I was doing an oil change - pretty routine stuff, really - with the "help"
of my four year old a few weeks ago, getting ready for the trip to Buses by
the Trail (the night the accelerator cable broke and the night after I just
completed a total brake job) in October - which we never made.  "We"
changed the filter and were getting ready to pour the new oil into the
filler tube when my son grabbed the fill tube, sticking his fingers into
the opening.  A rather loud "HEY!" from me startled the poor kid, whereupon
he yanked his hand out of the tube - as only a kid caught with his hand in
the cookie jar could do - pulling the inner portion sliding out with it.
At first, I though he yanked the whole filler tube out and was ready to
read the riot act to him for sticking his hand where it don't belong.
Then...  wonder of wonders, it's supposed to do that?  Huh.  Good job, Dan.
You just showed me something!  He went running into the house, telling mom
how much he helped.  As a reward, we were going to go for a ride in "Dad's
bus".  Then the accelerator cable broke...

Vanagon ownership is like that, I guess.  Find something neat and quirky,
praise the German engineers for their advanced thinking, and...  something
brakes.

Alan
& Phred ('88 Wolfsburg)