I'm at the point where I really can't go back to the repair shop that I've
been using since I got my 91 Vanagon. They aren't being very detail oriented
and I've had a couple of things that I was sure were wrong, they said
nothing was and when I brought it somewhere else, it was indeed wrong. And
they replaced my heads and put it back together without doing other agreed
upon work...etc.

I love the guys down at Volks Caf�, but can't always trek all the way down
there, so I am hoping that someone has found a shop they really like in
Oakland/Emeryville/Berkeley or San Francisco (in that order of preference).
I live in West Oakland.

I was in an accident in July (80E just off the bridge (highway), we were at
a stop and the small sedan that rear ended us was going about 40 or 45. It
was bad enough that they insisted on removing me on a backboard...I
fortunately have the badass tubesteel bumpers or it would have been much
much worse, but it still wiped out my transmission and exhaust systems when
the car that hit us slid down underneath the bumper.)...so it has been
repaired, but it isn't acting right. The electrical system is acting
funky...radio is on when I come out in the morning (with no face plate)
always reset to the bottom of the dial and I can hear voltage fluxuation
when I unlock the doors or turn my drivers seat around (powered)...really
need to get it looked at...the breaks and acceleration just aren't right
either.

We were supposed to have driven it up to Vancouver and back on a short west
coast tour...had to do it in a rented RampVan (grand caravan with gimp gear
built in). Reminded me how much I love my vanagon!!! We are doing a huge
trip over the holidaze...Oakland>KC>Iowa>South Texas>Arizona and back...so I
need to get it in tip top shape.

TIA,
Kriss