Strong engine, runs great, but needs a new transmission ($3500-$5500). Often the transmissions on these buses are replaced after 100K miles, so it's amazing that it lasted this long. You might get by for some time, but a new (rebuilt) tranny is in your future. DRIVE is fine, but REVERSE is very weak. Just had a transmission service, and conceivably another service down the line could buy you more time -- but don't delay this repair.

Odometer reads 262K, but previous owner says the engine was replaced at 102K. Mechanics say engine is strong, suggesting 160K, but previous owner has no documentation. He's a VW mechanic, so may have done it himself (or his friend did it -- see below.) It has been on synthetic oil for many years, which may be making a difference also. It can easily pass nearly any other vehicle going up Boulder Canyon.

This vehicle has been stalwart for the two years we had it. Lots of great mountain trips.

You may want to connect with Indian Peaks Auto in Boulder for pre-purchase inspection, as they know the vehicle. I have a VIN Car History report I can email you, as I don't see how to attach it here.

21 AUGUST UPDATE: The AutoCheck report came through this morning, and I learned a few things. (Therefore, I recommend AutoCheck over VIN Car History.) Minor accident in 2006. I contacted the Durango Police Dept, and they sent me a form to fill out in order to receive the details, since we have the case number. This form has to be sent back via snail-mail, with a check for $8.50. I will do that today, in order to expedite things, but it's bound to take a week or so before I hear back. I'm also including some additional photos, as I realized I had not shown the pop-top. It's a little worse than I remembered, probably due to leaving it improperly closed for a while about six months ago. Still, all seems patchable.

You can see from the history report that the vehicle has lived its whole life in Colorado, which accounts for the lack of rust. It looks as though it sat for a while with 102K miles, so I suspect that's when the engine was replaced -- according to the previous owner. If that is correct, then the engine now has 160K on it. The gearhead (1) I bought the vehicle from had bought it from his friend, also a gearhead (2). Based on all this, it seems likely that the engine work was done in 2005, and that's when they started using synthetic oil. Gearhead 1 said his friend, Gearhead 2, was very particular about the synthetic oil (MOBIL ONE).

24 AUGUST UPDATE: I think I forgot to mention that the brakes are new.

Auto Services in Colorado

Windsor Car Care ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Car Wash, Auto Oil & Lube

Address: 9640 E Alameda Ave, Aurora

Phone: (303) 343-8200

West Side Auto Body & Towing ★★★★★

Automobile Body Repairing & Painting, Automobile Body Shop Equipment & Supply-Wholesale & Manufacturers, Towing

Address: 9719 W Coal Mine Ave Suite P, Lowry

Phone: (720) 255-0343

Toyexus Service ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, New Car Dealers, Used Car Dealers

Address: 700 S Broadway, Lone-Tree

Phone: (303) 722-0234

Tito`s Cash for Cars ★★★★★

Automobile Parts & Supplies, Automobile Salvage, Towing

Address: Foxton

Phone: (303) 250-5079

Suzuki-Mccloskey ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, New Car Dealers, Used Car Dealers

Address: 6710 N Academy Blvd, Green-Mountain-Falls

Phone: (719) 685-7030

Red Rock Auto Clinic ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Brake Repair

Address: 1840 W Uintah St, Colo-Spgs

Phone: (719) 471-3311

Auto blog

Honda wins Commercial of the Decade, but not for the ad you think [w/VIDEO]

Fri, 18 Dec 2009

Honda's Commercial of the Decade: "Grrr" - Click above to watch video
The mad men at Adweek recently voted for the Commercial of the Decade (Super Bowl commercials not included) and Honda took top honors over memorable ads from the last ten years by companies like Nike, Budweiser and Sony. That's not a big surprise considering Honda often puts a huge amount of effort into its on-air spots. However, the Japanese automaker didn't win for the commercial you might have expected: "Cog." Though Honda's famous commercial that breaks down a European Accord Tourer into a Rube Goldberg-esque machine was also a finalist, it was beaten by another Honda commercial called "Grrr" that's narrated by Garrison Keillor of all people. You've probably never seen it, but you can after the jump.
Volkswagen also made the list of finalists, but the particular ad chosen out of all the comical VW ads we've seen was unexpected as well. Most surprising carmaker with a commercial in the finals: Saturn. Who knew...

Volkswagen iBeetle gets integrated iPhone dock, little else

Fri, 19 Apr 2013

Apple fans have been itching to see the tech giant flex the full muscle of its iOS operating system in an automotive infotainment system for years, which is why we turned all sorts of excited when we caught wind of the Volkswagen iBeetle. The machine is headed to the Shanghai Motor Show for a debut, and VW promised it would be one of the "first cars in the world to have a genuine integrative interface for the iPhone that was coordinated with Apple." Listen closely, and you can hear the contented sigh of a million wallets opening.
Go ahead and close those up, kids.
In reality, the iBeetle offers little more than a dash-mounted dock and a special app that shows a few vehicle functions, which is about as far from an infotainment revolution as you're likely to find. In fact, the setup is little more than a factory rehash of aftermarket items, and hardly worth a whole model debut at an international motor show. And that's to say nothing of the fact that Apple relishes in changing the shape and form of its darling handheld at every generation. Volkswagen better be prepared to keep pace with appropriate docking mechanisms for the upcoming iPhone 5S, 6, 6S, et al.

Audi rumored to buy Alfa Romeo, officials deny it

Thu, 28 Mar 2013

For more than two years, Volkswagen has been making public statements about its willingness to buy Alfa Romeo and quadruple the Italian brand's sales, and for just as long, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has replied with some version of "Mr. Piëch, drop it." According to a report in Ward's Auto, all that jousting might be over: it claims that sources close to both Marchionne and Audi CEO Rupert Stadler admit that the two are in talks for Audi to buy not just Alfa Romeo, but a production plant in Italy. In fact, a final deal could possibly include partsmaker Magnetti Marelli.
Against that backdrop, a report by German news weekly Stern quotes a Fiat spokesmen as saying it doesn't comment on rumors and an Audi rep has said flatly that "There is no substance in the news." If a sale is being arranged, the timing would seem to point to how eager Fiat is to raise cash to complete its major initiatives. Even though Alfa Romeo continues to delay its return to the US, it just showed off the production version of the 4C at the Geneva Motor Show (shown above) and said that preferred Fiat dealerships here would get them. Then there's Alfa's recently concluded deal with Mazda to develop a roadster based on the next generation MX-5 Miata - a deal that would seem to help both the Italian and Japanese brands.
The monetary issues are troublesome, though. Fiat is taking a beating in the European market and its weak-kneed balance sheet is delaying gotta-have-it products like the Jeep Cherokee. Fiat has been talking to banks about getting money to buy the rest of Chrysler and those financial institutions have also raised issues about debt and cash reserves, and the nasty game of chess Fiat is playing with the United Auto Workers (and now the court system about the portion of Chrysler it doesn't own) could end up blowing another hole in Marchionne's plans. It is possible that this could finally have convinced Fiat to at least see how serious Audi's parent company, Volkswagen, is about buying Alfa Romeo. Or it could be just another rumor.

2001 Eurovan Weekender Pop-top on 2040-cars

Volkswagen EuroVan for Sale