Forum Replies Created
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AuthorPosts
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NicMM
ParticipantJstoesz,
You really think “S. Californians are the least happy, and the most superficial of any place”? My friends visiting from New York really think that we are much happier here than people in New York and the houses here are much affordable than there.
I guess it all depends.
NicMM
[quote=jstoesz][quote=bearishgurl]
Yes, I agree that it is crucial to employ “expectation mgmt” on today’s young adult generation, especially if one wage-earner of a couple decides they no longer wish to remain in that status.
The main reason behind the first-time buyer foreclosures today is that the majority of them purchased a property that was unsustainable when real life hit them in the face. They were too focused on living a lifestyle they had been “accustomed” to (living with parents) and did not “crunch the numbers” to determine what they could actually afford, or afford if one of the parties voluntarily quit working.
I don’t buy into the notion that there are no SFR’s avail in SD County for under $300K. There are many, and is has become clear to me that widespread ignorance is preventing today’s young buyers, with or without families, from considering them.
My post to the OP here was intended to be “expectation mgmt” in its highest form. This candid inquiry was put here for the express purpose of preventing yet another young native San Diegan defecting to the State of TX.
First timers have to start somewhere. And that somewhere is more often than not merely a stepping stone to a more suitable property at a later date. Yes, even in THIS market.[/quote]
BG this is pure bullshit. Where in SD can you buy for circa 225k in a safe neighborhood? Where can you buy in SD that is suitable for raising a family other than some far flung suburb? The crime rates in even chula vista (even the nice parts) seem pretty ridiculous for people who have immigrated from else where, not to mention the schools and caliber of neighbors. Seriously where can you buy a house big enough for raising a few kids in a safe neighborhood close to the city? El Cajon? Most people who want to buy in SD and raise a family do not care about the beach (or the freaking weather), they are looking for a standard of living that is on par with their wage and their outside experiences. SD does not offer this. Look no further than the NY times graphs that show how much income a SD family directs towards home payments. SD is full of people who spend way to much on housing. After that all the rest is obvious.
But to answer the OP’s question I suggest you determine your priorities. I have worked countless thoughtless jobs, some of which were better than others. But at the end of the day, it is all just work. Free time is hard to come by, but the answer is not a job as a barber or tile layer. My goal at this point in my life is to find a good paying job where I can work for the majority of the time remotely. That way you can structure your work around your life, not structure your life around your work. So if you want a mountain lifestyle, get into a tourism industry (or work remotely). If you want to live on acreage, buy a ranch and raise cattle (or work remotely). Life is work, and you will always have to work, but find work that lets you live where and how you desire. If you really think being a barber would be satisfactory, move to omaha (I hear it is a nice town) and cut hair. But if you are like me and need challenge and stress just to put on your pants in the morning, try to find a new job that gives you that, closer to where you want to live. I think SD is screwed in so many ways. I think S. Californians are the least happy, and the most superficial of any place I have come across. I am not interested in moving back, unless I can find the lifestyle I have come to expect. Don’t settle, make life what you want it to be. Don’t fear the hard decisions, but once you decide commit. Forget the path you are on, make your own way, and commit to the necessary sacrifices. It doesn’t sound like you care about the money (which is the best place to be to be happy), so forget the comfort or convenience of your current lifestyle and jump right in. But don’t be stupid blinded by your frustration of the 9-5 and make a plan for your future.
Forget the familiarity of SD, determine what you ultimately want, and commit to the sacrifices that get you there. If you have a plan carry it out. If putting your nose to the grindstone and working your 9-5 at qualcomm or whatever gets you to where you want to be in 10 years, pull you shit together, put your pants on and smear a smile on your face. Because redemption is not far away (even if it is ten years away). But if it is a hollow move of convenience throw it away, make a plan, and implement it to the end.
In closing for me, SD is just too screwed to take a second look at. Unless of course I am able to earn a premium to make up for all the baggage that SD has.[/quote]
ParticipantI bought Lexus ES350, which is a family car share same chassis with Camry.
I don’t think this car has much more than my Passat had. Both have leather, moon roof, good stereo, power window etc. The new car has some fancy stuff like keyless, an automatic swirl-able steer wheel, which I don’t really care. I added feature for Navigation system and backup camera. I paid the premium hoping after 10 years it will be more reliable than my Passat.
