Blown turbo, now what?

[MITBeta]

Well, at 197,000 miles it looks like my 2001 Jetta's turbo gave up the ghost. Was on the way home from work last night and put my foot down. The car TOOK OFF and then even after letting up on the accelerator the tach went to red line with lots of black smoke in the rear view mirror. I quickly turned off the car.

So I suspect that my turbo seal is gone and that I was running on engine oil for a few seconds there. I was able to restart and get <1/2 mile back to my house.

I think this is the last straw for this car, and I'm now in the market for a new Golf TDI. The question is: what should I do with the old car? I don't dare drive it any distance, but I could tow it somewhere.

Do I replace the turbo and try to sell it? Do I find someone to buy it as is? Do I donate it to one of those charity places? Do I sell it for scrap?

What do you think?

 

[davebugs]

Many sellable parts.

 

[MITBeta]

Maybe. But what do I do with what's left after it's picked clean?

 

[nkfry]

Why not spend the money on a new turbo and have a fine running car for another 10+ years?

If all that is wrong is the turbo gave out I would replace it, clean oil & possible shrapnel from the charge piping & IC, and vacuum the oil out of the cylinders if there is any, and drive it.

No need to try and justify a new car when repairs are about $800-$1000.

 

[BobnOH]

salvage yard will tow it away for the metal

 

[MITBeta]

Why not spend the money on a new turbo and have a fine running car for another 10+ years?
If all that is wrong is the turbo gave out I would replace it, clean oil & possible shrapnel from the charge piping & IC, and vacuum the oil out of the cylinders if there is any, and drive it.
No need to try and justify a new car when repairs are about $800-$1000.

It's a fair question, and one that I've gone back and forth on for the last 24 hours or so. I've done a turbo job before, I'm not afraid of it. But it will always need something. There are probably a lot of other parts that need to be replaced (especially in the suspension) and there are other big ticket items that are still on the first time around, like the transmission. At this point, I don't have the time to worry about what the next thing that's going to break will be. It's been a good run, but I think it's time to move on.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

PM Sent

 

[halocline]

If the engine did not hydrolock and/or bend rods from the runaway, which seems like the case, all it needs is a new turbo....fairly common repair. Someone will definitely buy it.

 

[TDIBud]

PM Sent.

 

[KLXD]

I just put 2k in body work and paint on my '98 with close to 300k after a minor accident. It's starting to use oil and will probably get a TC soon.

Where could I get a comparable car for 3k?

 

[vtx531]

It's a fair question, and one that I've gone back and forth on for the last 24 hours or so. I've done a turbo job before, I'm not afraid of it. But it will always need something. There are probably a lot of other parts that need to be replaced (especially in the suspension) and there are other big ticket items that are still on the first time around, like the transmission. At this point, I don't have the time to worry about what the next thing that's going to break will be. It's been a good run, but I think it's time to move on.

Sounds like you should put in a new turbo and sell it. It's not worth much if it's not running.