Date:         Tue, 14 May 1996 20:43:19 +0200 (MET DST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Martin Jaegersand <jag@cs.chalmers.se>
Subject:      Re: Oil cooler hose replacement


SCurtis269@aol.com writes:
> While on a weekend trip to lovely Rochester NY, I blew one of the hoses that
> runs to and from the oil cooler on my 90 Vanagon Westfalia.  Put enough duct
> tape on to limp to the local VW dealership.

[Snipped high quote on repair from dealer]

Hi Scott, Which dealer are you at? There are at least two in the Rochester
area. All vw owners I've spoken to try to avoid Gabriele autoplace
(which is not really a vw dealer but one of those XX,YY,ZZ and vw dealers).
The other "Vincent vw" is north of town, and I don't have any direct
experience with them. Vincent parts guys appear very knowledgeable and helpful
on the phone, and may even suggest non dealer sources if they are
too embarrassed with the prices they have to charge.

Otherwise for parts try:

Foreign auto parts: 60 Mt Hope Av,   Tel: 325 1650
Stu's import parts 15 Pitkin St,     Tel: 423 2260

Foreign is sometimes a bit cheaper, but Stu's have more vw and Borsch
special parts and can special order faster. Prices no worse than big 
mailorder places.

And help:

Craig auto metrics, 74 Grove, Tel: 325 3337
This is one of the best rated shops in the area, so they
are busy and may be reluctant to take on an emergency repair.
The managers name is Steve, but you want to talk to Kurt.
Kurt used to have his own vw speciality shop, and probably
has done more Vanagon work than anybody else in Rochester.

There is also at least one more shop which advertises they do
vw's in the yellow pages. If I remember right it is a good hour
drive outside of Rochester though.

Hope this isn't too late now. Is somebody keeping a list of
vw parts stores and repair shops around the US? Could be good
print out and bring on trips.

Sorry I'm not in Rochester now, otherwise I'd invite you over 
to peer-use Bentley, tools and driveway. I'm touring Europe.
Unfortunately not by vw bus. However I've been able to see
more busses in 3 weeks here than in 4 years in the US. In 
Germany there is a vw Westfalia or similar camper bus conversion in
almost every other driveway. Denmark appeared to be the country
with the highest density of the new vw fwd busses and trucks (EV style).
England had the highest proportion air-cooled (but there aren't
many air-cooled left on the streets in Europe).

I picked up a copy of a German magazine "VW scene". Turned out
to be pretty useless (no deep technical info, just photos of
"hot" vehicles), but has addresses to many mail order places
for accessories etc. Are there good European magazines?

/Martin (From a WARM and beautiful Sweden)
	(Heard it snowed in Rochester the other day
	and they had to postpone the lilac festival)