Another satisfied Dieselgeek Panzer customer...

Dieselgeek

TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Oct 3, 2000
Location
Golden, CO
TDI
2016 Golf TDI
I got this email this morning from yet another satisfied Dieselgeek Panzer Plate customer. Sounds like the repair shop tried to take him for a ride. He said:

"Jim:

I ran over a deer carcass and it tore out the original skid plate and cracked the side skirts on my 1999 Diesel New Beetle. State Farm covered the damage and would allow the use of after-market body parts, such as your Panzer Plate, as long as the purchase was not made directly through a body shop. Therefore, I purchased the Panzer Plate directly through your company and I am really impressed the plates strength.

I took the plate into the body shop and they said it would be too difficult to install at the original repair estimate (0.6 hrs). Instead, they claimed it would take up to four (4) hours to install! Now, I'm not terribly mechanically inclined when it comes to automobiles, but I can follow instructions. So, I told them, "Never mind, I'll install it myself." It only took me one (1) hour to install it - including trimming down the side skirts and installing them - and I was taking my time to make sure I didn't mess things up. On top of that, I saved money by having the insurance company pay ME for the labor etc.

So, to those out there who question their ability to install this plate, I say, "Stop worrying, read the instructions carefully a few times, print out the illustrations, and get to work!"

I am greatly pleased and impressed. Now, I'm ready for any future encounters with road kill, tree branches, and ice blocks!

Sincerely,

Geoffrey Kordell

P.S. Now I think I have the confidence to do my own brakes, so expect another order shortly!"
 

Dana D.

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2000
Location
Smiths Station, AL
TDI
Jetta GLS, 2000, white
<font color="brown">Shameless propaganda ...

... I can't wait for mine to arrive ... and install it myself. </font>
 

moondawg

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2003
Location
Columbus, IN
TDI
2001 Galactic Blue Jetta
<font color="brown">Shameless propaganda ...

... I can't wait for mine to arrive ... and install it myself. </font>
I just installed mine today. Went in without issue. The tranny plate and the front subframe both had scratch marks from hitting stuff... and are now covered in beautiful aluminum.


Great product!

moondawg
 

new2diesel

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2005
Location
Columbus, OH
TDI
'02 Jetta Galactic Blue Pearl
Re: Another satisfied Dieselgeek Panzer customer..

Well, I know exactly how easy it is to install them.. I ended up installing about 5 of them @ Fest..
I have to agree it only takes about an hour.. well with 3 to 4 people milling around it only takes about 1/2 an hour..
We spent more time jockeying the cars around to get them on the lift that we did actually installing them.
Jim had said it was easier to install with a lift.. and I have to agree, better than trying to scoot around on the ground, but after 5 of them,, My shoulders were very sore..

\/\/
 

moondawg

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2003
Location
Columbus, IN
TDI
2001 Galactic Blue Jetta
During this break, let's return to this morning's scoreboard:

Panzer Plate: 1
Skunk: 0

Tried to miss her, but we both "zagged" at the same time. Nothing smelly seems to be stuck to my car, thankfully.

moondawg
 

Dana D.

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2000
Location
Smiths Station, AL
TDI
Jetta GLS, 2000, white
<font color="brown">Got it earlier this week ...
Damn! That's a slab of aluminum, for sure.
I'll be installing it this weekend when I have access to a lift. </font>
 

pghPAtdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Location
Nova Scotia to Pittsburgh and back
TDI
Jetta GLS, 2001, White, Leather
I did mine in less than an hour, slick as goose sh!t. All the rivnuts went in super easy. I did have one alignment issue with the front passenger bolt. All other bolt holes lined up great except for that one. It was like it was simply in the wrong spot. It's all done though, no worries.

Can't wait for winter


Dave
BTW: no need for a lift, I only jacked up the pass side (jack stand of course)
 

Dieselgeek

TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Oct 3, 2000
Location
Golden, CO
TDI
2016 Golf TDI
pghPAtdi,

I thinks that you should run the car up on ramps and loosen all of the bolts again and realign the Panzer. I believe that your body was a little out of alignment since you only had one side of it jacked up for the install. Ever notice that the doors don't shut exactly right when you only jack up one side of the car? Try it and I think you will see great bolt hole alignment...
 

pghPAtdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Location
Nova Scotia to Pittsburgh and back
TDI
Jetta GLS, 2001, White, Leather
pghPAtdi,

I thinks that you should run the car up on ramps and loosen all of the bolts again and realign the Panzer. I believe that your body was a little out of alignment since you only had one side of it jacked up for the install. Ever notice that the doors don't shut exactly right when you only jack up one side of the car? Try it and I think you will see great bolt hole alignment...
SO, YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT YOU"RE TALKING ABOUT? DO YOU?

Yes , you are exactly correct actually. The body was out of alignment and the pass door would not close properly when lifted only on that side.

