I hope everyone will realize I was just teasing about the 'what a scam - go
camping with other vanagons to get yours fixed'............
it wasn't a put down or anything like that............just playfulness.
   No need to be too serious all the time. !~
Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Greg Potts" <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2008 8:37 AM
Subject: Re: The Value Of a Mechanic That Knows the Vanagon

> Hi Loren,
>
> I agree 100% with both of your main points. I just felt obliged to
> respond to the campout maintenance comment since I attend a lot of
> campouts and also run TCWBC and BOTC.
>
> I do as much work as possible on my own vans, and I try to do as much as
> possible BEFORE a road-trip. I have a local shop that is
> Vanagon-friendly and Frank Condelli is not nearly so local but has a
> well-seasoned ear that I can lean on when I need it.
>
> My local shop (Nick's Auto Clinic in SW Scarborough) is excellent. Sure,
> Nick can be a bit crusty at times, usually when he thinks you've caused
> the problem by trying to rethink or patch up the original system instead
> of repairing it properly. A lot of the time he's right. I send my bus
> and vanagon there when it's a repair I don't have tools for, don't have
> time for or just can't handle it. (Ie, water pump repair in February).
> My parents do the same with their vanagons.
>
> It is a nice thing to have a vanagon mechanic available when you need
> one. Even with this list, I still need some extra help from time to time.
>
>
> Happy Trails,
>
> Greg Potts
> 1973/74/79 Westfakia "Bob the Tomato"
> 1987 Wolfsburg Weekender Hardtop
> www.busesofthecorn.com
> www.pottsfamily.ca
>
>
> Loren Busch wrote:
>>  Got to jump back in on this thread I started and that seems to have
>> drifted
>> a bit.
>> First, I read the comment about 'so bring your Vanagon to a VW event for
>> repair' as a tongue in cheek comment and not meant seriously.  Second I
>> had
>> two points to make in the original post: The value of a top mechanic that
>> really know the vehicle and the fact that many problems (and I mean many)
>> that occur in older vehicles like ours are really very simple but the
>> tendency is to assume major problems and start replacing parts, sometimes
>> expensive parts, and hope the problem will go away.  Loooking back at my
>> original message I don't think I emphasized that second point very well.
>> Now back to the regularly scheduled programing....
>>
>
>
> --