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Date:         Sun, 23 Feb 2014 16:46:14 -0800
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: I am not alone
Comments: To: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@q.com>
In-Reply-To:  <ED20332E-C579-45B1-A515-EB339F673D93@q.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I'm often unwilling to accept "the general consensus"..but I'm smart enough to read up on stuff before I buy. There was so much information on the failures and problematic reliability of the WBX as it comes in a Vanagon that it just ruled-out that motor for me. I'm not saying an inline VW motor is perfect... and never having dealt with the wbx motor myself I can't say from experience anything. But "Everyone" can't be totally lying about leaky heads expensive and frequently-needed major work and the need for very specific experienced mechanical workers to keep them going.

I chose to avoid that.

Saw a cool silver Synçro today...had "4-Play" on it and some non stock pipes...east of San Diego in the hot desert.... On Feb 23, 2014 4:13 PM, "Karl Wolz" <wolzphoto@q.com> wrote:

> Stick with the waterboxer, but get it, and keep it, running right. > > Karl Wolz > Sent from my electronic umbilicus > > > On Feb 22, 2014, at 4:50 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM> wrote: > > > > My Vanagon is pretty easy to keep going. I think the key is to replace > the > > troublesome WBX motor... Most of the unreliability issues seem to stem > from > > those... > > > > When I first began to consider a Vanagon... a bit of research told me I > > wanted nothing to do with a stock motor..... Every review said they were > > poorly designed and very prone to frequent expensive repairs. I was > smart > > enough to choose to do an "end run" and find a Vanagon with a different > > motor... Rather than learn all about how to fix a water boxer and keep it > > fixed... > > > > Yes a 30yr old machine of any sort is going to have things wearing out > > but with the Vanagon we're able to do most of the needed replacements on > > our own with simple tools. The Trick seems to be to replace stuff before > > it fails... > >> On Feb 21, 2014 9:42 AM, "Jim Felder" <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote: > >> > >> I would not argue with that logic. They have to be pretty smart to > figure > >> out how to keep them running at this point! > >> > >> Huntsville has had a military presence back to WWII, and has had NASA > since > >> the mid fifties. Back when I was a kid, soldiers could ship a vehicle > back > >> to the states at low/no cost. Parts places and mechanics for these cars > >> were everywhere. I was friends with the guy who came here to be Dr Von > >> Braun's Mercedes mechanic and he opened a shop that has survived him, > and > >> he spawned a lot of other shops (he was the Fiat dealer for a time, and > you > >> know what that means). I came of automotive age at a pretty interesting > >> time. Morgan 3 wheelers, 2-stroke SAABs, Alfa Romeo Giuliettas, all > manner > >> of British T-series and on, Simca, Renault, Citroen, VW, Muscovich > (sp?), > >> NSA all cheap if you kept your eyes open. A lot of them deserved to be > >> cheap, but some cars were fun bargains. > >> > >> If you couldn't find it in town, JC Whitney had it. Look at an old > Whitneys > >> catalog and you won't believe your eyes. I have an old one that I am > going > >> to scan someday and put up a few pages. You will sob. > >> > >> When I acquired Fifty Shades of Brown, it had a sticker in the window > that > >> read > >> > >> SAVE ME FROM WHAT I WANT > >> > >> That is good advice for an old diesel Vanagon owner. I was obviously > smart > >> enough to ignore it : ) > >> > >> Jim > >> > >> > >> > >> On Fri, Feb 21, 2014 at 11:25 AM, Stuart MacMillan < > stuartmacm@gmail.com > >>> wrote: > >> > >>> University towns have always been VW centers, especially for campers. > >> The > >>> Seattle area has three VW dealers, one four blocks from the University > of > >>> Washington campus. They all sold a lot of campers over the years, which > >> is > >>> why we still have so many around. > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> At least that seems to be true in the west, and Huntsville too > >>> apparently. Hmm, does that mean smart people own Vanagons? > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> Stuart > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> *From:* Jim Felder [mailto:jim.felder@gmail.com] > >>> *Sent:* Friday, February 21, 2014 9:09 AM > >>> *To:* Stuart MacMillan; Vanagon mailing list > >>> *Subject:* Re: I am not alone > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> I'm in Huntsville (Madison, technically). No shortage of parts here, > >>> thanks to me! LOL > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> Plus we have a really good shop here and another in a nearby town. I > >>> looked at a Carat automatic yesterday at my local shop. It was parked > out > >>> front with a Birmingham tag. The shop owner said that they owner has > the > >>> car towed to Huntsville for any kind of service more complicated than > an > >>> oil change. > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> About a week ago a friend with a westy stopped by for a part. There > were > >>> my two in their respective driveways, and this one on the street. My > >>> neighbor, who just bought a red passat TDI wagon, stopped and rolled > the > >>> window down and said "You better keep them apart! They're starting to > >>> multiply!!!" > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> Jim > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> On Fri, Feb 21, 2014 at 10:24 AM, Stuart MacMillan < > stuartmacm@gmail.com > >>> > >>> wrote: > >>> > >>> I've heard that Huntsville has a pretty good quantity of Vanagon > owners. > >>> Aerospace folks seem to like them. Drive up for a weekend to get your > >> fix! > >>> > >>> Stuart > >>> > >>> > >>> -----Original Message----- > >>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On > Behalf > >> Of > >>> JRodgers > >>> Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2014 10:10 PM > >>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > >>> Subject: I am not alone > >>> > >>> For the longest kind of time I have not seen any Vanagons around > >>> Birmingham, AL but my own. Never see any mention of Birmingham on the > >>> Vanagon List so have wondered if I am all alone in the big city. > >>> > >>> Well, today, just after parking my van and nearing the steps into the > >>> house, I hear this familiar engine sound, and almost simultaneously > hear > >>> the unmistakable sound of a Vanagon horn down by the street. I turn and > >>> look toward the street in time to see TWO Tintop Vanagons with cargo > >>> carriers on top - one behind the other, one blue, one green, chugging > up > >>> my hill. They waved, blew the horn again, but didn't stop. Wish they > had. > >>> > >>> But it's nice to know I'm not alone in the big city. > >>> > >>> John > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> >


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