You are a fart smeller
Sorry, a smart feller

Dave
 

Dieselgeek

TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Oct 3, 2000
Location
Golden, CO
TDI
2016 Golf TDI
Yes, the Panzer has five 10mm bolts and four screws to remove while the stock plastic plate has about 8 or 9 screws...
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
04', 05', 06' TDI's. Audi SQ5, RAM Rebel
Buy a topsider for the oil change....on the site too....you'll thank me come winter time!
 

rickadoe

Vendor
Joined
Oct 8, 2004
Location
los banos, ca
TDI
jetta,99.5, blue
Re: Another satisfied Dieselgeek Panzer customer..

hey there!! just ordered one!! my wife ran over one of those parking blocks..realizing what she did she went into reverse to back out of it and finished the job..:(. oh well, i like it when i can get cool stuff and have an excuse!! whoo hoo!! can't wait to install it!!!
 

oldpoopie

Vendor
Joined
May 14, 2001
Location
Sheridan Oregon
TDI
2001 golf gl, 1981 ALH swapped rabbit pickup, 1998 beetle, 2003 jetta wagon, 2002 jetta wagon BEW swapped, 2001 Audi TT
Re: Another satisfied Dieselgeek Panzer customer..

Just installed one for a customer of mine. VERY ROBUST!!!! Easy to install too.
 

Dana D.

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2000
Location
Smiths Station, AL
TDI
Jetta GLS, 2000, white
<font color="brown">Installed it today. That is one quality piece of workmanship. The emailed instructions were spot on, though the kit even easier to install then the four pages of instructions make it look. It is solid. </font>
 

mikeyworks

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2000
Location
Havre de Grace, MD, USA
TDI
2000 Jetta GLS TDI Green, 2000 Jetta GLS TDI Blue
I concur.

I have mine on and my wife was driving my car today for a change and hit a dip in the road. With my worn out suspension, I know to miss that dip as my car sits lower than hers...regardless we hit the up part of the dip. Had the plate not been there, I would be putting on my spare oil pan right now instead of spending time on the Club.

Thanks Jim!!!!

Mikey
 

paramedick

TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor
Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Location
Versailles, Kentucky
TDI
2015 Audi Q5 TDI
Installed one for a customer last weekend. Very nice, and a quick install even having to read the instructions. I bet I can do the next one in 30 minutes.
 

airtimeturbo

Vendor
Joined
Nov 18, 2005
Location
Vermont
TDI
too many to list
Installed on '03 Jetta TDI

I spent about two hours installing the panzer on my '03 Jetta TDI. Certainly printing out the text and then the pics and assembling them in order is a plus. I would suggest actually writing some text / titles on the pics as back references to the text. I hesitated the most when making the cuts in the side skirts, but all worked well, especially once I made the connection between the large cuts and making room for the support posts! Conceptual thing...

Great product and has already come into good use on a couple of early-season Vermont iceburgs on the intersate.

I will say that the hardest part was backing out the jacks and stands once that little bit of extra clearence was lost.

Great product and support.
 

Bigdave

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
how big?

Deiselgeek,

What are the shipping dimensions on the ND panzer skidplate? I live overseas and have a mail size restriction. Also, can you send it boxed?

Dave
 

Dieselgeek

TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Oct 3, 2000
Location
Golden, CO
TDI
2016 Golf TDI
39 x 32 x 2 are the dimensions and they are boxed for international shipping. Sent another one to Great Britain yesterday...
 
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Myco

Active member
Joined
Mar 14, 2002
Location
Central WI
TDI
'99.5 Jetta TDI BLK - Sold '06 Jetta TDI White For sale
Worth every penny

new2diesel said:
Well, I know exactly how easy it is to install them.. I ended up installing about 5 of them @ Fest..
\/\/
Mine was one of those installed at the fest along with TB change. I ran over a good size chunk-O-rubber left behind by a semi about a month afterwards. :eek: Made a hell of a racket, but no issues other than a big skidmark on the panzer and a missing driver side lower vent grill.
I also picked up an oil sucker...it is a big time saver!
 

Dieselgeek

TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Oct 3, 2000
Location
Golden, CO
TDI
2016 Golf TDI
jainsaab said:
I really need one....how much for shipping to Toronto??
We have recently switched to the U.S. Postal Service for all of our international shipments. We switched to USPS to save our international customers the high FedEx Customs brokerage fees. This website still calculates FedEx rates and still suggests that we use FedEx but we now only use USPS for all international shipments. Cost for shipping varies by product and your specific address.

To successfully calculate shipping rates for an international order, customers must fill out information on all order pages. On the "Invoice/Receipt" page you will see the shipping calculation specific to your address. You may cancel the order without being charged if you do not wish to order. Please note that we do not guarantee shipping times.

If you find that your stock side panels are too far gone to reuse then the replacement side panels should be ordered separately from the skid plate so that we collect the required amount of shipping fees (MKIV Panzer only).
 
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DavidML

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 21, 2005
Location
Manassas, VA
TDI
Golf, 2001, Red
Yup, Jim rocks

Great product- great service. Can not recommend them enough.

Btw: I took about 2 hours to do mine, but I was using a beam type torque wrench with my car on ramps, talk about tight....

-D...
 

Fix_Until_Broke

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 8, 2004
Location
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, USA
TDI
03 Jetta
I already have the DG steel skidplate (definately should come from the factory this way, has easily saved me multiple oil pans!) - is the panzer retrofittable, does it mount the same way? Biggest two things that I don't like about the steel one is having to fish the bars in the side skirt R/R the one side skirt while trying to balance the whole plate and start the bolts, and every time I tag a driveway or something real good, my bypass filter buzzes on the skid plate when the engine rocks when taking off in 1st gear. Then I have to take it off, support it on the two arms and jump on it in the middle to straighten it out. If these two issues went away, along with the lighter weight and slightly more ground clearance might get me to buy another
 
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