Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 17:10:40 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: vanagon repair shops - which has the most character!
In-Reply-To: <6e95da691001231148x79a1f3b4wf6865ac3a8e2667b@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
I can't address Vanagon specific repair shops across country, but this
thread reminded me of the drive down from Alaska in '96. I was in my
first Vanagon, an '85 GL. I did not have a clue about the Vanagon list
back then and knew of no one with any knowledge about these vans. I
made the 75 hour 4500 mile drive from Anchorage to Birmingham with no
flats, and only one relatively minor trip stopping event and one major
one. The minor one - .one of the collector pipes cracked and separated,
making it noisy as all blazes if you were behind the van. I was in
Wyoming somewhere - I've forgotten just where - and a mechanic told me
that it would be really difficult to weld back up where the break was,
and he recommended I just continue my journey if I could handle the
noise. Being in front of the engine, rather than behind it, it was no
real problem. It was obviously louder, but not unendurable even for long
hours in the saddle. The second event - and a trip stopper - was near
Jasper, AL 60 miles north of my destination at Birmingham. Water pump
failed. I caught it quickly enough it didn't damage the engine, but I
had to get a roll-back to come and pick up the van and take it the rest
of the way. That was a pricey 60 miles, but not near as pricey as a
later trip in my later "88 GL. when it melted a piston.
But the point is - it's really nice to be aware of and know of shops
across the country recommended by Vanagon owners. That gets to be
majorly important. And probably even more important, is being part of
this community of Vanagon owners who are so willing to help each other
out when there is trouble. The Vanagon list, and it's Vendors are the
greatest!!!
**
John Rodgers
Clayartist and Moldmaker
88'GL VW Bus Driver
Chelsea, AL
Http://www.moldhaus.com
Joy Hecht wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I recently found myself in Roanoke Virginia, where two nice women drove up
> alongside my van and handed me a slip of paper with the name of a repair
> shop, saying "if you have any trouble with your van while you're here, come
> visit us, we work on all kinds of VW vans."
>
> Well, Matilda was having some slight incontinence problems (otherwise known
> as dripping fluids), and I figured maybe I should have this looked at while
> I was in town. So I took her over to Salem Imports, Mark Dearing's repair
> place in Salem, VA (next town over from Roanoke), and he replaced my water
> pump.
>
> But what struck me was the wonderful character of his shop! Especially as
> I'd had a dream, the night before going there, that it was clean and pretty,
> with red-and-white checked curtains and a cleaning staff scrubbing the
> bathrooms (plural). Not!
>
> I thought it would be fun to seek out the vanagon repair place with the best
> character - Mark's is definitely a contender! So do have a look at some
> pix, and see if you can top this:
> http://picasaweb.google.com/hecht.joy/VanagonRepairShopsSalemImportsSalemVA#
>
>
>
>
> Joy
>
>
>
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