Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:35:46 -0800
Reply-To: Donna Skarloken <dskarloken@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Donna Skarloken <dskarloken@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Todays Experience at the Local VW Dealer Parts Department
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTi=rfHqZnD1qj5HjfrYZLT+a=87se79unWtZ_t1N@mail.gmail.com>
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I can add Central Valley VW in Modesto, CA. Always a pleasure, and the
service manager is a Vanagon guy all the way back to aircooled models.
Sadly, one of the senior mechanics just passed from lung cancer, but he was
also a Vanagon expert. The service manager has an aircooled vanagon he
bought new, sold to the senior mechanic, and now has it back because of the
mechanic's passing, but it looks like new.
Donna, 87 Syncro
On Thu, Feb 10, 2011 at 12:56 PM, Loren Busch <starwagen@gmail.com> wrote:
> We have all, in the past, seen horror stories about dealing with the local
> VW dealership, their service department or their parts department. Well,
> once again I have to say that a recent (would you believe under $10?)
> dealing with my local VW parts department at Campbell - Nelson VW in North
> Seattle was an absolute and total pleasure, actually fun. I called them
> Monday morning looking for a small trim item for Vanagons. I'd screwed up
> the part number but they figured it out instantly. Said they didn't have
> any but another VW dealer in Seattle had seven in stock (I needed 10). I
> asked him to order them for me. "No problem" he said, "They'd be here
> Wednesday". All he wanted was my name, nothing else. And the call came
> mid
> day yesterday, they were there and ready to pick up. I pulled in this
> morning and walked into the parts area. I was immediately greeted with a
> big smile and hello and a "I haven't seen you for a while". That was the
> receptionist/cashier June, affectionately known as 'June Bug'. And she was
> correct, I hadn't been in there for a couple of years. There was a
> customer
> at the parts counter at the time and June asked if I'd like a good cup of
> hot chocolate?. Sure I said as she walked to the machine "What flavor?" she
> asked. I chose French Vanilla (it was very good). With the parts counter
> now vacant I walked up, told him my name and before I could describe what
> had been ordered he said "Oh yeah", turned and pulled the parts from a box
> right near the counter. I commented that they were for someone that had a
> couple of Vanagons and with a smile on his face he quipped "Deliberately?"
> and we got into a conversation about Buses and Vanagons and keeping them on
> the road. So then I took my little little bag of parts (again I'll mention
> this was a sale well under $10, local tax included), stepped over to June
> Bugs station and paid for them. Walked out with the remainder of my French
> Vanilla hot chocolate and left with that 'warm fuzzy' feeling.
> BTW, I've used the service department there for wheel alignment and was
> always impressed with the service. And one time I asked them at the
> service
> desk about having work done on the air conditioning and the service
> manager
> instantly jumped in and really discouraged me from spending any money on
> the
> AC and warned that it would get expensive in a hurry. Good shop.
> So, again I can say there is at least one VW dealership parts department
> that is ggod to deal with.
>
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