Actually I have to admit Passat is a great car with great performance and comfortable. I am very happy about it until the last two years. I also went to Passat dealer. I was surprised to learn that both Passat and Beetle lines will be discontinued. Passat line will be replace by CC. Now they have good deals on Passat and Beetle, deep discount and 0% APR. Sorry I have set my mind in a Japanese car, otherwise I would buy a Passat. There is a cute Beetle convertible, leather package, and it is only $24000 (out of door price).
NicMM
ParticipantI bought Lexus ES350, which is a family car share same chassis with Camry.
I don’t think this car has much more than my Passat had. Both have leather, moon roof, good stereo, power window etc. The new car has some fancy stuff like keyless, an automatic swirl-able steer wheel, which I don’t really care. I added feature for Navigation system and backup camera. I paid the premium hoping after 10 years it will be more reliable than my Passat.
Actually I have to admit Passat is a great car with great performance and comfortable. I am very happy about it until the last two years. I also went to Passat dealer. I was surprised to learn that both Passat and Beetle lines will be discontinued. Passat line will be replace by CC. Now they have good deals on Passat and Beetle, deep discount and 0% APR. Sorry I have set my mind in a Japanese car, otherwise I would buy a Passat. There is a cute Beetle convertible, leather package, and it is only $24000 (out of door price).
NicMM
ParticipantI bought Lexus ES350, which is a family car share same chassis with Camry.
I don’t think this car has much more than my Passat had. Both have leather, moon roof, good stereo, power window etc. The new car has some fancy stuff like keyless, an automatic swirl-able steer wheel, which I don’t really care. I added feature for Navigation system and backup camera. I paid the premium hoping after 10 years it will be more reliable than my Passat.
Actually I have to admit Passat is a great car with great performance and comfortable. I am very happy about it until the last two years. I also went to Passat dealer. I was surprised to learn that both Passat and Beetle lines will be discontinued. Passat line will be replace by CC. Now they have good deals on Passat and Beetle, deep discount and 0% APR. Sorry I have set my mind in a Japanese car, otherwise I would buy a Passat. There is a cute Beetle convertible, leather package, and it is only $24000 (out of door price).
NicMM
ParticipantI bought Lexus ES350, which is a family car share same chassis with Camry.
I don’t think this car has much more than my Passat had. Both have leather, moon roof, good stereo, power window etc. The new car has some fancy stuff like keyless, an automatic swirl-able steer wheel, which I don’t really care. I added feature for Navigation system and backup camera. I paid the premium hoping after 10 years it will be more reliable than my Passat.
Actually I have to admit Passat is a great car with great performance and comfortable. I am very happy about it until the last two years. I also went to Passat dealer. I was surprised to learn that both Passat and Beetle lines will be discontinued. Passat line will be replace by CC. Now they have good deals on Passat and Beetle, deep discount and 0% APR. Sorry I have set my mind in a Japanese car, otherwise I would buy a Passat. There is a cute Beetle convertible, leather package, and it is only $24000 (out of door price).
NicMM
ParticipantI bought Lexus ES350, which is a family car share same chassis with Camry.
I don’t think this car has much more than my Passat had. Both have leather, moon roof, good stereo, power window etc. The new car has some fancy stuff like keyless, an automatic swirl-able steer wheel, which I don’t really care. I added feature for Navigation system and backup camera. I paid the premium hoping after 10 years it will be more reliable than my Passat.
Actually I have to admit Passat is a great car with great performance and comfortable. I am very happy about it until the last two years. I also went to Passat dealer. I was surprised to learn that both Passat and Beetle lines will be discontinued. Passat line will be replace by CC. Now they have good deals on Passat and Beetle, deep discount and 0% APR. Sorry I have set my mind in a Japanese car, otherwise I would buy a Passat. There is a cute Beetle convertible, leather package, and it is only $24000 (out of door price).
NicMM
ParticipantFlu,
Do you really do all this by yourself? It’s a lot of information there. It takes time to absorb.
How do you connect the diagnose software to the car?
NicMM
[quote=flu][quote=NicMM]Flu,
It’s amazing you can run such a long list. I am sure you maintain your car well.
