such a deal.
well worth it sounds like.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dennis Haynes" <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, September 13, 2010 8:30 PM
Subject: Re: Transmission slippage - help!

> The Alldata do it yourself is $29.99/year/vehicle. After you have one they
> often offer additional subscriptions and renewals at discounts. Often half
> price and sometimes a 3 or 5 year renewal for normal price. It is also
> helpful to lookup VW part numbers for many of the major parts.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Scott Daniel - Turbovans
> Sent: Monday, September 13, 2010 6:26 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Transmission slippage - help!
>
> cool,
> and the AllData Do It Yourself subscription is how much a month ?
>
> I think the pro shop version is pretty expensive, per month.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dennis Haynes" <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 8:40 PM
> Subject: Re: Transmission slippage - help!
>
>
>> Another great investment for those that rely on others for work is a
>> subscription to Alldata Do it Yourself. (Alldatadiy.com)
>>
>> They now give most of the same information that shops have access to
>> including parts prices and labor. For a 2.1L with AC and power steering
>> the
>> shop time is 3.1 hours. The book price for the pump is $148. They also
>> give
>> the warranty rate which is only 2.2 hour for this job.  They also give
>> you
>> the skill level required. Note the water pump is a "B" task.
>>
>> Water Pump
>> 025121010CX $148.00   Notes
>>
>>
>> Labor Information Skill Level Mfg. Warranty Standard
>>
>> Water Pump
>>
>>
>> Replace
>> B 1.6 2.2   Notes
>>
>> With AC
>> B 2.1 2.9   Notes
>>
>> With PS
>> B 1.8 2.5   Notes
>>
>> With AC & PS
>> B 2.2 3.1
>>
>> Dennis
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans [mailto:scottdaniel@turbovans.com]
>> Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 11:22 PM
>> To: Dennis Haynes; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: Re: Transmission slippage - help!
>>
>> For sure,
>> generally , having a 20 + year old vanagon as an only car is
>> .........challenging let's  say.
>>
>> One fancy place I lived, we used to joke that you needed a reliable
>> japanese
>> car for when your german car was in the shop.
>> Vanagons are a bit like that.
>> they are wonderful ......and I tell people they need special care and
>> understanding.
>> They are not some 80's era toyota you can just drive into the ground,
>> doing
>> barely more than oil changes every once in a great while ...they're
>> closer
>> to the other end of the scale.
>>
>> and as mentioned....many parts in them are 'due' if they have not been
>> done
>> already by a previous owner.
>>
>> at the minimum, if not doing some of the work yourself, you need a
>> technician and a shop you trust, and have an on-going working
>> relationship
>> with.  And not at 100 per hour either.
>>  Bit of a joke - that would work out to 600 dollar water pump jobs.
>> They do take possibly 4.5 hours , plus parts and fluids, bleeding etc ..
>> pushes 500ish ...but if a shop really charged 100 per hour ....it would
>> be
>> well over that.
>>
>> if anyone has the offical shop time on a 2.1 wbxr water pump that would
>> be
>> interesting to know.
>> Might be online somewhere.
>> but that's for newish vehicles that don't have rusted parts and that need
>> special understanding.
>>
>> main point, find someone you trust, and stick with them.
>> People that will not give a good extra little  bit of helpful energy here
>> and there ..
>> I generally don't deal with them.   There 'should' be things like ...a
>> loose
>>
>> screw tightened here and there, a squaky latch lubed ...like overall
>> attention to detail.
>> You find someone like that, that cares and tries as hard as they can ..
>> stick with them for sure.  Somewhat rare too.
>>
>> and finding vanagon savvy shops can be tricky , but they're around.
>>
>> oh, and buying a used one ..once in a while there is a used car or van
>> that
>> belonged to someone who really took care of it, dealt with anything not
>> right right away.
>> it's rare ..but that's who you want to buy a van from.  Just saw one the
>> other day ..
>> one owner for 15 years, huge stack of receipts, and he wasn't even asking
>> that much for his 86 GL in fine condition with brand new tires, etc.
