TheSamba.com :: View topic

Mon Mar 31, 2025 4:15 am

I know the previous thread discussing the work practices from Vivid Vans was locked but I happened to stumble across this two-part saga (so far) on YT…

“After getting completely ripped off I am forced to make this post to bring awareness:
Vivid Vans diagnosed me with a blown cylinder on my 1.9 engine, they recommended a 2.1 engine swap. They claimed to have a 'good used engine' ready, which sounded perfect since I'm roadtripping north to San Francisco. Sadly, after paying $7,500 USD over three weeks ago, my van has more issues than before. I've given them several chances to fix it, but it's only gotten worse. This has cost me time, money, and job opportunities. If you want the full story, check out my YouTube video. Hoping to get my money back and find a solution soon. Sadly, I can't recommend Vivid Vans based on my experience. Fingers crossed they do the right thing.”

Mon Mar 31, 2025 5:38 am

Wow.
It doesn't seem like they handled this well.

There's risks with a used engine for sure, but how did they let it leave with systems leaking from seals they replaced, and stalling from systems they retrofitted?

I'm a sure there's two sides to each story, but this creator did a very impressive job of being very honest and not really throwing them under the bus other than well.... paying $7500+ to have a used motor put into a car that can't reliably drive away. It didn't throw a rod a few thousand miles later- that's the kind of risk you deal with with a used motor, it ran poorly, from day one, and that's entirely on them.

Mon Mar 31, 2025 7:10 am

HOpefully she was able to get her money back, that would be the right thing for Vivid to do.
It would also be nice to help her get back on the road somehow, there are a lot of Vanagon helpers in the NorCal zone. Its a shame this has gone so sideways...

Mon Mar 31, 2025 7:17 am

Compared to other ex-customers I’d say she got off easy

Mon Mar 31, 2025 7:50 am

syncroanddestroy wrote: Compared to other ex-customers I’d say she got off easy

totally! and that's not belittling of her situation.

in all fairness, selling a installing a used engine is risky business.

she at least got a new alternator and fuel rails

im surprised they didn't rebuild from Ben
or
GW 2.3 wasn't offered. wouldn't have cost much more

ok ok , not really surprised :D

Mon Mar 31, 2025 7:59 am

Hello,

This is Lidia Rico. As you can see from my YouTube videos, I had a HORRIBLE experience at VIVID VANS in Santa Cruz. Before I explain, I want to share some background about myself.

I’ve lived on the road full-time for the past 11 years, owning and restoring vehicles. I’ve lived in a 1979 Chevy Coachmen RV, a 2006 E350 Super Duty Ford Econoline converted to 4x4 with an off-road kit installed by me and my late husband, and now, a 1985 Westfalia. For two years, I ran my own shop restoring Ford Econolines until my husband, a master mechanic, passed away. His death was a huge loss and I am still recovering mentally from this tragedy, but I gained valuable mechanical knowledge from him.

On February 13, I paid Vivid Vans $2,500 to swap my 1.9L engine (diagnosed with a bad cylinder) for a 2.1L engine Nathan claimed was in good condition. He said the job could start right away, but it ended up taking two weeks before they began work.

The swap started on March 3 and supposedly finished by March 5. Initially, I was quoted $5,500. However, when I went to pay the balance, Nathan claimed the total was now $7,500, citing “new parts” that bumped up the price by $2,000. I was shocked but paid it because I needed to continue my road trip to San Francisco.

Unfortunately, things only got worse. From day one, the van had trouble starting cold, experienced oil leaks from the push rods, coolant leaks, and constant stalling. My van only reaches 55 miles per hour on the highway and it runs worse than it did before the swap. When I contacted Nathan, it took him 10 days just to look at the van. During this time, I was stranded in a town I didn’t know, with more problems than before. I am dealing with this situation for over a MONTH AND A HALF!

For almost two weeks now, I’ve been stuck staying in hotels because my van continues to break down and stall daily. Despite returning the van to Vivid Vans multiple times, they have not successfully repaired the issues.

Last Friday, I requested a full refund because clear they cannot fix the problems they created. Nathan acknowledged this and said they would refund me, but I’m still waiting for them to “get it together.”

I’ve lost time, money, sponsorships, and even a family member during this ordeal. This entire experience has left me traumatized.

