I stopped in for an oil filter at my mechanic's shop yesterday. I was
in line behind a young woman with a black late-model VW
something-or-other. I guess it was a Jetta, but I couldn't see it very
well and was occupied with checking out an 85 Syncro right outside the
window.

The mechanic spent some time looking at her car with her, and finally
came back in the building without her. He was shaking his head.

It seems that her VW factory CD player quit playing, and the dealer
wants (I could have heard this wrong but I don't think so) $2000 to
replace it. She was at the shop to get an aftermarket player put in,
but Nick had to tell her that it would void the car's warranty. It
seems that the two parts (front player and rear changer) are connected
on the wiring system's bus, and VW won't hook up diagnostic equipment
to a car which has any other than VW stuff on it.

Then he started telling me about the $600 timing belt changes due every
65K miles on the new TDIs.

My vanagon felt better than ever on the drive home.

Jim