Date:         Wed, 1 Jul 1998 11:31:31 -0400
Reply-To:     Ron Mighton <rmighton@PASSPORT.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Ron Mighton <rmighton@PASSPORT.CA>
Subject:      Cost of New Automatic Transmission and Final drive
Comments: To: Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I just had Owasco Motors ( the VW dealer near Toronto in Canada) install a
brand factory new automatic transmission and final drive in my 1990
Westfalia which has 182,000 Kilometers (or about 114,000miles). The total
cost  (including the 15% TAX) was $5,800 CDN  ( or about $ 3,950 US) The
cost of the parts was $4,400 CDN  I sure thought long and hard about
spending that much money but I plan to keepi the van along time and use it
a lot in remote areas. I found the thought that the one year 20,000
kilometer warranty was good at any VW dealer comforting and the fact that
my visa doubled the warranty to two years also comforting. The part had to
be shipped from Germany as there were none available in North America. The
unit was damaged by service performed on it (for the PO) by a local Toronto
VW dealer who have a history of poor service and high prices. What you say
...how could they damage both the automatic transmission  AND the final
drive/differential  Well its a long story but if you have both dishonesty
and incompetence in an organization the damage that can be achieved is
amazing.

I paid $12,000 CDN  for this 1990 Westfalia  and would now like to insure
it for a higher replacement value. My current insurance company (The
personal) will not contemplate  increasing the amount so I am asking for
suggestions on insurance companies and techniques that will result in a
more realistic replacement value. Thanks in advance for any comments.
Ron Mighton Toronto, Canada EH!