Uhhh, don't let the door hit you on the way out, Mr. Smith.

Personally, I WANT to know when Ron or Kern get a new shipment of stuff and
what's in the cargo hoppers.

I've gotten to where I can cut through 100 messages in 10-15 minutes and
since you're off the list now, I guess you'll be spared the lengthy review
of the July 4th N'SYNC concert held in Little Rock last night.  Yeah, I
drove my Vanagon there.

This list has helped me out many times over the number of spam licks that
have come around.  And as my van ages, I can watch for the problems other
owners are having 20-30,000 miles ahead of me and set a plan to prepare for
it.

Nobody's getting rich off this list, we all just love our Vanagons(as much
as you can love a vehicle, I guess) and want to keep them running as best we
can.

Geez, I didn't need this today!!

Dimwitted Moose and Flying Squirrel
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rod Smith" <rodwreck@SE-TEL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2001 9:17 AM
Subject: Re: My Great Exit....... at last!

> Gee, you will be soooo missed!
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tim Smith" <smithtj@NBNET.NB.CA>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2001 9:43 AM
> Subject: My Great Exit....... at last!
>
>
> > Well folks,
> >
> > It's been a slice, but after postponing my departure
> > by a month and lurking in digest mode/P-mail reply
> > I can't justify staying on this list. I can't remember
> > when I signed on first, early enough that Unca Joel and
> > I used to battle for 'most posts in a month' title, long
> > before the original list split into aircooled and water
> > cooleds. I signed on again recently just to find a copy of
> > the digijet FI manual, which I didn't get.
> >
> > I bailed 2-3 years back because the list technical content
> > dropped waaaay off, while the spam content gained momentum
> > as more vendors discovered a captive and willing group with
> > free advertising.  Neither of these conditions has changed.
> > In fact recent list content has been so far off VW content it wasn't
> > worth even scanning a digest. Vendors are still there pimping
> > as hard as ever. Case in point, the recent quote for a temp sensor
> > at $31US, while I buy them for $21Cdn ($15US) from a wizened up
> > VW factory mechanic who gets them from the local FLAPS wholesaler.
> >
> > But I think what finally made me realize how futile this whole
> > scene has become was yesterdays post from "a 4 year VW employee, in
parts
> > dept"
> > who had to ask if his vanagon had a sway bar. D'oh! Plus the fact that
> someone
> > with full access to a VW service techies/manuals has to ask why his
> vanagon
> > is running rich. I dare you to post the name of the dealership where you
> work,
> > no way would my wheels ever roll across that dooryard. This speaks
volumes
> > about why the dealership network sucks so badly, total lack of knowledge
> > and little motivation to learn. And it shows me why the vendors can
> > make a killing off this list, the consequences of going elsewhere are
> > ignorance
> > and money. Sorry Dave, don't take this as a personal comment, it's more
> > a generalization ;)
> >
> > Last time on here I made a pitch for the list community to get together
> and
> > produce 'our own' digital Bentley, based on the cumulative work and
wisdom
> of
> > listmembers.  I also suggested that a full blown FAQ be set up and new
> > members informed of it's location.  It is easier to simply ask the list,
> so
> > the minimal effort approach rules. Shame. And like Bob Hoovers sermons,
> freely
> > published on V@L, some vendor will burn them onto a CD and start
charging
> > for what was free originally.  I won't even try to suggest that this
list
> > organises into a cooperative unit, with suitable incorporation and tax
> numbers
> > to allow buying directly from wholesalers like Overland or in Canada,
> Altrom.
> > Or from KYB,Bosch,Mann,BFG/etc/etc. Want to guess what the wizened up
> mechie
> > pays Altrom for the temp sensors he sells to me for $15? Think about
this
> > next
> > time a list vendors price seems so great compared to the dealers.
> >
> > A few names amongst the din stand out, Frank Grunthauer (sorry, if
> misspelled)
> > for his technical posts, ditto Bob Lilley. For reassurance that there
> > is still a 'community' out there, Phaedra's efforts have been great,
wish
> > I was near enough to enjoy her get togethers. That leaves about 99%
wasted
> > bandwidth that I delete daily.  The list has fragmented in 'focus
groups',
> > where those with common interests, TDI, Subaru conversions, Syncro's,
can
> > pick up a far higher amount of content. This explains the dropoff of
tech
> > content on this list, members driven out to find their own groups, and
> > representing I suspect the more knowledgeable and resourceful members
too.
> >
> > And now that my $0.02 worth of non-technical (but somehow appropriate)
> > wasted bandwidth is over, so am I. List Meister Tom C..... thanks.
> >
> > Tim
> > a bus driver since '71
> >