TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Feb 18, 2021 8:49 pm

So how has your conversion been?

Thu Feb 18, 2021 8:49 pm

mreuter wrote: Waldo wrote: AFAIK, Boxeer installation does not work with the dual mass flywheel.

Correct, the DMF only fit in the Diesel housing and larger south african bell housing. The WTB one is to small

How has your conversion been?

Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:22 pm

http://www.foreignautosupply.com/

Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:35 pm

0cean wrote: So how has your conversion been?

The 2.0TDI CR is installed and I did do some short runs with it. Over the last couple weeks I had some issue but fortunately 2 fellow Samba members doing the same conversion helped me constantly. I would not be where I am with my conversion without them.

Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:46 pm

I've driven one that came through the shop. Thought it was underwhelming for the cost and fuel/oil requirements. Driveability was different for me, but I'm used to my ALH TDI.

Fri Feb 19, 2021 5:52 am

For fwiw re: someone above said "when ever I ask an owner, I'm referred back to Boxeer"

This may explain or at least add to the way Boxeer info is distributed.

I personally like Greg and his family. They stayed at my house in Albuquerque on their way back from their S America trip in the Subi Diesel. Michelle? Was pregnant and they wanted to get back before being affected by that pandemic that was affecting pregnancies (2? Pandemics ago)

He is a VERY smart guy. Was doing some esoteric process and medical device creation at Vanderbilt. Michelle was going to be a teacher after they got settled.

I super liked them and it was fun to see their kids growing up in their blog.

I wanted to visit them again and check out the shop as I too am a fan of the Boxeer idea and (think) I'd love to have if my Subi dies.

Fall of 2020 (5? Months ago) I was on a trip Chicago to FL and finally arranged to visit since I couldn't arrange one 4? Years ago I was in the area last. (I'm retrospect, even this time it was hard to arrange a visit) Only got to visit with Greg an hour or so. Michelle and the kids were not available.

The shop was cool. (He was in the middle of reorganizing into a building expansion) The engines were really cool. Greg really takes care to have a clean and sharp product. I bought the Westy Lounge tabs.

I was SO excited to be there and took a ton of pictures. I offered to post them up here and state my impression and experience as I REALLY want Greg to succeed and to help further his business. Greg specifically asked to preapprove any photos posted and anything written about the shop. I get the impression it is important to him to control impressions of Boxeer.......I felt weird about that process and it seemed too much work and I also sent a message to him after my visit and did not get a reply and all of that just had me not post anything about my visit.

That was my experience and if others that interact with Boxeer have something similar, it may explain why any questions are referred back to Boxeer.

I still want Greg to succeed.

Fri Feb 19, 2021 9:14 am

Huh. Weird.

I think the guy is doing good work, creating awesome stuff and want the brand to be successful as new innovation for our beloved breadboxes is great.

I guess having one person holding the keys to any software interface and troubleshooting along with a desire to control his brand image will make honest feedback hard to get.

Boxeer is outta my price range and I like to DIY but an agreement like this would be a HARD PASS.

Fri Feb 19, 2021 9:22 am

I also really envy the apparent engineering that goes into those setups, but the number of IMs I got regarding the air to water intercooler arrangement I posted on my DIY tdi swap from boxeer swappers suggests that maybe his install instructions or kit parts could use some more fleshing out, as it seems some folks are a bit lost when it comes to connection some of those peripherals.

My impression seems to be that it's geared perhaps a bit more toward a shop doing it for you - rather than the novice swapper?

Beautiful kit either way, that's interesting to hear about their marketing approach though

Fri Feb 19, 2021 9:23 am

Over the last 6 years, I spend over $50k with Boxeer buying 2 diesel engines and one DOKA from him. As mentioned before, he is very smart and and honest guy running his business and hobby on a very tight schedule. My word of advise is to inform yourself and set your expectations right. You get exactly what you ask and negotiated with Greg from Boxeer. It happened multiple times to me that I told myself, "darn, I did not think about this, wished I had ask for it before".
This is not Greg's fault but can be very frustrating to someone who does this conversion the first time. I can honestly say, I always got what I ask and payed for. My other advise would be to make sure you know what you doing because there is no 24/7 support line at Boxeer. He is responding within 24 hours and solutions are swift if the issue is not related to some wrong doing on the installer side.

It is not a "Install, connect 5 wires and drive into the sunset" kind of kit"

Fri Feb 19, 2021 9:33 am

pjn_wyo wrote: but an agreement like this would be a HARD PASS.

agreed.

i do a lot of subaru swaps in bay windows and 9 out of 10 times i post them here. there are a few things i don't want the client to post about (mainly because it was some help Jake Raby gave me and i promised him i wouldn't advertise a solution he found and as a man of my word i won't share what he shared with me)

that aside people usually ask me what can/can't they post. i have to laugh and tell them it's YOUR bus, you paid and i can't stop you but i would appreciate if you didn't post a, b and c

i couldn't fathom telling someone to NOT post anything. it's your money and you bought the product...you have every right to review it. to me, that sounds pretty shady to try and control the reviews :?

