From: etlstlh@etlxd30.ericsson.se (Stuart Leitch/geg 4464)
Subject: And another VW horror story
Reply-To: etlstlh@etlxd30.ericsson.se
Organization: Ericsson Telecom AB
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 10:57:31 GMT

Horror story being quite apt... I'm sure my '72 campers possessed.

Are you sitting comfortably, I'll begin...
I bought it 4 months back for GBP 1500 (it's a rip-off for the amount of car you get
but the going rate if you wanted a bus in my area).  The first day it went great.
Next morning the accelerator pedal came detached from it's mounting(!) - no problem
just a screw missing probably - 25 quid later and still a crap accelerator (mechanic`s
trying to find an original).  Day 2, awfully suddenly develops a clutch judder, 200
quid later (with the brakes checked too) all appears to be fine for a while.  One week
old now... I notice it develops an oil leak, fill it up.  Middle of M25 start losing
power going 25mhp on 70mph road, call AA.  Guy takes one look at the back sees the
oil cap is missing (the bitch is possessed - I put it back on honest!) assumes it
was overheating - I'm actually releived, thought it was worse. Next morning it had
cooled down and for the next week drove ok (when cool).  I was worried about the lack
of power I was getting, so I took it to a guy (who has been working with VW's for
20 years apparently) he said they all feel like this (my arse) and it only need a tune.
Tuned it up and drove to Scotland (400 odd miles) went great after the tune-up until
the last 100 miles.  Bugger all power crawling up the motorway - felt like overheating
without the smoke pouring out the engine.  Got home (parents in Scotland) next morning
went great - took Sarah to see Loch Lomand - bliss - VW roof up parked on a beach,
scenery, sun was out.  Going back (to parents) had bugger all power - rolling back down
hills and everything well pissed off.  Saw this gargae still open (lucky - was 5pm Sat)
The thing was miss firing  going on 3 cyls - sometimes - different cyls every time!!
Points, plugs, leads, compression all checked literally four hours later replaces
the coil and amazing the beast springs to life - unbelievable power!!  Next time
I start it up - flat battery - must be all that starting in the garage. Half hour
drive later the battery still isn't charging. Decide to jump start and head back to 
Brighton (400 odd miles), got 5 miles all that power has gone and it's worse than
ever - 10 mph.  Take it to a VW dealer garage checks it out (even every fuse) say they
haven't a clue and it'll take mega bucks & time (dealers are well expensive) take to
a VW part shop who says it sounds like electrical fault. Take it to electrical 
specialist - who boasts Mega Computerised Machine 50k worth and wonderful - but no use
cause the guy has a bad back and wont work on an engine down there - says it's coil
in his expert opinion.  (The coil that made it great was out an ancient porche) so I
got a brand new one - no difference. Took extra day holiday. 
Next day friend spents half day trying to solve.  Finally tracks prob down to a wee condensor - 3 more hours to locate exact part. Battery now charging and it drives great
again. 150 miles later starts to lose power but not too bad doing 50 max sometimes.
It's midnight I've got 300 miles to go and work in the morning - stop to have food
and I'll call AA to check it out while I'm there. AA takes one look says the coil
immediately without a doubt (based on sparks - fair enough) says he's got one at his
base go miles out of my way - he cant find it - stop at every service station on the M6
to try and get one - dont. Make it north of London 7.30am stay at Sarah's it'll take another 4 hours to get past M25 in this condition at rush hour. Take extra hol - kick
shit out of bus).  New coil no diff. Take to garage adjusts lots of things costs lots of bucks - mechanic makes it run good again (coil probs disapear).  He said he fixed
oil leak - but used a 2nd hand pure shite rocker cover.  Engine ceases on M25 2 days later.  Re-con engine 200 quid - everything is great in fact excellent no probs.
No probs for 2 weeks, nothing goes wrong - so someone has to crash into me - best thing
that ever happend - the damage is asethtic but reletively costly - need insurance
money get the rust through the MOT.  Next week leaks brake fluid all time - dont
have cash to get it fixed so put up with hastle for a while. 80 quid to fix and put
it through a MOT which I might add it failed misserabley.  So when I get the insurance
money I fix it, sell it and exorcise it.

...I never thought it would be easy & I dont have time (much) for DIY.  And I now
know that I should never have bought it, ye live 'n learn.

PS. Theres a lot more towings etc between the lines.
Cheers, /Stuart

Xref: sparky rec.autos.vw:5418 rec.autos:22884