T.P. Stephens wrote:
>
> At 10:15 AM 10/16/99 -0700, you wrote:
> >This is a series of submittals addressing basic Maintenance Repair
> >and Restoration of European Vehicles, all of which owe homage to the
> >German Engineering Philosophy, hereinafter refered to as the
> >Deutsches Methode (DM).
> >
> >All Porsche air cooled designs, including of course VW, can be provided
> >the best long term economy by understanding the mind of the good
> >Doktor Porsche and others of the German technical schools who practice
> >the DM. Vanagons have brakes, too, and are designed under the same
> >school of practice.
>
> >Today we give you some brake inspection and service ideas and procedures.
> >
> >German disc brake rotors, calipers and pads and wheels, tires and
> >suspensions are designed as a harmonious unit with regard to materials.
> >If you use the soft black pads the vehicle originally came with,
> >the original rotors will last through some 5 to 7 sets of pads
> >before reaching the minimum specified thickness. Your brakes will
> >never overheat or glaze or wear unevenly or score the rotors.
> >That assumes you are renewing ALL the brake fluid yearly to prevent
> >varnish, crud and coorosion from jaming the calipers which is the DM.
> >It also assumes that you are not having the rotors turned every time
> >you replace the pads, which is not the DM.
> >
> >In fact, in most of the German factory manuals it will say that if the
> >rotors show glazing or cracking or scoring, replace them. Uneven
> >but rounded wear patterns are not a problem when the proper pads are
> >used, but put in a set of those wizbang metalics and not only do you
> >eat up your rotors if you can stand the noise, they will never mate
> >during the break-in process. There is no rotor turning procedure
> >advised or given. You guys and gals check your Bently Official VW
> >manuals and find the pages that describe the procedure for the
> >tuning of rotors. Take all day if you like.
> >
> >The brake specialty shops either have never read the factory procedures
> >or choose to ignore them. Every rotor gets turned every time. This
> >gaurantees you will never get more than three sets of pads per rotor
> >replacement because most of the rotor width is taken off with the
> >lathe. Of course, if you are interested is selling rotors, that's the
> >way to do it. If you appreciate the economy of the DM, it's wrong.
> >
> >You say you don't like that black dust on your wheels all the time.
> >DM says if your wheels are dirty, wash them. Rarely if ever will
> >you find these German pads or rotors at the FLAPS. There you will
> >get parts designed to be cheap cause that's what sells best in
> >America. Why do you suppose there are no NAPA stores in Germany???
> >Cause the German on the street will not buy Pakistani iron for
> >his properly engineered vehicle. German materials engineering is
> >not a triffling activity. If he wants an improvement in braking
> >he goes for the even more expensive factory update set of calipers
> >rotors, pads, wheels, tires and suspension as a harmoniously
> >designed package. They don't just stick in a wizbang set of pads
> >to "see what happens" or cause they're cheaper, which is not the DM.
> >
> >My 78 Mercedes 280CE now has 60,000 original miles. I put in the
> >third set of pads last year. The rotors are original and show 0.5mm
> >wear. They have another mm or more to go before they will need
> >replacing. They never have nor will they ever be turned on a lathe
> >to help shorten their life. I flush the brake fluid before it turns
> >brown. They never make noise. They never pull unevenly. This is the
> >result of the DM.
> >
> >A large percentage of the brake work I do every year is associated
> >with a recent trip to the Midas shop or fluid as black as carbon.
> >If one caliper or cylinder is leaking due to contaminated fluid
> >the WHOLE SYSTEM is contaminated. If you fix the one leak you have
> >a repeat customer for the other cylinders/calipers as they begin
> >to leak in the months ahead. How economical is that????
> >
> >I've only had one comeback in the last ten years on a brake job.
> >The rear pads on this Mercedes sedan were at the 2mm wear limit.
> >The rotors were just thick enough that they could be expected to
> >last one more set of pads before reaching the minimum specified
> >thickness. I put in a new set of factory pads. Client complained
> >a few weeks later of squeeking. This was an occasional little
> >itsy bitsy squeek just as the vehicle came to a stop.
> >
> >I replaced the rotors and conditioned the pads with abrasive.
> >Problem solved. Let's see, that's one problem in perhaps a
> >coupla hundred brake jobs. This is the kind of efficasy provided
> >by the DM.
> >
> >Stubborn rigorous adherence to specifications and procedures established
> >by the team of German engineers who designed the vehicle is not
> >an option if the DM is to be honored. The problems come with
> >compromise.
> >
> >Questions, anyone??????
> >Doktor Tim
> >Maintenance Repair and Restoration of European Vehicles
> >San Juan Island, WA
> >
> >
> >-------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >To leave the list, send an UNSUBSCRIBE message to TYPE2-REQUEST@TYPE2.COM
> >-------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> Doktor Tim
> Maintenance Repair and Restoration of European Vehicles
> San Juan Island, WA

Hi Doktor Tim,

I'd like to have you service my Syncro. Not that I value the DM(and the
resulting cost)so much but to see San Juan Island ! What's you DM labor
rate? Your statements reminded me of the following:

How many Kraut engineers does it take to replace a friggin' light bulb!

NONE - IF it was designed, manufactured, installed & operated to German
specifications !

Regards,        JP