Quandry

I'm looking for advice. I have a 2004 wagon, Graphite Blue GLS, with 72k miles. Bought new. Rocketchip Stage 1 at 20k.
I'm 77 and finally retiring. I live in a fairly rural area and no longer drive long distances. I mostly use my pickup and the wife's SUV.
I hate to give up the car, because I still enjoy driving it from time to time, but I have to decide which of 3 ways to go.
1) Sell it. The problem is it's not worth all that much.
2) Delete or go geared BSM and do timing belt and one leaking motor mount. Nobody around here does it so I'd have to take it somewhere, rent a car to get home and then repeat the process. Cost 2,500 to 3,500.
3) Drive it until it drops. Just change oil and do routine maintenance as always. It has upgraded Audi battery, updated glow plugs and looks good except for some stone chips on the hood, some faded spots on the roof, and tint needs redoing on a couple windows.
Any opinions? Thanks.

# 1, come up with a price and sell it to me
#2 will cost too much
#3 my chain went out at 48000, can happen at any moment.

I'm walking and need a car like yours

My brother in law lives just down the street from you

PM sent.

You could change the timing belt and possibly the motor mount. Likely the chain would last at least another 40000 K, which in your case would be a lot of years.

Probably you could take it to someone and have the whole works done in a day, without needing to rent a car, or possibly 1 night in a hotel.

zzdiesel said:

You could change the timing belt and possibly the motor mount. Likely the chain would last at least another 40000 K, which in your case would be a lot of years.

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Sounds like you'd find a buyer, no problem. I had 145k on mine when I bought it from owner #1. No BSM mod until doing it with a gear drive swap & new t belt/water pump. I sold it in like new inside and out due to the wife's worries about the transmission @ 225k (occasional trans code). I truly regret not 6 speed converting it. Got a low mile JSW TDI CPO, but NOT a b5.5!

Too bad your not here in Ca.

Update: I've had a very fair offer for the car, but I decided I can't part with it. I'm not sure whether I'll go with #2 or #3, but for now I'll just keep driving it every once in a while because it puts a smile on my face.

Thanks to all those that commented.

It is soon due a timing belt. Do it.

Good call keeping it, I think, if you enjoy driving it. I have tried out newer cars and don't think there is anything for sale today at any reasonable price that is built to a standard exceeding these. They aren't worth much in terms of resale value, true, but that's because nothing is worth much in resale anymore that doesn't have the in-dash touchscreens and tech features and high ride height that most normal folks now prioritize over driving dynamics and quality of assembly, which are the areas that these older B5/C5 platform cars still shine.

It's easy to spend more than the value of the car now on just basic maintenance, and that can make doing the work hard to rationalize, but note that it's still cheap compared to payments and depreciation on a newer vehicle. No, you won't get your money back out of the work if you turn around and try to sell the car the next day, but if you enjoy using it and plan to keep it, keeping it going is still an excellent and easily justified financial decision.

Sounds like you like the car and are fairly committed to it, so you would probably be unhappy if the timing belt breaks or the oil pump chain lets go and the engine gets trashed. Why not go ahead and get them done now? You'll have peace of mind knowing you can keep using and enjoying the car as long as you want, and then if you decide to move on from it later, it will still have at least reasonable market value with the maintenance up to date and the low miles. If the engine fails due to overdue maintenance the car will be worth scrap value and you'll probably be bummed to see it go that way.

You could find a shop that's in a location you're interested in visiting who has known expertise in the TB + BSM job and use it as an excuse for a short vacation there. Drive there, drop off the car, rent a vehicle to get around locally while the work is under way, pick it up a couple days later, and drive back. Be cheaper than two one-way car rentals and add some other benefits to the trip.

It's past due for a timing belt due to age. Agree, do it.

If doing tb, you are a good ways into a chain delete time wise.

Pay a shop 2k to 2500 for it or for 500 do it yourself!

the cheap fix for the timing belt change is the ALH mechanics, front end of the car has to be disassembled, the water pump and idlers are changed and some holes clogged, it works but the car vibrates at idle, in which case you replace all the mounts.. If you don't change the TC then that could go at any time. This is what you are left with. If the TC craters small metal particles travel around your trans.

afarfalla said:

the cheap fix for the timing belt change is the ALH mechanics, front end of the car has to be disassembled, the water pump and idlers are changed and some holes clogged, it works but the car vibrates at idle, in which case you replace all the mounts.. If you don't change the TC then that could go at any time. This is what you are left with. If the TC craters small metal particles travel around your trans.

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Sometimes you don't make a lot of sense.

No real reason to expect torque converter trouble in the next 70K but should also change the fluid.

zzdiesel said:

No real reason to expect torque converter trouble in the next 70K but should also change the fluid.

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my wagon cratered at 130000, shrapnel everywhere, my sedan cratered at 48000. $3500 thru VW for a rebuilt ZF thru VW and I do the labor, otherwise $5000

zzdiesel said:

Sometimes you don't make a lot of sense.

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my brain isn't frozen all the time. I could be a little quicker than you, whats the problem, we both speak English.

How far is too far to get the BSM done? Mountain Valley Motors in Harrisonburg VA can do it. They did mine and the manual swap.

He has to change the BCM, TC, and timing belt kit. To keep it on the road and uneventful

There is nothing wrong with his TC now, why would he change it?

Preventive mainance. New tc, fresh fluids, bs delete should give him a dead reliable vehicle. The tc is a common failure point. Especially since vw told owners the tranny fluid was life time fluid...when it would be i think 50k change intervals. If the tc fails...which they all do without the 50k changes...it can take out the transmission very swiftly.

I doubt many decide to pull the tranny to change the TC before there is the need for it. The only BHW automatic I have I changed it at 180000 after no lock up. Tranny is still doing fine at 230000. That would be many years use for him.

But, change the oil.

Once again, thanks to all for weighing in. I did a tranny flush at around 60k, and of course have changed oil and filter every 5k with the proper stuff.

Made a 150-mile round trip today averaging about 70 mph and got 37.1 mpg. I did get a little heavy-footed exiting a couple on-ramps. Cheap thrills for us old farts.

You dont need to pull the tranny to swap the tc. The bs delete is easier on a stand than in a car, the engine would be pulled for ease of access. Personally id do regular tranny flushes and run til the slush box gives. If i had over 100k on the car and was to want to keep the car id invest in the new tc for good measure. I don't mind a 5 speed...in another 10 years that may not be the case.

That being said id never just drop the tranny. That requires loosening the sub frame which then requires an alignment. It's also only feasible on a lift which i don't own.

Pulling the engine out with tranny is the easiest way for me.

sparrow said:

Once again, thanks to all for weighing in. I did a tranny flush at around 60k, and of course have changed oil and filter every 5k with the proper stuff.

Made a 150-mile round trip today averaging about 70 mph and got 37.1 mpg. I did get a little heavy-footed exiting a couple on-ramps. Cheap thrills for us old farts.

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Good that you did the Tranny oil change. The engine oil and filter have a 10000 mile recommended service time.

I am glad you enjoyed the drive.