Thursday, November 4, 2010

are volkswagen's expensive to repair?

Question 1
are volkswagen's expensive to repair?...  I'M considering purchasing a 2005 Jetta GL. A little nervous about the online reviews. Thx

Answers
1)   Yes, they are VERY expensive and difficult to maintain. - Sam

2)   yes there parts are high - tessa48

3)   They're over-engineered junk. Its sad really because it they didn't fall apart they'd be great cars. - Fribble

4)   The mk5 is a GREAT car. In terms of reliability, it is the best so far, and honestly, I don't have high hopes for the 2011s now out, they look cheap.

There's a 2008 in my driveway and the past 2 years and 35000 miles have been trouble free, except for the auxiliary stereo input not working, but then again, it's not a Volkswagen unless the it has some kind of minor and annoying issue.

Another example, my 1997 Jetta GLX has 124k miles runs strong as hell and the only problem that really annoys me is a whistling coming from the passenger side air vents, - Nick

5)   VW s are hard on wallet!

1 Parts availability takes time
2 Parts are expensive
3 V W does not dissipate" Know how" to field that liberally! - tvl

6)   Its like all average cars, nothing expensive nothing chipper. The point its for my personal experience with Vw its last long, have excellent fuel mileage, if you due maintenance properly you practically don,t need repairs. - Goran

7)   I take it you are in the USA ? If you source a car made in Germany you will have few problems. The cars you normally get a Brazilian or Mexican and seem to be plagued with problems hence some of the adverse comments you receive. All car parts are expensive its just some are more expensive than others, VW seem to fall into the latter category. - L G


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Question 2
VW bus expert advice please?...  I am looking to buy a Vw bus. I need a car that wlll run well but I do not mind learning how to work on it and investing in a few new parts. I currently have zero mechanical knowledge however and if you could tell me how good a deal this is and what else it probably needs done I would be extremely grateful. Thank you!

Details:
71 vw bus
After market 1600 engine (better cooling)
New front disc brakes
New master cylinder
Solid state ignition (never change points again)
New right rear axle bearing and seal
New 8 ply tires and powder coated rims
AM/FM CD radio
Has roof rack for 2 bikes.
Pop top roof w/ hammock (canvas needs replacing)
Z-bed
Ice box and sink

This bus has lots of storage and hanging space. Have checked milage on trips and it gets a steady 18 mpg.
This is a bus that is ready to go.
Tags are good until 7/12.
Asking 2250.00 OBO cash only
Photos of engine, interior and exterior.
http://images.craigslist.org/3o73p03l25Q15W35P4ab2c9a1884c41931595.jpg
http://images.craigslist.org/3k73o43p75V35Z05Q0ab23112230a8b9c1f40.jpg
http://images.craigslist.org/3k53me3o45Z35U45X4ab2ba1cff771ef71c92.jpg
http://images.craigslist.org/3of3pf3la5P25X55S5ab2600963aa53561ef2.jpg

Answers
1)   most old school vw's do need pretty constant repairs and looking after, however they are very very easy to work on, and parts are easy to find - yups

2)   Too old. Don't do it. You better not mind working on it, because that will happen a lot. Unless you have a history of driving VW bus, it is very different than just a mid-size sedan. VWs go to specialty shops (after you get tired of trying to fix it). That can cost you up to twice as much as most other cars. Unless you have a great feel for the road and drive accordingly, they are not safe on winter roads and curves. - HillClimber

3)   I've owned 2 VW buses and loved them. This one looks a little rough, and will need the canvas replaced, and a good paint job. Both will probably run you around $2000 for quality work. It does look like a good deal for a project car, but I wouldn't use it as a daily driver until it has been gone through and everything checked. The buses are very unique to drive, you sit on top of the front wheels, so it feels weird when you turn. Also being that they are very tail heavy, any cross wind will cause the front to move, A LOT. They also do not have a lot of power for climbing hills or accelerating very fast. I do believe this one is worth the asking price, if you are willing to put more into it. - Shane A

4)   Hey Emereld,

There are pros and cons with any older vehicle that you might be considering and VW vans are no exception.

A 71 is certainly getting up there age wise so if you are seriously considering it? I would definitely get it checked out very thoroughly before you you buy it.

The pros;

There are certain advantages to the 71 over a lot of older VW vans you might consider;
They are relatively simple to work on, the engine bay is large enough to accommodate a bigger engine if you want to upgrade, they don't have a lot of electronics or fuel injection, they were among the first VW vans to offer front disc brakes, the camper version is pretty versatile and makes a decent "stealth" camper as long as you keep the top down. They do seem to hold their value pretty well but... Only if you put in the time effort and $$. They can be a lot of fun to drive and they certainly are becoming rare. There are a lot of forums online like the Samba or thesamba.com

The cons;
It's an old vehicle, it WILL need work PERIOD. Finding a decent mechanic can be difficult, some parts are no longer available, Air cooled engines and VW vans in general, require a totally different skill set to keep them and you alive if you're going to be driving it any great distance. Heating and ventilation leave a LOT to be desired, air conditioning? NO WAY! not if you want it to live, sucks too much power from an already underpowered vehicle. Did I mention that it's grossly underpowered? Earlier models weren't as safe as the later ones (82 on) They don't do so well in a crash. Most all camper versions are pretty much "fair weather" campers, they can be either really really hot or really really cold unless they're extensively modified for climate extremes.

