TheSamba.com :: View topic - VW Mechanic near San Leandro, CA for pre-purchase inspection

Thu Sep 25, 2014 8:30 pm

I may purchase a second Vanagon to compliment my first, failing Vanagon.

Any mechanics tomorrow near San Leandro, CA, who could do a pre-purchase check? It's an 86 with an automatic transmission.

I think right now that I'd like a leakdown test, a thorough inspection for coolant leaks, check out the breaks, test the break fluid, check out the master cylinder, make sure there's transmission fluid, check out the ball joints?

If you could help me come up with a specific list of tests for them to run, that would be great. I'm assuming this is already well covered in the forums, but it never hurts to rehash things. I'll be searching more later tonight once I have a free second, I swear.

I don't care at all about cosmetic issues, lights, or anything not related to reliability and safety.

Thu Sep 25, 2014 8:40 pm

Here's a good shop, in Campbell,

http://www.peninsulaautomotive.com/

Chief

Thu Sep 25, 2014 8:53 pm

Campbell is pretty far away.

The bus lab in berkeley is a vanagon specialist shop.
http://www.buslab.com/

Fri Sep 26, 2014 2:04 pm

Thanks. Took it a VW guy in Hayward. I'm not 100% happy with the decision, since he hadn't worked on Vanagons in a while / isn't Vanagon focused, but he was better than just my own dumb self and had worked on them a lot in the past.

Fri Sep 26, 2014 3:35 pm

There is a small place in Alameda that works on European cars, has VW Vanagons and old buses in the yard from time to time.