type III problems, sunroof and heater

[Theo Thepen <thepen@pi.net>]

The heater system of a type 3 is adequate, period. As Hanno mentioned
it's darn cold overhere at the moment, but my notchback heats up faster
than my Volvo. The reason some people complain about it is that they
don't maintain it properly. As was said on this list before, ya got make
sure no hot air is leaking from the different ducts and tubes. Open a
window !!! preferably a rear pop out to get a good airflow. If you want
to defrost or defog (?) the windshield, close all outlets apart from the
ones under the window and also open the freshair outlets under the
window. If you want lots of heat, open all hot air outlets, especially
the ones in the back as they give the most and hottest air (no cooling
down in the heater ducts when they are -15 celsius. Yes indeed, watch
your passengers feet, they can get fried. Another thing to avoid, which I
learned from my own experience: never ever put a spraycan behind your
seat. Guess what happened after about 15 minutes??? BBAANNGGGG, it
exploded, scaring the living daylights out of me and making a pretty mess
in the back.
A steel sliding sunroof can definitly be a major problem overhere. The 
water is drained by four tubes wich end in between the inner and outer 
fender at the back and between the front fender and the door. Especially 
the rear drains are a particularly stupid design. The tube ends above the 
well of the inner fender, the water runs down the fender and hopefully 
through a hole at the bottom of the outer fender. I say hopefully, as 
there is always some water left there. Also, as the holes are at the 
bottom of the car they first of all get clogged and secondly nobody 
thinks about clearing them. So, serious rust of the inner fender and at 
the bottom of the outer fender. I modified my car by extending the tubes 
all the way down and through the hole at the bottom, letting it stick out 
for about an inch. This way all the water goes straight outside. At the 
front not much can be done apart from cleaning the hole where the water 
comes out. Then there are the draining holes in the sunroof frame. The 
front ones are visible and should have been cleaned by the PO, the rear 
ones are difficult, if not impossible to reach and thus probably never 
cleaned by the beloved PO's. This leads to water that sits in the gutters 
of the roof, which now tend to rust and will start to leak, creating nice 
artistic brown stains in the headliner. In conclusion, when buying a car 
with a steel sunroof that has lived in a place where it rains frequently, 
examine the rear fenders carefully, both in- and outside, as well as the 
headliner and the front fender near the doors and the window frame. 
Repairing all this is quite expensive especially the rusted frame of the 
sunroof. Believe me, I know, I have owned two notches with a steel 
sunroof. Both had the same problems
Cheers from a ffffrreezing Holland, but a nice and warm notchback,
Theo