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Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include?
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epowell
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 23, 2021 11:25 pm    Post subject: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

Hi Folks

If you had to have a Vanagon Care Package sent to you, a total of 20KG, and $600 worth of the most useful and commonly needed parts and special tools, what would you include. Everything should fit inside a normal large suitcase and be legally allowed as airline checked in luggage?

This is kinda my current situation and I would like to know what parts others would include. I am soon flying from Europe to Canada and will need to work on my Canadian Van. But parts are expensive in Vancouver, and where I am here in Czech I can get wholesale price on most parts - from my friend down the street who orders it -easy pease and very cheap.

So for an extra $70US I can get on CHECKED-IN piece of 23KG luggage, and my legal Customs Duty-free limit is $800CAD. So I am sure that if I buy about that dollar value in parts over here - those same parts would cost me much more than $100 more in Vancouver.... a full set of brake lines for example - which is dirt cheap here made by the local garage, in Vancouver costs a fortune....

Of course I have some specific parts in KNOW I NEED for this particular van, but after that I am wondering which parts to include - here is my current list:

82' 1,6D
- WaterPump + Thermometer
- coolant tank cap
- ignition switch
- Timing belt kit, other belts
- oil, fuel, air filters
- all BrakeLines
- Master cylinder + clutch master + clutch slave
- rear shocks
- ALT. volt. reg.
- STARTER brushes carrier
- fuses
- bleeders
- rear brake cyl.s "with springs"
- ??? suspension parts ball joints etc ???
- ??? new alternator ???
- ??? front shocks ???
- ??? rear brake shoes ???
- oil pump
- CVs ??? [or just bearing grease]
- Jack shaft bearing (and pulling tool)
- head gasket + head bolts
- injectors
- sliding door handle
- front engine seals (3?)
- ??? front wheel bearings ???
- front caliper repair kit !!!

I look forward to hear what others might add or remove from this list.
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 3:55 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

Paying $70 to transport $600 of goods? I can’t see this making sense financially.

Make your own brake lines with a flare tool, for instance.
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epowell
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 4:07 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

Abscate wrote:
Paying $70 to transport $600 of goods? I can’t see this making sense financially.

Make your own brake lines with a flare tool, for instance.


If I pay $300 in Czech for what would cost me $600 in Canada and pay $70 for cargo, then it makes sense, right? But you make a good point.

Flare tool itself costs $100...

But yes, I need to think carefully about this.
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 5:43 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

"making sense financially". haha! it's vanagon parts.
Living in Alaska, Ordering from the usual venders, and paying the non-contiguous US states shipping rates from the usual shipping agents. I could almost maintain both my syncro's down "south" for what it costs to maintain one. I just ordered 400$ in general parts (nothing big, heavy, or bulky) and had 240$ in shipping charges at the lowest rate. $70 sounds like a bargain
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epowell
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 5:47 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

Chugach wrote:
"making sense financially". haha! it's vanagon parts.
Living in Alaska, Ordering from the usual venders, and paying the non-contiguous US states shipping rates from the usual shipping agents. I could almost maintain both my syncro's down "south" for what it costs to maintain one. I just ordered 400$ in general parts (nothing big, heavy, or bulky) and had 240$ in shipping charges at the lowest rate. $70 sounds like a bargain


Exactly!
And keep in mind, here in Czech I just walk down the street to my buddy's parts business and he finds all the stuff for me and gives me a massive discount. Conversely in Vancouver I have to research all the stuff myself, then order from Napa, then wait, then go half way across town on my bike to pick up the parts Sad Sad
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 6:22 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

23kg / 50lbs is not much weight. i'd forget the starter and really heavy items that are available in North America.

here's a thought.... see if you can locate genuine VW OEM parts that are no longer in production to sell as a service AND turn a handsome profit. i know you have a diesel but if you could locate OEM VW airflow meters, throttle bodies, camshafts, main bearing sets, MV or DJ pistons, Lemforder lower ball joints and other out of production items, you'd have a gold mine and could purchase anything you needed here with the proceeds of reselling them.
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epowell
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 6:44 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

DanHoug wrote:
23kg / 50lbs is not much weight. i'd forget the starter and really heavy items that are available in North America.


Yes for sure.... no really heavy things.... mostly thinking about common light replacement stuff like master cylinders, brake cylinders, caliper rebuild kits, bleeders, seals, bushings.... these kinds of things. Stuff that FOR SURE will eventually need to be replaced, why not just buy most of it at once and store it all in a box in the van and always have it all right there for WHEN it breaks.

- -

The problem with bringings stuff over to sell is that then you don't qualify for the $800CAD CUSTOMS DUTY exemption.
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 9:04 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

Chugach wrote:
"making sense financially". haha! it's vanagon parts.
Living in Alaska, Ordering from the usual venders, and paying the non-contiguous US states shipping rates from the usual shipping agents. I could almost maintain both my syncro's down "south" for what it costs to maintain one. I just ordered 400$ in general parts (nothing big, heavy, or bulky) and had 240$ in shipping charges at the lowest rate. $70 sounds like a bargain


Thinking for your location you "Northern" guys should get organized and one of you or each of you separately if you take road trips down on your way back up pick up a group list of parts you all desire and carry them up for distribution.
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 9:25 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

Watch your luggage charges. On a deep discount fare , an extra bag can easily be 200-300 Euro

It’s the luggage policy of the first carrier on your intinerary that sets the rate based on IATA rules
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 9:51 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

First medical tourism, then dental tourism, now Vanagon parts tourism.
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 12:48 pm    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

Case in point...

BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER:
I just tried to find one on NAPA in Vancouver. First thing is that what they showed I could not even determine if it was OK for a Vanagon. Second thing is that they were all over $200 - even over $300!

Couple of years ago my parts guy in town here got me an Italian made MC for $40! Works fine.
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 1:00 pm    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

Just bring back one of those DJ engines, 112hp. Maybe two suitcases. Wink
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 24, 2021 1:03 pm    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

epowell wrote:
Case in point...

BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER:
I just tried to find one on NAPA in Vancouver. First thing is that what they showed I could not even determine if it was OK for a Vanagon. Second thing is that they were all over $200 - even over $300!

Couple of years ago my parts guy in town here got me an Italian made MC for $40! Works fine.


Sounds like a potential opportunity to help fund your/our obsession. Cool
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:41 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

UPDATE & QUESTIONS:

So..... I made a big big list and gave it alot more thought and realized that the stuff I want to take is all pretty small light stuff, and since I have 10KG carry-on luggage and nothing else to take with me, I can get basically everything into that carry-on bag.

But of course there are more restrictions. It will not be an el-cheapo flight. It will be the cheapest economy class flight with LUFTHANZA from Prague>Frankfurt>Vancouver 13h. I know they do not like large heavy car parts or tools!!! ....but I am wondering how much I can get away with. It is a headache and almost impossible to talk to someone at the airline and get reliable specific info, so I'm asking here if anyone has any experience with this.

I asked Google and it said tools longer than 7inches are prohibited as carry-on. So I guess this means that a Brake Master Cylinder would be rejected... HOWEVER I am going to take my chances with Rear Brake Cylinders since they are about 3 or 4 inches long.

I now realize that Hard Brake Line comes in coils small enough to fit into my carry-on bag. I'll need about 15meters which will cost about $30USD... not sure if they will allow that???? Any thoughts??? [in the worst case 30 bucks is not a massive loss] .....maybe they would be afraid that I would try to strangle someone with the pipe???? Shocked

My other quiries are concerning oil, fuel, air filters... kinda thinking they might not allow the oil filter as it is a bit heavy [could be used as a CLUB! Shocked ] ....these items are cheaper here and easier for me to obtain, but finally price difference can't be SO much.

I have ordered a set of GASKET PAPER with 4 grades of paper. This should keep me in gaskets for a while.

Rear shocks would be too big I guess??

THIS IS WHAT i ORDERED ALREADY:
- Starter brushes carrier assembly
- clutch rubber line (Bosch, expensive)
- Timing belt KIT
- 3 front engine seals (they are all 3 the same I assume/remember)
- clutch master + slave cylinder rebuild kits
- ATE rear brake cylinders
- rear bearings outer seals
- waterpump (without thermo.housing)
- thermo.
- coolant tank cap (seems like a small thing, but it costs $5, and in 2017 I did months of work on the van, replaced radiator, all coolant pipes, head gasket and much much more all because of misdiagnosis of problems caused simply from a faulty coolant tank cap!)
- gasket paper
- 46mm socket (for you know what!)
- 3/4 > 1/2 adapter for a 3/4 breaker bar

More to come.....
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:47 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

Ed

There are two gauntlets tonrun, the security protocols at the airport and the airline itself. These are separate, and I can tell you that you won’t be able to negotiate at the airport very effectively. At the very least, check in hours before departure in person.

Short version, airline tickets are for persons and their personal effects, not cargo.

I’m Global services on United and top tier on Delta but ship stuff via cargo carrier. I did have a fun few years on a diplomatic passport importing kale grown on the back of piping plovers.
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:55 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

Abscate wrote:
Ed

There are two gauntlets tonrun, the security protocols at the airport and the airline itself. These are separate, and I can tell you that you won’t be able to negotiate at the airport very effectively. At the very least, check in hours before departure in person.

Short version, airline tickets are for persons and their personal effects, not cargo.

I’m Global services on United and top tier on Delta but ship stuff via cargo carrier. I did have a fun few years on a diplomatic passport importing kale grown on the back of piping plovers.


My buddy that I stay with lives very near the Airport, I suppose I could go TO the airport the evening before with my bags and simply inquire with all of them if everything is acceptable - if not than the unacceptable items I could leave at my buddy's place rather than throwing in the trash at the airport.

However, it is my experience that when you ASK directly they say "NO!", but when you just show up they often say: "NO.... well MAYBE.... well, OK just this once".
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 8:58 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

My daughter who is 6 feet tall, with long model legs and looks to match, walked onto a Air France 747 with 3 carryons and 100 kG of stuff with a big smile.
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 9:01 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

So all he needs is a gender swap and a good smile?
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 10:58 am    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

Abscate wrote:
My daughter who is 6 feet tall, with long model legs and looks to match, walked onto a Air France 747 with 3 carryons and 100 kG of stuff with a big smile.


Countless times I have gone on planes with even TWO guitars + backpack.... and countless times have been majorly hassled for it and told flattly that it is forbidden.... but every single time I got on.

The last time it happened, in fact, it was so stressful that I decided it was not worth it anymore and stopped doing this kind of behavior.
That's what they do - they don't forbid you completely but they make it so stressful that you avoid doing it in future.
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 2:58 pm    Post subject: Re: Vanagon Care Package: $600 - 20KG * What would you include? Reply with quote

Keep a big smile and lots of Dobra Dens...

In this era, confronting personnel will be very unpleasant. We have had a huge number of conflicts on airplanes over masking, with lots of people going onto the “ do not fly” blacklist
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