2005 NB TDI with mods, perfect Smyth Candidate, OH

Lord_Verminaard

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2003
Location
Columbus, OH
TDI
2005 NB TDI
Hi all, it pains me to do this, but my 2005 Beetle TDI was rear-ended and totaled, not 6 months after pouring about $3500 in parts alone into it. I bought the car back from the insurance with a Salvage title. The car runs and drives fine, the rear suspension did not get altered. I will get more pictures once the weather cooperates. (it's been raining\snowing basically for two months here) Also I should mention, I am the 2nd owner, the first owner was also a TDI club member, SootFoot. He kept great maintenance records and I have everything I have done as well. Mod list, all of which has been done in the past 3000 miles, the clutch and steering rack are less than 1k:
Malone stage 2 with all deletes, left foot brake, speed and rev limiter increased. BEW Engine.
New subframe with solid bushings
New front Audi TT control arms
New front Audi TT ball joints
New front Audi TT spindles, painted also
New wheel bearings installed in above spindles
New Powerflex strut mounts and bearings
New TT front swaybar
New Powerflex Swaybar bushings
New TT swaybar end links
New TT Bilstein Sport Front Struts
New Tie Rods
New Audi TT Calipers, EBC Red pads, 312mm Slotted/drilled rotors
New Bilstein sport rear shocks and mounts
New Whiteline rear beam bushings
New rear calipers, EBC Red pads, Eurospec Big rear brake upgrade w/ slotted/drilled rotors
Brake system flush (with VCDS for ABS etc..)
New ECS Single mass flywheel and stage 1 clutch with rear main
Trans fluid flush, Redline MT90
New BFI stage 1 dogbone mount insert
Audi TT steering rack swap
New Powerflex Steering rack bushings
clutch bleed
New Emergency brake cables
Eibach Sportline springs all around
Turbo S vented fender liner
Solid shifter bracket bushings
3-gauge pod with VDO vision Boost, Oil pressure, and Oil Temp gauges, 42DD oil pressure\temp relocation kit
Alignment
That's a whole boatload of work, I did it all myself, used new bolts for everything, the car handled exactly the way I wanted it, had great power, and amazing brakes. I only got to enjoy the car this way for a short time before it got taken out by a texting SUV driver!!!
The car has 161k miles on it, currently running the stock 16" wheels with snow tires with many years left on them. I originally bought the car because I had a 100 mile commute every day, but I moved 3 miles away from my job 5 years ago and only put probably 3k miles on the car a year the past 5 years. It's had T6 oil pretty much since day one, I had the OEM starter rebuilt locally by Hite parts with Bosch stuff a couple years ago, I put a new OEM battery in it last year. Last year I also replaced the alternator pulley, serp belt tensioner and serpentine belt.
It's a GLS so it has all the usual GLS stuff, Monster Mats, heated seats, etc... The only issues it had is the drivers seat pleather has started to come up a little on the seat bottom, and the drivers power window is a little slow and sometimes needs some help. The drivers door lock is also having an issue, as the remote will not actuate the locks but you can lock it with the key, and if the doors are locked and you push the lock button on the remote the lights blink. I was planning on taking the door apart and replacing the lock and fixing the window at the same time once I had the parts. The check engine light also just came on maybe a day before the accident and the fault is for a bad glowplug.
Here is how it looked right after the accident-

And after the body shop removed panels to see further damage:


Back when I was doing the upgrades:

I can get more photos if the weather cooperates. As you can see, there isn't a whole lot of damage, but it is clear that the C-pillars have spread apart some. The car that hit me was an SUV and the bumper was actually higher than the rear bash bar on my car. The rear fenders are fine, as are the rear taillights. I also don't believe the floorpan was tweaked at all either.
I would rather sell the car whole than part it out, I don't really have the space or time to part a car. With the minor damage it has, being in the rear, it would be ideal for a Smyth ute conversion. I would love to see this car live on and loved by someone rather than to part it out and scrap it, it has been my most favorite car I have ever owned and also has been the longest I have ever owned a daily driver. It's been a great car and I was not ready to get rid of it.
Price is $2000 OBO.
Thanks,
Brendan
 
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trekkar

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2015
Location
New England
TDI
05 bug,02 golf
Did the shop give you a quote on how much it would cost to fix? How long has it been sitting? Is it put back together or are you selling it with all the parts included just removed?
 
