Re: [MV] Pinzgauer SWISS Military on E-bay

From: Steve Grammont (islander@midmaine.com)
Date: Tue Aug 06 2002 - 09:05:24 PDT


Hi Jack,

>What does an engine cost for a Pinz and where do you get one?

I don't know what they cost as I have never seen any Pinz owner need one.
 And that is far more imortant to me (i.e. not fearing the need for one
in the first place). I am on a Pinz email list (which is generally more
active than this one) and most of the guys, for the most part, are
offroaders who do things to their Pinzes that make me want to toss up my
cookies :-) There are several dealers out West and in the South that can
get any part, big or small. The fact is there are *thousands* of
Pinzgauers registered and on the roads of the US and Canada, so either
nothing breaks, the parts aren't that hard to get, or we are all so rich
we don't care :-)

>And how much does it cost to import one?

One doesn't need to import one since that is what the dealers do. And if
you never need one, what does it matter? The chance of not needing one
is more important than the chance of getting one if needed IMHO. I would
rather buy a truck with a hard to get engine which never likely needs a
replacement than a truck with an ample supply of engines which is
generally at risk of needing one.

>I actually would like know, my guess is it's
>probably pretty expensive and hard too find.

I don't know about the cost, but it isn't hard to find anything Pinz
related. Do a Google search on the Web and you will see what I mean.

>Have you seen the internal works of the Pinz uni-transmission/rear end
>thing? Wow, what a mechanics nightmare, but it is well engineered to be
>tough, no doubt about it. Just need a PHD in mechanics to overhaul one and
>what shop would even attempt it?

I have seen very few Pinz owners needing to have any work done one these.
 And as stated above, a large number of the Pinz owners beat theirs up in
ways that most other vehicles out there couldn't even attempt, yet they
drive their Pinzes home and to the next beat-a-thon without major work
being needed. If it can handle the kinds of offroad courses I have seen
pictures of them handling, in large numbers and with great frequency, I
don't think the average Pinz owner has anything to fear.

But yes, you can get replacement transmissions, gearboxes, differentials,
or whatever else you need. These can be factory refurbished or "take
outs" from Pinzs that have either met a bad end (accident, owner abuse,
unsellable heaps bought with larger auction lots, etc.).

>This is the anxiety factor I was talking about. Not saying the Pinz isn't a
>fine vehicle, but the Valp outsells them for a reason and my stress level in
>being a Valp owner is a lot lower knowing most parts are cheap and
>available. For instance Volvo engines at the wrecking yard go for about
>$150-250... can't recall seeing too many Pinz engines at the local
>wreckers.... at any price.

All depends on perspective. Using your logic one should never buy
anything uncommon or older than probably 1970s since a) the chances of
something going wrong are greater than a new vehicle (one assumes!), b)
the availability of parts is constrained at best, and c) there is
something else out there that offers less stress to own. Following your
logic a little more closely would have you driving around in a mid 1990s
Toyota pickup rather than a Valp since there are more and cheaper parts
available PLUS there is a HUGE dealer/repair network.

As for Valps in the US, how many are there? Are there dedicated Valp
dealers? What happens if I break some part which is UNIQUE to the Valp?
 I know the answers to these questions arlready: "next to none", "no",
"import from Europe, if you can find someone to import from". At least
for the time being as some (3000 or so) are now available in Europe and
will likely tricking into the US. Yet neither of these conditions bother
me. To prove it, I own many M29c Weasels and yet there aren't many
around nor are there any Studebaker dealers to bring it too if something
goes wrong :-)

> I'll take my (Model A simple) Valp for price,
>performance, reliability and repairability anytime over the exotic
>(Ferrari-like) Pinz.

I've got nothing against the Valp (as you know from previous discussions
with you), but I think it is quite unfair on the Pinz to think of it as
you do. It might be relatively more expensive to maintain than a Valp (I
don't know if that is true, BTW), but it isn't unreasonable and is not
likely to be more expensive than maintaining a medium pickup truck made
by GMC. In fact, I have dumped *FAR* more money into my 1997 Z-71 in the
last year than I have into my Pinz, yet I don't use either that much.

And although I wouldn't turn down owning a Valp, I would rather have my
Pinz all things considered. The "exotic" aspects of the Pinz are useful
to me in very practical ways and therefore worth "risking" possibly
expensive repairs if something should go wrong with it.

Bottom line, and with no offense, I don't agree with your take on why
someone should or should not own a Pinz (or any vehicle for that matter).
 I do not buy things based on the assumption that something serious is
going to break on it during my ownership. Otherwise, I wouldn't even
think of buying it in the first place at any price. I also don't buy
things only if it will be brain dead easy to own since that would rule
out owning everything ex-military. Heck, I wouldn't even buy used
civilian vehicles using this logic since I wouldn't know what the
previous owner did to it and what the repair history really is. (BTW, I
have *never* bought a new vehicle and *never* will). Instead, I look at
how much I am paying for the vehicle up front and relatively how
easy/inexpensive it will be to keep it runing. The Pinz scores well here
compared to other MVs and even to civilian vehicles.

Steve



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