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mtiede · 05-29-2007

Have you been to the docks? I'm not paranoid, I'm experienced.

When we bought our first car, I had a choice of a new 1972 VW camper or an Open GT. Because we were coming from West Africa, we had ALL our belongings with us, including 7 suit cases or bags and 2 Africa grey parrots. The Opel would have been a little cramped

So we traveled around in the van for 3 months in Europe before coming home with $75 left to our name. As part of the deal, VW would ship the van home. While in Europe that summer it was so cold that we had a special propane heating system added. It was a unit made specifically for trailers, but a doctor at the gas company had one installed in his van and we heard about that and did the same. They cut a hole in the floor to allow for a pathway for any leaking propane and also as an air intake for the closed heating system. The unit was bolted on through the floor and a shutoff valve was in the line in the backward facing storage seat.

So when we went to ship it, they said they wouldn't insure it. The reason was that they said the heater would be stolen. I pointed out to the inspector that it was bolted on through the floor. He said the dock guys would break a window to take a comic book out of the car, but eventually he said they would insure it and ship it.

So when we went to pick it up in Baltimore, no heater, just a hole in the floor. They even took some bolt cutters and cut off the shutoff valve and left a 2 inch piece of tubing riveted under the seat.

Whoever did it did not break into the car and they had to take some time and use some tools to get it out.

So I can EASILY see them taking a car for a drive and taping the drive just for fun.

05-29-2007	#10 (permalink)
mtiede Founding Member #7 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Western New York Vehicle: 2006 SLK 350 Posts: 1,662 Thanks: 106 Thanked 57 Times in 47 Posts	Have you been to the docks? I'm not paranoid, I'm experienced. When we bought our first car, I had a choice of a new 1972 VW camper or an Open GT. Because we were coming from West Africa, we had ALL our belongings with us, including 7 suit cases or bags and 2 Africa grey parrots. The Opel would have been a little cramped So we traveled around in the van for 3 months in Europe before coming home with $75 left to our name. As part of the deal, VW would ship the van home. While in Europe that summer it was so cold that we had a special propane heating system added. It was a unit made specifically for trailers, but a doctor at the gas company had one installed in his van and we heard about that and did the same. They cut a hole in the floor to allow for a pathway for any leaking propane and also as an air intake for the closed heating system. The unit was bolted on through the floor and a shutoff valve was in the line in the backward facing storage seat. So when we went to ship it, they said they wouldn't insure it. The reason was that they said the heater would be stolen. I pointed out to the inspector that it was bolted on through the floor. He said the dock guys would break a window to take a comic book out of the car, but eventually he said they would insure it and ship it. So when we went to pick it up in Baltimore, no heater, just a hole in the floor. They even took some bolt cutters and cut off the shutoff valve and left a 2 inch piece of tubing riveted under the seat. Whoever did it did not break into the car and they had to take some time and use some tools to get it out. So I can EASILY see them taking a car for a drive and taping the drive just for fun.

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