Repair or Buy Another ?

fourwarner

Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2009
Location
Missouri
TDI
2003 Jetta
Our '03 Jetta TDI went through a ditch and punched a hole in the gearbox housing and tore up the front left suspension. The insurance totaled the car and offered $8700. We could buy it back for $1800 and repair it or part it out. Does anyone have a suggestion. The exterior of the car was not damaged, only mechanical damage plus a few dings in the floor pan.
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
Can you do the work yourself to repair? If not I would make sure $8700 is the true amount the car is worth and buy another.
 

Powder Hound

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 25, 1999
Location
Under a Bridge, Crestview, FL, USA
TDI
'00 Golf 4dr White 5sp, '02 Jettachero 5sp, Wife's '03 NB Platinum Gray auto(!)
I'd bet the left front unibody 'frame' is bent, and buying a different copy would be to your advantage. If you had the space and patience for it, buying the old one and parting it out might be educational, and if you have special bits you want to save, worth the trouble. Sounds like the engine might still be worth something, but otherwise, parting a car out can be a headache.
 

Conan

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2010
Location
Denver
TDI
2003 GLS TDI
Can't really make that call without several estimates on how much it would be to fix. If you can get it for $1800, you can certainly sell it for parts for more than that. I've been looking for a running wreck ALH for a swap, and I haven't seen one that cheap. Is it an automatic? If so, that rock might have done you a big favor. If it's a stick, I'd have a good trans shop take a look at it, it might be fixable.
 

fourwarner

Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2009
Location
Missouri
TDI
2003 Jetta
The engine appears to be undamaged. I just don't know if there's a demand for it if I decide to part out the engine and body parts.
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
Depends on condition and miles. The engine would probably be the easy part if low miles and good condition. The rest will take time.
 

MonsterTDI09

TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2009
Location
NoVa/NJ
TDI
2010 Jetta DSG/ up keep on 2009 Jetta DSG 2006 Jetta Pag 2 in North SEA Green
Is it an automatic? If so, that rock might have done you a big favor..

+1

03 was a very a good. If the body is in good shape mabey.If it a auto you can put a 5 speed around 2k,good luck
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
Our '03 Jetta TDI went through a ditch and punched a hole in the gearbox housing and tore up the front left suspension. The insurance totaled the car and offered $8700. We could buy it back for $1800 and repair it or part it out. Does anyone have a suggestion. The exterior of the car was not damaged, only mechanical damage plus a few dings in the floor pan.
It's hard to say without seeing the damage. If the body isn't tweaked, then it can be repaired no problem. If the body is out of whack, it is pretty much toast.

It really depends what got hit and bent up. Suspension components can be replaced fairly cheaply, body damage is pretty expensive and hard to fix.
 

procupine14

Veteran Member
Joined
May 20, 2010
Location
Kansas City, MO
TDI
2003 Beetle 5sp
It's hard to say without seeing the damage. If the body isn't tweaked, then it can be repaired no problem. If the body is out of whack, it is pretty much toast.

It really depends what got hit and bent up. Suspension components can be replaced fairly cheaply, body damage is pretty expensive and hard to fix.
I agree with this. If the unibody is damaged the car is pretty much toast if it is anything over a minor 'tweak'. They just aren't like the 'frame-on' cars where the frame can be straightened easily. Chances are that, even if they can straighten the unibody, it may never be quite the same.
 
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