Friends do not let friends buy Volkswagons

[fusion210]

I'll never forget my friend's 1998 Golf VR6. Nice to sit in. Jack it up on one side and you couldn't open the doors.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by mcrews

Just to be clear....they were going to charge $257 just for the belt... How much more for the labor??????
And you paid $18 for the belt and clicked your little Dorothy slippers three times and the belt was on.....right????


Or just maybe.....the truth is their quote included a couple of hours of labor and it took you all day????

Most accessory belts can be changed in 10 minutes. They are held on either by spring tension applied at one of the pulleys, which requires a pry bar (screwdriver) to move the pulley enough to remove/replace the belt. Other tension systems involve loosening 1 bolt to allow slack to be made on a pulley, and then removing/replacing the belt, and re-tightening the slack and bolt.

None of this is rocket surgery, unless perhaps it's a VW we're working on.

... and rear brake drums don't need cleaning. They get dirty and rust, and nobody cares.

I can perform most car service in less than the billable "book" hours that the shop charges, and I'm a novice with a very modest amount of tools. Imagine how quickly the "pros" with lifts and proper tools complete the 8 book hours of work they charged you.

The only 2 things I've allowed pros to work on so far have been tire replacement and oil changes. The lube shops are breaking even on the $20 oil change, fluid fill, tire check, and vacuum because I don't opt to replace my PCV valve, air filter, and wiper blades while I'm there.

[bhazard]

No problems in 70,000 miles with my VW. Even the common stuff, DPF, HPFP, intercooler icing.

No problems with the two 2.5L Subarus I've had either. Even the early DOHC 2.5 has been rock solid.

[vrmouseyd15b]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

The only 2 things I've allowed pros to work on so far have been tire replacement and oil changes. The lube shops are breaking even on the $20 oil change, fluid fill, tire check, and vacuum because I don't opt to replace my PCV valve, air filter, and wiper blades while I'm there.

For me, it would be tire changes ONLY. I don't trust the poorly tained "Lube Jabronies" to even look at my oil. I specifically instruct them not to touch anything other than the tires and rims, if it's an emergency and I need tire service.

I can't trust some random member of the "unwashed masses" to do things right. I put my oil drain plug on with a TORQUE WRENCH, NOT AN IMPACT WRENCH Those dudes just don't care - and tend to do things wrong more out of ignorance than indifference. Just imagine the possibilities

If it's something that I can plan (new tires), I'll bring the rims and tires ONLY and let the "Tire Jabronies" do their thing. That way nobody gets any stupid ideas...

Otherwise, I'm the mechanic. I trust me.

Thanks,
Victor

[user removed]

Originally Posted by tvbd56

When I changed it on my crx i researched that and came to opinions being generally 50/50 between Honda MTF and synchromesh. I ended up using synchromesh and I approve!

I'm another one that has no VW experience but I have been bent over backwards by dealerships.
My Toyota Tacoma had an electrical problem, I would turn on the cruise control and set the speed. If I were to turn on my parking lights it would kill my CC and I couldn't use it again until I killed and re started the engine. After weeks of trying to figure it out myself for weeks I took it to toyota and come to find out there was a short in the taillight bulb. $120 later... FOR A BULB they charged me for an hour of labor, when I bet it took the mechanic 5 minutes.

Took my CRX to Honda for blinkers not working. They fixed that for a hour of labortook the car home and tried to start it the next morning, no juice, the battery was dead. Lights weren't on and battery was just fine before the dealership. Called and left a voicemail on how the tech killed my battery (porter even told me my car had to be jumped) so they looked at my car free of charge. Then I get a call and they want $464 to replace the alternator. Hell NO. Cost me $80 for a new alternator and a couple hours of my time.

So after "weeks" of trying to fix it yourself, you begrudge a tech one hour to diagnose the issue and replace the bulb that was causing the problem? Particularly the implication that the tech "knew" the bulb was the cause of the problem therefore not deserving of any diagnostic time allowed.

As far as the battery issue. Did you replace the battery or just charge it?

I had a regular customer and his daughter's 280Z on the lift in my shop and the water pump seal gave out and it literally dumped a gallon of coolant right there. I caught most of it in my drain pan. The father and daughter, a very beautiful young lady, had restored the car for her to drive to college.

Expecting to be savaged for my "sabotage" of his young daughters prize, and the product of their labor, I was amazed to hear him say, I am sure glad that happened here instead of some dark rainy night on the side of I64 where she disappeared and I never saw her again.

