Date:         Sun, 30 Nov 2014 17:00:08 -0800
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Considering an engine swap for the past decade,
              but WBX just keeps going
Comments: To: Zeitgeist <gruengeist@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CAN5Ep7RCvU5HQVA932Zz4zaAP30-F_nQZFwGDOvaoy3qE0wrNg@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

Yes, I've had good service from two OEM engines too, but the problem is you cannot rebuild them to the same quality. It's simply impossible, no matter how much time and money you spend trying.  

So, the desire many have, like me, to find and fund a substitute while the OEM engine is still running.

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Zeitgeist
Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2014 12:49 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Considering an engine swap for the past decade, but WBX just keeps going

I've said it here, and I'll say it again; I bought our Bluestar back in '04, with the express intention of swapping in a TDI in the near term.  I'm not a fan of the WBX, flat engines or even gas engines at all, but having said that, this thing just motors on and has really never given me reliability problems that would necessitate a swap or even a replacement.
I've never had it or the transaxle out of the vehicle in the decade I've owned it, and even though I do have its ALH replacement sitting in my shop, I have no reason to do so given its resolute persistence.  It's earned my grudging respect one gritty mile after the next. I just can't seem to climb aboard the WBX bashing bandwagon, since I've never once had a bad experience with one.  I should mention that my previous van, an '88 GL, gave the exact same service while we owned it, as it did for our inlaws who bought and drove it for another decade afterward.