WAKeele
Veteran Member
OK. So I've posted a few of my individual problems with an '02 Jetta TDI I bought back in October from a jackass used car place in Connecticut – American Motor Group/David Hanrahan (if there’s an INC. it’s short for incompetent) – over the last few months and it's getting out of hand to deal with. A lot of my major problems started (technically when I bought it) on an impromptu trip from Montana to Tennessee to she my mother whom recently was given a terminal prognosis with her cancer. Well I'm still in TN taking care of her and don't really have the time to properly research everything going wrong, nor the money anymore to deal with much, so I wanted to post everything in one place and hopefully can get some individual feedback.
Here’s the rundown:
2002 Jetta TDI—manual—~224,000 mi at time of purchase (I had an '01 w/245,000 at the time)
I paid just a little less than $4,000—had sunroof, heated seats and alloy wheels, otherwise same as my '01.
Had problems with a cooling fan coming on after engine shutdown and draining the battery, later on to the point to not start the car.
Looked to have a stuck thermostat since it doesn't always get to 190F.
Had to put new tires on due to vibration and pulling to one side at highway speeds--not worth just an alignment due to older tires
Had a belt whining sound – thought it was moisture at first – I later found out what it was
Had problems starting on colder days (I was in Mississippi at the time, so I didn’t notice for a while) – my ’01 would start fine down to -20F – also a bit more smoke on start, as in my old girl didn’t’ at all
What I’ve done/had done:
Added a Panzer skidplate
New fuel filter
New glow plug harness and glow plugs
New coolant temp sensor
New fan control module
Suspension refresh kit
New front wheeling bearings
FULL timing belt job, camshaft, valves, machined head, intake cleaning and related things (I bet you know what happened here)
Limp Mode “fix kit”—which it didn’t
New serpentine belt tensioner and belt
New battery
As you may have figured out I had the timing belt tensioner go out while driving down the interstate at 10pm on a Friday night in between Montana and Tennessee, striping the timing belt and making my day. I knew it was coming and wasn’t going to make any trips until I had it taken care of. Well, my mother’s cancer went terminal and I had to get to TN. I couldn’t get it in before I left and made an appointment with a German Performance Options in Nashville. So, since the only place in Kanas City only on Saturday was Northtowne VW, I had it towed there. Morons. It bit the bullet and rolled the diced and lost. Over $4,000 later with hotel and rental car included ($2,905.11 parts and labor + taxes and fees - $200 my extra hotel and rental car costs for not delivering by your latest ready date fee for timing belt debacle). Of course I had problems with that. On my way back to Montana, noticed a couple of the injector lines leaking a little and my oil level was over full and much thinner than normal. Turns out they didn’t change the oil and just topped it off. Genius. Later noticed oil leaking from the vacuum pump around the head.
Where I’m at now:
Leaking injectors under control
Still smokes some at start
Put in a new “o”-ring on vacuum pump—still leaking (I thought it was designed to not need sealant?)
Clutch popping sound intermittently – pretty rare – sounds like a pressure plate wanting attention
Windshield wipers stopped working (were slow sometimes but I chalked it up to being cold, then later only working at one speed, then sometimes not working at all, to stuck partially through cycle, and will only move a ½ inch trying to move for 5 seconds and then slip back a ¼ inch)
Battery dead every morning—I’m guessing this is related to the windshield wipers?
About to replace EGR (been leaking some since I’ve had it) and thermostat
Replace the remaining vacuum lines that Limp Mode fix kit didn’t come with (maybe replace other regulator too)
About to try to see if I can get a dealer to honor the front fenders corrosion STB
This entire experience leaves me feeling like a moron. I’ve probably sent $10,000 on this car and related expenses (not to include fuel and insurance). Wow, what a nice TDI I could have got for that. I sold my old TDI to one of my best friends for probably one of the greatest deals on a functional TDI and it’s still going strong. I’m almost to the point to finish what I’m about to do and still it for what I can get. I don’t need a car at the moment because I’m here in TN until my mother dies—by how she’s been doing the past few days, she might not have much more time. I’m almost out of money (no income), so my options are limited. I’m trying to liquidate some things, but some things aren’t a sure bet. But, when I think about it, I can’t really replace it for what I might could get for it than what it would/could cost to keep it. I wanted to run this car into the ground, but I thought I’d get more than 20,000 miles out of it (currently around 244,000 mi).