>>
>> on the other hand ..some people will not do anything to a car as long as
>> it
>> manages to fire up and go somewhere without breaking down.
>> that is of course the kind of person you do not want to buy a used car or
>> van from.
>>
>> now ..the trans, what is the plan ?
>> hey ...at least you have a great resource here ! that'll sure help.
>>
>> scott
>> www.turbovans.com
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Dennis Haynes" <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 7:39 PM
>> Subject: Re: Transmission slippage - help!
>>
>>
>>> Please accept my apologies. My response was a bit hard but it was not in
>>> response to your gender.
>>> I regularly see folks get these vehicles based on a perception of that
>>> "great VW' tradition. While these vehicles are great for many reasons,
>>> getting a 20 year old high mileage vehicle of any nature should not be
>>> considered for long term, reliable, it has to run every day, easy to
>>> keep
>>> transportation.  If you really "Can't have any getting stranded" then
>>> you
>>> may have to re-evaluate having a vehicle like this as your only vehicle.
>>> The
>>> reality is that any vehicle even new ones can and do have failures.  I
>>> can
>>> tell you some stories about my 2004 Diesel Pusher motor home.
>>>
>>> Engines and transmissions rarely fail without warning or cause. You are
>>> getting the warnings. Fluid changes, magic treatments,  adjustments
>>> etc.,
>>> is
>>> just denial of the inevitable. Unless you tell a shop differently, most
>>> will
>>> only point out things that need to be done immediately and if you are
>>> not
>>> using someone that knows these things intimately you will also get some
>>> poor
>>> advice.  At some point you may find that the purchase price was just the
>>> down payment. This will happen quickly if you live in an area with
>>> $100/hour
>>> labor rates  and retail parts pricing. If something has not been
>>> replaced
>>> in
>>> the last 5 to 10 years you will at some point have to deal with it. This
>>> includes heater cores, radiator, brakes including calipers and
>>> drums/rotors,
>>> wiring parts, and the suspension. Some of these repairs will require
>>> down
>>> time.
>>>
>>> If you have not already done so, one of the best investments you can
>>> make
>>> is
>>> a towing plan. If you notice most participants on this list do much of
>>> their
>>> own work. Get some books, including the Bentley service manual and
>>> consider
>>> some other education. Auto mechanics and basic electricity will get you
>>> through most any situation and some of the night courses can be a lot of
>>> fun.
>>>
>>> And since you are a girl, welcome aboard and let us know when we can
>>> help.
>>>
>>> Dennis!
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
>>> Of
>>> Annie
>>> Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 12:05 PM
>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>> Subject: Re: Transmission slippage - help!
>>>
>>> Dennis -
>>>
>>> I may be just a girl, but I'm not that dumb. ;-)
>>>
>>> Of course I didn't think "all I had to do was just drive it." As I
>>> mentioned
>>> in the original post, I bought it in January and had the transmission
>>> serviced. I actually had more than that done - tuneup, oil change, new
>>> exhaust, flushed the cooling system, new brakes, new CV joints, new
>>> wheel
>>> bearings all around, new axles in the rear and much, much, much more.
>>>
>>> No, I'm not stupid.
>>>
>>> *Annie Anderson* Blogger, Designer, Thinker & Mom
>>> web: annieandersonblog.com email: lsandrsn@gmail.com
>>> twitter: silverlunace <http://twitter.com/silverlunace> facebook:
>>> anniesanderson <http://facebook.com/anniesanderson>
>>> *Blazin' a trail where there is no path.*
>>>
>>> On Sun, Sep 12, 2010 at 6:55 AM, Dennis Haynes
>>> <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>> At 25 years and 175,000 miles that tranny owes nobody anything. The
>>>> symptoms can be a hydraulic problem or the clutches are just plain
>>>> worn out. You need to get it properly repaired before you burn it up
>>>> an make it non-rebuildable. Hopefully you didn't buy that vehicle
>>>> thinking all you had to do was drive it.
