Club 80-90 Forums

Dear diary,

I've tried 3 different VW specialists. Two say it's too old, one says it's too new. Then tried a local mechanic who decided to ignore me after I told him it was a 1990 T25 TD.

The guy that used to work on it lives 25 miles away and I'd rather him not be my regular pit stop. Am I missing something here? Is this a diesel thing.. Or is there a special hand shake I need to learn or something? I don't want to go to some randomer with no recommendation or vw speciality or anything.

My cam belt although only about 12,000 miles on it, is 5 years old. And the engine oil is like dark matter. You know, the stuff so black you can't even see it. And when I pull my dipstick out, the sun goes down

Is it common to have such difficulty finding someone confident enough to work on a 21 year old piece of mechanical beauty such as this?

Yours desperately

tom

No I found a guy near me that did mine, but I was looking for a while. A diesel specialist should be able to do it rather than a classic vehicle garage. Compared to modern diesels these are very basic engines, just in an odd place.

I'm considering doing it all myself. But I don't have anywhere off road to do it. That's the main reason really or I'd have a go myself like usual

Only 25 miles. Then take it there.

I have nowhere to work on the van and no inclination to lie under it in the frost and rain. Others do and will save themselves money but I have travelled 55 miles to Brickwerks and Gasure over the last 6 years since getting the van.

I may be bonkers but I reckon it has saved me money in added labour costs and heartache having people work on my van who work on T3's every minute of every day. Whereas a local mechanic may grumble and scrape his knuckles taking the best part of a day to tackle a trailing arm that Simon can whip off and put another on in the blink of an eye, whereas Steve can change a water pump or a starter motor with his eyes closed in no time.

The one and only time I went local, when a front spring snapped, the mechanic bitched like a big baby who had never seen a rusty bolt in his life. So used to doing nice little services on 3 year old french filth

haha yeah

that's my position on it too. I may take it to the original matey. But my dad knows a really good diesel chap who's prices are very good. Don't know if he'll be as quick with working on the t3 tho. choices...

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nice thanks!

aulday wrote:
I've tried 3 different VW specialists. Two say it's too old, one says it's too new. Then tried a local mechanic who decided to ignore me after I told him it was a 1990 T25 TD.

At least they told you - better than them faffing around with it when they haven't a clue. I learnt the hard way with my van, it's actually proved much cheaper taking it to someone who knows the ropes.

Silky

When you live up here, you've no choice but to learn how to do stuff yourself!

up where meht??

I would rather learn it all myself but with lack of time and the space necessary I can't do that at the moment. But it is, how I usually do things

why not go to http://www.futbus.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; he's in newton abbot

Near Newcastle upon Tyne, but out in the sticks.

My local garage even looks confused when I take it for an MOT

better of to do it yourself or you will never learn as its hardly rocket science these vans are really simple compared with modern cars and then you have the satisfaction its been done properly