d2305
Veteran Member
I have found that one has to be a mechanic to own one of these oil burners or have a big wallet. It has to be the alt pulley, a/c compressor pulley, tensioner pulley, or harmonic balancer.
Need advice re broken serpentine belt 300 miles post timing belt change
- Thread starter rgshredder
- Start date
puter
Top Post Dawg
Or just drive enough miles that the fuel economy savings offsets the maintenance cost.
aja8888
Top Post Dawg
That's my plan for getting past all the money I spent on this Passat. Once I am "even", I may part company with it and go back to the Dark Side,
puter
Top Post Dawg
Remember, it's miles/year.
It's written all over the place that these cars have a higher maintenance cost...that becomes more true if you do things like get a tune or new nozzles. The last number I heard was that you had to drive 10k miles a year to break even, and it's probably done up since then since the relative cost of diesel has gone up.
Personally, I drive 60 miles a day 5 days a week, so I'm reasonable certain I end up saving money despite the maintenance costs
It's written all over the place that these cars have a higher maintenance cost...that becomes more true if you do things like get a tune or new nozzles. The last number I heard was that you had to drive 10k miles a year to break even, and it's probably done up since then since the relative cost of diesel has gone up.
Personally, I drive 60 miles a day 5 days a week, so I'm reasonable certain I end up saving money despite the maintenance costs
aja8888
Top Post Dawg
Yeah, I know that....... I drive about 36,000+ miles per year and 75% of that is reimbursed by my clients @ $0.585/mile. I just need another $5K or so to be "even" from a purchase price and cash spent on it to date. The Passat is my primary work vehicle as it sees a lot of oilfield and other similar client trips.
I wish it was a diesel truck though..puter
Top Post Dawg
I wish I could have gotten a passat. They were damn near impossible to find back when I was shopping.
I'm hoping that Toyota comes out with a diesel before I'm due for another car.
I'm hoping that Toyota comes out with a diesel before I'm due for another car.
VOLKSWAGEN_JETTA_TDI
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2007
- Location
- Mississauga, Ontario
- TDI
- 2000 Volkswagen Jetta TDI , 2006 Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI, 2002 VW GTI 1.8T
Sorry to hear about your problem. 400 miles failure isn't appectable at all and getting the work at a professional shop. I hope everything works out for you.
puter
Top Post Dawg
I think you mean acceptable.
And yes, it is, if the failure is unrelated to the shop's work.
jasonTDI
TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Glad your not one of my clients....You rail on the guy left and right because a KNOWN COMMON FAILURE PART FAILED!
What did they do that was so crappy as you have repeated over and over? And closed? Well they are people too and are ENTITLED to close and do other things even to your dismay.
Suck it up and grow a pair. Sheesh....
What did they do that was so crappy as you have repeated over and over? And closed? Well they are people too and are ENTITLED to close and do other things even to your dismay.
Suck it up and grow a pair. Sheesh....
jasonTDI
TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Wrong. You do realize the tension that belt is under is quite a lot. It'll drag for a while put will quickly overheat and come apart.
jasonTDI
TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
OK, I understand after reading down a bit further your frustrations. But they alt belt isn't included in this. Just a shop not doing what they said they would.
stevekris
Veteran Member
Jason, The only way the belt would shred is if the alternator pulley stopped turning. The bearings in the alternator would have to freeze, stop the shaft and the pulley stop turning. If the pulley bearing froze the pulley would still turn just like a solid pulley. Something had to be wrong for it to last only 400 miles. When I replace a serpentine belt, I check everything it touches for slop or bad bearings. Thanks Steve
puter
Top Post Dawg
I would like to note with everyone that the OP has yet to confirm that it was actually the pulley...
rgshredder
Veteran Member
So, after dislodging the belt from the alternator, it seems that the pulley is functioning as it should.
I've not gotten my emails or calls returned from the mechanic, it turns out they closed the shop since Friday and just opened today...tried all day today but never got through to anyone.
I'll post another update tomorrow after speaking with them (hopefully).
I've not gotten my emails or calls returned from the mechanic, it turns out they closed the shop since Friday and just opened today...tried all day today but never got through to anyone.
I'll post another update tomorrow after speaking with them (hopefully).
tditom
Top Post Dawg
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2001
- Location
- Jackson, MI
- TDI
- formerly: 2001 Golf GL, '97 Passat (RIP) '98 NB, '05 B5 sedan
never heard of them. their site has some b.s. on it. the "trusted mechanics list" fails again.
hopefully people will understand that someone making that list does not qualify as a guru.
MOGolf
Oilhammer
Drivbiwire
^^ these are true gurus. there are others- the elite of tdiclub who can perform excellent work on the most difficult tdi-specific tasks ALONG with stellar customer service.
good luck getting things straightened out. hopefully this shop will step up and take care of things for you.