Date:         Sun, 28 Aug 1994 14:29:57 -0400 (EDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         drahzal@c1south.convex.com (Matthew Drahzal)
Subject:      Saddest day of my car-owning life :-(



AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Its dead. Deceased. Joined the Choir Invisbule...NuBus ('82' Diesel) left me...

The day started so nice. Just spent $$$ fixing the seals and a new
muffler. Gas tank all sealed up...

It was runnig so good, I actually said "She's running TOO well. I am 
always afraid when there is nothing obviously wrong."

I took out the middle seat to make room for boxes. I went to a fiends and we 
loaded the moving van, and put the fragiles in NuBus. Drove 70 Miles
north, to Watertown NY. Unloaded. 10 miles south of Watertown on the return
trip :

   BAMM!  Wheeeeeeeeezzzhhhhhhh... "Ooops. We got trouble"

pulled over and tried to start it. It sounded like there were parts
of the engine bangin around inside. Black Smoke. LOUD rattling. Stop it.
It fires, but sounds real bad.


Have it towed to Watertown (Friends new apartment). Had the wife drive
70 miles up to get us. Came home. The middle seat is still sitting on
my porch, mocking me in my grief. My VW is 70 miles away. dead.

MY WIFE IS SAYING "JUNK IT"!! {so cold, so vicious}

My problem....Getting it home,  finding the problem, ...finding a new
Diesel engine...convincing my wife that its better to fix this than
to buy the air-cooled bread-loaf down the road a bit.

My children are afraid they will have to ride in a *sedan* on our long trips.

I don't want VIDS (Volkswagon-induced divorce syndrome)

"Why don't you just dig a hole in the backyard and pour your money in
it? It'll be less work..."

I don't know what to do. 

Somberly yours

matthew
'82 hunk of shameless junk somewhere in Watertown NY


p.s. I will be in NYC till wed. think good VW thoughts for me while
I'm gone. I have no good thoughts right now.