> I often get the feeling (after short conversation) that some folk do not
> realise that ongoing work is a price of admission to this club.
>
> cheers
>
> alistair
>

   I just paid my admission again after my 2.5 month road trip...Spent
about 3 hrs on my 84 inline 5sp doing my deferred 'chores'   I don't defer
important chores like oil changing and fuel filters when traveling but I do
try to minimize my under-van visits when on the road...

Chores like windexing the inside of the windows..changing my indoor/outdoor
rubber backed carpet inside, running some dilute clorox into my water tank,
spray-lube spray on the shifter parts under the van and the suspension
bushings, filling the washer fluid tank, cleaning and lubing the throttle
position switch and all that linkage, checking the belts and cleaning the
air filter element, swapping the front wheels side to side (RF is a tiny
bit out of alignment and wears a bit more on the inside edge) checking the
spare again for air pressure, lubing all the doors and latches, installing
new wiperblades (I am back in the NW, after all) looking at the sparkplugs,
checking the hoses and clamps, put some Seafoam into the gas tank to give
the injectors a bath....Little stuff like that...All the while, checking
for problems as I went about these small tasks....

  Yes, the people in the Honda Elements or the Porsche Cayennes or the
Grand Cherokee Jeeps....they have no idea about anything like this kind of
'love' we often give our vanagons..our price of admission to the club....