Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1998 17:19:00 -0700
Reply-To: Blaine Bachman <bbachman@DSDABQ.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Blaine Bachman <bbachman@DSDABQ.COM>
Organization: BFGoodrich Data Systems
Subject: Eurospec Conv.(followup-kinda
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Without intending to unjustly harm or
alarm, just a note on the high price of
"accessorizing." I believe that I got
a slight break off the MSRP from my
local mechanic. Nevertheless, most of
the add-ons seemed a bit pricey for
what I got. For instance:
1. What the heck is a "Tachometer Kit"
and why did it cost $20? Is there
something inherently different between
the wasserboxer's electronic ignition
and that of the 2.0 Golf?
2. Why another $20 for the "Dynamic oil
sensor kit?" I've already proven to
myself that the "L" board (brains of
the system) behind the tach is the same
on the Golf and late Vanagon. Two
simple wires DIRECTLY to the engine,
one to each sender and you're done.
What did I get for my $20?
3. What is a $75 power steering
installation kit - my pump, my
reservoir; pump pretty much in the same
place - were there nevertheless hose
add-ons or replacements? $75 bracket?
I'll have to look (or look for the gold
plating).
4. And the "coup de grace"; the cruise
control kit - $90!! (list is evidently
over $100). From what I could tell,
this includes a fairly simple mounting
bracket, a short length of generic
cable, and a cable clamp. Even the
mechanic figured it was worth maybe
$15-20. Does someone at the source
have a passive-aggressive attitude
towards those of us with C/C?
And to top it off, the thing is poorly
designed - the cable falls off the
throttle cam lever whatchamacallit
rendering the C/C inoperative. The
mechanic band-aided it - but for $90 it
should have been a technological wonder
(with a Lewinski feature, if you get my
drift)!
Don't get me wrong - I'm MORE THAN
HAPPY with the overall concept and
execution (accelerating up hills and
all - yippee! - they couldn't come up
with this idea in Hannover/Wolfsburg??)
I'm just a bit pissed at looking like
I got screwed on these little things
(I'd rather get a little screwing on a
big thing - which I probably got anyway
- than a big screwing on a little
thing). And by bringing it up to y'all
other potential customers, maybe it'll
save you some $$ (or at least reduce
the nasty surprise factor).
Or did I pay for the entire
cruise/tach/oil/steering R&D effort?
BTW, for anyone who relies on the
European Car/VW Trends write-up, the
cited $5000 price is just for the basic
engine kit - installation (and all this
other stuff) is evidently not included.
Alas! That my w'boxer might have
lasted until this kit was available in
a "shadetree" version (please no
preaching from the recent DitY guys who
did their own "four-in-line
integration").
I openly invite anyone from the
"source" to clarify these issues to the
list and to me directly (since I'm not
an active subscriber).
Thanks for your indulgence.
-Blaine
New redline: 6,000+
