> Pliers. Screwdriver. Duct tape. Wire. Cell Phone. Towing insurance.
>
> I have no interest in trying to fix a major breakdown on the side of a
> road. Tens of thousands of non-mechanically inclined people are
> "rescued" by tow trucks from backwoods areas, and their cars brought to
> places where the climate and tools are conducive to making a proper and
> lasting repair.

Re: Mathews  thoughts:
Sounds like common sense to me and provides plenty of 'jobs for the boys'.
UK recovery services are pretty good on the whole too, the AA being my
favourite, the RAC having been poor in this respect from my experience
despite its Royal upper class origins.

I'd rather fix my vehicle at home where the job will get done properly and
be a more lasting repair that doesn't need re-repairing later, or even get a
local mechanic involved where their lifts or pit or electronickery is
required.

I also find that stopping to help unfortunate broken downers is becoming
rather a revealing experience of modern society these days, with macho-man,
or suspicious woman (over inflated sense of womanhood in some, desirablility
in others) sensibilities kicking-in before even offering one's services -
even though its quite patent they are:
a) pretty mechanically ignorant of their plight and hopelessness of fixing
it themselves;
b) pretty culpable for getting themselves in that situation.

... were it not for the mobile phone these days, methinks they might learn a
lesson or two about good manners, vehicle maintenance and mechanical
sensitivity when driving.

Fortunately, none of the aforesaid have been VW bus drivers - but I live in
anticipation of a continual degradation in receptivity to a well meaning
'good samaritan'.

# # ...and the times they are a changing.... diddly diddly dee, diddy dee,
diddly dee ##

Clive
'88 Syncro Transporter

----- Original Message -----
From: "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2002 11:32 AM
Subject: Re: What parts to carry on the road...