Repair or Sell??

[tseed]

I am looking for suggestions. I have a 1998 Jetta, with a broken timing belt. I'm not sure of the cost to fix it currently.The reason for this is because I was returning to Wisconsin from vacation and my belt snapped in Georgia. It is at a dealer right now and the are going to look at it. They guessed at $1000 to $1500 b4 looking at it. Does it pay to repair it or donate it to a charity? I'm looking for constructive suggestions. Thanks....

 

[WillR]

Giving it to Charity saves you taxes. So if they give you $3000, you can write that amount off, and net around 30%-40% of that value. OR find someone on here on this list that will give you $1500, you get cash, and your taxes are easy to do at the end of the year.

Starting in 2004, The IRS changed the way they value tax writeoff cars. If I understand it correct, the value of the tax deduction is based on what the car sells for at auction, no longer based on book value like in years past.

 

[tseed]

If I have the car fixed are there any other things that should be repaired while belt is being replaced?

 

[runonbeer]

what RPM/load was the engine at/under at the moment the belt snapped? $1000 sounds like a "best case scenario" quote anytime there is a broken belt involved.
How many miles on this pup?

I say fix.

 

[Toronto_Vento]

It can go as easily as just needing a timing belt job. It can go as bad as needing to reconstruct the engine head due to bent valves/rods. Honestly, if the car has been good for you, and you really don't want to spend the money on a new one, I'd say fix.

If it would be me, I'd probably fix the thing.

 

[zymurgy_jon1]

Has it been a good runner. How many miles are
on it.

You will want to replace the waterpump
and a few other items, no big deal.

I was just quoted prices for heads.
If your head is hosed, a rebuilt one is about $600+/-.
Or if the head can be overhauled it's a lot less.
Weaver auto parts in Madison is overhauling my head.
I would say fix it.

 

[rdkern]

How's the body? What else is wrong with it? Do you really love this car?

The mechanical parts can be fixed (maybe with total engine overhaul - worst case) but do you want an excuse to dump it?

Financially - you'd be better off fixing it and, if you want to get rid of it - selling it. Unless you don't have the financial ability to fix it, in which case selling it as is should get you more than you'd save on taxes by donating it.

 

[VelvetFoot]

Now, if this happened to a New Yorker (or other CARB state), this would be the time to move up to a brand new TDI with 0 miles!

 

[janb]

depends where in GA... I would be looking for someone besides dealer to do that work, but I would definately fix it. and move on with life.... lesson learned. I had a belt break on an IDI @ 40k, due to poor tracking. It cost me ~$300 to do myself

the head will be $600 but labor might be more. It can be done in ~8 hrs (in and out)

good luck

might post for "" repair shops in _ _ _ GA, TN...SC FL, AL")

 

[tseed]

The car has 154000 miles on it. I just bought it last year, so yes its been good to me so far until this. I was doing about 75 to 80 miles an hour. Plus I heard a 'KLUNK' a second b4 it shutdown. (I'm thinking thats not a very good thing). If I wanted to take it to another place to get it worked on I would have to pay another tow charge. The body is not rotted out at all. I just put tires on it. Zymurgy you suggested to replace water pump also and some other parts... what are the other parts? As far as loving the car, well a car is a car. The dealer said the car is probably on its last leg.(This sounds very odd to me because I thought diesels last 'forever' if maintained. Maybe they wantd an older car to put on their lot to sell. I'm not sure.) I think I covered the reply questions... Thanks for the info so far....

 

[zymurgy_jon1]

Where is the car now in Wisconsin?

The klunk at 70-80 mph may have been the valves and head. You may want to have the shop to drop the oil pan and look up into the engine if there's metal shavings,
if there is than the motor than it's most likely dead. I've found used tdi motors for $2900. that's shipped to
Madison WI.
If it's good than the other parts you may want to
install are rollers, and a Serpentine Belt
go to dieselgeek web site for a kit.

If you are thinking of dumping it let me know
before you do. But still, try and get it fixed.

Good Luck!

 

[tseed]

The car is currently in Valdosta Georgia.The price of the motor...is that complete as in just drop it in the car, or do you have to swap partsfrom old to new? How many miles do the motors have? What do you mean by "rollers"?

 

[zymurgy_jon1]

I was looking at motors you just drop in.
they are used out of a totaled cars.
Uninted auto parts in Omaha NE, or try http://www.zsimports.com out of NV.

 

[tseed]

I got the estimate....$3200 ouch but the head was totaly trashed...all the lifters are junk....they figured it was less expensive to get a new/reman head than to replace all the individual parts in it. If the car was where I lived I probably would have gone the used motor route or tried to find a less expensive alternative. I doubt if the dealer would drop in "used" parts for me, plus they most likely would have gouged my eyes out even more for an engine swap.


Also they are changing oil, new gaskets, new water pump, new idler sprocket, new head bolts, and misc other small items. The head alone was $1400, labor was around $900

 

[zymurgy_jon1]

YEKS!
good luck on the repair.
have a safe trip home.

 

[EtherNut]

I think you made the right decision. In the long run 3200 bucks is a lot cheaper than a new car, espcially if it's in decent shape. I'd do exactly the same even though it would hurt a bit.

Good Luck!

 

[tseed]

An update....all is fixed accept my wallet...DOH!!
$3500.00 parts and labor
$90.00 Rental car to get home
$63.00 Greyhound ticket to get back to car
3 Weeks with no car
17 Hours to drive rental car home
24 Hours to ride Greyhound back to car location
24 Hours to drive home
$???? lost wages.....


LESSON LEARNED......CHANGE THE TIMING BELT!!!!!!!!!!