Letting "strangers" touch your vintage VW

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I just dropped my 85 Transporter single cab TD off at the local "all makes and models" repair shop for an alignment (I just installed new front control arm bushings). I made the appointment on Monday and they looked at me like I was crazy when I asked a few direct questions to prequalify them for the relatively simple job. The owner of the shop was listening to the conversation I trying to have with the 2 service writers and he stepped in when I asked if it would be possible to speak directly with the service tech that would be doing the alignment. The two service writers immediately went silent and looked knowingly at each other like they thought there was going to be trouble.

The owner is obviously a businessman, not a mechanic, but he told me that they have worked on all models of Volkswagens and that his VW specialist has 27 years experience as a VW certified tech and has worked on every VW ever made.

I'd obviously struck a nerve by daring to ask simple and relevant questions and he was going to set me straight.

I tried to tone things down a notch by reminding him that I had had his shop do this job before, that I was satisfied with their prior work, I'm back because I was satisfied, and my questions were only meant to prevent any misunderstandings and false expectations. I added that I had an unusual 25 years old vehicle that has a few unique quirks that required a little extra care and I didn't want to just leave the truck without a full disclosure of these peculiarities and I also wanted to give them the opportunity to turn down the job if it wasn't something they weren't interested in getting involved with.

It took him a few seconds to process this and the two service writer were now fidgeting in their chairs trying not to look at me.

Finally he said, "I'm sure we can do the alignment and when you drop the truck off I'll have my tech come out to go over the details with you".

I arrived at the shop at 7:55 to drop the truck off. There was only one of the two service writers at the front desk and the first thing he says is "Your truck won't fit in our alignment bay with that canopy on it; you'll have to take it off". I just smiled and said "Do you understand why I asked so many questions the other day?"

I drove home, removed the entire tilt in about 20 minutes and was back at the shop by 9AM. The first service writer was gone but second one was there and he refused to even look at me when he said, "I need the keys". I gave him the keys and reminded him that I needed to update my contact information and that I wanted to speak with their VW specialist.

The VW specialist wasn't available at the moment so I waited for him outside by my truck. Of course, when he came out to meet me the first words out of his mouth were "I didn't know Volkswagen made a Vanagon truck". We had a friendly chat about VW's, TD's, IP's, and his bad experiences with customers using Biodiesel. I showed him the timing advance knob, explained how to use it and that it only comes out about 1-1/4" before it breaks off in your hand. He finally smiled and said "I'll be the only one that drives your truck".

So now I'm supposed to be working but instead I'm writing all this down trying to reassure myself that I've done everything I could to prevent problems but I still can't help imagining what horrible things are happening to my truck.

I know I'm certifiable nut case but can anyone in samba-land relate?

TheTurboTransporter

[MarkWard]

I won't valet park my Vanagon. I understand your anxiety. Unfortunately, there are times when you will have to "hand your keys" over. I worked for VW/Audi up through 1990. Until I joined the samba, I had never seen a Doka vanagon. So I wouldn not be put off by that. Also, the bio conversation. Don't stress that either. Mechanics only see vehicles that are broken. Hopefully he will get a good alignment on it for you and there will be no paw prints. Perhaps you might need to find a smaller business to meet your needs. Not many small shops can do alignments. They have to sub them out to alignment shops. So alignments is one of those jobs you may have to suffer through. Good luck, I think you will find most of us can relate.
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[Alaric.H]

Ya I have been asked to leave shops before screw it a shop charges 60 -100 dollars a hour I need to know they have a clue

[McVanagon]

[buildyourown]

[j_dirge]

Hope it works out for you.


Gotta keep in mind that most shops' customers don't know squat about thier cars.. and that shop mechanics are ALWAYS learning on the job.. Most car owners don't realize how much seat-o'-the-pants wrenching goes on in many shops.

How many tiimes have you had a service guy tell you something with a straight face that you flat out know is not true?
I mean, we are all programmed to provide the rote answer.

I think thats true with any profession.


Difference here is that a lot of us have learned a LOT more about our rigs than has the typical car owner.. And when we've learned as much as we have (and that isnt necessarily a whole lot. ) and we've made modifications that MOST car owners wouldn't even bother reading about, let alone do themselves...Then it follows that we drive something or have done something that the typical service guy (even a "specialist") may never have seen before.

We have a very knowledgeable independent VW Vanagon guy here in San Francisco. He's been working on Vanagons since they were introduced. He drove his own until a few yrs ago.
But he has told me he won't work on anything not factory VW. He drew the line in the sand.

I've gotta respect that...

There's other shops in the area that WILL work on modified Vanagons, but each has its limits and you can't really be on the top of every game in town..
Stock, bored out, Subarau, TDi, Bio, the possibilites go on and on.

Its like this with a lot of stuff.. I don't have the local shop guy tune my skis.. I don't have the local bike guy tune my bike..

But when it comes to things like alignments, well... we're kinda SOL. We don't have the techie equipment to DIY and if you don't have the time to do Loogy's alignment, then we have to compromise.
Find the best shop with the most helpful and interested guys. And maybe we have to pay a bit more.

