I am a new member here and need some advice. I'm not sure if the is the right place to post this.
I recently bought my third TDI. It's a 2003 Jetta GLS with 106,000 miles. I live in Utah and found the car on cars.com in Phoenix. I sent my cousin to look at it and bought it based on his opinion. It was a private sale and the guy that I bought it from had just had some service work done on it at a local dealer. He took it in for brakes and $700.00 later he brought it home with brakes, new control arms, and a new valve cover and gasket. I have a copy of the invoice.
My brother flew down last Saturday to pick it up. On his way home, down by Lake Powell, there was catostrophic suspension failure but he was able to keep it upright and got it off the road. When he called me, knowing that the control arms had been replaced, I had a tow truck from where I live go and get it and I went along. Not a cheap tow (about 7 hours round trip) but I did not want it towed into some small town in the middle of nowhere, plus my brother was stranded.
Based on his story as well as some eyewitnesses, he did not hit anything and I confirmed this when I went there. There is not rock in sight. He was driving and all of the sudden there was a loud bang and the car violently jerked to the right.
After looking at the car, it is apparent that the control arm was faulty. You can see the front mount, where it encases the bushing, was only welded on the top and not on the bottom. The drivers side is welded both top and bottom. Note that there were only 317 miles on the car between when the control arm was put on and when it failed.
So the estimate is just over $4,000! New control arm, CV shaft, sway bar end link, oil pan, tie rod end, wheel, tire, repaint front fender and bumper, alignment, towing, labor etc.
The guy I bought the car from is being very helpful even though this is not his fualt. He has all the pics and statements and is going to go talk to the dealership tomorrow.
So who's fault is it? The dealership didn't make the part but they did install it. Has anyone ever come across a control arm that wasn't welded properly? Has this happened to someone before? Why would the dealership replace both control arms at 106,000 miles? It that what they do if it needs bushings?
Thanks for you help.
http://s682.photobucket.com/albums/vv189/maxpower_pics/
I recently bought my third TDI. It's a 2003 Jetta GLS with 106,000 miles. I live in Utah and found the car on cars.com in Phoenix. I sent my cousin to look at it and bought it based on his opinion. It was a private sale and the guy that I bought it from had just had some service work done on it at a local dealer. He took it in for brakes and $700.00 later he brought it home with brakes, new control arms, and a new valve cover and gasket. I have a copy of the invoice.
My brother flew down last Saturday to pick it up. On his way home, down by Lake Powell, there was catostrophic suspension failure but he was able to keep it upright and got it off the road. When he called me, knowing that the control arms had been replaced, I had a tow truck from where I live go and get it and I went along. Not a cheap tow (about 7 hours round trip) but I did not want it towed into some small town in the middle of nowhere, plus my brother was stranded.
Based on his story as well as some eyewitnesses, he did not hit anything and I confirmed this when I went there. There is not rock in sight. He was driving and all of the sudden there was a loud bang and the car violently jerked to the right.
After looking at the car, it is apparent that the control arm was faulty. You can see the front mount, where it encases the bushing, was only welded on the top and not on the bottom. The drivers side is welded both top and bottom. Note that there were only 317 miles on the car between when the control arm was put on and when it failed.
So the estimate is just over $4,000! New control arm, CV shaft, sway bar end link, oil pan, tie rod end, wheel, tire, repaint front fender and bumper, alignment, towing, labor etc.
The guy I bought the car from is being very helpful even though this is not his fualt. He has all the pics and statements and is going to go talk to the dealership tomorrow.
So who's fault is it? The dealership didn't make the part but they did install it. Has anyone ever come across a control arm that wasn't welded properly? Has this happened to someone before? Why would the dealership replace both control arms at 106,000 miles? It that what they do if it needs bushings?
Thanks for you help.
http://s682.photobucket.com/albums/vv189/maxpower_pics/
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