>>>>
>>>> Dennis
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
>>>> Behalf Of Annie
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2010 2:23 PM
>>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>>> Subject: Re: Transmission slippage - help!
>>>>
>>>> Ok . . . this morning after I took my kids to school, making sure it
>>>> was good and warm by time I got home, I checked the fluid level again.
>>>> It was a little below the lower dot so I added some fluid and brought
>>>> it up to about midway between the dots.
>>>>
>>>> I haven't driven yet since I added more fluid but I will check it
>>>> again after I get home this afternoon from picking up the kids and let
>>>> you know what happens.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> ~Annie
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 9:40 PM, Annie <lsandrsn@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > No, I'm sure it isn't overfull. It's a little below the top mark. I
>>>> > am always super careful when I put fluids in anywhere to ensure I
>>>> > don't get too much.
>>>> >
>>>> > It's got 174,000 miles on it. But I've only owned it since January.
>>>> > Had a bunch of work done to it including a complete trans service
>>>> > back in February/March. From what I can tell, it was very well cared
>>>> > for in its early life. The guy I bought it from, however, had driven
>>>> > it pretty
>>>> hard.
>>>> >
>>>> > I will double check it tomorrow and make sure again that it's not
>>>> > too full just to be even more absolutely sure. I'll let you know
>>>> > what I find out. If anyone else has any other thoughts in the
>>>> > meantime, please
>>>> do
>>>> share!
>>>> >
>>>> > Thanks!
>>>> > ~Annie
>>>> >
>>>> > On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 9:18 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
>>>> > scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>>>> >
>>>> >> maybe Daryl will comment.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> one things ...make super sure it is not overfull.
>>>> >> that's like fully warmed up and parked on the level, the AF level
>>>> >> must not be above the top mark on the dipstick. Hyper important.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> re the comment " I just thought
>>>> >>
>>>> >>  perhaps it was because I'd driven quite a few miles traveling back
>>>> >> and
>>>> >>> forth
>>>> >>> to Seattle and Bellevue "
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>
>>>> >> that by itself will not cause a problem ..
>>>> >> it should be able to drive tank after thankful after thankful, back
>>>> >> and forth across the US several times if you ask it to.
>>>> >>  Just 'driving it normally' doesn't make it act up unless something
>>>> >> is worn or tired.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> how many miles on it ?
>>>> >> be super sure it's not overfull.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Scott
>>>> >> www.turbovans.com
>>>> >>
>>>> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Annie" <lsandrsn@GMAIL.COM>
>>>> >> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>>>> >> Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 8:47 PM
>>>> >> Subject: Transmission slippage - help!
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>  Hi, all
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>> Seems I'm having some transmission slippage. I've got an '85 GL
>>>> >>> with an auto trans. I've checked the fluid levels numerous times
>>>> >>> and it's right where it should be. I did add a little a few weeks
>>>> >>> ago but it wasn't too low. I haven't noticed any fluid leaking from
>>> anywhere.
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>> The slipping seems to happen shifting from 2nd into drive and then
>>>> >>> once you come to a stop and the transmission downshifts. Sometimes
>>>> >>> it's like it doesn't fully disengage or something as it kinda
>>>> >>> "clunks" once you've stopped and makes the van lurch slightly. I
>>>> >>> hope what I'm saying makes sense. ;-)
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>> It also seems to slip once you've slowed down a little and then go
>>>> >>> to speed back up again - it's like it doesn't engage again. It
>>>> >>> started this a few weeks ago but it was very intermittent at the
>>>> >>> time and I just thought perhaps it was because I'd driven quite a
>>>> >>> few miles traveling back and forth to Seattle and Bellevue for two
>>>> >>> weeks every day. (About 130 miles or so per
>>>> >>> day.)
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>> Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions etc would be greatly appreciated.
>>>> >>> This is my only vehicle right now and the kids just went back to
>>>> >>> school today.
>>>> >>> Can't
>>>> >>> have any getting stranded!
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>> Thanks!
>>>> >>> ~Annie
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>