Just need to rant.

KAG · Jun 4, 2009

Let me start by saying I love my diesel DUBS (actually it's love/hate). I also understand mechanics, but have no skills at fixing things.

I have 2 TDI's in the driveway, and it always seems some small (but costly) thing is needing attention. Everytime I turn around it's $500.00. Yes I know I bought used cars, but I've owned ALOT of used cars in the past and none have ever needed as much constant attention as VW's. I'm on my 5th, and all but the new one had issues. Stirke that, I had a piece of trim fall off.

I'm seriously starting to question the fuel savings VS repair costs. Currently the wish list for my two - both need work done to door sensors, one needs glow plugs, maybe a wire harness, the other needs a surpintine belt/tensioner/ABS sensor. Both need their intakes cleaned.

I love the way they drive, the low end tourque, the 1000K/tank. I hate how much attention these cars need. Why the hell can't they be built like a Toyota.

Sorry, just needed to vent.

petea4 · Jun 4, 2009

Guess you've never owned a AUDI?

My TDI is cheap to maintain compared to the A4. BUT, i'm making it up by modding......terrible.

Rented a Toyota Aygo 1.4 TD in Europe for 6weeks a couple years back, no issues. I did miss my Golf. The Aygo was a tin can with plywood seats. Not very comfortable.

Pete

yatzee · Jun 4, 2009

Kag - I feel your pain. I'm in the middle of watching a brake discs job turn into a knuckle/complete tie rod/wheel bearing/maybe driveshaft fiasco....

yatzee · Jun 4, 2009

and that's not my car.... i have a list of 17 little things to do on my car that don't stop the car from running (or make it unsafe) but they still cost money to fix....

auto_tech · Jun 4, 2009

my car has needed some attention, but being able to do it yourself or with the help of a club member is a huge bonus. I put the first front end part on at 260,000km (a ball joint), the brakes last over 100,000km. My last few "repairs" have been the regular maintenance... oil change, filters, etc. The only real expensive repairs have been due to me messing with stuff I shouldn't have. (I've since learned!)
I work at a dealership and I couldn't afford to have my vehicle serviced here... way too expensive. I've seen some of the repair bills... I can't believe it sometimes.
Get some help from people on the forum and you'll enjoy your car a lot more. Likely have it looked after better as well.

Silver02TDI · Jun 4, 2009

That is why I sadly left VW behind and am afraid to go back.. The constant need for attention. With a needy husband, two needy ferrets, and a needy cat (make that two needy cats after the weekend), I just don't have time for a needy car

Six months later, and the Honda still hasn't given me any gremlins. Toyota has been gremlin-free for five months (brake cylinder let go in January, but that was fixed where I bought it no charge)

CmdrData · Jun 4, 2009

I've never figured out why this is the case for euro cars since they have been in car making business way longer than the japanese but can't seems to have the same gremlins free quality like the japanese. What went wrong? Initial design/parts supplier/craftmenship??

2ManyKMfor1Tank · Jun 4, 2009

I think they have learned that just selling the cars alone doesn't generate enough $$. You make a car that is of good quality which occasionally requires $1500 in repairs and suddenly the dealer is making bonus money.
I really think alot of it has to do with just getting the 'good' car of the lot that were made that day. You really can get 2 of the same cars with huge variations in how they wear. Thing is with the VW, you can still repair it at home and save some $ - my Audi A4 on the other hand is another story thanks to the quattro design - seems to be much harder to do alot of the things I take for granted as easy jobs on the VW.

Bob_Fout · Jun 4, 2009

Glow plugs and a GP harness are "wear items". So is the serp belt stuff. Can't really complain about those. Every owned a gas car? They have plugs and wires

and serp belts too that wear out.

Blame the previous owners for the intakes.

The only things that should not have failed are door switches and the ABS sensor. Everything else is maintenance.

Find a local guru to do the work, MUCH cheaper than a dealer.

