Date:         Mon, 16 Oct 1995 13:42:29 PDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Berry Kercheval <kerch@parc.xerox.com>
Subject:      Re: Early Bentley manual (are they really $90!?) 

>>>Bob said:
 > I just got a catalog from Parts Place, Inc.
 > which has it listed for $84 which is probably the cheapest I've found it
 > yet.  Wassup with that?  The manual for my '79 was $30!  There's way less
 > stuff on the '67!!!

Speaking for myself, I always try to buy the best tools I can consistent with 
my expected usage.  Hand wrenches and sockets will get a lot of use, so I get 
at least Craftsman.   '84 Vanagon Grommet-dweeblizers get less use so I can 
skate by with a cheap one.  The 8mm triple square you need to pull axle bolts? 
 Snap-On, accept no substitutes.

THe point I'm trying to make is that the shop manual is one of the most 
important tools you can get.  I too struggled without one for a long time, 
then gave up and paid $85 (at a VW dealer!).

I have NEVER regretted spending the money.  The first weekend it saved me 
HOURS of work.  I've probably saved myself 6 times its value in my time alone, 
let alone not having to redo botched jobs or scoping out what is and isn't 
reasonable for me to do, or being able to believe the mechanic when he says 
replacing the seat belt will take 11-1/2 hours (I can look up what it takes).

So my advice, for what it's worth, is eat hambuger helper for a month if you 
have to, or have less beer, or don't go to a few movies, but GET THE MANUAL.

  --berry

Berry Kercheval :: Xerox Palo Alto Research Center