Itinerant Air-Cooled - Amskeptic - [email protected]

[Zeen]

For those that haven't heard, Colin is a dedicated air-cooled mechanic that travels the country helping people with their VWs.


http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=563288


I've used his services twice now, and it's money incredibly well spent. He's cheaper per hour than a regular mechanic, works harder than anyone I've seen, and comes right to your house. So if you just hired him to do some work, it would be a great deal. But it goes way beyond that; he teaches you about your vehicle, and how to be self-sufficient and do your own maintenance and repairs. I highly recommend him to any ACVW owner, especially a newbie.


Moderator note:
Colin video thread (you know the one):
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=725539

[VWLover77]

The man knows his VWs, no doubt about it. I spent a half-day (that was actually around 6 hours) with him last June and it was well worth it.

Don
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Don

1978 Westy
1971 Super Beetle Convertible


"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." - J.R.R. Tolkien

[Mr Blotto]

It is hard to find a person who is both a great techical resource and a great teacher. Colin has both qualities! I had him stop by on his tour twice and will again in the future. He is well worth the money.

Hey Zeen - nice avitar
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1978 Westfalia Camper - 2.0 FI - Sage Green with 103,000 miles (original engine - no rebuilds).

SEE THE UGLY BEAST BEFORE!!! www.frappr.com/sambabaywindowforum/photo/380133

AND AFTER http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/285472.jpg

[ChiTwnVW]

I second, or third or fourth...Colin is everything he billed as. He really aims to teach, that's what make him happy, but he also wants you to have a noticeable improvement in your air-cooled VW drive-ability. I've had 3 Colin visits and each time I've gotten my moneys worth. Give him a try! If you have any issues with your AC VW you won't be disappointed.

[Ritter]

I had a 10+ hour day with Colin in September 2007. It was well worth the price of admission--not only did things get fixed, I learned how to do it. I will be eagerly signing up for another day this summer.

Ritter
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1978 westy 2L FI (needs a little bit less work)

[Bookwus]

Hiya All,

I gotta chime in here....................

This is THE person to see if you have any questions about your Bus or its performance. A day with Colin and two things will happen...1. Your Bus will run the way it was intended to run, and.....2. You are going to be a whole lot more familiar with how to keep it running that way.

A well running Bus and an education for $38 an hour! And he comes to your house! Honestly folks, this is a deal you just can't beat. I have yet to meet or chat with another Busowner who has used Colin's services who wasn't pleased with the results.

Check out his ad under Other Services>Travelling Consultant
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Mike

1970 AS Bug
1970 Bus - The Ruptured Duck

Have an AutoStick? Check out www.auto-stick.com

[Amskeptic]

Below is a link to this summer's 2008 Itinerary. This will be my fifth lap of America since I started this thing in 2002. You can spot your likely date based on the city/states of those who are on the list. You may PM me here on theSamba if you have any questions.
Colin
(thank you all, by the way, for your comments)


http://www.itinerant-air-cooled.com/viewtopic.php?t=3550
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www.itinerant-air-cooled.com

[James Dwan]

I have enjoyed Colin's visits for the last 3 years straight and hope he travels through Dallas again this year
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DAC
TCB
'59 23 Window Deluxe
'73/'77 Westfakia
'78 SuperVert

"Many dreams come true, and some have silver linings.
I live for my dreams and a pocket full of gold. Acapulco gold!" Robert Plant

[The Sage]

Just a positive word for Colin's service. He has been to my place twice now and I can't say enough about his knowledge of these vehicles.

I have been recommending him to numerous people who are just learning about VW's. I look forward to his next journey this way.
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Feel My Pain l Sage Ad World

[dhoch14]

3 years in a row for me and it's worth every penny.

His lessons are worth more than any part out there. period.
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73 Transporter AT w/ Dual Solexs

An east coast bus on the west coast...

[Yondermtn]

I too would recommend Colin's services.

Well worth it.

[justgimmecoffee]

add another satisfied customer to the list.

if you want to do something really good for your ride, get a visit from Colin.

[blatzer]

no bout adoubt it, he is the man!

[midatlanticys]

We managed a full day visit from Colin in Georgia last October for a newly acquired '78 f/i bus - the man is a blessing to the worldwide fleet of VW's - incredible depth of knowledge and experience coupled with getting a whole lotta work crammed into each & every hour makes a visit from the IAC a must, especially if you want to learn what's wrong/right with your VW and how to maintain it. Full kudos to the man, his travels and his gospel according to Wolfsburg!!

[airkooledchris]

How can it be that there is no feedback listed for so long?


I did my first visit in 2009, and instantly wished I had done it every year it had been offered previously. Would have saved me plenty of time and money in doing things myself, and correctly.