Thats the price of driving vintage stuff.
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-89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.

-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5

[PDXWesty]

I took my van in for an alignment at a local Firestone Service Center one Saturday morning. I hung around while they did the work. The tech doing my alignment was a kid in his early 20's. He knew nothing about the van. I had to show him where nearly everything was. He said at one point "I didn't know these things had a camber adjustment". I sat in the pit with him for 90 minutes with my Bently out showing him how to do things. In the end, the van pulled worse than before. Yikes. I took it to a different shop to get redone a week later and it still wasn't right. Turns out I have some worn componmants that need replacing, but none of them were able to even tell me that much. It pays to go to a real specialty shop.
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto

[Robert Lamb]

I had a tire go bad in Pendleton, Or so I took it to the Les Schwab to get the tire fixed, Broke cords needed a new tire.
Lad #1 backed my Vanagon up and moved it into the area where the tire was to be replace, had no problem.. Lad #2 that did the work finished the work and tried to back the van out. He had know idea where reverse was and couldn't or wouldn't ask, he screwed the shifter up so bad I could't get into reverse
I drove the 250 miles home with no reverse.
I took itt to my mechanic and for $80 he set thing strate.
So my word of advice if you have to let someone else drive your 1980
Vanagon make shure they know how to get into reverse

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[CREGAN]

I second the advice on the shop in Port Angeles - Petersens. They are amazing and man do they know their stuff about Vanagons. I went in on a road trip because I thought my water pump was acting funny. They confirmed within 5 minutes that I needed a new one. While fixing it they also brazed the metal coolant pipe and gave it a once over. I wish they were closer because I would only go there if I had the choice. Here there are only a couple shops and some of them are run by VW snobs that won't work on your VW if they don't like the way you look. I got my wife to take my van in one day for a new muffler and they looked at her and told her that we should just sell it. when I showed up and told him that was a moronic idea he quoted me $3000 for a muffler. Good service is hard to find.

[vwjedi]

Unfortunatly my Vanagon broke down on the way to Bulli Brigade. Almost 80 miles from home, I know it was the throw out bearing, came apart and had a bad conversation with the pressure plate.

I paid the hefty towing bill back to my driveway, no chance that some side of the highway garage is going to touch my VW.

I feel you brotha.
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1987 Wolfsburg T25 still riding out. A bunch of other VW's passed on...

[PDXWesty]

[ajdenette]

I had similar thoughts about handing my van over for tires and an alignment. I have been cleaning up messes from the shop that did a major amount on my van a while ago so I started doing most of the work on the van myself after that. I needed ball joints which I couldn’t do so I took it to a reputable VW shop here in Mass where they did the work some what begrudgingly, and managed to screw up doing a CV boot. Last year I needed new tires and an alignment after replacing a now bad CV joint and my leaking power steering rack, so I took my van to Pets Tire Barn and I told the guy behind the counter it needed at minimum 6 ply tires for the Syncro he didn’t think so but would do some research. I left the Bentley in the isle and told them. So they called back to agree I was right and discussed tires (ended up with vanco 2's and this was before I found the samba) and have been very pleased with the alignment and tires.
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1985 2wd Westy with 2000 Subaru 2.2 current driver
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=685635
1986 Syncro Doka Project next in line
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732777
1990 Vanagon Syncro Base awaiting body work

[turbotransporter]

I got the "your car is ready" call this afternoon around 2. I had to finish insulating an attic space before I could retrieve my truck so I arrived at the shop around 4. The waiting room was deserted and service writer #1 was at his desk working at his terminal. I waited until he was ready to speak to me and when he did all he said was "Which one are you?" I said "I'm the funny looking blue truck". No response. He looked through a small stack of work orders, found mine, then walked a few feet to the key board to get my keys. "That will be $159.80" he said as he hands me my keys. I was a bit surprised by the total but I hadn't asked what it cost when I made the appointment so my bad. I gave him a credt card, he swiped it and waited silently as the machine produced the slip for me to sign. As I signed the slip, he stapled my copy to the work order and alignment print out. I handed him back his copy and said "Thank you". He nodded silently as he slid my receipts across the counter.

I found my truck parked across the street, unlocked and backed into 3 to 4 inches of mud and grass. The truck tracks perfectly and the steering wheel is perfectly straight. I'm taking a 2000 mile road trip next week so that will be a good road test and should reveal any tire wear issues, if any.

I not unhappy with what they did (so far) but I can't help feeling that this shop couldn't care less if I ever came back. No "thank you" No "f" you, no nothin'. The VW tech I spoke with in the morning was friendly and knowledgable but the owner and the service writers were all dead fish. I don't expect them to kiss my ass but a smile and a thank you might be nice. I guess I'm old fashioned.

I have three more vehicles that will need alignments in the next few months but next time I think I'll take my business over to Tru-Line in Bellevue.

[dobryan]

IMHO, that's a ridiculous price for an alignment. I got a great one for $60 from an independent shop recommended by an old time Vanagon mechanic here in the DC area. YMMV.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

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