Cost of maintenance & Learning Curve Question...

you want some milk with that cookie, dear?

maybe....but i don't care....

------------------- Chris Perdue

"Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug!"

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Reply to
Chris Perdue
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Hoover is the "MAN". Period.......stop chasin him away.......Eric "ghia and bug perfect together"

Reply to
Stutzsr

It sounds like you got enough books and manuals to get started.

I am sure you can learn to do it your self, but 'things get pricy sometimes' like a new engine or rebuilt transaxle. At least parts availability is not much of a problem.

You could probably learn to replace parts and perform routine maintenance on your Plymouth. These are relatively easy to replace: alternator serpentine belt spark plugs air filter fuel filter pcv valve brakes oil and lube I bought a lot of things for my Beetle just to make it safe and trouble free. If I added it all up it would be over $10,000.00. That is with me supplying most of the labor. But that is for about 12 years. If ya want it, try it!

Reply to
Sleepy Joe

if he's easily "chased away" by a woman who thinks it's entirely possible to own and maintain your own vw, then perhaps he's too delicate for usenet.

Reply to
The Queen of Cans and Jars

Can I have your VW?

Reply to
Michael Cecil

Speaking of Cigs, I don't smoke but was at the Speedway Convenience Store the other night behind some guy who wanted a pack of Camel Wides. I am thinking WTF are Wides. The clerk looked around and found Camel Light Wides, and I was hoping they would work, but this guy kept insisted on the exact thing he wanted. After a few minutes he found what the guy was looking for in the stockroom. Then if the wait was not long enough, the guy wants some lottery tickets too.

Bill Berckman

67 Beetle
Reply to
Bill Berckman

Reply to
Ben Boyle

All but one :)

Jan

Reply to
Jan Andersson

buy something like a '95 Cavalier and be

C'mon, now. Everyone knows chevys are junk. ;-)

Reply to
Shaggie

Isn't that a Nick Fiend quote ?

James

Reply to
Juper Wort

Wow....15 years. That sure is a lot of experience.....NOT. Still a bay in VW years dear. I am up to 34 years and I am sure Bob has more. But keep on going. You will get there eventually.......*8-}

-- the Grokdoc Tom Malmevik all that groks is god

67 Baja "marti"
Reply to
Thomas Malmevik

Chris is right. Don't lead some poor soul into acvw's blindly with the assumption it's going to be cheap and easy. That's just... wrong. On so many levels. ACVW's take a lot of work. They're not "cheap" by any means. Unless he's got the $10 - $18k to buy one that's been fully restored and runs like it just rolled off the assembly line, he's not going to find one that doesn't need a massive amount of work, time and money. And if he's looking for "cheap" transpo then he obviously doesn't *have* the 10- 18k to buy one he's not going to have to put too much effort into. I adore acvw's, but I'm smart enough to know that a car older than I am isn't going to be cheap and easy to maintain. Especially when you don't know WTF you're doing at first. I don't think it's fair to wag your finger at everyone that's been doing this for umpteen numbers of years for telling it like it is. At least they were honest about it.

OMG, did anyone feel that? I actually agree with Chris! I think Hell just froze over. :D

Kidd

"A hundred days to make me older since the last time that I saw your pretty face. A thousand lies to make me colder and I don't think I could look at this the same, but all the miles that seperate disappear now when I remember your face."

Reply to
Kidd Andersson

......................I know that I'm shocked! Now we just need to get you hooked on The Three Stooges.

timmy

Reply to
Tim Rogers

Well, dang ... I'm 0 for 3. :-\

I suppose I could still try for "live fast" ..... but I'll need a nap first.

Reply to
Scott H

outperform, and

"maintenance"....any

Reply to
ilambert

now that i have pulled myself back up into my chair.....LOL....can't deny the truth no matter who it comes from...heh...

------------------- Chris Perdue

"Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug!"

Remove "PANTS" to e-mail

Reply to
Chris Perdue

they are bigger in diameter....kinda like the Mcdonalds straws compared to burgerking...LOL

------------------- Chris Perdue

"Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug!"

Remove "PANTS" to e-mail

Reply to
Chris Perdue

and i never said any different...sometimes i think people can't comprehend an entire post....this is all about someone with absolutely NO experience with vw's wanting to jump into it blind because he heard they are *cheap* and easy to maintain....which in this situation is wrong on *BOTH* counts....some people can, some can't....i can, others can, a brand new person to the vw "scene" can, some can not...it is not doing anyone a disservice by letting them make an

*informed* decision....period...

------------------- Chris Perdue

"Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug!"

Remove "PANTS" to e-mail

Reply to
Chris Perdue

the problem here is that "the woman" told him he is wrong....and as ironic as it is, she was wrong when she said it....Bob had NO misleading or incorrect info in his post...but to someone that doesn't know or understand to tell him he is wrong is just unacceptable....

------------------- Chris Perdue

"Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug!"

Remove "PANTS" to e-mail

Reply to
Chris Perdue

On 06 Aug 2004 23:37:29 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@aol.comPANTS (Chris Perdue) wrote:

...hmmm...cheap and easy....hmmmm.. lets see. I bought my baja 1 year ago for $600....ok so thats cheap enough So far I have replaced.... The engine...fortunately I had a used shortvblock with good endplay so (since it was my only transpo at teh time and I needed to drive 35 miles to work the next day) ...I simply replaced the heads, pistons and cylinders, pushrod tubes and gasket set...was running...sitting right around $1000 and of course...it was all easy work...if youve done it many times before ;) so I was running now...decided to get it inspected....go figure the inspection station liked my soggy old brakes even less than I did,,,,so...a metal line and a master cylinder later I have that all firmed up...also took time to replace the fuse box and clean all grounds to get rid of intermittentlt shittle marker and head lights. Replaced the windshield wiper motor...and the switch assembly...both were bad. Decided that I still didn't care for the brakes after having them go away for a few miles after driving around some flodded streets and also needed to replace ball joints....got a good deal on a freshly rebuilt Ghia beam and swapped beam out complete..also swapped out rear rubber brake lines. Got tired of changing out rust filled fuel filters once a week...bought new gas tank and modified it to fit...also replaced old tired fuel pump. and all fuel lines. Hook on clutch arm sheared off...replaced pedal assembly....few months later replaced cable when It broke. Replaced throttle cable when it broke...twice...upgraded to heavy duty one ...no more problems. Replaced rag joint on steering column. replaced leaky heat exchangers and rusted exhaust. Bought new floor pan half to replace rusted out bettery section....but have not installed it. Replaced transmission after driving it as long as possible as a three speed after first become no longer functional...replaced clutch at same time and leaking flywheel seal. Also replaced the axel shaft with the growling CV joint. Replaced all window rubber to stop leaking during rain. Replaced intake manifold due to clogged preat risers...replaced the carb with a used carb that I rebuilt due to the original carb having a loose throttle shaft. Replaced shocks. After 14000 miles the new top end has pounded out the bearings on teh old bottom end....so I have a shortblock scattered around my living room at the moment....to me this has been a typical first year of VW ownership...the next year will go much better as I have gotten to most of the heavilly neglected areas of the car, and they will not need much attention again for a while. YMMV but I think VW's should for most people be reserved as a second or hobby car....those of us who use them every day spend many a sunny weekend off under the car greasy to make sure we can and will make it to work reliably on monday morning...unless you are made of money, its hard to revers 30+ years of neglect over night. In summary when you see a bargain priced VW for sale, usually the cheapest thing you can do is leave it right where it sits and keep driving ;-)

...Gareth

Reply to
Gary Tateosian

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