Date:         Tue, 19 Oct 1999 12:37:01 -0700
Reply-To:     Richard Golen <rgolen@UMASSD.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard Golen <rgolen@UMASSD.EDU>
Subject:      VW Rep visits my Eurovan....
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I just spent almost two hours (looking over my EV as well as a stack of
posts from you folks regarding fuel leaks) with a rep. from VW's Product
Liaison Group. He said he would have been here earlier, but he was at the
Puebla factory all last week...he did drive up from New Jersy to see my van.

He appeared to be genuinely concerned about my fire. Almost immediately he
apologized for the treatment I initailly received from VW Customer
Service...he said the word "fire" should have gotten their immediate
attention rather than a brush-off. A good portion of the time was spent
poking and prodding in the engine compartment. I did not notice it before
but the blue fuel line is burnt through so that it was actually
severed....there's a 6 inch section that is completely gone!

He took lots of notes as well as pictures of the engine compartment, and
the rest of the EV. I then showed him my collection of posts about the fuel
leaks, and my collection of NHTSA and Transport Canada materials. Would you
believe that I have at least 15 separate complaints from the van groups
regarding EV fuel leaks!

I think I may have "shocked" him with the size of the file as well....its
over 3/4" thick and growing. He had full access to the file and made copies
of the posts from the groups. At one point he said that my EV was the first
that he was aware of with an engine fire....then I showed him copies of
NHTSA complaints which have at least 11 incidents. That surely got his
attention.

After reading and reviewing all of the posts, he thanked me for all of my
time and effort in researching the problem and that "fires are simply
unacceptable for Volkswagen". Again he apologized for my initial treatment.

My impression after the meeting today was that VW is truly interested in
the problem. Lets see what happens next.


BTW, the dealer had a 2000 EV in the lot...jokingly I asked if it was
possible to cut the nose off of the 2000 and weld it on to mine! The VW rep
laughed and said I'd enjoy the VR6.

Ric