# Major Disappointment. Ditching Car #1



## rmacey (Apr 3, 2009)

Looks like it's time to search for a new donor car. From previous posts, you know that I've never seen the car. My darling wife (but I'm not blaming her, really) went to a VW repair shop (I'm blaming them) based on an ad in Craigslist. As I understand all of this - it's second hand to me - the seller of the car had not driven the car for a year because she had been overseas. She brought the car to the repair shop to see if it could stand the winters in the Northeast, where she is moving. They said the brakes needed work and the engine had some problems. 

All I wanted was a good chassis, brakes and transmission (including clutch). There was rust on the exhaust, but that's ok because that would go anyway. So we bought the car based on the evaluation of the repair shop. 

From what I understand, the original brakes use a rubber strip and this had been replaced by a weld (solid). We need good brakes since the car will be much heavier after conversion. So the mechanic wanted to restore the brakes to the original design. We agreed to pay for the brake job and to have the a/c drained.

The car was supposed to be ready last Thursday. Today, I hear that they can't fix the brakes on one side. Also the clutch isn't working properly. I have lost confidence in the repair shop. They missed the clutch on their evaluation and they can't fix the brakes. So I think it's time to cut my losses on this vehicle, a major disappointment. 

So if you know of a VW Cabriolet with good body, brakes and transmission let me know.


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## hal698 (May 9, 2009)

Sounds like the shop is taking you for a ride. All the old VW's have the problem of leaking wheel and master cylinders when they sit for a while. All that is usually needed is a good cleaning and replacement of some inexpensive parts. Find a neighborhood mechanic. They don't have the overhead, or people who work for them. They do what's needed, and the cost is a lot less. Most times you can participate, watch, or at least go buy the parts for them. You pay them for labor only, and you know exactly what they did and why.


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## rmacey (Apr 3, 2009)

We are going to take it to another shop.


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## DavidDymaxion (Dec 1, 2008)

The body, interior, and convertible top are much more important than things like brakes and clutch. The brakes and clutch are pretty easy and cheap to fix compared to body work.

Any shop that "can't fix brakes on one side" doesn't deserve your business!

Are you doing the conversion yourself? If yes, then the clutch will be really easy to do as you remove the gas motor and put in the electric.


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