Danger!, Will Robinson, Danger!

My Stupid dealer (that's right...they deal stupid....in bulk) decided to 
replace my Cat under the used car warranty I bought the van under.  Thinking 
(!) they would save some money, they sent it out to some scab-and-fab shop, 
failing to notify me of the outsourcing of the work.

results:
1.)  The scab-and-fab shop replaced the blown cat with a bigger, generic 
unit.  related problem; lower backpressure and shortened residence time in 
the cat has caused (I think) lower temps, delayed "light-off" of the cat, 
and associated difficulties with passing smog.

2.)  While replacing the old, flanged/bolted cat with a new, 
spiffo-weldo-matic unit, they happened to place the removed nuts and bolts 
on the sill of the rear hatch.  This was not a problem, until Joe Bagodonuts 
 (baughodoughnuts?) tried to close the rear hatch.  

3.)  Should this unfortunate event (the cat failure) ever happen again, I 
will Be Screwed, since I will not be able to unbolt the spiffo-weldo job to 
inspect the cat matrix for damage, and then hog it out should it appear to 
be melted as before. (stuck on the side of the road, again.  Thanks, 
Antelope Valley Nissan/Volkswagen)

Recommend you preserve the flanges regardless of the path you choose; go 
with the dealer, and the option will be the weld job; go with the 
aftermarket, and the option will be the flange.

________________________________________________________________
So finally took the $yncro to the dealer(Dick Hanna Vancouver Wa).  They 
think it is the catalytic converter and will cost $1000 if they do it, or 
they will take it 
Menicke who will do it for $190.  Why the difference and does this sound 
like 
the right fix?

Dave Woon 

86 $yncro Camper
85 Golf Diesel

bowmanr%em@mhs.elan.af.mil
Live Smart.  Think for yourself.  Transform the future.