On Mon, 24 Apr 1995, Ian E. Abbott 225-1793 wrote:

> 
> 
> 	I say: IF YOU'RE LUCKY! (sorry about the shouting...)
> I think this thread only concerns leaking gaskets, but I gotta vent...
> 
> 	My wife and I bought an '88 Vanagon used, with 104,000 miles 
> on it. We soon learned, perhaps, why it had been such a good deal- 
> both *heads* were cracked. The gaskets may or may not have been 
> leaking also, but sure as hell, both heads were cracked and leaking.

ME TOO!  What is it with used Vanagons and cracked heads.  Are other 
Vanagon owners that greedy and underhanded that they sneak their wrecked 
buses into dealers without letting them know the HEADS are cracked!!
The guy who had brought my bus into the dealer had parked in the grass, 
probably so they would not notice the water leaking from it.  Dirty 
rotten #@$%#@!!!

 > > 	According to the service manager at my dealer, VW 
would do 
> *NOTHING* for me- no reduction in parts or labor at all. 
> $2000 later, I had two new cylinder heads. I started the 
> Better Business Bureau arbitration process, and *many* months later VW 
> offered me 10% of the cost of the heads, no allowance for labor. I 
> took it, figuring I had been reamed and not having expected anything.

chuck