My Passat has 1.8T engine. Since last year, my Check Engine light showed up several times. I usually sent it to dealer to exam it and sent to Indi shop to repair it. The last time (6 month ago) Check Engine showed up, the Indi shop could not repair it. I sent to dealer and they did not find any problem and the Check Engine light was gone by itself.
And this week, a sign of “STOP, check your coolant” showed. I turned off the engine and it’s gone after I turned on the engine. It occurred three times in two days before I sent it to dealer. The dealer said someone put wrong coolant in it and it was leaking, so the coolant was almost gone. Besides that, he said there was crack in the transmission, and other problems. All the problems seemed to be emerging in 6 months, as when I sent the car to dealer 6 months ago, they never told me those problems.
NicMM
If you plan on keeping this car…. Two suggestions
1) Find yourself a new mechanic.
2) Invest in a relatively inexpensive OBD scan tool… Because the check engine light is useless unless you know specifically what the fault code is… And the good news is once you have a fault code, you can go to either clubb5.com or vwvortex.com or (if you really have to) audiworld.com (I know, but platform sharing) and pretty much figure out what the problem is because most people have most likely run into the same problem. And at least once you know the code, the mechanic can’t necessarily blow bullshit your way.
I have this one from ross-tech.com… In fact, if you want to borrow it, just send me a PM.
http://www.ross-tech.com/index.htmlI also refer you to the audiworld.com forums because the a database of DIY contributions (which coincidently I made contributions to awhile ago too)…There’s even a step by step teardown process on how to do the t-belts, etc (no, I didn’t write that one). Some of the stuff is applicable to passats.
3) Consider getting a bentley repair manual.
If you get a check engine light, it could be for several reasons. Things that caused me to get it was
1) Bad MAF sensor (which should be covered under emissions warranty)2) Bad hoses to lines, particular the ones that run right in front of the engine block along the radiator and the onces running to vac check valves.
3) bad oxygen sensors (you have two of them, and you should replace them in a pair).
I’m sorry to say, coolant in these 1.8T is really really important. You simply can’t put the prestone green/yellow stuff in it. If you mix store coolant you typically can get at auto parts store with the G12/G12plus coolant that comes in the VAG/Audis, you’re going to get a lot of cooling problems in the long run because it will end up being corrosive in an finicking aluminum engine block. There’s an older coolant from VAG called G11 which is green, that some old mechanics still use too. It’s the wrong coolant. In fact, if you mix G11 with G12, you get something that ends up like Jello.
So just remember. The color of your coolant should be purple (G12 plus), not green, yellow, orange or for that matter red (G12).[/quote]
ParticipantFlu,
Do you really do all this by yourself? It’s a lot of information there. It takes time to absorb.
How do you connect the diagnose software to the car?
NicMM
[quote=flu][quote=NicMM]Flu,
It’s amazing you can run such a long list. I am sure you maintain your car well.
My Passat has 1.8T engine. Since last year, my Check Engine light showed up several times. I usually sent it to dealer to exam it and sent to Indi shop to repair it. The last time (6 month ago) Check Engine showed up, the Indi shop could not repair it. I sent to dealer and they did not find any problem and the Check Engine light was gone by itself.
And this week, a sign of “STOP, check your coolant” showed. I turned off the engine and it’s gone after I turned on the engine. It occurred three times in two days before I sent it to dealer. The dealer said someone put wrong coolant in it and it was leaking, so the coolant was almost gone. Besides that, he said there was crack in the transmission, and other problems. All the problems seemed to be emerging in 6 months, as when I sent the car to dealer 6 months ago, they never told me those problems.
NicMM
If you plan on keeping this car…. Two suggestions
1) Find yourself a new mechanic.
2) Invest in a relatively inexpensive OBD scan tool… Because the check engine light is useless unless you know specifically what the fault code is… And the good news is once you have a fault code, you can go to either clubb5.com or vwvortex.com or (if you really have to) audiworld.com (I know, but platform sharing) and pretty much figure out what the problem is because most people have most likely run into the same problem. And at least once you know the code, the mechanic can’t necessarily blow bullshit your way.
I have this one from ross-tech.com… In fact, if you want to borrow it, just send me a PM.
http://www.ross-tech.com/index.htmlI also refer you to the audiworld.com forums because the a database of DIY contributions (which coincidently I made contributions to awhile ago too)…There’s even a step by step teardown process on how to do the t-belts, etc (no, I didn’t write that one). Some of the stuff is applicable to passats.
