Never let any service or repair done on a vehicle by a back yard mechanic.

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blue-eye-boy

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Hey, this post is for all of you driving volkswagen tdi vehicles. I have a friend, which is a very very good bmw mechanic. He bought himself a vw tdi jetta a few years back. He sold it to his brother a year ago, and bought it back a month ago. His brother let some idiot mechanic do some work on the car. Well, last week he drove, and then one huge noise.

He stripped the engine. Oh boy you must see that. Head gone, pistons gone, crank shaft gone, valves gone, and so on and so on. Only parts to repair his car, cost R38 000. Luckily he knows his job, so he can do all the work himself, as vw charged him R45 000 to do the job for him. A new engine cost R65 000, and he could find one at a scrap yard.

For those who want to know, the pulley on the outside of the crank shaft where not torqued to specification, and it doesn't have like a key or something, so it slipped. Basically the same happened as if the cam belt broke.

So bottom line is, dont let a idiot work on your car!
 
That I dont know. I cant understand why the brother didn't ask his brother (my friend) to do whatever had to be done. If I had a brother like that, I'll use him for everything.:D
 
Peder said:
A newer car shouldn't ideally be worked on by anyone but the Trained technicians IMHO...
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True, I do service mine myself, but even things like cambelt change and more complicated work I get a professional, like the friend of mine. Luckily I know someone like him.
 
Probably he removed the crank pulley to replace the cambelt, just so you know R38K for a engine rebuild is a mayor rip-off! Even R38K for a entire engine is a Rip-off!

You pay around R6K for a complete rebuild and re hone of the engine block, you can give Goldwagen a call, and then some engineering shops, if the sleeve's aren't re honed the rings probably won't seal the way they should, might as well start over.

That mechanic obviously didn't know what he did but I know quite a few mechanics that run their own businesses that'll rival any dealership mechanic, mind you it's not from the back of their yard, they have a premises but to some people any non-dealship mechanic is backyard.
 
Gnome said:
That mechanic obviously didn't know what he did but I know quite a few mechanics that run their own businesses that'll rival any dealership mechanic, mind you it's not from the back of their yard, they have a premises but to some people any non-dealship mechanic is backyard.
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Seconded. Well, actually, my mechanic's workshop isn't his back yard, it's his front yard. But he's Mercedes-trained, and the local Merc dealership send all their difficult cases to him (especially S-Class).
 
Its a TDI, how many backyard mechs know whats going on there?
 
Claymore said:
It's no more complex than any other diesel or even petrol.
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The mechanics isn't complex.

But the electronics is.

I service my car myself (oil change, oil filter, plugs etc) but when it comes to replacing the cam belt (every 100000kms) I usually get somebody to help as it's a big job, and I can't afford to make a mistake.

Engine needs overhauling, so might just go for a completely overhauled engine and know everything is 100%.
 
Gnome said:
Probably he removed the crank pulley to replace the cambelt, just so you know R38K for a engine rebuild is a mayor rip-off! Even R38K for a entire engine is a Rip-off!

You pay around R6K for a complete rebuild and re hone of the engine block, you can give Goldwagen a call, and then some engineering shops, if the sleeve's aren't re honed the rings probably won't seal the way they should, might as well start over.

That mechanic obviously didn't know what he did but I know quite a few mechanics that run their own businesses that'll rival any dealership mechanic, mind you it's not from the back of their yard, they have a premises but to some people any non-dealship mechanic is backyard.
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Yes I dont know what that mechanic did, but he didn't know his way. And, I saw the quotation vw gave my friend, and R38000 is just for parts, no labour, cause he can do the job himself. He must replace the head too, cause it is completely useless, I saw it. And I think that takes up most of the parts cost. And sorry, on those type engines even if you get parts for it at goldwagen, what I doubt, I would use it. Parts on those engines is very expensive. He replaced the diesel injectors before he sold the car to his brother, and that alone cost R16 000, just for 4 injectors. It is a diesel engine, and parts is expensive.

Claymore said:
Seconded. Well, actually, my mechanic's workshop isn't his back yard, it's his front yard. But he's Mercedes-trained, and the local Merc dealership send all their difficult cases to him (especially S-Class).
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If you know someone like that, your lucky like me. Not everyone know someone who can and is willing to help. My friend is bmw trained. I'll trust him with a freeking brand new porche. He works so neat and precise.

JK8 said:
Its a TDI, how many backyard mechs know whats going on there?
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Yip, it's a very difficult engine, with lots of electronics.

