I work on mostly VW's . I do agree they have a few odd ball designs.
but i have worked on many other cars that have many worse designs...
On 20-May-10, at 9:59 PM, Arkady Mirvis wrote:

> One has to look at Vanagon from under to understand why Germans lost
> the WW
> II. Nothing made in Germany is simple. When I do maintenance and
> even minor
> repair on my 1991 diesel Jetta and 1987 Westy my frustrations are
> expressed
> in words one can hear a mile away during the hottest hours of
> portuguese
> day. Access to practically everything is limited at least. By now my
> Westy,
> while looking new outside has every boot everywhere rotted, falling
> apart,
> including the shifter ball boot. Both rear door grommets are gone.
> Germans must learn how to chrome plate plastics. I am positive that
> everybody, except living in a rain forest, noticed how wood inside
> Westy has
> shrunk, got out of flatnest. Look at wood furniture plastic trim. It
> srunked, got out of the securing groove. Is that a heralded GERMAN
> ENGINEERING? In just the first year I wrote to VW AG a letter
> listing 18
> defects. ( both window motors failed, AC lost freon and compressor
> failed,
> propane leaked out, headlight switch, heater switches both melted,
> odometer
> stopped counting, original Continental tires horribly
> cracked.....and on and
> on.   Is there anyone on the list who doesn't have broken wires in the
> harness connecting the doors with the body? One has to read the the
> messages
> appearing on my inbox list to see that Vanagon is an owner headache
> and a
> blessing for the reapairmen. Till the last Vanagon will be scrapped
> they
> shall not worry about the security of their jobs!
> Convenience Vanagon offers carries a heavy price.   Read the message
> below
> mine and see for yourself reading the last sentense.  Ark
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jim Johnston" <inmytree1@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Friday, May 21, 2010 4:27 AM
> Subject: Manual Shifter Woes
>
>
>> I had to replace the shifter ball on my 4-speed manual transmission
>> in my
>> 1991 GL.  Now I can't get into reverse.  I push down and over, and
>> it goes
>> into first.  I'm following the Bentley procedure to align the
>> shifter.  I
>> am
>> missing a plastic tab on the front shift rod, but didn't think that
>> would
>> be
>> that big of an issue.  Anyone else run into this?  Any ideas or
>> guidance?
>>
>> I have to say, trying to get the shifter lined up has been one of
>> the most
>> frustrating jobs I've done on my Vanagon.
>>
>>
>> Jim
>> Wilmington, NC