At 07:34 PM 2/22/2000 , - Lauren Pelzer wrote:
>The van still is not done.  The mechanic called this evening, and quoted me a
>price of $625.00!  This was $230+ for the part itself, $245 labor, and the
>balance for 2 hoses.  He'll try to have it done tomorrow morning.  (I was
>told this was a one-hour job!!)

Tell him to just plug the hoses, no need for a bypass.  In fact your front
heater will work better if he does *not* bypass the rear.

Then get a heater core from Bus Depot at your leisure for lots less $$ and
do the job yourself.  You may not be able to wiggle out of the hoses.  Also
you should make sure that he has access to the tee fittings where the
heater hoses branch off from the ones going to the front.  They may well
break (old brittle plastic).  You may well want to replace them regardless
(old brittle plastic).

Come to that, if he has to replace hoses, he could replace the tee fittings
with straight pipe or plug the ends, and don't buy the hoses until you're
ready to do the job right.  Which if it's warm enough where you are may be
never...

That will pretty much eliminate the parts costs for now.

david
David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"