The_Librarian said:
The mechanics isn't complex.

But the electronics is.

I service my car myself (oil change, oil filter, plugs etc) but when it comes to replacing the cam belt (every 100000kms) I usually get somebody to help as it's a big job, and I can't afford to make a mistake.

Engine needs overhauling, so might just go for a completely overhauled engine and know everything is 100%.
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If I may say something, I wouldn't go for a completely overhauled engine. I've heard many bad stories about engines like that. They normally give you a warrantee or something, but the trouble normally kicks in thereafter.

Morgoth said:
fixing a car yourselves normally saves money and the so called "experts" charge way to much for something any idiot can do =)
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Yes, if you can fix it yourself. But many can't, and then the pro's are there to rip them off.
 
The_Librarian said:
The mechanics isn't complex.

But the electronics is.
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Not really. It's all black box stuff now. If the ignition computer fails, you replace it; they're not repairable.

I service my car myself (oil change, oil filter, plugs etc) but when it comes to replacing the cam belt (every 100000kms) I usually get somebody to help as it's a big job, and I can't afford to make a mistake.
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My mechanic does my services (I get the parts) because I'm lazy. I definitely don't touch expensive stuff myself - I want someone else to carry the warranty.
 
Claymore said:
Not really. It's all black box stuff now. If the ignition computer fails, you replace it; they're not repairable.



My mechanic does my services (I get the parts) because I'm lazy. I definitely don't touch expensive stuff myself - I want someone else to carry the warranty.
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Well good luck if your car's electronics fail. But then it looks like you know what must be done then, I dont, and most people dont. You're lucky to be you.
 
jacqvt said:
Well good luck if your car's electronics fail. But then it looks like you know what must be done then, I dont, and most people dont. You're lucky to be you.
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If the electronic parts fail, you replace them. Easy. And they tend to be very, very reliable, generally.

The biggest hassle is wiring. It can be almost impossible to trace exactly where an issue is.
 
Well, an update. The guy got a engine at a scrapyard. The guy in charge said it had 80 000km on the clock, he think. So off they went to get it. But they took a battery with and put it in. Saw in the car on the clock it has only 23 000 on the clock!. So they paid for a engine with 80 000 on. It's practicly a new engine, looks very very good, could almost be a new engine. He paid R 17 000 for it, gearbox included.

Now thats what I call a bargain.
 
jacqvt said:
Yes I dont know what that mechanic did, but he didn't know his way. And, I saw the quotation vw gave my friend, and R38000 is just for parts, no labour, cause he can do the job himself. He must replace the head too, cause it is completely useless, I saw it. And I think that takes up most of the parts cost. And sorry, on those type engines even if you get parts for it at goldwagen, what I doubt, I would use it. Parts on those engines is very expensive. He replaced the diesel injectors before he sold the car to his brother, and that alone cost R16 000, just for 4 injectors. It is a diesel engine, and parts is expensive.
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Damn that's a rip-off, these dealers are smokin' something. Just like you posted above that isn't actually a bargain, you can probably get it cheaper from some other places but it can be a mission finding it. Too bad it's VW but if it were Opel I could have helped you (IE. Corsa Lite engines, complete with gearbox, management, aircon and power steering, typically go for R6-8K for a good one, down to R4k for one that's really old).

Btw. Places like Goldwagen can sell you components way stronger than the factory standard components, I've bought lots of things there, you get the exact same thing the dealer sells at 1/4 of the price, the dealers just put a premium on the components, simple as that.
 
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Gnome said:
Damn that's a rip-off, these dealers are smokin' something. Just like you posted above that isn't actually a bargain, you can probably get it cheaper from some other places but it can be a mission finding it. Too bad it's VW but if it were Opel I could have helped you (IE. Corsa Lite engines, complete with gearbox, management, aircon and power steering, typically go for R6-8K for a good one, down to R4k for one that's really old).

Btw. Places like Goldwagen can sell you components way stronger than the factory standard components, I've bought lots of things there, you get the exact same thing the dealer sells at 1/4 of the price, the dealers just put a premium on the components, simple as that.
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Yes it is expensive, and it was the only one he could get. The scrapyard didn't even know they had it. My friend went there and asked if he could have a look himself. And there it was. And also take into considering, it is a diesel engine, and it had only 23 k's on the clock. And it included the gearbox.

But it is so that dealers smoke something, really. For my jetta, they quoted me R1200 for the fanbelt tensioner. I mean really.
 
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