Way to go Ken!  Great post, and a really good analogy.  Our
Vanagons were designed and built by humans and can be
maintained by them as well.  All that's required is
knowledge (not devine intervention) and you and this list in
general are a big help.

Close to, but I maintain not quite the same thing as the
"car god" philosophy is just "enthusiasm," which there is
plenty of on this list as well, hence the discussions
regarding the differences between oil filters and between
regular and synthetic oils.  I use the European filters and
synthetic oil in full knowledge I'm buying more
psychological satisfaction than real mechanical advantage.
I guess my primal fear is life with nothing to be
enthusiastic about--there's thankfully more than just
Vanagons, but that's for other lists.  Ken, please repost
this periodically.