Two sides to every story.

Pay my overhead and my employees a decent wage while expecting them to only charge you for a light bulb replacement? I'd bet it wasn't a short or it would blow a fuse, probably the wrong bulb installed by who? The wrong bulb was grounding throught the brake light circuit and killing the cruise control.

Did the tech you got to fix your CC install the wrong bulb?

My apologies to the author of this post who may think I have singled him-her out for criticism. I agree with those who fix their own, but they must realize they have no outside quality control other than themselves. A shop owner risks his lifes savings on every job that leaves his shop. I know there are bad ones and good ones and they are fairly easy to figure out with the internet.

regards
mech

[vrmouseyd15b]

I know Old Mechanic is a good one, for sure!
But we Ecomodders are a different breed altogether.

Honesty and a little integrity go a long way. All of Old Mechanic's diagnostic methods are very straight forward and no nonsense from what I've seen (thanks again for the spongy brake pedal solution on Skidmark). That's the kind of mechanic I'd go to.

The mechanic I "use" when I need him, is a close personal friend (YODA) and he works like Old Mechanic. He knows his stuff. Difference is, YODA works in my garage, with my tools most of the time, and usually after I've messed something up
Helluva guy

Mech, your stock is HIGH in my book!

Thanks,
Victor

[user removed]

There is good and bad _______________ (insert occupation) in every "profession". Doctors are drug addicts, alcoholics, wife beaters and murderers.

I come here to help those who endeavor to help themselves and to occasionally share my "dreams" with like thinkers. Nothing like doing it the 100th time . (any repair compared to the first time)

I like my dreams very much. Not a single person in a decade has shown me why they would not work and we're all really good at that, right?

regards
mech

[TedV]

They all suck. Every manufacture has a turd in some way. I know 4 people in the last 6 months whose Honda's have lost motors. I've heard "Its common for the VTEC solenoid to get clogged with metal" wait? whut? after the oil filter the motor is making metal and clogging the VTEC solenoid?

I know several people with Toyota problems. Piston rings non existent (perfect oil change record),low compression, low power, doesn't leak oil because it burns it as fast as you pour it in. Transmission issues, etc.

Same for every make of car, they have models better than others. Some have extra suckage though. Do your research on the quirks of the particular car before you buy.

I have 380K miles on my 98 TDi. I perform all the regular maintenance myself. I can screw my car up cheaper than paying someone to do it. Also, I just might have a better chance of doing it right. I haven't had to get any more special tools to do the jobs than any other car. I've had to get special tools for Honda. The clutch in the TDi lasted to 270K miles. Somewhere around 320K miles the alternator did die. $250 to $300+ for a rebuilt alternator. The bearings were good, it was just the regulator brushes wore out. I purchased the regulator (listed at various places for $40-$70) rebuilt the alternator myself with tools you can buy at Lowes or Home depot. No special rocket science tools needed there. After diesel switched to ultra low sulfur, I did get fuel pump leaks. local rebuild was $250 or for 4x that I could get a perfect rebuild with performance tweaks that would give me same MPG with a little more performance. My choice to spend the extra. Fuel savings over gas prices and MPG have payed for the cost of the car years ago.

I picked a manual window crank car so I wouldn't have to deal with window regulators. Which I had to replace in a friends Honda Civic- its a common known issue with Honda. Ask about window door lock regulators on Acura, they had a huge problem in the 90's. I fixed a friends early Mk4 VW door lock actuator by taking it apart and soldering the electrical contacts back together. Cost nothing but time on the weekend since I had the tools and soldering iron. Supposedly later models and the new actuators don't have the problem.

So, to sum up my rant here, every car has its problems. Do your research on that particular year model and buy accordingly.

[user removed]

What I noticed on the German cars, was when they started making the electrical components in Mexico, the frequency of repairs skyrocketed comapred to German made parts.

As to why I don't need to speculate and I did very little work on German cars, sold Benz parts in the early 80s, but never a line tech. We had one Benz tech that made $80k in1982, probably others with the 5th most productive MB factory service dept in the country.

I never sold Mexican made parts for MB. Last VW was air cooled, it had an intermittent no start condition that I could not figure out for 6 months, so I used a rope and a spool for a techumseh lawn mower engine. Later I learned the solution was to wire two starter solenoids in a series. That worked but I still got a kick out of rope starting that VW.

regards
mech

[vrmouseyd15b]

Rope start? Like an old boat or lawn mower? Cool.

Thanks,
Victor