Shop tells me it's time to sell - tranny question

[#2isgreen]

I had the timing belt done this week end by the same guy who did it 80k ago. It's not a VW specific shop but they did fine last time so I figured let's go again.

I picked up the car last night and he gave me a to do list on the car, and suggested that at 164k it's about to start nickel and diming me to death.

Here's what's I know, and what the shop found:

The drone I was chasing by replacing front wheel bearings last month is actually a transmission bearing. The shop owner says he won't touch it. Think this is an input bearing?

Glow plug code - I bet it's just the harness

Drivers side seat belt air bag malfunction. The air bag light has been on for a while, I hoped it was the TSB passenger seat but I had that fixed once already and I guess it's still fixed. Can a Vag-Com write out an individual air bag so I can get the rest working again?

I have inspected the cam recently, and 30k ago and found only one dished out lifter and it's cam lobe showing a very small amount of copper on the corner. Inspected recently and no change. I wonder how long I can run like this? In 30k it didn't get any worse! I've run the correct 500.... Oil from ID parts since I got the car at 70k miles.

Sorry for the long post, but I am concerned about the next year of costs and really can't afford a new anything, I'd like to run this beast to 300k

 

[tassolake]

Is this car the automatic, 5 speed, 6 speed or DSG? From experience this Jetta and my last the 5 speed came apart around 260Km or 160K miles, both times it was the differential (the rivets on the gear become loose and then grenade) the only clue I received both times was an odd hesitation at Highway speed, then a nasty clunk when you slowed down and then grenade within a kilometer. (ten minutes beginning to end).

This is repairable before it grenades, At that mileage I would drop the gearbox, replace the DMF with a SMF and install a new clutch, then investigate the interior of the gearbox.

 

[#2isgreen]

Thanks for your response.

It's a 5 sp manual transmission.

About 40k miles ago I has the tranny out and installed a new south bend "street/strip" clutch from ID parts with a stock weight flywheel. I'm pretty sure a throw out bearing came with the clutch and was installed.

I think the guy is telling me it's the input bearing.

The differentials go on these cars too? Predictably in the same manner as the DMF's, and cams? Sounds more and more like these early A5's were doomed from the start

 

[oilhammer]

Well first, I'm not sure I'd trust a shop that tells you to get rid of your car no more than I'd trust a dentist that tells you to stop brushing your teeth. Yeah, you can replace both your car and your teeth, but is that really the best way?

I don't see a whole lot of manual transmission problems with Volkswagens, as a general rule. And given how many of them there are out there, that is a pretty good sign. They are not infallible, but certainly not a bad component with a runaway pattern failure.

One of the issues that can arise with these, however, is that they can get low on oil, and to really be sure they are filled properly can be a bit of a pain. Volkswagen should have made that part easier, and more idiot-proof. Low oil can, over time, cause problems like 5th gear failure or bearing failure.

Also, morons installing crappy Chaxles can stress things like wheel bearings and carrier (differential) bearings, too. Because they are not manufactured to stop NVH in the same manner, often using a solid shaft when a hollow one is spec'd, or vise-versa, or not having the dampener on the shaft, or having too much clearance in the bearings and causing the axle to jack-hammer on the diff constantly.

That said, even if it does need bearings, having that done OR just buying a reman gearbox from Volkswagen OR sourcing a good used one, is not that big of a deal, and certainly not worth dumping an otherwise good car for. These cars hold up well if cared for properly. I have a 300k mile example in here now that looks, runs, and drives just as solid as it did when it was new.