Date:    Sat, 18 Aug 2001 19:04:22 -0700
From:    gregg and allison 
Subject: 89 Vanagon engine misfires, coughs, backfires, won't idle

I am a new proud owner of an 89 Westfalia. I do emphasize proud, but there
is a large problem. I have spent roughly $2700 in repairs at the local VW
dealership trying to get the engine to run the way it's supposed to. They
first replaced the O2 sensor, one head gasket, cat converter, muffler.
Allegedly, it ran great and passed the smog inspection. After driving around
the block from the dealership, I noticed it was missing -- a lot. And, it
was running very rough.

Wow, this sort of professional incompetence should not be tolerated. I hate to say this, but as soon as a competent mechanic easily figures out what's wrong with this vanagon, I'd sue their shoddy you-know-what and use that 2700$ for a more productive purpose than  providing these people with training they should already have.

I remember I recently had a toyota 4-runner that had a carburetor that was not working right. I went to a little place that promised they were very familiar with this sort of problem and promised an efficient diagnosis. As I watched it became increasingly apparent that I was dealing with a complete idiot. After one hour I of this agony they pronounced it fixed to up to the limits of the trucks general state of tune (no difference what so ever) and I sputtered away gritting my teeth in disgust. I then investigated more thoroughly the local mechanic scene and found another place that made the same puffy chested claims of expertise that the idiot shop did. The difference was that these people actually knew what they were doing, and one half hour later they had PIN-POINTED the exact source of the problem and I drove away with a perfectly running toyota for about 40 bucks total.

Being someone who generally does 90% of my own mechanical tasks, it's become obvious to me that the majority of mechanics I've ever dealt with, are either hopelessly incompetent at least with respect to complex diagnosis, or brutally ready to take advantage of the ignorance of the average car owner. I very much advocate the use of this list to locate excellent and honest mechanics, and patronize them with much loyalty. I also advocate vigorously taking lousy mechanics to task for the louts that they are when you suffer at their irksome hands. Automobile ownership is a very expensive thing, it should not be made insufferably moreso for reasons like this.
 

Amen,
Mark...