once upon a time in manufacturing, creampuffs and lemons went down the line nose to tail. out on the sales floor they were identical. a few glitches a few dozen times - no big; dealer fix. a few dozen hundred or a few dozen thousand in the biggest car buying market on the planet makes for bad press: to the point that not even Grace Jones can pull sales out of the dumpster. heck, Remy Juliet[sp] can drive the half of one in a major film and still not recover lost market share ...������������������������������ mike (je ne parle pas)

 

________________________________
 From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM 
Sent: Sunday, November 25, 2012 10:29 AM
Subject: Re: Transmission fell off
  
In 1958 my brother bought a Renault Dauphine because the VW bug he really wanted was on back order and he would not be able to get it until a minimum of six months later.� A month later he headed from Dallas to San Diego in the car.� In El Paso he was delayed by the need to replace the seized engine due to overheating with no warning provided via the dash instruments.� In Phoenix he was delayed by the need to rebuild a front wheel bearing and associated axle parts.� Evidently it had not been properly lubed at the factory, and began misbehaving in Phoenix.� In San Diego a brake master cylinder failed.� He found a Renault dealer and began the process of consultation on getting his money back for the car, and associated expenses paid.� Eventually he was offered a replacement, but that was after he had returned to Dallas via Greyhound.� He'd left the car in San Diego with inlaws.� He definitely did not want a replacement.� Today I do not know the
 final details of the transaction, but I do know he was not satisfied with whatever settlement he eventually got.

mcneely

---- MICHAEL H <vwdash80@YAHOO.COM> wrote: 
> ��well done, Jim. fantastic tale of mechanically abled survival. coulda been me - if I had the $75 for the same car at another time. and if you can admit to a Dauphine (dolphin) I can admit to driving my Audi a couple of miles with a tie rod end `secured' by a zip tie ��� � � � � mike

________________________________
From: James Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM 
Sent: Saturday, November 24, 2012 9:54 PM
Subject: Re: Transmission fell off

Renault Dauphine. Driving 5 miles to town with brother/listmember Alan. 1966. Engine and transmission fell out on the road, captured more or less by the rear body metal. Walked to a nearby house and borrowed 5 coathangers from the lady who lived there. Rehung the motor and transmission and drove home. 

It happened. 

Jim

On Nov 24, 2012, at 7:54 PM, ed donnen <spliced.surprise@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

> I recall this time I was driving down the road and I happened uponst a
> trucker, with his rig stopped on the shoulder, and he was leisurely pushing
> the rear axle of his trailer off to the side of the road.� Read- axle and 4
> wheels, about chest high.
> Now there is a situation you don't want to be involved with.
> ed- 91 DoKa, only the two (2) axles, all present and accounted for

--
David McNeely