VW Camper Family
VW women (For Women only!)
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Women Mechanics
How many of you have ever seen a woman mechanic at a shop?
I NEVER have. I use to bring my cars to mechanics until I got an Oldsmobile 88 and started working on it myself and realized how easy it can be with the right tools and a friend. I have taken my Bus (Lenny) into shops a few times, but the longer I own my Bus the less likely I will ever go to a mechanic again.
I just moved to Aiken SC to be close to my family and I brought Lenny into a shop here before I drove to California and back. The mechanics there, one man in particular, laughed and said we would be lucky if we made it there. Well we did pretty easily actually, and didn't have any trouble on the way back. He over charged me for putting in points (typical) because I was less familiar with the engine than I am now.
Yesterday I went to the mechanics shop and told him that I drove to Cali and back with hardly any problems and I laughed at his surprise. I also asked him if he or anyone could rebuild my ATE break caliper for me. He replied, "They don't make repair kits anymore, you have to buy a new one." So I came home, read my Bently and ordered a rebuild kit from Bus Depot for $13.90.
Now I am having a dilemma because the shop is hardly 1/2 a mile away, do I go back and tell the guy off (nicely) for trying to get me to come in and have a whole new around $200 caliper put in. Or do I leave it alone?
What are your experiences with mechanics? Do you find them sexist, like I unfortunately do? I mean come on, I am driving a 30 year old car. Obviously I know how to work on it...
westywoman (Melissa)
Mar 1, 2011
Kim Hayes
Love this thread!
I know of 2 female Vw mechanics, one is in the Southern Cal/AZ crowd, although I think she is up in Washington somewhere. Apparantly a genious when it comes to fixin VWs. The other works at the shop I take my bus to, she is great. She works mostly on the newer VWs. And of course my friend Dawn, I think she knows VWs inside out.
I do my routine stuff, oil, valves, greasing points, adjust carburetor, tires. Have not bled brakes yet, don't have the little mechanism for that but will get/do sooner or later. I get my husband to turn the nuts and bolts I can't get. :-)
My husband has a story he tells people, about when I was about 12 months (!) pregnant w/ my son, my neighbors came by and caught me slightly under the back of my Karmann Ghia. I didn't trust the mechanics w/ my precious little oil pan nuts and screws and the valves on the car so I didi it myself even while prego. I wish I had a pic of that now, would be funny to see!
I think all people have been had by mechanics, but some of it is just bad luck. My mechanic has a saying, "Fixing a old VW is like doing heart surgery on a 100 year old man" Where do you stop fixing things!?!
Apr 5, 2011
Carole & the 'YesWeCanCamperVan'
May 29, 2011