Date: Fri, 20 Jun 1997 23:09:47 -0700
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: vwmaster@volks-motorsports.com
Subject: Re: Core ChargesAVP vs. Stephens/ Volks-Motorsports opinon
Chip,
I have a couple of things to add to this thread;
Check out my web site (www.volks-motorsports.com) There you'll find my feelings on
AVP in the engine page.
I've personally been to AVP a few times. I work in a VW repair shop and parts
store. WE also do machining. It takes alot of tooling these days to build a
"reliable" Air-Cooled VW engine. With the quality of the gasoline these days the
engines run hotter than they were originally designed too.
People like Leonard at AVP have done extensive work to curb this problem. I've seen
the process in which his engines are built, tested and checked!
I've installed about 8-10 of his engines over the last 6 months or so. I've been
happier with the care and craftsmanship that I see in the AVP engines than even some
of the ones that had come from our in house builder.
I've been working fulltime in this shop for 7 years, I installed my share of engines
over that time. Some of the engines that we used in the past from one of the other
California builders we've had to resurface the heads due to Poor QC steps etc.
I want to breifly touch on the "Core" topic;
I have a customer that expressed how unhappy he was that he went with another
companiy due to the fact that the price was "Lower" in the beginning. After all was
said and done he spent $2400.00 on a 1.9 Waterboxer engine! His "Running Engine core"
Had a bad everything.....? Makes me wonder too how much profit some of the
rebuilders are making by "Burning" the customers of the core money?
I am in the VW business, I won't hide that. I "Created" Volks-Motorsports directly
because of what I saw on this "List"! I wandered into the list about a year and a
half ago, I found alot of knowledgeable people and also a number of people that needed
different kinds of help. I gave my knowledge when I felt it appropriate, and I
offered parts when I saw I could help someone.
After one "post" that I wish I knew who's it was (But I can't) I couldn't stand for
it anylonger. The post was to the effect of, "I've been searching for this part for a
week or so. I finally found a source but it's going to take 3 weeks to get the part
and I'm paying (An awful amount) for it.
Well I sat there and thought to myself...., I have 10 of those on the shelf and I
sell them for 1/3 the price this person was paying for it. At that moment I started
the Volks-Motorsports Idea. I wanted to share the wealth of parts and resources that
I have with the "List Memebers" and the World! I did this to help people, I was
taught early in life that what goes around comes around! I know from my earlier days
that if you screw someone, you'll get screwed! I now help out in any way I can as
much as possible, sometimes too much but that's what life is all about. If you have
it to give do so. Selfishness has gotten people nowhere.
When I started the V-M-S, I knew so little about computers (I still do!) and how the
list worked too! That I didn't know I wasn't supposed to post my products for sale on
the list. I refrain for the most part from doing so now. I've dealt with many
members from this list. I now I have every intention of going out of my way to help
Anybody who calls me needing help. I doubt that there's anybody out there that I've
pissed off due to my way of conducting business, (If so let me know).
I love the list, I hate loading all the e-mail sometimes, but I know that I have so
many places across the World that I could stay if I needed a place too just because
this "list" exists! I Thank Gerry for all he's done to keep us together thru all the
time he has.
Thanks for letting me ramble, I rarly do so but..........
Kyle
--
Kyle Wade (408) 462-9424 Hm #
Keeper of the Volks-Motorsports page
Home Page - http://www.volks-motorsports.com