It really seems to vary from car to car. I've had my TDI 6 years/160k km. Outside of mods, very little non-scheduled maintenance has been done.

krazyguy · Jun 4, 2009

i feel for u with all your issues --i bought 2 --2004 tdi --jetta wagon and a golf --the golf is perfect other than brakes fantastic car --great milage etc --now for the jetta wagon i have a list of atleast 30-40 issues --i wont list them but it was so bad i called vw and was told --if i lived in the usa they would give me a new car LEMON LAW since iam in canada there response was thats why u have a warranty ??? needles to say i got rid of it --anyways good luck and keep smiling

LNXGUY · Jun 4, 2009

The S10 that I've put less then 1000 miles on has given me more grief then my 519,000kms Jetta.

Go figure.

CmdrData · Jun 4, 2009

I was having this similar conversation with a work buddy who has 2003 Jetta, his dash is like a x'mas tree light but my Golf has behave itself for last 7 yrs. Our conclusion came down to Brazilian vs Mexican factory. Of couse we've no hard evidence to support this conclusion.

drewlaro · Jun 4, 2009

Not sure if it was the previous owner and the mods he had done; but I have had a fair share of my own repairs...all witihn the first year of ownership

Alternator
Belt tensioner
Oil feed to turbo
Engine speed sensor

I also did a 5sp swap, adjusted the timing (it was off from previous job), installed a skidplate, and changed the fuel filter...hopefully all the kinks are ironed out and it'll treat me just as well as I treat her...next up is a boost gauge and exhaust (there is a hole developing just before the cat)

Tsagoth · Jun 4, 2009

KAG said:
I have 2 TDI's in the driveway, and it always seems some small (but costly) thing is needing attention. Everytime I turn around it's $500.00. Yes I know I bought used cars, but I've owned ALOT of used cars in the past and none have ever needed as much constant attention as VW's. I'm on my 5th, and all but the new one had issues. Stirke that, I had a piece of trim fall off.

I'm seriously starting to question the fuel savings VS repair costs. Currently the wish list for my two - both need work done to door sensors, one needs glow plugs, maybe a wire harness, the other needs a surpintine belt/tensioner/ABS sensor. Both need their intakes cleaned.

I know this feeling all too well, having dropped over $18K into the TDI in the last four years, including the infamous $5610.20 01M transmission. Sure, a lot of that is maintenance like oil or tires etc. and a lot of it is not. I have yet to go a single OCI without something failing.

Having said that, when I consider what my Grand Marquis and her Escort wagon were/are like at 280,000km, the TDI clearly stands out. Except for the birdsh*t, it looks like the day I bought it, including the tidy engine bay.

I dropped a boatload of money on that Ford as well(including having to partially remove the bloody engine to replace the rusted out oil pan) and by 280K it was done. Engine bleeding oil from every orifice, body was gone, most everything on the dash no longer working, air bags disabled etc.

So while I resent the money spent, it hasn't been a complete waste. Even if you are a DIY, which I am not, I don't see any possibility that the fuel savings will outweigh the cost of parts and service these things require.

Like Oilhammer says, drive it because it's fun, not because you're going to save money because you aren't.

KAG · Jun 4, 2009

I guess I can't complain too bad. My Jetta I bought from a skechey dealer and I knew I was going to put work into it. I've done the timing belt, water pump, tensioners, new suspension parts, breaks, wheel bearings (caused the ABS sensor to fail) a blown oil pan, new tires. I have a local small shop that do nothing but VW's.
My golf (which is American, no heated seats) like to lock me out and set the alarm off at 3AM. The check engine light has been on for 2 years (glow plug issues) and has had small but annoying issues from time to time. but has never truely let me down until the other night when a tensionor fialed and the serp belt locked and the ALT stoped. It's fixed now. I'm going to fix EVERYTHING in the next few weeks and that should be the end of my issues for a few years (I hope), but I just needed to vent. I have thousands in reciepts, then again, I am picky about my cars.

