On Dec 6, 2012, at 9:10 PM, Alistair Bell <albell@SHAW.CA> wrote:

I agree with Scott. This has to be one of the most stupid threads ever on the list. What the heck is wrong with changing oil on the solstices and equinoxes?

If you drive your shoebox of a van all year round it is the least you can do for it.

Folk fuss over so many other aspects of Vanagon ownership and then cheap out on oil? Even if you think Zetec engines are easily and cheaply replaced, do you really want a breakdown due to bad oil when on a trip?

but .... if you take a look at the direction that this thread took, it became much more about one list member
making presumptions about the "replacement" cost of the Bostig "kit", THEN the replacement cost of the engine
aspect of the thread emerged. Making presumptions (read: believing one's internal dialogue) vs collecting
factual information, THEN making an informed statement/posting an inquiry, without which will always result
in unnecessary and useless distractions to what could have been an informative, and simple, and BRIEF discussion.

It is actually Scott's erroneous conclustion that the cost of a replacement Zetec, had directly to do with
scrimping on oil changes, which was never brought up during the course of this thread, except by him ... a simple
thinking error.

bob