are in when the breakdown happens.
good in Canada too.
you just can't be on some remote 4WD drive road or anything lke that I
understand.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Florian Speier" <groups.florian@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 10:09 AM
Subject: Re: Trip Contingencies
> In which state does AAA offer a 200 mile plan? I would get at least the
> 100
> mile plan for sure.
> Florian
>
> On Tue, Jul 22, 2008 at 9:51 AM, Michael Diehr <md03@xochi.com> wrote:
>
>> My travel partner is, to put it mildly, skeptical of our vanagon's
>> ability to make a planned 1500 mile road trip this summer. This is
>> not without cause : in the 6 prior trips, three were problematic:
>> once the engine blew up, once it overheated in rather extreme heat and
>> we had to pull over for an hour, and once the alternator died (**) and
>> we couldn't run A/C and lights at the same time. That time I had a
>> friend bring a new alternator and replaced it at the campground. I
>> thought this was kinda fun but I guess definitions of "fun"
>> differ? :-) Other 3 trips it was fine.
>>
>> Negotiations with said partner have focused on strategies for
>> increasing chances of next trip to be a winner, and reducing anxiety.
>>
>> Ideas included:
>> * getting known issues fixed ahead of time by an actual mechanic
>> * not driving up southern california mountain passes I-5 or I-15 in
>> traffic + 110 degree heat
>> * a relaxed driving schedule so we feel no need to press on in
>> adverse conditions
>> * getting AAA plus (100 mile) or premium (200 mile) tow package
>> * having a list of vanagon friendly mechanics along the route
>>
>> The van has a new engine (about 10k miles), ecu, afm, battery,
>> starter, alternator**, alternator wiring, fuel hose, injectors
>> (professionally cleaned), and radiator. (**) the alternator was
>> probably fine, it was the bad wiring.
>>
>> Known issues : minor exhaust leak, automatic transmission leaks a
>> bit but works fine. The transmission is my only major worry, as it's
>> more or less the only major trip-ending failure I can imagine.
>>
>> Any recommendations? This is as much an emotional as technical issue,
>> methinks.
>>
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