So I guess that’s where I am. I’m sure I’m leaving some important info out and to keep this from being any longer, I omitted some info. The battery/wiper issue is my main concern right now. Also as time permits, I’m going to try filing a Better Business Bureau complaint and maybe some other avenues since the timing belt issues are more real now. I just have to say, this is not the kind of stuff you want to have to deal with when caring for a dying family member around the clock and with no income. If anyone is bored enough to get through this post AND has some insight, I’m all ears!
--Adam
Here’s the rundown:
2002 Jetta TDI—manual—~224,000 mi at time of purchase (I had an '01 w/245,000 at the time)
I paid just a little less than $4,000—had sunroof, heated seats and alloy wheels, otherwise same as my '01.
Had problems with a cooling fan coming on after engine shutdown and draining the battery, later on to the point to not start the car.
Looked to have a stuck thermostat since it doesn't always get to 190F.
Had to put new tires on due to vibration and pulling to one side at highway speeds--not worth just an alignment due to older tires
Had a belt whining sound – thought it was moisture at first – I later found out what it was
Had problems starting on colder days (I was in Mississippi at the time, so I didn’t notice for a while) – my ’01 would start fine down to -20F – also a bit more smoke on start, as in my old girl didn’t’ at all
What I’ve done/had done:
Added a Panzer skidplate
New fuel filter
New glow plug harness and glow plugs
New coolant temp sensor
New fan control module
Suspension refresh kit
New front wheeling bearings
FULL timing belt job, camshaft, valves, machined head, intake cleaning and related things (I bet you know what happened here)
Limp Mode “fix kit”—which it didn’t
New serpentine belt tensioner and belt
New battery
As you may have figured out I had the timing belt tensioner go out while driving down the interstate at 10pm on a Friday night in between Montana and Tennessee, striping the timing belt and making my day. I knew it was coming and wasn’t going to make any trips until I had it taken care of. Well, my mother’s cancer went terminal and I had to get to TN. I couldn’t get it in before I left and made an appointment with a German Performance Options in Nashville. So, since the only place in Kanas City only on Saturday was Northtowne VW, I had it towed there. Morons. It bit the bullet and rolled the diced and lost. Over $4,000 later with hotel and rental car included ($2,905.11 parts and labor + taxes and fees - $200 my extra hotel and rental car costs for not delivering by your latest ready date fee for timing belt debacle). Of course I had problems with that. On my way back to Montana, noticed a couple of the injector lines leaking a little and my oil level was over full and much thinner than normal. Turns out they didn’t change the oil and just topped it off. Genius. Later noticed oil leaking from the vacuum pump around the head.
Where I’m at now:
Leaking injectors under control
Still smokes some at start
Put in a new “o”-ring on vacuum pump—still leaking (I thought it was designed to not need sealant?)
Clutch popping sound intermittently – pretty rare – sounds like a pressure plate wanting attention
Windshield wipers stopped working (were slow sometimes but I chalked it up to being cold, then later only working at one speed, then sometimes not working at all, to stuck partially through cycle, and will only move a ½ inch trying to move for 5 seconds and then slip back a ¼ inch)
Battery dead every morning—I’m guessing this is related to the windshield wipers?
About to replace EGR (been leaking some since I’ve had it) and thermostat
Replace the remaining vacuum lines that Limp Mode fix kit didn’t come with (maybe replace other regulator too)
About to try to see if I can get a dealer to honor the front fenders corrosion STB
This entire experience leaves me feeling like a moron. I’ve probably sent $10,000 on this car and related expenses (not to include fuel and insurance). Wow, what a nice TDI I could have got for that. I sold my old TDI to one of my best friends for probably one of the greatest deals on a functional TDI and it’s still going strong. I’m almost to the point to finish what I’m about to do and still it for what I can get. I don’t need a car at the moment because I’m here in TN until my mother dies—by how she’s been doing the past few days, she might not have much more time. I’m almost out of money (no income), so my options are limited. I’m trying to liquidate some things, but some things aren’t a sure bet. But, when I think about it, I can’t really replace it for what I might could get for it than what it would/could cost to keep it. I wanted to run this car into the ground, but I thought I’d get more than 20,000 miles out of it (currently around 244,000 mi).
So I guess that’s where I am. I’m sure I’m leaving some important info out and to keep this from being any longer, I omitted some info. The battery/wiper issue is my main concern right now. Also as time permits, I’m going to try filing a Better Business Bureau complaint and maybe some other avenues since the timing belt issues are more real now. I just have to say, this is not the kind of stuff you want to have to deal with when caring for a dying family member around the clock and with no income. If anyone is bored enough to get through this post AND has some insight, I’m all ears!
--Adam
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