I’m planning to tow my van from Santa Cruz to San Diego and have it repaired by California Westys. Cesar is the only person I trust at this point but I need my money back to be able to do this!

I want to share my experience to help others avoid being taken advantage of. I will update this thread once I receive a full refund.

Thank you for your attention and to everyone in the Vanagon community who reached out—I appreciate your support.

Lidia Rico

Mon Mar 31, 2025 8:15 am

Read this: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
I hope you get your money back, most have not been so lucky. I would not let these clowns touch your van further, they swapped your old engine for one that was run out junk (based on the compressions). Go Westy is virtually down the street from Vivid and they could have resourced a reputable rebuilt motor for about 5K
https://gowesty.com/products/2200cc-engine?_pos=2&...3836226725

Mon Mar 31, 2025 8:28 am

This situation was brought to my attention by a great vendor weeks ago.

I’ve been in close touch with Lidia all along. If anything, she has dramatically understated what’s all been done to her, is a really nice and admirable force in the community, and deserves none of this!

MAKE THIS RIGHT, NATHAN!

Cesar deserves all the success that life can bring him!

Mon Mar 31, 2025 8:38 am

Ugh. As mentioned, there are always two sides to the story but this side sounds less than ideal.

40 year old cars are hard but service standards are more simple: do what you said you’d do and deliver on-time. Communicate any variances to cost and time (which should be unsurprising when one owns an old car).The machinations behind delivering on these standards are also hard.

Delivering a car that doesn’t work should be responded to promptly.

It’s good to hear that you trust California Westys. There’s quite a range of opinions about their work.
https://www.google.com/search?q=site:thesamba.com+...&dpr=2

Good luck! These Vanagon’s can be maintained to be largely trouble- free for 10s of thousands of miles.

Mon Mar 31, 2025 9:21 am

I am totally sympathetic with this customer’s plight (even if she had not shared her back story). Swapping a used engine with no documented history or metrics is a risky business for the shop and the customer. Most reputable shops decline to do so for this very reason. Added charges without the customer’s expressed authorization is called “bait and switch”. Repeated misfortune and customer dissatisfaction with Vivid Vans’ work ethic serves as a cautionary tale.

Mon Mar 31, 2025 9:38 am

Hi Lidia. I wonder if this was misdiagnosed from the beginning and your old engine is still fine. Are you able to get the old 1.9 back since they made you pay for the core charge ? 1.9's are tough. I have a hard time believing you had a dead cylinder. I really doubt you drove from San Diego to Santa Cruz on 3 cylinders. Did they provide proof ? Working on old vans can be challenging at times but none of the work they did is adding up for me.

also, is it true they brought your van to another shop because they couldn't figure it out themselves ?

Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:06 am

Just get Ben to fix it and you’ll have no worries

Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:17 am

outwesty wrote: Hi Lidia. I wonder if this was misdiagnosed from the beginning and your old engine is still fine. Are you able to get the old 1.9 back since they made you pay for the core charge ? 1.9's are tough. I have a hard time believing you had a dead cylinder. I really doubt you drove from San Diego to Santa Cruz on 3 cylinders. Did they provide proof ? Working on old vans can be challenging at times but none of the work they did is adding up for me.

also, is it true they brought your van to another shop because they couldn't figure it out themselves ?
This was my advice all along, to retrieve the 1.9 they reportedly told her was “headed to the dumpster.” Then they destroyed all the bits from her van that don’t work on a 2.1… gone forever.

She had 60 psi compression on one cylinder was all… could have just been a flat lifter and/or needed a valve adjustment.

Inexcusable. Sad. AWFUL. Embarrassing to every good shop.

Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:18 am

:shock:

Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:23 am

Red Ryder wrote: Added charges without the customer’s expressed authorization is called “bait and switch”.

If you mean the $5600 quote turning into $7500, Lidia even acknowledged in the video that the price was definitely going to grow with upgraded parts and components. Exactly what those upgrades were isn't clear. She does talk about choosing to install a new alternator just for the sake of it. You would expect some guidelines from both sides about what how much that final bill might increase before stopping work to re-evaluate, instead of it being open ended, but maybe that wasn't the case?
Anyone who has worked on a old car will know how many extras you don't find until you dig into things.

