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Date:         Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:15:09 -0400
Reply-To:     Oliver Mueller-Heubach <groundhogging@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Oliver Mueller-Heubach <groundhogging@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Re: Are Today's Young People Mechanical Nitwits?
Comments: To: Richard Green <rlgreen@INDUSTRYINET.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <48A60772.60808@industryinet.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

The beetle does take some patience. The taillight is easy if you can remember where the plastic lip notches under to stick a thin tool opposite- or if you have a small toilet plunger (easiest). The battery and headlights are another story. Dear god, why couldn't they just screw the headlight in from the outside instead of that instance rotating plastic clip? The battery is ok after you break the flimsy housing and throw it in your garage- much more pleasant to R&R then (the metal clamp holds it fine).

On Aug 15, 2008, at 6:47 PM, Richard Green wrote:

> The NB can be a PITA to work on. What a pain to replace the battery on > her 99, tail light blub, headlight blub almost everything, I didn't > cry > when my daughter, traded it in on a toyota. It was a good car. a 99 > gas. > It made it through 6 years of college. Now they are her hubbies > problem. I worked for several Pontiac dealers turning wrenches. I > remember a Firebird that you were supposed to take the the fender > loose by the door to change the heater core out. I didn't. My > buddies 69 > Bigblock(428) mustang yor were supposed to take the motor mounts loose > and raise the engine to change the spark plugs... A hole saw to the > fender wells took care of that. Make a few small sheet metal covers > and > you were set. > > My son would watch me work on his cars, I was trying to teach him to > work on them, and then go inside and watch TV. I eventually told him > what to do, and I went inside and watched TV but told him to come get > me if he had a problem. He did work more on his air cooled bug, more. > At 30 he is a lot better, married, with one daughter. > > But when I was in high school, I worked at a gas station, and when I > worked and closed up, we would be adjusting our valves, tuning our > carbs > and such. My dad never touched a car that I ever saw. > Buy them a old bug, and let them work on it. On the way to move to the > big city, my girl friend, later wife, had a flat on her car, I made > her > change the flat. I told her why. I don't know if it helped. Later > on she > could change a flat quicker on our Passat than I could. But she was my > right hand helper with many a engine or transmission swap and more. > > I am 55, been married for over 33 years. I think it is a generation > gap > thing. If they become interested in older autos, they will learn to > work > on them. It takes all the fun out of it if they don't > Richard > > > Greg Potts wrote: >> 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 >>> >> >>

Oliver Mueller-Heubach groundhogging@mac.com


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