Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2012 11:27:21 -0500
Reply-To: mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: '86 Westy coolant questions
In-Reply-To: <CAHTkEuLDizdBeODU1JpsT9fUPkeE=1pfGZYnaC2FVWkyq5jT9Q@mail.gmail.com>
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road haus has a list of vanagon mechanics, good and bad (with recommendations and commentary). It has helped me. In fact, it helped me find the mechanic I use here at home, and it helped me on the road. http://www.roadhaus.com. the list will be linked. mcneely
---- Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> On Thu, Apr 5, 2012 at 7:04 AM, Karen Doherty
> <freshwindbrightsky@gmail.com>wrote:
>
> > Hi all, I'm new to the list but so happy to find y'all!
> >
> > I've had my Westy almost a year. Two days ago, in start/stop traffic on the
> > highway in 80 degree temp, the temp needle rose and eventually the red
> > light came on.
> > I took it to the one recommended mechanic in town, who used to own an '87
> > Syncro. He seemed less than excited about working on it, and went on about
> > how difficult they are to work on and that's why he sold his blah blah blah
> > but yeah go ahead and bring it in I'll take a look.
> > {snipped}
> > Any thoughts on this would be most welcome and appreciated! Some have
> > suggested bubble of air in the system. I have no idea how much this repair
> > should cost.
> >
> > Karen
> >
>
> I would find another mechanic, first off. It sounds like this fellow, he
> is not a guy you want working on your vanagon. Someone on here will guide
> you to a more enthusiastic Vanagon-savvy shop, probably.
>
> There are a number of possible causes for dropping coolant level and
> overheating. Since you state you aren't mechanical, you should find a
> mechanic that needs the work and knows something about Vanagons, but you
> don't need one with an attitude like the one you mention. .A guy like
> that, he might just fix it up "Good enough", charge you big bucks and send
> you out the door with a half-a** repair that will blow up something half
> way to your destination....and if you call him on it, he'll just
> say..."See, I told you Vanagons suck, that is why I won't work on em...blah
> blah blah.." and you will have an on-going problem with that guy..the
> reluctant Vanagon Expert who took your money and didn't do a good
> job...Listen to him when he says he's reluctant and sold his own because he
> didn't like working on them....
> Don Hanson
--
David McNeely
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