Good going Jonathan!
I got my first Vanagon in 1994 and blew the engine within 12,000 miles.
From that point forward I've been practicing Paranoid Maintenance and
replacing every moving part with either a new part or a used part that I
feel superior to what's there already.
I've got a back log of parts because other than maintaining my own daily
driver I've bought and restored about six Vans and Vanagons all Westy and
gotten them back on the road to a second life.
I must admit it's great to buy a Vanagon and reach in your parts bin for the
fix rather than waiting a week for a parts order to arrive.
This is about 1/2 of my parts inventory.
http://www.engineceramics.com/vw/vwparts.htm

Stan Wilder
Engine Ceramics
214-352-4931
www.engineceramics.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jonathan Farrugia" <jfarrugi@UMICH.EDU>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2005 6:45 PM
Subject: Re: USA Vanagon EOL

> here is how i approach the subject.  the end of life will be when you can
> no longer supply enough parts to keep your van running.  the general rule
> of thumb is that the older the machine the smaller the quantity of parts
> that will be available for it.  here is where it comes down to how
> committed to the machine you are.  if you what the longest life and
> lowest cost per mile you "need" to stock pile parts.  that means
> purchasing replacement parts when they are cheap in advance of when you
> need them.  additionally the cheapest source of parts is to buy a vanagon
> and part it out.  the parts on hand are worth much more than the $300-500
> that the van will cost you, of course i discount the labor to part the
> van out and box everything in a organized fashion.
>
> for example i have two spare transmissions and both vans that they came
> out of cost me $500. i've already recouped at least the purchase price
> from both vans so the transmissions are basically free at this point.
>
> jonathan
>
>
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