A few days ago, I got a email from a VW friend, who
drives a late model vanagon camper.
Let's call him/her Mr/Ms Q.
So Q says, "my vanagon (auto tranny) runs very well,
20 mpg on the freeway, no smoke, no loss of
power, no complaints."
Smog inspection is coming up, so Q takes his/her
vanagon to a mechanic that Q hasn't been to before
to have it prepped for smog test.
The mechanic does something unknown, then tells
Q at length, that the "catalytic converter is weak
and the O2 sensor is not working, and he can't get
a reading. It also might need a new or rebuilt ecu."
The mechanic doesn't specify what reading he's talking
about.
So Q, asks me "what's your opinion?"
So I write back,
in no uncertain terms to Q,
"If your vanagon runs well, doesn't smoke, gets
20 mpg with automatic, and you don't have any
complaints, then there's nothing wrong with it,
and the mechanic could be trying to pull one over
on you. Go to a different mechanic or just have
the smog emissions tested. If it doesn't pass,
then have it fixed."
So Q brings his/her vanagon over to official smog
testing, and the vanagon passes with no problem.
End of story, and lots of money saved.
So what do you think? Was the mechanic trying
to rip Q off for unnecessary repairs?
It makes one wonder.
Harald
'90 westy

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