O.K. so now you have a lot more info. Try not to make an emotional decision, try and find a good shop or mechanic that might be willing to teach you how to care for your VW, get as much information as you possibly can. And buy the Bentley manual that covers the year/model of van you end up purchasing. - Jim


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Question 3
questions about my 04 Volkswagen Passat?...  1. I just got this car in the summer, so this is my first winter with it. The other day when I was driving, a noise beeped and the temperature (42 degrees fahrenheit) started flashing and there was a little snowflake! This is probably common sense, but does that just mean my car is cold? Or is it a warning that I should turn my defroster on?

2. About that defroster...how come it turns off on its own? Is it supposed to do that? I'll turn the rear defroster on and randomly notice it is off while my back windshield still has rain on it.

3. Also, when it rains, I noticed my car "leaks." I drove a guy home from work the other night and had him check it out, he said it looks like the water is coming in via the passenger door and something about a sealer/sealant? What do I need fixed, and how much will it cost? Also...it is making the floor of my car wet and I don't want it to smell musty or ruin the interior, so what do you reccommend? Can I get the water vaccuumed out somewhere?

Please answer even if you can only answer one of these questions!
Thanks for your help to answer any questions. I really appreciate it :)
Just a side note...I previously owned a 97 VW Jetta which was not as tech-savvy as my Passat, so that is why I have all these new questions. The defroster never turned itself off in the Jetta, nor did it leak or even show the temp!

Answers
1)   1 the snow flake lets know the road conditions could be slick. as the temp is dropping
2 yea the read defroster is on a short timer
3 you may have a bad weatherstrip on that door, check J C Whitney. - Jason S

2)   As for the snowflake in your console, you should probably consult your owner's manual. It's probably gathering dust in your glove compartment. It will give you detailed information about what all the bleeps, blips, and lights that come on in your oh-so-mysterious console. I highly doubt that the Germans would go to all the trouble of putting a snowflake in your console just to let you know it's cold outside, so my money is on the car telling you it's doing something.

As for your door sealant, that's gonna run about a hundred bucks plus. If you open any car door, you'll see a big black piece of foam running around the rim. That foam isn't there for snazzy highlighting or haute coutre, it's there to seal the door when it's shut. If it gets torn, damaged, or old, it stops doing its job and water starts coming in. The only way to fix it is to get a new strip, tear off the old strip, and replace. It's not terribly difficult work, but the rubber is pretty expensive. It shouldn't be something you need to take your car to the dealer for, but if you don't know how to find a good shop then you're stuck with the dealer's ridiculous prices. - christophermalachite

3)   1) This is just a warning chime that the temps outside are cold enough that black ice could possibly freeze on bridges and overpasses. Just telling you to be careful out there.

2) It turns off on it's own so you don't burn it out. The defroster isn't designed to keep rain off your back window it's designed to keep...frost... off :)

3) Does the car have a sunroof? Clogged sunroof drains are a very common issue on all sunroof'd VWs from around that time. If it does have a sun roof, open all 4 doors and open the sun roof and you'll notice little white plastic holes at each corner, pour some really hot water into each one and it should drip out onto the ground near the front of the front doors. - Richard R

4)   Richard is right on everything, another suggestion to cleaning the sunroof drains is using a little bit of compressed air.

Should have kept the Jetta, I have a 97 right now and it does show the temperature but it usually says -40... - Nick


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Question 4
Where can i buy a VW camper van Hot wheels?...  I have heard you can buy a mini vw camper van made by Hot wheels but i cant find one? Help

Thanks

Answers
1)   You might find something on this website :)
http://www.thefind.com/family/browse-hot-wheels-vw-bus - alynnkid

2)   Toys r us, if you live in wales then smyths. Local toy shop. Morrisons do them hanging on the end of isles as my 5 year old knows very well, mind you he did find a audi r8 which i was well pleased with. Yes i had to buy two lol. Failing that try the website www.hotwheels.co.uk or checkout the countless facebook groups. Does it have to be hotwheels? I'm sure i've seen a vw camper morrisons own brand. Good luck. - TONY D

3)   toyr us - Jj

4)   This web site usually has some and they're typically not too expensive either. - Ciarra


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Question 5
Is sx4 has realy prbm with its dashboard making noise after 10k kms..n nois in revrse gear..?...  

Answers
1)   Question Loading: 80% Complete - Flying Penguin

2)   I do not know about the reverse gear But SX4 being a Maruti product has problems of switches and dash making noise as the materials used in them are not so good...on a front impact(Accident) I have witnessed a dashboard of the SX4 break its mountings and has hurt Front Passenger and Driver in the face...it may be called a rare case by few but its been a problem in the zen and other maruti vehicles which i have tried in the past... - kanhardrampage

3)   no... Thats not exactly the real problem...
that occurs only in 1 out of 10,000 cars due to Company problems... - Rachit


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