Re: Beware of VRC and VRE

[Huw Powell <human@nh.ultranet.com>]

> > But I wouldn't even think of buying an oil filter at the dealer when a local
> place stocks
> > Mann/Mahle at about $4 each.
> 
> Do they stock the 2nd oil filter for the turbo as well?  When I first went
> looking for one, I spent 30 minutes on the phone calling every parts store in
> town -- remember, Phoenix is the eighth largest city in the U.S. -- and not
> one place carried them in stock.  "You'll have to get it from the dealer," I
> was told over and over again.

Wow.  I owned an 83 5kt for 5-6 years and never had trouble finding the
second filter.  Of course back then maybe filter manufacturers still
listed it in their cross reference charts...

> 
> Let's face it: If there's one part that you know will always be needed by
> somebody, it has to be an oil filter, right?  This isn't some specialty part
> (like caliper bolts ... had to special-order them myself once!) but a routine
> maintenance item, one that most people will need at least twice each and every
> year, if not three or four times.

Right.  It is hard to conceive of a dealer not stocking them, especially
when every 5 cyl I've ever seen uses the same filter, and it's on a
billion VW's as well.  Of course the turbo filter is another story, they
stopped using them what, 15 years ago?

> 
> I'm sorry but I still don't see the logic in not keeping them in stock,
> especially when it's something used by every turbo equipped Audi sold before
> 1987...

You don't have to see the logic - they aren't trying to convince you. 
they just don't stock them.  But consider.. I have a camera made by a
major mfr from the same year as my car.  the autowinder no longer
exists, and parts are not available.  Period.

Remember that the auto industry is not about used cars except for the
first resale value.  It's about new cars.  And we are dealing with a
marque that suffered a massive sales and reputation setback since our
cars were built.  Again, consider ourselves lucky to be able to get
*anything* that only fits cars this old.

I guess I'm a little closer to some reality checks on this, my neighbor
runs a foreign car garage and is very straight with me about what I am
doing.  he considers my car to be a commercial application, non stock,
non standard, and that i am crazy.  this is all true.  But he will help
me troubleshoot it and let me use his lifts.  Speaking of which I have
to go now to one of the tech's good bye party, and put a new clamp ring
on my rack boot...

bye!

-- 
Huw Powell

http://www.thebook.com/human-speakers

82 Audi Coupe; 85 Coupe GT
http://www.nh.ultranet.com/~human