Fri Feb 19, 2021 11:39 am

I get the impression there are some very bad reviews, being suppressed.
As mentioned in this thread- you can't find actual reviews or people to contact about it, people don't publicly write about their issues, and there are owners Dming people about problems.
I've had this sense for a while actually- it just always felt kinda weird that there's not much being said.

Let's just compare it to another turn key/in house engineered vanagon solution- Bostig.

Bostig has a system in place for you to contact them for them to resolve your issues if you have them. In much the same way, they'd absolutely rather help you with your problems and save face by having more and more functional conversions on the road- but they also have a public presence and answer questions publicly, encourage group dialogue, and even have their own Facebook users page where lots of info is hosted and they comment directly.
The transparency is there, and as a bostig owner- I'll gladly tell you some of the problems I've had over the years, and it comes up plenty of times.... but many of the common problems on my 9 year old swap have common solutions now- and a documented public history of the problem and the solution.

Something about being told you can't share information, pictures, or accounts.... that's a huge red flag, if it's true. If their product was great, we'd be hearing about it.... a lot.

Fri Feb 19, 2021 2:33 pm

Just saw on the new FAS site that they offer an automatic transmission option for the diesel kit.

Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:13 am

Greg is EXACTLY the kind of innovating, quality and honest vendor we need more of in this community.

His products gleam with quality, attention to detail and successes abound. Members of this forum and others have repeatedly spoken of his personal attributes and keep voting with their wallets by buying every kit he produces.

Hell. Other vendors repeatedly steal his IP.

If you have a positive or negative experience then share it for the OP. Don’t bash for sport or because you can gain a competitive advantage. That is Bush league.

Sat Feb 20, 2021 8:28 am

There is a phenomenon I have observed in the past here on the Samba wherein a vendor is widely praised by posters who have not actually used the product they are touting.

Their recommendations are based on other's positive comments - many of which are also from non-users.

Sometimes Samba just falls in love with a vendor and love can be blind.

If seeking feedback prior to a purchase (especially a major purchase) it is wise to ignore advice from people who have never done what they are suggesting.

Sat Feb 20, 2021 12:01 pm

I've never even owned a VW, but my advice is _______* solid.

*
A. sometimes
B. mostly
C. tragically
D. elusively

Sat Feb 20, 2021 6:24 pm

rmcd wrote: Greg is EXACTLY the kind of innovating, quality and honest vendor we need more of in this community.

His products gleam with quality, attention to detail and successes abound. Members of this forum and others have repeatedly spoken of his personal attributes and keep voting with their wallets by buying every kit he produces.

Hell. Other vendors repeatedly steal his IP.

If you have a positive or negative experience then share it for the OP. Don’t bash for sport or because you can gain a competitive advantage. That is Bush league.

Doesn't really answer the question though, does it? I've also found it very odd that there are no (or virtually no) people posting reviews of his stuff. Back when I was looking at conversions that was a real turn-off for me. Hasn't changed in the intervening years either. When folks ask me about my conversion, I'm happy to share my experiences - which have been nothing but positive. If they were negative, I'd share those as well, as I did freely about my Tiico conversion.

I've never heard anything bad about Greg or his work, or anything good from actual owners either. The dearth of real-life information just seems uniquely strange. I mean, people usually *pay* for advertising, and here it's free, and targeted to the right audience, so...?

Sun Feb 21, 2021 6:20 am

Pardon my ignorance, but is this common rail 2.0 engine the one at the center of VW's emission scandal?

I imagine the engine in the kit meets current emission specs..... legally?

Dave

Sun Feb 21, 2021 6:52 am

As a casual observer, this reads like a business owner threatening to withhold support of proprietary technology in an effort to control brand image and internet presence, image.

Not saying that's what's happening but that's what happens in an absence of information- people assume the worst.

Sun Feb 21, 2021 7:29 am

mikemtnbike wrote: As a casual observer, this reads like a business owner threatening to withhold support of proprietary technology in an effort to control brand image and internet presence, image.

Not saying that's what's happening but that's what happens in an absence of information- people assume the worst.

That is exactly my thought as well. I have to wonder why the apparent lock down on reviews.

I understand that businesses can take a hit on reviews by customers. They all do. But it how they respond to those reviews that makes or breaks them in my mind.

Take 10c for example. For years he built top quality engines and his customers sang his praises, and a few had issues (whether of their making or his). But whenever there was an issue 10c bent over backwards to make it right. That to me sold me on him and his company. Just sayin.

All that is speculation though. I wish we really knew what was going on.....

Sun Feb 21, 2021 8:48 am

I think this thread is getting pretty far afield in terms of speculation. And some pretty nasty implications are being generated when there is nothing known for certain. Also, I think it's important to keep in mind that we're talking about a forum member and a fellow Vanagon enthusiast. If we were talking about someone stealing people's money and never delivering shifters or hand-planked engines, that would be one thing. But that's not what we have here, and I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt until we hear factual information from a customer stating otherwise.