3) Consider getting a bentley repair manual.
If you get a check engine light, it could be for several reasons. Things that caused me to get it was
1) Bad MAF sensor (which should be covered under emissions warranty)2) Bad hoses to lines, particular the ones that run right in front of the engine block along the radiator and the onces running to vac check valves.
3) bad oxygen sensors (you have two of them, and you should replace them in a pair).
I’m sorry to say, coolant in these 1.8T is really really important. You simply can’t put the prestone green/yellow stuff in it. If you mix store coolant you typically can get at auto parts store with the G12/G12plus coolant that comes in the VAG/Audis, you’re going to get a lot of cooling problems in the long run because it will end up being corrosive in an finicking aluminum engine block. There’s an older coolant from VAG called G11 which is green, that some old mechanics still use too. It’s the wrong coolant. In fact, if you mix G11 with G12, you get something that ends up like Jello.
So just remember. The color of your coolant should be purple (G12 plus), not green, yellow, orange or for that matter red (G12).[/quote]
ParticipantFlu,
Do you really do all this by yourself? It’s a lot of information there. It takes time to absorb.
How do you connect the diagnose software to the car?
NicMM
[quote=flu][quote=NicMM]Flu,
It’s amazing you can run such a long list. I am sure you maintain your car well.
My Passat has 1.8T engine. Since last year, my Check Engine light showed up several times. I usually sent it to dealer to exam it and sent to Indi shop to repair it. The last time (6 month ago) Check Engine showed up, the Indi shop could not repair it. I sent to dealer and they did not find any problem and the Check Engine light was gone by itself.
And this week, a sign of “STOP, check your coolant” showed. I turned off the engine and it’s gone after I turned on the engine. It occurred three times in two days before I sent it to dealer. The dealer said someone put wrong coolant in it and it was leaking, so the coolant was almost gone. Besides that, he said there was crack in the transmission, and other problems. All the problems seemed to be emerging in 6 months, as when I sent the car to dealer 6 months ago, they never told me those problems.
NicMM
If you plan on keeping this car…. Two suggestions
1) Find yourself a new mechanic.
2) Invest in a relatively inexpensive OBD scan tool… Because the check engine light is useless unless you know specifically what the fault code is… And the good news is once you have a fault code, you can go to either clubb5.com or vwvortex.com or (if you really have to) audiworld.com (I know, but platform sharing) and pretty much figure out what the problem is because most people have most likely run into the same problem. And at least once you know the code, the mechanic can’t necessarily blow bullshit your way.
I have this one from ross-tech.com… In fact, if you want to borrow it, just send me a PM.
http://www.ross-tech.com/index.htmlI also refer you to the audiworld.com forums because the a database of DIY contributions (which coincidently I made contributions to awhile ago too)…There’s even a step by step teardown process on how to do the t-belts, etc (no, I didn’t write that one). Some of the stuff is applicable to passats.
3) Consider getting a bentley repair manual.
If you get a check engine light, it could be for several reasons. Things that caused me to get it was
1) Bad MAF sensor (which should be covered under emissions warranty)2) Bad hoses to lines, particular the ones that run right in front of the engine block along the radiator and the onces running to vac check valves.
3) bad oxygen sensors (you have two of them, and you should replace them in a pair).
I’m sorry to say, coolant in these 1.8T is really really important. You simply can’t put the prestone green/yellow stuff in it. If you mix store coolant you typically can get at auto parts store with the G12/G12plus coolant that comes in the VAG/Audis, you’re going to get a lot of cooling problems in the long run because it will end up being corrosive in an finicking aluminum engine block. There’s an older coolant from VAG called G11 which is green, that some old mechanics still use too. It’s the wrong coolant. In fact, if you mix G11 with G12, you get something that ends up like Jello.
So just remember. The color of your coolant should be purple (G12 plus), not green, yellow, orange or for that matter red (G12).[/quote]
ParticipantFlu,
Do you really do all this by yourself? It’s a lot of information there. It takes time to absorb.
How do you connect the diagnose software to the car?
NicMM
[quote=flu][quote=NicMM]Flu,
It’s amazing you can run such a long list. I am sure you maintain your car well.
