Most of these repairs were not "reasonable".
I alone made a major error in judgement in blithely trusting several online individuals,
and failing to have the van inspected by a trustworthy professional.
I hope others will learn from my mistake.
Despite these problems, the van itself is an excellent work space and bird blind, so I'm a fan of this model. :)
| when | cost | details |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-Dec | $2,587.72 | 1st big breakdown, burst cooling hose, then tow and never-diagnosed "other" issues (they did a top overhaul without consulting me, and never did the compression test which I repeatedly requested) |
| 2019-Jan | $3,241.78 | replaced engine (seized), and two tows; Note #1: shop that did the work failed to perform a contractually agreed upon compression test, and used an engine with one bad cylinder (due to a bad valve) Note #2: it took two months to find a shop that was willing to work on my van |
| 2019-Mar | $167.67 | fixed engine timing (shop that replaced engine had failed to set it correctly) |
| 2019-Jul | $400.46 | replaced starter, and tow |
| 2019-Sep | $269.52 | oil change and u-joints |
| 2019-Nov | $143.35 | ignition system, and tow; fixed turn indicator which broke about a month before |
| 2019-Dec | $164.50 | parts to replace most components of ignition system (labor was kindly donated by a Friend who also did an oil change and a thorough inspection (including (at long last) a compression test)) |
| 2020-Nov | $42.13 | oil change |
| 2021-Feb | 0.0 | oil change (donated) |
| 2021-Jul | $447.75 | replaced gas tank (my first at fault repair), and tow |
| 2021-Sep | $50.00 | investigated fuel system issue (engine would repeatedly stall, turned out the replacement gas tank (from a junkyard) had not been steam cleaned by the shop which did the replacement, though, of course, they did charge me for the steam cleaning) |
| 2022-Jan | $157.29 | replaced starter battery (this was a reasonable lifespan, plus it had experienced two winters with multiple deep freezes) |
| 2022-Feb | $562.11 | replaced faulty gas tank (with a shiny brand new after-market part); investigated cylinder valve issue; oil change |
| 2022-Nov | $13.49 | two replacement windshield wiper blades (this seems like a reasonable lifespan, particularly after an intense winter with multiple deep freezes) |
| 2022-Dec | 0.0 | leak from new gas tank, no charge (original o-ring was defective, so Honest Mechanic repaired at no cost) |
| 2022-Dec | $40.00 | oil change and general inspection |
| 2023-Dec | $60.00 | voltage regulator replacement |
In addition, I've (apparently) spent about $112.85 on oil (both engines have leaked like crazy).