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Date:         Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:56:37 -0400
Reply-To:     greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Subject:      Re: Are Today's Young People Mechanical Nitwits?
Comments: To: Neil2 <vidublu@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <5a099d980808140845t7c10a980mb68cb2648892b4b0@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; DelSp="Yes"; format="flowed"

Hi Neil,

I think it *may* be a chicken-vs-egg thing, but I believe it to be the other way around. The idea of commonplace mechanical competence has fallen out of grace thanks to disposable modern vehicles that simply don't require it.

Simply put, auto manufacturers are no longer interested in manufacturing a vehicle that can be serviced in the way that our beloved Vanagons and Baywindows are.

Everything is modular. Dealers don't "repair" anything. Instead, the Service Dept. replaces faulty modules. It's the same way in the computer industry, it's just that the parts are smaller.

No end-user ever needs to know how anything works in the new system. Often times the systems are too complex for a normal person to understand them anyway. Remember back in 1990 when the Audi's with cruise control and EFI and electronic transmissions were acting up? No-one could explain the wiring diagram to a normal human being, and the case dragged on in court forever. After that the industry stopped even trying to keep the average person in the know about how their machines work.

Replacing worn brushes on a 1985 vanagon alternator this past winter cost me $35 for the regulator, vs $15 for the brushes. I defy you to attempt that repair on any consumer-oriented vehicle built since the turn of the century. The dealer is going to wind up selling you a whole new alternator. A friend of mine had a side marker light go out on his 2000 New Beetle... The dealer quoted him $700 (PLUS PARTS!!!) to replace it. I kid you not. He managed to figure it out himself on the internet and got the job done in less than an hour. Replacing a headlight on that car was quoted at $200 for labour at the same dealer. (Owasco Whitby, BTW).

With the new generation of vehicles sporting 100,000-mile spark-plug change intervals, why would you expect a kid nowadays to want to learn that skill? The engine on your average new VW isn't even visible when you open the hood, it's just a massive plastic shroud and a couple of labels to indicate which fluids go where.

Another issue is the lifespan of the average vehicle model. My previous employer supplied me with a Chevy Malibu from 2001 to 2007. There were two major model redesigns in that period, and another one since. Whereas the Vanagon was made for 12 model years. Sure, there were upgrades and alterations in that period, but if you parked a 1980 model next to a 1991 I am sure that even a six year old would know they were the same model. The only way that a manufacturer can keep up with such a flexible model line-up is to stock as few components for each model as possible. If that drives up the cost of repair then that's an added plus to the manufacturer, as it just means that the customer will be back in the market for a replacement all that much sooner.

Me, I am planning on continuing to repair my vanagon for as long as necessary.

Happy Trails,

Greg

Quoting Neil2 <vidublu@GMAIL.COM>:

> Short answer, Yes. This is why autos are in such poor shape these days (and > also why you can get a good deal on many). Disposable (d-evolving) society. > > On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 8:32 AM, Jake de Villiers < > crescentbeachguitar@gmail.com> wrote: > >> The short answer is 'Yes' ! >> >> My kids are revered as mechanical geniuses among their peers though neither >> are qualified mechanics. They do have the chops to re-do their own brakes >> and shocks (and bulbs) but most of today's privileged kids think that >> 'maintenance' is putting the car through the local car wash. >> >> On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 8:24 AM, Ed Lloyd <elloyd10@comcast.net> wrote: >> >> > I too have been living the Vanagon Experience during my 20+ years of >> > driving my 87 Westy, and before that a 76 Westy. >> > >> > My daughter just bought a sporty little 20004 Mazda 3, and I looked into >> > the Driver's Manual, and did a double take on this: >> > >> > "Front Turn Signal Lights - Due to the complexity and difficulty of the >> > procedure, the bulbs should be replaced by an Authorized Mazda Dealer." >> > >> > Same for the Fog lights, and side marker lights. They do show pictures >> and >> > procedures, which amount to unscrewing the plastic housings and gently >> > twisting and pulling out the bulbs. Installation is the reverse. >> > >> > Low beam Xenon bulb may be more of a problem. "You cannot replace the >> low >> > beam bulbs by yourself. Must be replaced at an Authorized Dealer." OK, >> > there may be some high voltage and disposal risk here. >> > >> > Oil change, and perhaps Air Filter, and that is the complete list of what >> > an owner can do by themselves! Everything else is Dealer. >> > >> > I also noted that the Windshield washer reservoir has a light on the dash >> > board to tell you when the washer fluid is low. I have never found this >> to >> > be a problem in my Vanagon. When it starts to dribble out, then you just >> > add more! >> > >> > this is a sporty car for young people, not a big "Luxury" car for >> pampered >> > fat cats. Her friends all seem to know how to work the CD player and >> > electronic gadgets installed, but seem clueless about the mechanicals. >> > >> > End of Rant by crusty old guy. >> > >> >> >> >> -- >> Jake >> 1984 Vanagon GL >> 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie" >> Crescent Beach, BC >> www.crescentbeachguitar.com >> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27 >> > > > > -- > Neil2 > '82 Diesel Westfalia (Fwd Puke Qualified) > '86 Vanagon/Westfalia Wannabe (Savannah) > Nunquam Pendite Divendium >


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