My car is in it's last days :( *PICS*

[tfinch2]

If you buy a 5,000 dollar car there is a good chance you're going to have to go through what you are going through right now again in about 20k miles or less. Take the 5k and make a down payment on a newer car and make payments so you can open a window for maintenance free driving and save money for your new house.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Your mechanic is a moron. Take it to a reputable mechanic who can diagnose it properly.

i've been going to this guy for a long time and he's basically a family friend as well. i don't think he would lie to me about this kind of stuff. but who knows. all i know is that my car definitely isn't running well right now at all.

Well, he obviously doesn't know what he's doing if he can't properly diagnose a check engine light. If he doesn't have the tools to do it (OBDII diagnostic computer-IIRC) then you should take it to someone who does.

 

[Doggiedog]

Originally posted by: munky

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: radioouman

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
So your car prematurely craps out after a low amount of miles (115K), yet you want to get another VW? Explain your logic please.

Same thing that I was going to say. Late models VWs are worse than the older ones. I'd look for something else.

I have over 150K on my old 87 buick and its going strong. Yet everyone here bashs GM while they get a car that is "dead" at 115K yet still want the another one from the same brand

Well, it really depends on how you drive. If you're gonna drag race at every traffic light, then your engine will crap out early, no matter what the car is. But in general, VW reliability has not been as good as some Japanese brands, I don't know why many young people like VW so much, I'm young (24) and I don't want a VW.

I grew up learning how to drive on a Ford Tempo and a VW GTI. Guess why I like German cars?

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Your mechanic is a moron. Take it to a reputable mechanic who can diagnose it properly.

i've been going to this guy for a long time and he's basically a family friend as well. i don't think he would lie to me about this kind of stuff. but who knows. all i know is that my car definitely isn't running well right now at all.

Well, he obviously doesn't know what he's doing if he can't properly diagnose a check engine light. If he doesn't have the tools to do it (OBDII diagnostic computer-IIRC) then you should take it to someone who does.

he does have the components to hook it to the computer. its just giving some bogus code or something on the readings. i have seen him hook the computer to it and check it, right in the plug near the cigarette lighter thingie.

 

[lancestorm]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: lancestorm
sharp car man, sad to hear you want to see it go. if he is not a true v-dub mechanic, i would go to a v-dub dealership you feel you can trust or other ppl trust such as on vwvortex forums. If you were around Cincy, I would have you go to v-dub dealership my father works at. He's worked on v-dubs for over 25 years now @ the same shop.

I would not take it to a VW dealership, I'd take it to a VW mechanic.

That's what I meant.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Your mechanic is a moron. Take it to a reputable mechanic who can diagnose it properly.

i've been going to this guy for a long time and he's basically a family friend as well. i don't think he would lie to me about this kind of stuff. but who knows. all i know is that my car definitely isn't running well right now at all.

Well, he obviously doesn't know what he's doing if he can't properly diagnose a check engine light. If he doesn't have the tools to do it (OBDII diagnostic computer-IIRC) then you should take it to someone who does.

he does have the components to hook it to the computer. its just giving some bogus code or something on the readings. i have seen him hook the computer to it and check it, right in the plug near the cigarette lighter thingie.

I'd still get a second opinion. That doesn't sound right. Taking the engine out to diagnose a noise and a check engine light? How is the compression in your cylinders? Did he check that yet? I can see pulling the engine if you have a loss of compression in one of the cylinders but for a check engine light? No.

Do you maintain the car properly? Regular oil changes etc?

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: Pciber

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Your mechanic is a moron. Take it to a reputable mechanic who can diagnose it properly.

seconded. He probably doesn't have the proper computer hookup for VWs, but he doesn't want to tell you because you would go elsewhere.

It's a 1997 car, so the there's no special computer hookup. It will use the OBDII standard connector.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally posted by: tfinch2
If you buy a 5,000 dollar car there is a good chance you're going to have to go through what you are going through right now again in about 20k miles or less. Take the 5k and make a down payment on a newer car and make payments so you can open a window for maintenance free driving and save money for your new house.

i agree

he should just get the engine seen to by a proper VW mechanic, or better still hoist the old one and take it to the scrapper, and put in a similar or better unit. a VR6 unit would be nice match for that car

that car is still rescue-able dont just get rid of it. liking the Mk4 golf style headlamps

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: tfinch2
If you buy a 5,000 dollar car there is a good chance you're going to have to go through what you are going through right now again in about 20k miles or less. Take the 5k and make a down payment on a newer car and make payments so you can open a window for maintenance free driving and save money for your new house.

