I bought an = '85 Westy/Wolf last fall---a month before heading for Mexico.

It's my third = Westy. The first two I also bought = used; one an early 60's, the other a '69. I loved them both, despite the latter's blown engine in Mexico in ''74, with only = my five year old son riding shotgun.

I = normally learn from mistakes; but VW's are a lot like childbirth---

This one's a beauty; her = previous (1)owner kept her garaged. Tho she had

194K miles total & 20K miles on the = rebuild, she'd had TLC. Not so much as a curtain hook missing. = The original bronze paint is excellent. All the rubber seals look fresh. I had her gone over thoroughly; the only trouble she gave, along with wild surging at = idle, was a "cutting out problem". I had the fuel filter replaced,

then my (previous) mechanic = installed a new "air box," which seemed to take care of the problem for a few = months. When it started up again, I thought it might be the Pemex gas.

She's still surging at = idle speed, and requires fancy footwork to move forward from a stop without = stalling. One garage told me it was a bad computer part---

there are two possibilities, I am = told. I was advised to replace the cheaper of the two first, then the other if the = first doesn't fix the problem.

I drove her around = for a month or so when I got her, then headed alone to Mexico for the winter.

She's got the Weekend = package, which as far as I am concerned is just what you need for serious, long-term = van travel. Those cute little built it stoves are OK if you do all = your camping in your brother-in-laws driveway. But if you really get = out there and spend time in the "wilds" you'll come to appreciate the other set-up.

Heck, I love toting my little propane = stove to the water's edge to grill a fresh-caught fish, or savor my morning = coffeemaking routine at cliff's edge

NOW: Advice is = needed. Keep in mind that while I'm a remarkably capable and = adventurous woman, I'm "mechanically challenged". While I have learned to = load a staplegun, I still break into a cold sweat just looking under the = hood. Any advice you offer, except for body detailing, which I am happy to do, = must be communicated by me to a VW guru. OK?

1. Do you = agree that the wild surging at idle is caused a bad computer part?

= 2. I've been told the air filter housing is warped. When the = filter was replaced = recently I noticed she stalled more readily at idle, and the guy who helped me = really had to wrestle the housing back together.

3. The paint is = still excellent, but there are lots of little dings from the Mexico = adventure. How can they = be fixed cosmetically and stop the rust?

4. I need a Vanagan = Guru; Ukiah, Santa Rosa, Berkeley, CA---anywhere in the North Bay Area will do.