Jeff,

The chain of events were almost the same in my case, as was their
behavior, confusing contradictory statements etc. Seems definitely like
a shop to avoid, and take it off any list of recommended/reputable
shops anywhere on the internet.

If the problem on the rebuild was corroded, leaking head gaskets after
10k miles, then why did I get 0 (ZERO) compression on all cylinders???
And why would they take the entire engine apart, remove the crankshaft
and cam, etc. if it is only because of a leaky head gasket???

They were trying to make excuses and blame it all on me, the backyard
mechanic, which is an easy one and probably scares a lot of us
vanagophiles away in case of a dispute. They told me I used the wrong
coolant, didn't flush the system, blabla. All of which isn't true. I
even replaced the radiator. Then their tech went on and said that
somebody tinkered with the valve clearance, another infamous b.s.

As I find out more and more, I get more outraged at their flat out
lies. I will take them to small claims court if they don't fix it now.
I have enough evidence. Tomorrow they'll get a letter from me stating
my demands,

Same with me, I live in Venice and it's a trip down there. Maybe we can
carpool next time...

Thanks for the story!

Matt

On Tuesday, January 14, 2003, at 06:04  PM, Jeff Oxroad wrote:

> I had Fast German Auto in Santa Ana, CA put a clutch and pressure
> plate in my
> 83.5 Westy. The total was $325 with parts and labor which I paid in
> full via
> American Express.
>
> When I checked my bus the rear deck was greasy and the rear bed
> cushion was
> not reinstalled over the engine door. When I went into the cockpit for
> a rag
> to whipe down the back I found heavy grease smuges on the door. I
> considered
> neither of these a big issue. Evidence of sloppyness certainly, but
> maybe an
> oversight and forgivable at that. (I mention all this so you get an
> idea of
> the whole situation.)
>
> But now when I looked in the cockpit I saw the black face plate to the
> instrument pod--the one that housing the headlight and hazard switches
> and
> insturments-- was cracked in the area of the headlight switch. Also
> the black
> textured finish on the face plate of the instrument cluster had been
> eaten
> away by some chemical or solvent where there was evidence of a spill
> and a
> splash. In fact some of the solution was still wet where it had
> obviously
> splashed on the instrument face plate.
>
> I then noticed fluid on the rubber floor mat and on the steering
> column, and
> theorized it was brake fluid. I immediatly got the sales rep. who I
> had just
> paid and he got the mechanic to come out to my bus.
>
> The sales rep. asked if the mechanic had cracked the dash or spilled
> anything
> in the bus, and the mechanic replied something like, "No. We'd have no
> reason
> to be in here."
>
> I whiped up some of the fluid with my finger and noted it seemed to be
> brake
> fluid. The mechanic then "remembered" and said he had filled the
> resevoir but
> had not spilled any fluid. The fluid I saw, according to the mechanic,
> was
> Simple Green which they use for clean up. (Simple Green by the way is
> a mild
> soapy solution)
>
> The mechanic went on to say that brake fluid always spills when you
> fill up
> the resevoir because of where the resevoir is placed. This is another
> contradiction to earlier statements, first that he had not been in  the
> cockpit and second that wehn in fact he was nothing spilled.
>
> Then,with the mechanic and sale rep present, I took of the cover from
> the
> instrument pod exposing the brake fluid resevoir. The underside of the
> instrument pod cover had spots of brake fluid where it had obviously
> spilled
> when the cover was off and most likely upside down on the floor or
> dash. And
> then I noticed fluid sitting inside the clear plastic over the
> speedo--meaning there was a pooling in the bottom of the speedo behind
> the
> glass where the fluid had obviously seeped. The small "shelf" under the
> speedo also had the finish removed where some solvent or the brake
> fluid had
> obviously spilled. And of course there was brake fluid around the
> resevoir in
> the recesses and the like.
>
> The instument pod by the way was brand new from the Bus Depot a few
> years
> ago--not a used unit, but brand new. At that time I had bought the new
> unit
> after rejecting several instrument pods I pulled from junk yards
> because the
> face plates and the clear plastic were scratched as a junk yard find is
> likely to be.
>
> I am meticulous about my bus and am 100% certain the instrument pod
> faceplate
> was not cracked and 100% certain the finish was not compromised and
> there was
> no fluid in the speedo or on the steering column or the floor mat. And
> as I
> mentioned the mechanic at first denied he was near the instrument
> cluster
> then denied a spill and then denied the crack--all in the presence of
> the
> sales rep.
>
> After the mechanic returned inside I spoke further with the sales rep
> who
> said there was nothing he could really do as he was "in the middle."
> To the
> best of my knowledge there was no one else from Fast German on the
> property.
> I had thought the sales rep was a manager in my dealings with him
> until he
> came up with the "in the middle" comment. The sales rep stated he
> would call
> me when they got a wreck with an instrument pod face plate and would
> have the
> mechanic swap my instruments into it. (Having installed the later
> model pod
> into my 83 I know it is not a simple swap depending on year. Also the
> old
> speedo, my original speedo is quite brittle as are some other
> components--but
> not the brand new face plate.)
>
> The shop is 50 miles from my home which makes the trip difficult and
> about 2
> hours long each way in LA traffic. Today I parked my other car at the
> train
> station in LA for $10, took the train to Santa Ana for $9.50, and
> walked 4
> miles to the shop from the train to pick up the bus as bothering
> another
> friend to put 100 miles on his car to drop me in Santa Ana seemed like
> a
> little much.
>
> Now I have to take out the instrument cluster and find exactly where
> the
> brake fluid went down in the dash and clean it up as it is a corrosive
> agent.
>
> I called Am EX and they said I would have to wait till the charge
> appeared on
> my statement to contest the $325 charge with no adjustment for damage.
> The Am
> Ex rep. Then tried to sell me travel insurance at $19.95 per trip by
> plane. I
> declined.
>
> I called a VW dealer and it seems a new face plate goes for $251. (I'd
> have
> to double check.)
>
> Needless to say I am not comfortable returning to Fast German Auto and
> having
> hammer hands reinstall my brittle speedo  and components in a used,
> more than
> likely well-used, instrument pod face plate.
>
> I turn to you all in you wisdom and understanding of Vanagons to help
> me
> understand what would be a fair solution to my dilemma. And how I might
> proceed.
>
> I sure appreciate your time.
> TIA
>
> Jeff
> 83.5 Westy
> LA,CA
>