Just bought a 2001 Jetta GLS TDI - need mechanic in NYC

I'm a total newbie. Haven't even owned a car in 10 years. Anyway, I just bought a TDI with 145K on it.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/stn/car/444818300.html

I took it to a mechanic in Brooklyn before the purchase and they hooked up the computer and did a pretty thorough inspection. The place was called L & M Foreign cars
http://local.yahoo.com/details?id=11309452

They seemed very honest and helpful and have very positive reviews above. But does anyone have experience with them or recommend a specific shop in the NYC area for TDIs? I didn't see any in the mechanic thread.

Here's a list of problems or things the car needed that they came up with:

- major tune up

- glow plugs (I think the computer gave a diagnoses of "Intermittent DTCs 01 > 16764/PO380 03 : Glow Plug/Heater Circuit: Malfunction -Q6-")

- front brakes and rotors

- AC not working (very well)

- timing belt (done once at around 70K)

- cabin filter

- knocking sound in the front end (probably struts)

They quoted me $800 for the timing belt and $1000-2000 to do most of the necessary maintenance. They say they do "the water pump and other stuff" when they do the timing belt.

Besides that they said it was a pretty good deal, so I bargained down to $7000 for the car.

So, does any one have advice for a total novice? I'm planning to drive this car across the country in December, BTW. I should have the timing belt done immediately, right? The knocking sound is kind of unnerving (when you go over bumps or the car rocks back and forth), any suggestions on that?

Thanks! Sorry if this stuff is answered in other posts, I did some searching and couldn't find anything.

Check here for a local trusted shop:
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=130044
It seems to me that $800-$1k for a full change on the TB and water pump would be about right. You can get the kit here:
http://www.metalmanparts.com/product.sc?categoryId=8&productId=1
I figure at $50-$75/hour for labor, the price quoted is about right. most choose to do the job themselves as they can save the money, but if you don't have the time or the tools, and you trust the mechanic to do the job 100% right, it's generally worth the money. I'd check the shop to see if they can use a supplied kit, or if they have to use their own parts. If they won't use a supplied kit, I would contemplate checking elsewhere.
As for the front end, I'd get it in to a reputable tire/suspension shop. it sounds like the struts are bad, which is fairly easy. A lot of guys on here have had great results with the Bilstein(sp) set:
http://www.bilstein.com/mistore/productdisplayf.php?sku=763877&hdwt=31101&loc=101&dealer=&company_id=100484
These are supposed to really have a great ride quality and are fairly cheap when compared to others. You should be able to do the work on this yourself, provided you have a jack and some appropriate tools. If you don't, find out if the local shop can order them in for you and what their upcharge will be for it. Definitely get it re-aligned.

Before driving across the country, I would have the TB done and also get the struts done. You don't want a vehicle that is only just barely road worthy. As for the tune up, I'm not too sure what they mean. I would question what they recommend with the "tune-up". Definitely replace the oil and filter, air filter, fuel filter and just to be on the safe side, replace all glow-plugs. I wouldn't worry about the AC until summer time. Also, at the same time as you're doing the struts, get the new rotors and pads.
While you're at it, get the Bentley service manual for the car. If you have any experience working on other cars, this will be of immense help as it shows how to do basically everything on the car. Don't be too scared, they're almost like a normal car, just fewer parts! Hope that this helped!

Thanks for the advice. I'm still looking for a recommended shop in the NYC area, if anyone has some suggestions.

Delver,

Welcome! I would suggest two things: read a lot here about all those things. In a day of reading, you can learn a great deal.

The second thing I would do is call Meganuke in Hartford CT. Talk with him and he will suggest/get you a list of all the items that need to be done. You'll need a timing belt kit (we like www.dieselgeek.com 's kit) or you can look at bleachedbora's 100K kit which includes stuff like filters and timing belt kits and other things you will need.

Then I would schedule a day with Meganuke and go to Hartford (it's only 1.5 hours and a fun drive up the Merritt Parkway) and get it all done and learn about your car. Keith is uber excellent with these cars.

Bottomline is that these are quirky little cars that if maintained by someone who really knows them, they last longer than you might want them too; but when maintained by mechanics who are very good, but inexperienced with TDI's, can really screw up things and basically ruin your car/engine. and I'm really not exaggerating. for example: if they said major tuneup - that doesn't mean anything on these cars. There are no plugs or distributors etc so there is nothing to "tune up."

but you need: oil and filter (make sure to use the correct oil), cabin filter, fuel filter, air filter; sounds like new glowplugs ($80) but it also might be the glowplug harness ($45); maybe struts, maybe only sway bar bushings, maybe both; probably new front brakes, maybe rears. Get onto www.tidparts.com and add up all those parts for your A4 or MkIV model car with the ALH engine and see what you come up with. I generally use that same number to estimate a good labor fee.

again, these cars last forever in the hands of the right mechanic. They break very quickly in the hands of the wrong one.

Good Luck!

delver said:

Thanks for the advice. I'm still looking for a recommended shop in the NYC area, if anyone has some suggestions.

Click to expand...

there are NONE in NYC or LI.

The list posted by Flytofish shows two trusted mechanics In NYS that are a short road trip north, that's your best bet for a mechanic that actually knows TDI's since they are recommened from this site. That or the shop that Mike posted.

And i'm sure he meant to post a link to www.tdiparts.com but was rushing to help a newbie.

Please go to marty in New Milford NJ, only 12 miles from GW bridge, his phone number is listed in the mechanic section by state thread.

andreigbs said:

And i'm sure he meant to post a link to www.tdiparts.com but was rushing to help a newbie.

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lol! rofl. yes I did. That's a completly different set of "parts"!