I also did 2010, 2011 and 2012, and will be signing up for a 2013 visit once the route is mapped out.

The idea is that you learn to do this stuff yourself, and absolutely you do, but also so you can get a better idea on what you should be focusing your efforts on. It's easy to get all wrapped up in trying to tackle one aspect of your vehicle while forgetting other equally important parts.

When's the last time your mechanic let you help out and learn all the tricks so you could do it yourself next time? When's the last time your mechanic charged you $50 an hour (or whatever it works out to)?

The last time I took one of my VW's to a mechanic was in 2008 - and they have been in much better hands as a result.

[whc03grady]

It is difficult to overstate the value in having Colin work with you on your VW. Here is a real person, whom you can ask questions, have check your work, and watch, unlike any book or even the best internet video. It's like a brief internship, with your own car as the subject. Also, I honestly doubt there are more than a few dozen people in North America, perhaps the world, with the same holistic, intimate working knowledge of the air-cooled Volkswagen than Colin. And he's the only one you can pay to come to your house.

visited in 2008a, 2008b, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
"Why have you had to have him come so many times if he's so great?" you might ask. The answer is because I'm selfish. I plan to own our VWs forever and want to glean Every Last Bit of information/know-how from Colin that I can, while I can. I suggest every serious ACVW owner do the same.
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1974 Westfalia "Ludwig"
1971 Squareback "Gertie"
Read about their adventures

[Jivermo]

I had the great good fortune to be the Alpha and Zeta bookend stops for Colin's 2013 Itinerant Tour. I would characterize his visits as Air cooled working seminars. If you want to know how to keep your vehicle in top working order yourself (and who do you really trust to do this nowadays?), you will benefit greatly from signing up for an Air Cooled visit. I own a 1978 VW Westy, and I had a vision taking it out on an extended trip up and down the eastern seaboard to the Hudson Valley, and down into the Skyline Drive area. Colin came to see me in Miami last April, and we spent a long day together working on my bus. You will be surprised with the amount of work done, and the things you will learn, during one of Colin's workdays. At the end of his visit, I asked him whether he would be comfortable taking my bus on a long trip.
"I would drive this bus anywhere." he said.
Those words, along with what I had learned that day, inspired me to take my bus, in July and August, on a 4,000 mile road trip through 9 states. I had an incredible time, meeting great folks along the road, and seeing postcard views at frequent intervals. I had some minor mechanical issues with my bus, but was able to resolve them because I had paid attention to Colin's teachings. It is somewhat difficult to describe his methods of transmitting his teachings to his students, but I will say that I am a serious proponent of what Colin does. If you sign up with him, you will enjoy an exciting, stimulating work day. You will discuss topics far ranging, from early VW company history to current day world economic conditions. I promise you this: you will not be bored, and you will get your money's worth and then some. Colin enriches people's lives, and makes your bus run better while he does that. What are you waiting for-Go for it on the 2014 Schedule!

[71whitewesty]

I was also surprised to see the gap in the feedback! I had my first visit with Colin this last summer and I can honestly say that it was the worth it's weight in gold! Gold I say!! It's a fantastic service he doing for us VW lovers. I will schedule him anytime he gets close to Oregon. It's just the type of service that works for me. Comes to your house or in my case, meets me at the Maupin Campout and I not only fix but learn how to fix my bus. Knowledge spews out faster than I can absorb it.
Colin gets my highest recommendation. Do yourself and your bus a favor and get on his list for 2014.
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71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[moxnix]

I met Colin on his 2012 tour in Belle Plaine MN, and immediately decided I needed to schedule a visit in 2013.
I did this and I was not in any way disappointed- just the opposite in fact.
I have driven/owned bay buses for over 20 years now, and was fairly certain I had most things down pat on these vehicles.
Just the tip of teh iceberg as they say
Not only did our full day of work bear fruit in that I completed many tasks I had put off- I also learned a great deal more.
In doing so it inspired me to tackle other projects in the months since our visit I now truly feel much more informed and capable in owning-USING nad appreciating a 43 year old VW.
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Ritterlich im Kriege, wachsam für den Frieden

[drozdenko]

I've had 2 visits from Colin in the past 2 years. The first year 2012 was a total overload for me since my bus was the first AC vehicle I have owned. Last year I ended up splitting the day with a friend with a Vanagon and it was a blast.

There's no mechanic that would travel to your location and do the work he does for the amount of $ he charges, it was well worth the visit and would I highly recommend him.

Lee
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'79 Westy 2.0L "Hiltrude"
‘74 Super Beetle Rallye Yellow
'00 Jetta TDI
'01 WE Jetta 1.8T (Sold)
'02 Passat GLS 1.8T (Sold)
'96 Jetta Trek (Sold)
'88 Gti-16V (Sold)