**Bad VW part vendor WARNING list**

jimbote

Certified Volkswagen Nut
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Location
spiral arm, milky way (aka central NC)
TDI
Tacoma 4x4 converted to TDI
I've never personally seen a quality timing belt break ... shucked teeth from high miles, yes.... broken, no ... this is the second Roth belt I've seen absolutely broken .... and judging from the lack of wear on the bold "Rothenbacher engineering" :)rolleyes:) stamp it had just a few miles prior to failure
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
That's what I've often said about him. I'm honestly surprised someone hasn't shanked him in a dark alley somewhere....
 

draco76

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2009
Location
Granite City, IL
TDI
99 NB(sold), 03 NB(sold), 100% bug free :) 99.5 4d Golf, 2004 GL Wagon
That's what I've often said about him. I'm honestly surprised someone hasn't shanked him in a dark alley somewhere....
If I was dumb enough to put one of his belts on my car, I'd be dumb enough to shank him for it after it blew up 5k miles later.
 

bhtooefr

TDIClub Enthusiast, ToofTek Inventor
Joined
Oct 16, 2005
Location
Newark, OH
TDI
None
The problem is, I suspect a lot of people blame VW, instead of his C.R.A.P.

"VWs are unreliable, I got the timing belt replaced and it let go 5k miles later!"
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
Ding! Ding! Ding! People in general are short sighted....

The problem is, I suspect a lot of people blame VW, instead of his C.R.A.P.

"VWs are unreliable, I got the timing belt replaced and it let go 5k miles later!"
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
If I was dumb enough to put one of his belts on my car, I'd be dumb enough to shank him for it after it blew up 5k miles later.
You'd be surprised how many "smart people" buy cheap parts.
 

tjgolla

New member
Joined
Jun 3, 2013
Location
East Texas
TDI
02 Jetta, 96 Passat
Back in August 2007 I purchased a "rebuilt" TD IP from Prothe on eBay. I installed it on my newly rebuilt 1.6L engine. It worked for about 2 minutes, then started to rev uncontrollably. I was able to shut it down before the engine self-destructed. I returned the IP (my dime) expecting a full refund. After two weeks, I still had not received a refund. I sent several emails that were ignored. Needless to say, I was furious. Any reputable parts dealer would have been falling over themselves to make it right or at least communicate promptly; Prothe did neither. Thank goodness for eBay and their policies. Not 5 minutes after I filed a complaint with eBay, I had my refund. So he was watching, and had obviously received my emails requesting a refund but chose to ignore them. It was at that point that I decided never to do business with this man again. Of course, with all the aliases and websites, it's hard not to run across his web pages while searching the web for various parts.
 

robzuk

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
Md
TDI
1999 Golf, 2001 Golf, 1987 Cabrio
hans auto parts

Another one from Rothenbacker. Found this looking for an oil pump for my wife's 1988 90. :rolleyes:
 
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JSWTDI09

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada
TDI
2009 JSW TDI (gone but not forgotten)
Another one from Rothenbacker. Found this looking for an oil pump for my wife's 1988 90.
Please do not post live links to his web sites. Please edit your post or one of the moderators will do it for you. The more sites Google finds with links to his sites, the higher his sites will show up on Google searches for VW parts. He does not need us to do his advertising. BTW: Hansautoparts -dot-whatever is not a new site for him, it is listed in other places in this thread (like post #1).

Have Fun!

Don
 

ejg3855

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Location
WNY
TDI
1Z
I've bought a few non critical parts from there without much issue, PCV puck the tube from the block, a engine mount for a buddies VR.

I would never buy parts that could cause catastrophic failure to the car or my life from him. But to save a good chunk over dealer parts for some simple pieces sure.
 

JFettig

Vendor
Joined
Aug 18, 2010
Location
Blaine, MN
TDI
B5 Passat, 2010 Jetta
Anyone have his home address? A friend has replaced a failed PROTHE turbo and I want to detour on my way to TDIFest to throw it through his window.
 
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baja_brewer

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Location
RI
TDI
1980 Rabbit Pickup (1.6 IDI), 1990 Corrado TDI, 2010 Audi A5
Anyone have his home address? A friend has replaced a failed PROTHE turbo and I want to detour on my way to TDIFest to throw it through his window.
I found two without much looking, both residential. One of the houses was for sale within the past 4 years- so I would be surprised if one or the other was correct...

Not that I'm advocating, just saying that the information is out there

Edit, found a site staying he moved from one community to another in 2009, so that says which is current... Power of the interwebz I guess.
 

cevans

TDIClub Enthusiast, TDI Parts Ninja Vendor , w/Bus
Joined
Sep 24, 2002
Location
Hingham, MA
TDI
2015 Beetle Conv. TDI 6-Speed & 2006 E320 CDI
It's a sticky, you don't need to "bump" it to the top, its always at the top...
 

Dieselboy

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 3, 2012
Location
Kutztown,Pa moved to Madrid,NE
TDI
2002 Jetta TDI, 1981 Caddy Tdi ALH Swap
I bought the $450 turbo kit for my 1.6L n/a engine from hans auto parts so far so good ! Its on for over a year. On another note I also got a radiator bose and within 3 months the thing was rock hard and leaking. Called him and complained he said sent it back il sent you a new one free ! Not worth my time or money shipping cost more than the $7 hose. Needless to say the replacement I got from napa is a real hose!!
 

carsey8119

Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2014
Location
ohio
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 5 speed
****DON'T NOT BUY FROM HANSAUTOPARTS!! Ordered a Turbo oil return line and they sent me the wrong one I called and told them and they said there is nothing we can do about it. The customer service is terrible and the lady told me to shut up and hung up on me. Will never buy from them again. Guess that's what I get for buying cheap JUNK!
 

oldpoopie

Vendor
Joined
May 14, 2001
Location
Portland Oregon
TDI
2001 golf gl, 2006 jetta, 1981 ALH swapped rabbit pickup, 1998 beetle
****DON'T NOT BUY FROM HANSAUTOPARTS!! Ordered a Turbo oil return line and they sent me the wrong one I called and told them and they said there is nothing we can do about it. The customer service is terrible and the lady told me to shut up and hung up on me. Will never buy from them again. Guess that's what I get for buying cheap JUNK!
Fyi hansautoparts is PROTHE... HE HAS LOTS OF WEBSITES, EMIATA.COM ETC... Be wary of any sites that even look like his. All run by rothenbacher industries.
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
Please do not post live links to his web sites. Please edit your post or one of the moderators will do it for you. The more sites Google finds with links to his sites, the higher his sites will show up on Google searches for VW parts. He does not need us to do his advertising. BTW: Hansautoparts -dot-whatever is not a new site for him, it is listed in other places in this thread (like post #1).

Have Fun!

Don
When people mention his website on this site, Google increases our results rankings when people search for him. For example, type "Pete Rothenbacher" into Google and see what comes up...

The more we talk about this guy, the higher the chances of us getting the word out and hopefully warning unsuspecting victims of his inferior parts-for-sale business.

 

blueatlantic

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2012
Location
Southeast North Carolina
TDI
03 Jetta Wagon(gone) 06 Jetta (gone) 09 JSW(gone) 03 Jetta (died) 03 Jetta Wagon 2012 JSW
Rothenbacher Engineering aka Prothe Strikes Again

So, I bought a 2006 Jetta with a broken timing belt. Of course, I was interested to find the cause. Took off the timing belt cover and pulled this out. Rothenbacher Engineering, aka Prothe, aka hansautoparts.

DO NOT USE THIS CRAP ON YOUR CAR!

 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
Amazing that he would have his name printed on it. :eek:
 
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