My Passat has 1.8T engine. Since last year, my Check Engine light showed up several times. I usually sent it to dealer to exam it and sent to Indi shop to repair it. The last time (6 month ago) Check Engine showed up, the Indi shop could not repair it. I sent to dealer and they did not find any problem and the Check Engine light was gone by itself.
And this week, a sign of “STOP, check your coolant” showed. I turned off the engine and it’s gone after I turned on the engine. It occurred three times in two days before I sent it to dealer. The dealer said someone put wrong coolant in it and it was leaking, so the coolant was almost gone. Besides that, he said there was crack in the transmission, and other problems. All the problems seemed to be emerging in 6 months, as when I sent the car to dealer 6 months ago, they never told me those problems.
NicMM
If you plan on keeping this car…. Two suggestions
1) Find yourself a new mechanic.
2) Invest in a relatively inexpensive OBD scan tool… Because the check engine light is useless unless you know specifically what the fault code is… And the good news is once you have a fault code, you can go to either clubb5.com or vwvortex.com or (if you really have to) audiworld.com (I know, but platform sharing) and pretty much figure out what the problem is because most people have most likely run into the same problem. And at least once you know the code, the mechanic can’t necessarily blow bullshit your way.
I have this one from ross-tech.com… In fact, if you want to borrow it, just send me a PM.
http://www.ross-tech.com/index.htmlI also refer you to the audiworld.com forums because the a database of DIY contributions (which coincidently I made contributions to awhile ago too)…There’s even a step by step teardown process on how to do the t-belts, etc (no, I didn’t write that one). Some of the stuff is applicable to passats.
3) Consider getting a bentley repair manual.
If you get a check engine light, it could be for several reasons. Things that caused me to get it was
1) Bad MAF sensor (which should be covered under emissions warranty)2) Bad hoses to lines, particular the ones that run right in front of the engine block along the radiator and the onces running to vac check valves.
3) bad oxygen sensors (you have two of them, and you should replace them in a pair).
I’m sorry to say, coolant in these 1.8T is really really important. You simply can’t put the prestone green/yellow stuff in it. If you mix store coolant you typically can get at auto parts store with the G12/G12plus coolant that comes in the VAG/Audis, you’re going to get a lot of cooling problems in the long run because it will end up being corrosive in an finicking aluminum engine block. There’s an older coolant from VAG called G11 which is green, that some old mechanics still use too. It’s the wrong coolant. In fact, if you mix G11 with G12, you get something that ends up like Jello.
So just remember. The color of your coolant should be purple (G12 plus), not green, yellow, orange or for that matter red (G12).[/quote]
ParticipantFlu,
Do you really do all this by yourself? It’s a lot of information there. It takes time to absorb.
How do you connect the diagnose software to the car?
NicMM
[quote=flu][quote=NicMM]Flu,
It’s amazing you can run such a long list. I am sure you maintain your car well.
My Passat has 1.8T engine. Since last year, my Check Engine light showed up several times. I usually sent it to dealer to exam it and sent to Indi shop to repair it. The last time (6 month ago) Check Engine showed up, the Indi shop could not repair it. I sent to dealer and they did not find any problem and the Check Engine light was gone by itself.
And this week, a sign of “STOP, check your coolant” showed. I turned off the engine and it’s gone after I turned on the engine. It occurred three times in two days before I sent it to dealer. The dealer said someone put wrong coolant in it and it was leaking, so the coolant was almost gone. Besides that, he said there was crack in the transmission, and other problems. All the problems seemed to be emerging in 6 months, as when I sent the car to dealer 6 months ago, they never told me those problems.
NicMM
If you plan on keeping this car…. Two suggestions
1) Find yourself a new mechanic.
2) Invest in a relatively inexpensive OBD scan tool… Because the check engine light is useless unless you know specifically what the fault code is… And the good news is once you have a fault code, you can go to either clubb5.com or vwvortex.com or (if you really have to) audiworld.com (I know, but platform sharing) and pretty much figure out what the problem is because most people have most likely run into the same problem. And at least once you know the code, the mechanic can’t necessarily blow bullshit your way.
