Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2016 19:24:08 +0000
Reply-To: Mike Miller <mwmiller6@ATT.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike Miller <mwmiller6@ATT.NET>
Subject: Re: A different viewpoint
In-Reply-To: <a40db58c-9e33-7fcc-9220-ef679a4d13c3@picasso.ucsf.edu>
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Sorry I didn't quote your post. I hoped I'd summarized it correctly but the complete post is better.
As for doing myself, Neil. It's more complex than that. It was gas to TD but how do you know to cut the output shaft? Who can do this? Then there's the tools, most certainly more than I have. Ditto the mechanical knowledge, talent.
Also no place to do it.
So for them that can, great. But, alas, I'm not one of those.
It took a very reputable shop many, many hours, and parts I didn't have to do a swap. Admittedly this was a gas to TDI sway which is more complex, I'm told.
On Tuesday, September 27, 2016 12:15 PM, Christophe Guilbert <cguilbert@PICASSO.UCSF.EDU> wrote:
Hey guys
My conversation with Miller was private but he made his answer public to
the list. :-)
I think it is fair (for Bruce and his people) that I share my point of
view about Bruce Tassi so people have a broader viewpoint.
I've been 16 year with Bruce , since I had my 1983 air-cool Vanagon.
Yes , likewise Mike, I had bad experiences with Bruce in the past, I
can't deny it. Its really depend on the mechanic who worked on your
vehicle, they are sometimes lacking of quality control.
Their place could be considered like a dumpster or a treasure place to
find all those N/A parts
Now thus said, as I said , his shop is an amazing source of very hard to
find parts. Bruce never tried to screw me up trying to change things
which did not had to. On the contrary, he always try to save you money
and work with you if you are on budget, When I was trying to find a
place to clean my injectors , he was the only one who ask me the
question : "what make you believe you injector need to be cleaned" ?
Bruce is really nice, always willing to help you. He will spend time to
give you advises for free and find the rare missing parts you need to
rebuild you engine for $5. The downside if that since he is very
popular , it could be hard sometimes to talk to him without waiting.
Is Bruce trustworthy ?
Over a period of 16 years, I 've seen the best and the worth at Bruce.
Knowing a little bit of mechanic (I rebuilt my engine myself), I can
tell you that he has a very good team right now.
Ted is really good (without mentioning super nice) in body work and
welding, he can do everything, I've seen him fixing/restoring rusty
things which I thought was beyond repair. The machinist is also really
good , very meticulous in his work, he does not compromised with quality
and build reliable engine, the best I've seen so far @ Bruce's place.
Just go by yourself and look how he works. The 3 mechanics (including
Antonio) are very good.
You may or may not like Bruce style of running his shop, but I will tell
you this: I think it is a good time to think Bruce Tassi again , he
recently step up the quality of his repairs and kept only his best
mechanics. I don't have time to fix my van now, I am not reluctant
anymore to give him by vanagon to fix because they reach my standard to
do things . I was very happy with the last repairs! I even gave him my
Honda and Dodge for heavy repair at a good price.
I understand and share experiences that people had here but I think its
time to reconsider your judgement about his shop.
Chris
On 09/27/2016 10:54 AM, Mike Miller wrote:
> First I'm sorry for the cross posts. I don't know how to eliminate them. I'm not an expert like BenT
>
> My experience with Bruce Tassi is both the same and completely different than Christophe's.
> I contracted with him to do a gas to diesel swap. We agreed on a price and there was a time estimate.
> My experience was that unless another list member went to the shop and fussed about it, nothing got done.
> Which may have been good because everything that was done was done badly, to the point of an exhaust system being welded up that would have been a failing grade in a beginning welding class. Wish I had taken pictures because it's difficult to believe now that anything that badly done could have been offered to a customer.
> This was after the time period for the whole job was past, long past and what had been done was the gas engine had been removed, and the diesel engine cradle had been bolted in, that's it. I had the vehicle towed out of his shop at that point.
> He charged for the work that had been 'done' but at least he did not try to hold me up for the whole price agreed on.
> I understand that if you know what you're doing, keep a close eye on things, and insist on the mechanics that actually are competent it's quite possible to get a job done, done right, and at a decent price.
> The upshot of all this is I'll never go back to him and advise anyone who does to keep a weather on things, know his personnel and their capabilities, and check everything.
> JMO. Your experience may vary.
> Mike
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