Update

As most of you know I experienced a turbo failure a bit over two weeks ago. My wife, her sister, and I spent four hours waiting for Roadside Assistance which never materialized. This with temps in the low teens, night coming on, and in a very remote section of PA north of Williamsport. My older son "rescued" us by making a 160 mile trip. Never have I been so thankful to see a little Jetta wagon. Sort of ironic to be riding home in an '03 with 150k miles that's been rock solid while my new 2013 sits dead beside the road.

Next day (Sunday) we took our own equipment and retrieved the car. The following day we transported the car to Gault in Endicott. In total just short of 400 miles using our own equipment and hours. I was not a happy camper! That was an expensive trip just in diesel fuel alone.

Long story short, the folks at Gault in Endicott appear to have gone out of their way to make things right. Further, I have a letter from VW acknowledging their failure to provide services.

From the beginning I've made two things very clear. First the fact that in selling me the Passat, VW and I had a contract which very clearly included Roadside Assistance. Their failure, while it didn't threaten my life, was unacceptable. Then the retrieval which cost me a good deal of money, along with other expenses I never should have faced.

Second is the fact that it is unacceptable to me for a new car to fail and that should I take the car back there would always be a matter of trust in the back of my mind. In other words, would I really wish to have that car returned to me? The best teacher I ever had was the gentleman who taught me to fly. When I purchased my first plane his advice was to judge the future by looking at the past. Trouble in the past usually equates to trouble in the future. There's a lot of wisdom in those words.

Last night a call from Gault. My car has been repaired. Obviously I'll have the option of taking the car back. My other option, and one I'll know more about today, is an assurance that VW has come forth with money that will make it nearly impossible for me not to come home with a 2014. Fact is a 2014 SE TDI exactly the same as my 2013 even down to color. By this evening I hope to share that the "nearly" in my previous sentence can be removed.

To the best of my ability I'll obtain as much data as possible on the repairs to the 2013. From what I understand there is a very extensive list of components..

So... Let's hope for favorable news later this evening.

This is why I take such good care of my 1982, 1991, 1993, 2000, and 2004 Volkswagens. No worries.

I really want to like the new diesels, I really do. But by golly stories like this make it hard to be a Volkswagen fan.

I hope they got your car all fixed up for you, and glad nobody was hurt on the side of the road.

I suppose if I did ever get a new one, I can at least know that two of my older ones have trailer hitches to carry the tow dolly to come rescue the new one if it dies on the side of the road.

nord said:

Trouble in the past usually equates to trouble in the future.

Click to expand...

That is actually far from necessarily true. When we got our 1994 Gulfstream RV in Y2K, it had only 25,000 miles on it. In the 1st year of us having it, everything with a circuit board controller went bad; the fridge, the A/C, the propane heater, and the water heater.

But for the next 13+ years thereafter, no such failures occurred.

OilHammer,

Thanks for the uplifting comments. You made my day!

Oh... A tow dolly and a NMS behind a 90 hp Jetta wagon? I have no doubt it would have gotten us there eventually. We, however, prefer our RAM CTD and a flatbed. Given the road conditions at the time with snow falling and miserable roads I have a feeling that the truck was a better answer.

The NMS TDI? Mine is the exception, not the rule I believe. As long as VW steps up to the plate and makes things right I can't complain... That is as far as vehicles. The Roadside Assistance is another story though. They really messed up on that one.

Best to you and yours. Hope all is well and getting better.

B

What a miserable experience. I hope you get a new Passat. It is unfortunate that each of the TDI models has its own set of potential significant flaws. We can always hope the next gen engines do better. Anyone know if the Audi TDI models have been similarly affected? My 2010 Jetta TDI has been treating me well. I'm hoping for at least another 50-100K.

My ALH has been slightly tweaked, but the Eurovan actually tows quite easily. However I also have a mighty F350 on staff for the bigger pulls.

I think my 1985 in the sig below dyno out around 52HP WOT in 4th (yes I took it to a dyno)
I do have my smoke screw turned in as seen in the sig video below- love that old 1.6
NORD, if you can take a phone video and grab the turbine- try to see how much play is in it.

oilhammer said:

This is why I take such good care of my 1982, 1991, 1993, 2000, and 2004 Volkswagens. No worries.

I really want to like the new diesels, I really do. But by golly stories like this make it hard to be a Volkswagen fan.

Click to expand...

Same here. I could own a new one and would really like to someday, but not with the potential time bomb these cars have turned out to be.

Until then, I can repair my B4's easily and without undue cost most of the time, so I'll keep driving them until VW gets their head out of their ***.

Latest news...

VW will essentially purchase my car back. They'll pay the total difference between it and a new car... About $4k. I'll have to pay sales tax on the difference and doc fees. In all about $500. Given that I drove the car for 15k miles I don't see how I can refuse the deal. I'm not really serious, but maybe we should do this once a year.

So am awaiting final word from VW to Gault in writing. Probably sometime today or tomorrow. And that's all I know at the moment, other than I highly recommend the folks at Gault in Endicott, NY. They carried all the water and did the legwork. Compared to the horror stories about uncaring dealers I can't say enough good things about Gault.

Oh... Thanks everyone for your concern and support. It means a lot.

I'd take them up on it, only I'd find a manual Jetta S on their lot and 5 years from now when that engine is still running 100% perfect you can look back on the experience and laugh.

Oil Hammer,

Once again my thanks for your concern and your friendship even though we've never met in person. I just got a call from Gault. Paperwork from VW will take between seven and ten days. They wondered if I'd be okay with the wait. ( I am.)

Next question from them... How would you like a brand new Passat to drive while you wait? Right now I have a 2013 Beetle with the 2.5. A nice enough car but I really don't care for it. I initially declined their offer but they insisted... "Drive our car, put whatever miles on it you wish, and we'll wrap up the deal whenever VW gets their paperwork around. So... I guess we're off for a new loaner Passat.

So regardless of what some of us suspect about dealers and personal support, consider that all are not like the bad one's. There are some with integrity and honesty. If you happen to live somewhere within reach of Endicott, NY, then I suggest the Gault family of dealerships. After all, how many here have been able to conclude an experience such as mine with such a nice result?

Dan Halladay is the sales manager. Scott Kelly our sales rep. These are really good folks!

I'll keep everyone here updated as to whatever data I can gather about my turbo failure. Given the list of components alluded to it would seem that my turbo scattered itself all over hell's half acre. Truthfully I'm leaning toward a bearing failure followed by by a broken shaft. Hopefully we'll all find out.

Once more... Thank you all. Not a bad place the TDI Club!

Glad to hear things seem to be working out nord! Sucks you had the trouble in the first place but all's well that ends well I suppose.

It's also nice to hear another good dealer experience. I had an issue with my 10k service and my local dealer in Highland went out of their way to make things right. Too bad they can't all be like that.