My $.02-
When you try to find parts and service for vehicles that are a couple
decades old and no longer manufactured, local is not likely. These
things tend to get centralized as entrepreneurs become the conduits
for access. But only if the market can support it.

I know for a fact that I can't even order VW parts in Mexico because
the VW dealers don't have a parts book, microfilche or cd for a
Vanagon. So I order my parts online and have them shipped to a
location on the border, and when there's a stack of boxes waiting for
me, I drive the 270 miles to the border and wait in line for an hour
or longer while the Border Patrol inspects each vehicle for fruit,
terrorists and drugs.

Coming back, I stop at Mexican Customs and pay an additional 20
percent on my purchases so they won't be confiscated as smuggled
merchandise. And if it's the wrong part or broken, I need to look at
the return policy on the part and how willing I am to drive it back
before the return period expires if it hasn't already. I don't get my
20 percent back from Customs, by the way. (If I want to get sworn
documentation of the broken part, present it to customs for "export"
and return with the REPAIRED part, I can avoid the 20 percent charge.
A REPLACEMENT, however, requires the payment of 20 percent.)

No Mexican mechanics know waterboxers. It's all air-cooled. No
Vanagons in junk yards.
The answer is to do it all yourself, and create the parts if you can
(or get a machine shop to make it for you).
That's why this list is so valuable to me.

Not easy, but dammit, it's worth it!

Jim C
71 Van
86 Westy 2.1
San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico -In the heart of the "No Hassle Vehicle Zone"

>> First, the problem and one I think many have encountered when
>> trying to find
>> obscure parts, tools, supplies, devices etc
>> So, what have other people found in the way of a search engine or
>> Website
>> that either deals with this problem or gets around it?
>
> I feel your pain. I have run into this problem several times. One

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