Silver02TDI · Jun 4, 2009

KAG said:
I'm going to fix EVERYTHING in the next few weeks and that should be the end of my issues for a few years (I hope), but I just needed to vent. I have thousands in reciepts, then again, I am picky about my cars.

There is no such thing as fixing everything. I used to keep a to-do list in my sig, and then would go on a fix-everything spree. Few months later, the to-do list was back with new things. Nothing was major or expensive, but it is annoying knowing that you have something to do on the car to get it "perfect"

TDIFred · Jun 4, 2009

LNXGUY said:
The S10 that I've put less then 1000 miles on has given me more grief then my 519,000kms Jetta.quote]

I had one of those S10s, POS.
318,000 km, one alternator, one (maybe two) door switches. I like my car, I like the way it looks, I like the way it drives. I like that I can fix some stuff myself. I like the fact that if I had bought a similar car, read Civic or Corolla, I would so friggin bored out of my mind, I would have to ride rollercoasters at Canada's Wonderland on weekends for thrills!

AND it's a diesel!
AND where else would I be able to meet such great folks?!

t-spec · Jun 4, 2009

TDIFred said:
LNXGUY said:

The S10 that I've put less then 1000 miles on has given me more grief then my 519,000kms Jetta.quote]

I had one of those S10s, POS.
318,000 km, one alternator, one (maybe two) door switches. I like my car, I like the way it looks, I like the way it drives. I like that I can fix some stuff myself. I like the fact that if I had bought a similar car, read Civic or Corolla, I would so friggin bored out of my mind, I would have to ride rollercoasters at Canada's Wonderland on weekends for thrills!

AND it's a diesel!
AND where else would I be able to meet such great folks?!

Click to expand...

Well put my friend, well put!

KAG · Jun 4, 2009

Thanks for the responses.
I love my dub's, I just need to start to learn how to fix what I find wrong with them. Get a book, do some reading and start. I hear the intake cleaning can be done with patience, any suggstions?

Bush Hopper · Jun 4, 2009

Oh, boy just wait till you own a MINI Cooper, and start adding up the repair bills, 80% of the stuff is dealer only.

JASONP · Jun 4, 2009

KAG said:
Thanks for the responses.
I love my dub's, I just need to start to learn how to fix what I find wrong with them. Get a book, do some reading and start. I hear the intake cleaning can be done with patience, any suggstions?

lots of band-aids and beer

2ManyKMfor1Tank · Jun 4, 2009

I hope either to host or be a part of a G2G for air intakes early this summer - I just need a day off from work or 2. If anyone is interested pm me with a preferred date and perhaps we can arrange one.

REDNECKDZL · Jun 4, 2009

intake cleaning is something any rookie can do, don't be intimitated

a group cleaning would be quite helpful

JASONP · Jun 4, 2009

2ManyKMfor1Tank said:
I hope either to host or be a part of a G2G for air intakes early this summer - I just need a day off from work or 2. If anyone is interested pm me with a preferred date and perhaps we can arrange one.

I can oversee/help if you need someone to do so, also have loads of tools, pick a date and I'll probably(for sure) come out.

unL33T · Jun 5, 2009

After spending $6000 in less than a year on my car I'm also starting to have a hard time justifying owning a VW. Unfortunately I can't find anything that compares to one as far as drivability and fuel economy goes. I'm also in the market for a wagon and very few wagons look half decent in my mind with the Jetta being one of the better looking ones.

aja8888 · Jun 5, 2009

EMT-Tuning said:
Oh, boy just wait till you own a MINI Cooper, and start adding up the repair bills, 80% of the stuff is dealer only.

Work associates Mini power steering pump failed (while parked, no less). The entire electrical harness burned up. Three months at the dealer (second harness fried at the dealer on finish of job) and $8,000.00 repair bill. He drove away and the electric door locks were not working. dealer said it was a 'different problem" than before and charged him to fix it. The car made it to a Honda dealer 20 miles away where it came out as a new Civic.

Just need to rant.

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