Ultimately, if the bill was paid, the work should have been properly completed. Shit happens sometimes. But their priority should be finishing this job before moving on to the next one. Not stringing the customer along and pushing them to the side.

Not to shovel blame on Lidia for her misfortune, but sadly, this situation is a reality of traveling in an old vehicle you aren't prepared to fix yourself.
I hope this all gets sorted out, and she can continue on her journey.

Mon Mar 31, 2025 11:04 am

I've been working on these things for the last 17 years as a hobby and the idea that you can just throw money at them and pretend you are driving a new car and you will get a new car warranty and new car service does not align to reality.

I understand that some shops are better than others. But she should not be investing her time and money into and old van if she doesn't have the ability to diagnose the issues herself or come on here and educate herself.

If you have the cash and don't have the time to do you need still need three things: a garage, know how to do a basic tune up, and know how to diagnose an engines current status IE leak down test, compression test, basic use of a multimeter. If you are unwilling to learn these skills go buy a modern van.

I'm not hating at all. This person wants to the van life not the mechanic life. I totally get that.

Mon Mar 31, 2025 11:05 am

CanStan wrote: Not to shovel blame on Lidia for her misfortune, but sadly, this situation is a reality of traveling in an old vehicle you aren't prepared to fix yourself.
No.

Breakdowns, expenses, inconvenient delays, sure.

But anyone getting jacked like this is like blaming a murder victim for going into a bad neighborhood.

Manfreds78bay wrote: I'm not hating at all.
So says You, but which part is helpful?

I knew it would come to this. It always does. *Everything* breaks down.

Customers are not at fault for trusting and paying full price for any professional task that seemingly now needs a complete redo. Ever.

When you waste six weeks and lose 10%+ of your annual income, just to repay expenses and lose weeks more income, please share your wisdom.

You’ll be a viral inspiration. It’ll be great.

Does owning an old house without construction skills deserve getting screwed?

Mon Mar 31, 2025 11:53 am

E1 wrote:
Is owning an old house foolish without construction skills?

Yes, it is.

Do you really have to ask that? It's foolish if you don't think you need to educate yourself.

And this person is probably so far from knowing any kind of mechanic that they wouldn't know. I get that. I live in that bubble as well. I have zero mechanic friends. I don't know anyone that works on their own cars. My circle thinks I'm crazy.

they can't fathom why anyone would spend that much time working on a car. Old cars are for mechanics. I don't care how deep or pockets are. If you don't have it in your soul, you are going to regret that you ever bought it.

I don't care. Come at me. I hope this person finds someone on here near by and can help them out and teach them the basics. And I hope she sees the light and really gets into it because that's the really the best part. Not owning something that is cool. But discovering another dimension to your life.

Mon Mar 31, 2025 12:06 pm

You missed my points entirely, great circular logic.

If you read her first post, you’d understand her history and perspective. This has nothing to do with an owner’s mechanical expectations you deem necessary, it is about reasonable shop expectations and getting what is paid for.

She’s well aware that breakdowns can happen on an old car — but she likes Vanagons. What’s not to support, don’t we all like Vanagons?

But finding an engine while traveling and swapping it herself is not exactly a realistic campground activity. If done well, it’s worth the price to hire a pro.

Honestly, if you’ve never lived on the road, you have no idea at all. Your posts defend tragic service and indifference for profit as being “acceptable.”

I’m not “coming at you,” you’re judging a total stranger’s decisions based entirely on your personal capabilities — while excusing what is clearly bad behavior from a vendor rapidly gaining a reputation for similar indiscretions.

Why would anyone defend that?
Did you read the other thread on this shop?

Sometimes we have to hire stuff out in life. It doesn’t matter at all what you think everyone should own. In fact, that’s absolutely none of your business.

It ain’t rocket science to conclude that the more we defend our fellow owners getting shafted, the more normalized it becomes.

Well done.

Mon Mar 31, 2025 12:31 pm

You Tube creators need “fresh content”. Mission accomplished. We could not afford to own or travel cross country in our 40 plus year old if we had to depend on someone else. Sorry about all this. There are always unknowns when doing major repairs that need to be addressed at that time or end the project. I’m remembering Daisy with Scooby blue.