| My first attempt at a more difficult auto fix-it project | | | | Honda radiator fresh off the boat from Japan. |
| involved replacing the blown radiator on my '78 VW | | | | Certainly, I counted myself blessed. Still, I found myself |
| Rabbit Diesel. Let's just say that I was a little "green" in | | | | frantically watching the temperature gauge particularly |
| this area and it was only with the help of a good friend | | | | on hot days when I ran the a/c at full blast. I was sure |
| that I was able to complete the task without resorting | | | | the "new" radiator would give out once again, so I |
| to calling a garage to finish the job. Still, it was a good | | | | pampered the car as much as I could. |
| experience for me and I believe that it is one job I | | | | Fortunately the options today for the consumer are |
| could successfully tackle again in the future. You can | | | | better than ever before. Your choices include: |
| too provided you purchase reliable OEM parts and get | | | | 1. Ordering your part from a dealer as long as you are |
| instructions that are easy to follow. | | | | willing to pay full freight and then some. |
| Back during the time that I owned my VW, the number | | | | 2. Visit an auto parts store and see if they have the |
| of parts stores carrying in stock Volkswagen parts | | | | part on hand - this can work if it is a Jeep radiator, but |
| was fairly limited; the internet was in its infancy so | | | | you can expect that your Isuzu radiator will involve a |
| shopping around for the best deal wasn't something | | | | 2-3 week back order. |
| that I could do. The local VW dealer had the part, but | | | | 3. Go to the junkyard and hope that your part can be |
| their prices were stratospheric. I simply did not have | | | | found and is in excellent condition. Yeah, right. |
| the funds available to buy one from the dealer so I | | | | 4. Finally, you can order online through an established |
| ended up snagging a radiator off of a junked Rabbit. | | | | and reputable dealer who does not have the |
| Big mistake! It turned out that the junked car's radiator | | | | overhead of maintaining expensive brick and mortar |
| leaked and the cap did not quite fit. I never found out | | | | stores. Prices with select online dealers are |
| why it was that way, but the junkyard dealer did | | | | competitive and usually involve same day shipping at |
| refund my money. Fortunately, a local garage ended | | | | no extra cost to you. |
| up having a decent used one available; we installed | | | | As for the Rabbit, I traded it in for a new car only |
| that one without too much of a problem. | | | | months after replacing the radiator. Had my |
| Of course, I worried about the replacement part as it | | | | replacement part purchasing options been better, I |
| wasn't warranted and it looked, well, quite used. Sure it | | | | would have held onto it a bit longer. Shoot, at 50 miles |
| was no BMW radiator so I did not have to pay a mint | | | | per gallon the 'lil bunny would be a jewel to have on |
| to have it shipped in from Germany nor was it a pricey | | | | hand today! |