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Lord_Verminaard

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2003
Location
Columbus, OH
TDI
2005 NB TDI
Did the shop give you a quote on how much it would cost to fix? How long has it been sitting? Is it put back together or are you selling it with all the parts included just removed?
I think the final shop quote was 3,000 or thereabouts. The repair quote included cutting out the rear section, welding back in new, pulling in C-pillars, new cover, hardware, paint, etc... It is still taken apart right now but all the good parts are included. (fenders, liners, taillights, etc..) the shop already scrapped the rear bumper cover. I can put it back together if someone wanted me to so it could be driven to wherever it is going. The accident happened a week before Christmas, I drove the car for a couple days while the insurance company was getting a rental sorted but it has been sitting mostly since then. When they delivered the car back to me I drove it into a suitable place on my property.

Thanks,
Brendan
 
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oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I'd just fix it. You probably do not need to cut out and replace that rear section, since it isn't "seen", you could work it back out with a hammer and dolly, so long as the hatch closes and fits OK. Then replace the bumper cover and bumper obviously. Used parts will work fine there. I could probably fix that for less than $2k, and it would be back in good working order and look and function fine.

Same thing happened to my Golf last summer. Still driving it, I had it pulled back out.
 
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sardo_67

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2010
Location
CT
TDI
2015 Golf SEL 6spd
just hammer it out and throw a new front end on there yourself and not care about the color, i'm sure you can do it for like $500 in a weekend
 

Lord_Verminaard

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2003
Location
Columbus, OH
TDI
2005 NB TDI
Bump, not planning on fixing it as I need to pay off the replacement car and I have too many other things going on in my life right now. Open to offers.

Thanks,
Brendan
 

SootFoot

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2005
Location
Midwest USA
TDI
Sold
Wow sorry to hear the Beetle got hit like that, but what is really weird is I haven't logged onto this site in years and for some reason I was thinking about the old Beetle and logged in today and learn of it's untimely demise.

As Brendan said, the car was maintained to the letter when we had it, we'd bought it new in '05. It was always a strong runner. I broke it in using the recommended new diesel break-in method posted on here that was widely accepted as the best break-in technique and it worked-- the car was a strong runner whole time we had it, did not consume hardly any motor oil between changes. Tells you those piston rings were set up nice by the TDIclub recommended break-in method !!
 

Lord_Verminaard

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2003
Location
Columbus, OH
TDI
2005 NB TDI
Hey, I was wondering if I should try and find you to let you know what happened or not. I won't lie, I did shed a tear after it happened for the car. This really has been the best car I have ever owned. And yes, it still didn't consume hardly any oil even after the stage 2 tune. It really sucks that it had to end this way but hopefully someone will buy it and either fix it or have it's heart live on in another vehicle.

Good to hear from you.
Brendan
 

dweisel

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 28, 2006
Location
Wheeling, West Virginia
TDI
dweisel isn't diesel anymore!
I recently did a similar repair on an 03 Beetle. It wasn't hit as hard as yours, but pushed everything in and down. Push in the spare tire well pretty good too. The hatch was off about and inch. Ended up chaining it on a tag a long trailer and pulled it out. Turned out pretty good.

dweisel


is there a citibank near me
 
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Lord_Verminaard

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2003
Location
Columbus, OH
TDI
2005 NB TDI
Bump. Still have it. Still been starting it up and letting it run every week or two. $2k takes it. I really need it gone.

Thanks,
Brendan
 

Louie710

Veteran Member
Joined
May 15, 2019
Location
Northern California
TDI
2003 Jetta sedan 2002 Jetta wagon
Car gets rear ended and totaled, insurance pays out for your loss and you buy it back for about 400 bucks and now want 2k on top of the insurance money you already got. You dont want to scrap it because all you will get is 300 bucks so let try finding a sucker on the tdi club ��man you cannot make this stuff up
 

Lord_Verminaard

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2003
Location
Columbus, OH
TDI
2005 NB TDI
Car gets rear ended and totaled, insurance pays out for your loss and you buy it back for about 400 bucks and now want 2k on top of the insurance money you already got. You dont want to scrap it because all you will get is 300 bucks so let try finding a sucker on the tdi club ��man you cannot make this stuff up

Why don't you go get bent and spread your nonsense somewhere else.
 

trekkar

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2015
Location
New England
TDI
05 bug,02 golf
Price looks good to me with all those new parts. If I was closer already would have picked it up I may still try to, sending pm now
 
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