| Author |
Message |
katstan
Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2017
Posts: 175
Location: Woodstock, NY
|
 Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 10:37 am Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
 |
|
| Oh, I thought it had to be broken down. Good to know! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16504
Location: Brookeville, MD
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
davevickery
Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2005
Posts: 2887
Location: Fort Collins, CO
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 11:19 am Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
| dobryan wrote: |
They will allow more than one tow per incident but the tow truck has to drop it off between tows. BTDT....  |
That is my understadning with Colorado AAA as well, although I don't think I have had to do it yet.
In theory, if you breakdown far away from home, you pick a town at the limit of your free tow range. He drops you off and you call them again for the next 100 mile segment. Most likely you will be in a different service areas and they will send a different tow company anyway. With a premier membership you get 1-200 mile tow, and 3-100 mile tows per year. So you can get 500 miles if need be. I also pay for roadside on my regular policy, and they do have a one tow per incident policy and they sometimes limit how far they will tow you (like only as a far as the closest dealer). But that can sometimes help out if you are way out in the boonies. I almost used that once when the AAA guy showed up and was a complete a-hole. His tune changed when he realized I was about to tell him to piss off. (they don't like to be told where to hook up the vehicle but there are tears in the frame rails on many vans proving that a lot them don't know).
If that sounds like a lot of time and effort, you can pay for the extra miles and just have him take you all the way home. But i think it is about $3-4/mile.
When they ask what is wrong, if I am just taking it to the mechanic, I tell them it needs some work and I would rather not drive it until the mechanic looks at it. (that's not even a lie). They have never questioned it. Usually they are just trying to figure out if you are in the middle of a dangerous intersection. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22668
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:30 pm Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
Andrew is about 15 minutes from me and Amtrak up North so we could easily commute you back home after a car drop. Keep,working up the camping gear in the spring like weather!!
You need a VOlt ohm meter and those physics skills to Brush up on electrical stuff , the good news is these cars are electrically really simple so they are easy to sort out.
_________________
.ssS! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ThankYouJerry
Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2012
Posts: 2271
Location: Shakedown Street
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 8:59 pm Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
So, what did the low compression issue turn out to be?
_________________
1990 Multivan - "Ohana"
1.8T, Auto w/3.27 R&P + Peloquin TBD |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
takeiteasy
Samba Member
Joined: August 11, 2016
Posts: 169
Location: New York, NY
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 12:38 pm Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
congrats, van looks sweet!
_________________
'85 Weekender 1.9L
"With your past and your future precisely divided.
Am I at that moment? I haven't decided." |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
katstan
Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2017
Posts: 175
Location: Woodstock, NY
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 7:16 pm Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
| ThankYouJerry wrote: |
| So, what did the low compression issue turn out to be? |
Not sure. The one mechanic who I'm unsure of said it had something to do with the intake. He wanted to take the motor out to fix it. Everyone else says if it's running fine to leave it alone especially since it's acclimating to its new climate and hasn't been driven much of late. We're going away tomorrow for 9 days so I'm debating having it towed to andrew flint in the morning to have him replace the water pump and fuel lines and reseal the fuel tank while we're gone. I do worry about wasting one of my 4 tows for the year doing that though so may just wait and take it to him when we're back in town. What are the odds of needing more than 3 tows in a year?
I went out for a quick spin in it tonight and it really runs great. After some errands over the weekend I did notice it was definitely leaking coolant wherever we would park after it had been running for a bit. Don't know the engine well enough and didn't really get a good look to tell where it was coming from but I do have my Bentley now so when I am back in town I'll start getting my hands dirty. Actually I'll take abscate's advice and get some latex gloves so I don't get them dirty but you get the gist.
And I feel like such an idiot... I had noticed there was just water instead of windshield washer fluid in it and had told myself I needed to add some proper fluid so it didn't freeze up when it got super cold last weekend. Only I didn't remember to do it until last Saturday morning when it was in the single digits here. When I added fluid to the front well it started pouring out onto the ground underneath the tank so pretty that's another repair I'm going to have to do. Oops. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
IdahoDoug
Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2010
Posts: 10251
Location: N. Idaho
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 7:49 pm Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
I like your idea of having it towed to Andrew. When you come back it will be to a Vanagon that is ready to safely serve your family and start making terrific memories. If you wait, there may be a bit of a spring rush underway with people bringing in their summer and hobby cars and next thing you know you won't see it back until mid April. Or longer. These 9 days are a perfect opportunity to have a seriously good pro look it over and tend to it. Tow now.
