I know EXACTLY what you mean about most mechanics merely doing what they
are told and not a bit more. Even for the smallest job, I always ask them
to check tire inflation, oil & water, and refill as needed. I ask again
right before I pay, too!  If  I need a tire repaired I ask the technician
to check pressure on ALL tires.  I think it's ridiculous have to ask for
that,  especially if it's already a costly repair job,  but I make sure I
don't leave until the simple stuff is done.
Patti
On Apr 21, 2013 6:42 PM, "Scott Daniel - Turbovans" <
scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:

> And now it may be abundantly clear that almost all water-cooled vanagons
> use coolant very slowly .
> it's normal for the license plate bottle to go down up to an inch per
> month.
>
> 'somebody' has to check things like fluid levels, if the spare is flat,
> tire pressures, brake fluid level, battery water ..
> all those sorts of things,
> unless you have a l Crew Chief to do that.  The owner/operator is
> supposed to be their own Crew Chiefunless they have one.
> Don't think that if you have major work done the shop will check little
> thingslike that.
> I have seen a jetta clutch job done for about $ 800 .......6 inches from
> the transmission the coolant bottle was low ..
> think they topped that up ? ..or even advised that it was low or needed
> 50 cents worth of fluid ?
>
> so typical...I talked to a shop before they did a vanagon customer's
> honda clutch job, timing belt and water pump ..
> hoping to inspire them to do good thorough work.
> Besides the $ 1,500 plus for the clutch, t-belt-water pump they said the
> brake fluid was black ..
> so they sold that job,  $ 96 labor and 35 in brake fluid .......it
> likely took 15 minutes max with car on the rack.
>
> Think they changed the also black clutch hydrucalic fluid too ?
> and with a clutch job too ..
> of course not ..the woman had to go back and get them to do that ..
> and that also was a 8 minutejob and on that caryou can do it in the
> front lot ,no need to do anything but open the hood.
> I don't think it's really possible to get good car work done anywhere,
> regardless of how much you pay.
> Sad to say.
>
>
>
> On 4/21/2013 5:39 PM, David Beierl wrote:
>
>> At 08:21 PM 4/21/2013, PB wrote:
>>
>>> THANKS, VANAGON FRIENDS!
>>>
>>
>> :)
>>
>>
>>  I'm back home now, and all is well.
>>>
>>
>> Excellent.
>>
>>   As for the water situation, I SAW water in the tank, but it was
>>> about 3"
>>> below the cap.
>>>
>>
>> That's the point when you get warned by the blinker.  In normal
>> operation that tank runs completely full, no bubble.  It vents a bit
>> to the overflow tank as it comes up to full temperature, and sucks
>> coolant back from the tank when it cools off.  So your warning system
>> was functioning perfectly.
>>
>> Yrs,
>> d
>>
>>