Date:         Wed, 6 May 1998 06:22:05 -0500
Reply-To:     Steve Manning <smanning@EXECPC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Manning <smanning@EXECPC.COM>
Subject:      Re: Hello! I'm new to the list and my '86 Weekender's manual
Comments: To: martycha@IX.NETCOM.COM
Comments: cc: vanagon@vanagon.com
In-Reply-To:  <355036A9.24CA@ix.netcom.com> from "Valerie Chandler" at May 6,
              98 06:08:41 am
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

NEVER GO TO A DEALER> Sorry, I'm not yelling at you, just trying to get
your attention. The dealer doesn't know anything about these, nor do we
want them to. Their mechanics are quite seasoned on the newer more
mainstream vw's and alike, but will probably charge you close to double
what your local corner import mechanic would charge. And in my case where
I live, the dealer doesn't even want to work on them. They tried charging
me 150.00 for a radiator flush and fill. I took it to my local mechanic
and he charged me under 60.00. The dealer said he charges that much
because he doesn't want to work on them. This is a local Milwaukee dealer
called Concours Motors. It's a stuffed shirt B'mer Audi, and oh yeah, VW
dealer. Sometimes they even forget because they get so wrapped up in
themselves. They do sponsor a little one day a year classic vw show in
the
spring. That's probably the only time they've had so many busses on their
lot at once.


-steve-

>
> I took it to a dealer for an estimate because the it grinds going into
> third or fourth gear.  It grinds, but it does shift, so should I wait or
> go ahead with the work? I got a one-thousand dollar plus estimate from
> a dealer.  Whadaya think?  Should I go ahead with it?  My hippie van is
> like one of the family!  Thanks for any advice and information!
> Valerie Chandler
>