That is bad advice. The $5k down payment is just the starting point for even more money he has to spend.

If he does his homework and buys a car that is reliable to begin with, he wouldn't have these problems. In this case, a VW breaking down prematurely is nothing out of the ordinary- they have some of the worst reliability of any car maker. It would be very rare for a Toyota or a Honda to let you down like this, since they have the best reliability. If you want something reliable, don't buy a car that's known to be unreliable.

I bought a Toyota for cheap with 150,000 miles on it, and it ran flawlessly for another 65,000 miles until someone smashed into me at a stoplight.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Your mechanic is a moron. Take it to a reputable mechanic who can diagnose it properly.

i've been going to this guy for a long time and he's basically a family friend as well. i don't think he would lie to me about this kind of stuff. but who knows. all i know is that my car definitely isn't running well right now at all.

Well, he obviously doesn't know what he's doing if he can't properly diagnose a check engine light. If he doesn't have the tools to do it (OBDII diagnostic computer-IIRC) then you should take it to someone who does.

he does have the components to hook it to the computer. its just giving some bogus code or something on the readings. i have seen him hook the computer to it and check it, right in the plug near the cigarette lighter thingie.

I'd still get a second opinion. That doesn't sound right. Taking the engine out to diagnose a noise and a check engine light? How is the compression in your cylinders? Did he check that yet? I can see pulling the engine if you have a loss of compression in one of the cylinders but for a check engine light? No.

Do you maintain the car properly? Regular oil changes etc?

the check engine light and this new problem with the engine are 2 different things. my check engine light has been going on/off for about 8 months now and he's had trouble diagnosing that one. this new problem is different. he believes that something is wrong with the pistons but isn't sure until he takes it apart. again, i'm not mechanic so i might not be wording everything correctly.

and yes, i oiled it every 3K miles or so and did the routine maintenence on it. i did drive it pretty hard though.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer

Originally posted by: tfinch2
If you buy a 5,000 dollar car there is a good chance you're going to have to go through what you are going through right now again in about 20k miles or less. Take the 5k and make a down payment on a newer car and make payments so you can open a window for maintenance free driving and save money for your new house.

i agree

he should just get the engine seen to by a proper VW mechanic, or better still hoist the old one and take it to the scrapper, and put in a similar or better unit. a VR6 unit would be nice match for that car

that car is still rescue-able dont just get rid of it. liking the Mk4 golf style headlamps

well the whole point of me getting a car for about $5K is so i won't have a monthly payment because i can spend that much $$$ in cash right now.

 

[psteng19]

Originally posted by: tfinch2
If you buy a 5,000 dollar car there is a good chance you're going to have to go through what you are going through right now again in about 20k miles or less.

Only if you buy another VW

The above statement is not necessarily true if you know what to look for.
Check the reliability ratings for the car and check the condition of the car itself during a test drive and if both are fine, you should be in good shape.

I bought two cars, both under $5k, both doing great even now.

$4500 - 1995 Sentra with 45k miles back in 2000.
It has 110k miles on it now and runs perfect with minimal repairs, mostly a rusty exhaust.
Gave it to my sister who drives it now.

$1500 - 1996 Sentra with 120k miles in 2003.
It now has 150k miles and I just changed the clutch. No other repairs.

 

[batmang]

get a honda, and be done with the jetta!

but seriously, im sad your jetta is coming to its end. your jetta is one of few that are actually made in germany. most of the new dub's are made in mexico, which are crap.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: batmang

but seriously, im sad your jetta is coming to its end. your jetta is one of few that are actually made in germany. most of the new dub's are made in mexico, which are crap.

Apparently his German-made one was crap, too (as is the reliability of most German-made cars such as VW, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes. Look at reliability ratings)

 

[SuperSix]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Your mechanic is a moron. Take it to a reputable mechanic who can diagnose it properly.

He's definately trying to screw you.

Did he offer to buy it too?

 

[MisterCornell]

VW = sh|t. Most unreliable cars.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Your mechanic is a moron. Take it to a reputable mechanic who can diagnose it properly.

I second, third, fourth, and infinity that statement. Just looking at the pictures, unless the inside of that car is a warzone, the thing is not even close to "totalled".