>Date: Thu, 1 May 1997 11:53:09 -0400
>To:Joel Walker <JWALKER@UA1VM.UA.EDU>
>From:kelphoto@bright.net (mark keller)
>Subject:Re: transmission whoes, scared buyer no mo!
>
>        Thank you for inputting your convictions about vanagons.  I have
>long held a frustration for the apparent contradiction between what I
>beheld as a truly world class vehicle, "truck of the year" in 1980, and
>have seen em in news, and movie footage the world over vs. the sour and
>dour reputation by the uninformed.  At first glance a vanagon is all charm
>to me.  I feel as a newcomer to the scene, I have been actively searching
>and learning for several years, with a desire to get a good one, that the
>cooling system's, lets say "uniqueness", coupled with the number of
>obstacles in the wasserboxer and for the usual hatred most owners have
>with "dealerships" I grew up in a family with a bodyman dad and a stepdad
>mechanic, and know my share of dealer stories, which create this negative
>reputation.
>
>        Number one question I have now is, does a correlation exist
>between: volume of coolant, surface area of coolant system, and factors
>such as depletion of effectivness in the actual coolant.  For example. Do
>rubber or metal pipes carry the fluid to and from the motor. Does this
>"volume of liquid" 9 gallons I think, offer any disadvantages.  Its seems
>that to remove air from such a system that has been "evacuated" would take
>some time. Lastly the sealing areas. One potential for air to reenter the
>system on cooldown, and especially "unique jug, case and head"
>arrangement. I don't if the heads have coolant passages in them.
>
>        Anyway, my number 2 prioity, fire extinguisher is #1, is to get my
>coolant situation assesed and corrected if possible. I have been reading
>yours and others comments in the archives.  My motor has 15k on it and is
>a VW factory rebuild. Do those rebuilds get "inspected" and replace as
>needed or are there a set of new parts. Are these motors as good as the
>implecation of "factory rebuild" implies? Stuff like that is of intrest,
>if you could point to the right area to research I like it. The vehicle
>has been well cared for mechanically and I'm happy about our prospective
>future.  Thanks again. MK 91 Carat
>
>>the problem is, with all cars, not so much your choice of MODEL, but the
>>choice of the individual car. :( i got burned on a Porsche and a Mercedes
>>in years past ... i picked the right model (for me), but jumped on the
>>wrong individual car (a piece of shit in both cases). well, i'm older and
>>hopefully wiser now, but my point is that experience (or a friend who has
>>it) is the only cure. :(
>>
>>vanagons are NOT pieces of shit, as a model or group. they DO require some
>>other-cars-don't-have-to-do-this maintenance. but actually, i know a fellow
>>who had a toyota truck, renowned for their reliability, do the same thing
>>with the head gaskets ... because he drove too many miles without changing
>>his coolant (the truck also had an aluminum head). so it's not just vanagons
>>... although that's all you'll hear about on this list. :)
>>
>>the trick to finding a good one is look, look, learn, look, and look some
>>more. if it seems too good to be true, it is. period. i'm looking for
>>another one, and all the ones i've looked at have the head gasket leaks. :(
>>(which is evident by either drips under the car, or drive it around a while
>>and see a big bubble in the leftmost coolant tank). and i don't even trust
>>ANY of the dealers!
>>
>>so if you want a good one, it just takes a lot of time and looking. but the
>>same is true of a porsche or mercedes ... well, cept there are probably a
>>lot more of them out there. :)   good luck!
>>joel
>