Be safe! Doug
_________________
1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
katstan
Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2017
Posts: 175
Location: Woodstock, NY
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 7:59 pm Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
| IdahoDoug wrote: |
I like your idea of having it towed to Andrew. When you come back it will be to a Vanagon that is ready to safely serve your family and start making terrific memories. If you wait, there may be a bit of a spring rush underway with people bringing in their summer and hobby cars and next thing you know you won't see it back until mid April. Or longer. These 9 days are a perfect opportunity to have a seriously good pro look it over and tend to it. Tow now.
Be safe! Doug |
Good point. Thanks Doug. That was the push I needed. Calling AAA and Andrew in the morning. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16504
Location: Brookeville, MD
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ThankYouJerry
Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2012
Posts: 2271
Location: Shakedown Street
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 9:16 pm Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
| katstan wrote: |
| And I feel like such an idiot... When I added fluid to the front well it started pouring out onto the ground underneath the tank so pretty that's another repair I'm going to have to do. Oops. |
Nope. That's normal (as long as it overflowed at the top once full).
_________________
1990 Multivan - "Ohana"
1.8T, Auto w/3.27 R&P + Peloquin TBD |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
xoo00oox
Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2010
Posts: 2672
Location: East Nassau, NY
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 4:52 am Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
| Sure, send it right over. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sjbartnik
Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011
Posts: 5998
Location: Brooklyn
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 6:29 am Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
| katstan wrote: |
| Everyone else says if it's running fine to leave it alone especially since it's acclimating to its new climate |
That's not a real thing. It's a car. It does not need to acclimate to anything.
_________________
1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
katstan
Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2017
Posts: 175
Location: Woodstock, NY
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 7:10 am Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
| sjbartnik wrote: |
| katstan wrote: |
| Everyone else says if it's running fine to leave it alone especially since it's acclimating to its new climate |
That's not a real thing. It's a car. It does not need to acclimate to anything. |
You don't think it's possible that the significantly colder temps here could have any effect? Contraction of parts in colder weather...
Anyway, he's off to Flint European Motors today.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16504
Location: Brookeville, MD
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
katstan
Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2017
Posts: 175
Location: Woodstock, NY
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 7:21 am Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
| dobryan wrote: |
Nice pics! No snow down here.... yet.
Yes, colder climates can cause issues but there is no 'acclimating period' unless it is defined as a period in which those climate issues become apparent and are fixed.  |
Well yeah that makes sense but would running it for a bit help the oil etc fill in any little gaps that the contraction could have created? I have no idea. Just wondering about the theory of it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
danfromsyr
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15144
Location: Syracuse, NY
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 7:36 am Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
wow, it's funny seeing snow down/over there and we're bone dry in the lake effect zone..
on the washer bottle.. they do leak from the top, VW used a poor grommet design for the 'fill neck' into the bottle. but since it's washer fluid most people can and do live with it. the bottle is still full, just not the fill neck.
if you did actually damage/crack the bottle. it's really an easy beginner task to remove and replace.
also use RainX of some sort and you won't use the wipers much anyways.
Dan in Syracuse..
_________________
| Abscate wrote: |
| These are the reasons we have words like “wanker” |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
katstan
Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2017
Posts: 175
Location: Woodstock, NY
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 8:57 am Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
Safely arrived to Andrew's! I just had a blazecut sent to him to install. He's replacing the fuel lines and doing the seal on the fuel tank. Also going to check our brake lines. Looking forward to driving it knowing we've covered all the safety basics when we get back.
Hopefully he'll be able to fix the propane regulator issue and I'm having him replace the water pump for the sink and install our awning, and shoulder belt for the backseat, too so we have a fully functioning camper come springtime. Can't wait!
Last edited by katstan on Mon Mar 27, 2017 8:26 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16504
Location: Brookeville, MD
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22668
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 9:43 am Post subject: Re: (Still Happy) New Vanagon Owner But There Are Issues (Of Course) |
|
|
See you soon, Iron Pots.
Come back all ready for adventure.
I wish my parents had bought me a Westie when I was 6....
_________________
.ssS! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