I have this one from ross-tech.com… In fact, if you want to borrow it, just send me a PM.
http://www.ross-tech.com/index.htmlI also refer you to the audiworld.com forums because the a database of DIY contributions (which coincidently I made contributions to awhile ago too)…There’s even a step by step teardown process on how to do the t-belts, etc (no, I didn’t write that one). Some of the stuff is applicable to passats.
3) Consider getting a bentley repair manual.
If you get a check engine light, it could be for several reasons. Things that caused me to get it was
1) Bad MAF sensor (which should be covered under emissions warranty)2) Bad hoses to lines, particular the ones that run right in front of the engine block along the radiator and the onces running to vac check valves.
3) bad oxygen sensors (you have two of them, and you should replace them in a pair).
I’m sorry to say, coolant in these 1.8T is really really important. You simply can’t put the prestone green/yellow stuff in it. If you mix store coolant you typically can get at auto parts store with the G12/G12plus coolant that comes in the VAG/Audis, you’re going to get a lot of cooling problems in the long run because it will end up being corrosive in an finicking aluminum engine block. There’s an older coolant from VAG called G11 which is green, that some old mechanics still use too. It’s the wrong coolant. In fact, if you mix G11 with G12, you get something that ends up like Jello.
So just remember. The color of your coolant should be purple (G12 plus), not green, yellow, orange or for that matter red (G12).[/quote]
ParticipantFlu,
It’s amazing you can run such a long list. I am sure you maintain your car well.
My Passat has 1.8T engine. Since last year, my Check Engine light showed up several times. I usually sent it to dealer to exam it and sent to Indi shop to repair it. The last time (6 month ago) Check Engine showed up, the Indi shop could not repair it. I sent to dealer and they did not find any problem and the Check Engine light was gone by itself.
And this week, a sign of “STOP, check your coolant” showed. I turned off the engine and it’s gone after I turned on the engine. It occurred three times in two days before I sent it to dealer. The dealer said someone put wrong coolant in it and it was leaking, so the coolant was almost gone. Besides that, he said there was crack in the transmission, and other problems. All the problems seemed to be emerging in 6 months, as when I sent the car to dealer 6 months ago, they never told me those problems.
NicMM
[quote=flu][quote=NicMM][quote=Diego Mamani][quote=NicMM]My 8 years old Passat needs big repairing, costing over $3000. I bought it brand new.[/quote]
Do you drive hard? How about following the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance?
I ask because I have a Ford that I bought new in the Fall of 2001 (9 years!) and it runs like new; nothing has broken down ever. Granted, I drive nicely, and I’ve followed all the maintenance. I also have low miles in it. But still, I’m used to think of an 8-year old car (such as yours) as a “newer” car.[/quote]
No, I don’t think I am driving hard but I can’t say I drive nicely either. The mileage is like under 80,000 miles. I went to dealer to maintain in the first 4 years when it was under warranty. After that, I went to dealer or some other repair shop depending on schedule, distance, availability, etc.
But I lost my manual during a moving four years ago. Not sure if I missed anything. Basically, my understanding is it should be maintained every 5000 miles.[/quote]
What exactly is going on with it?
If I recall, MY2002 is the B5.5 model, which was mainly a exterior refresh from the B5 models. If I recall, this shared platforms with the B5 Audi A4.
What engine is it? V6 or 1.8T or W8? Is it 4motion?
Unfortunately, 2001.5-2002 was a bad year for VAG products.
1) 2.8 V6 engines were pretty much problematic. Ditto on the W8.
2) the 1.8T generally is a pretty reliable engine. BUT, in MY2002, they were plagued with crappy coil pack issues. Also, I believe this was the year they bumped up the HP from 150hp to about 170-180hp and variable timing, etc…But VAG didn’t tell people (1) to switch to synthetic oil and (2) didn’t put on a TSP bulletin telling folks to run larger oil filters. And since 1.8T’s don’t have an afterrun oil pump when the engine is off, I believe a lot of 1.8T owners ended up with coked engine oil… failed oil pumps, etc…About 8 months after, VAG revised the maintenance by (a) oversized oil filter and (b) requiring full synthetic available in a not-so-common weight (0w40 Mobil 1, 5w40 Castrol Syntec, or Motul 5w30/5w40 european formula)…If you took it to a independent shop, I wonder if they got that right or if they even bother to put full synthetic in your engine.Aside from this issue, B5/B5.5 also suffer from
1) Control arm problems.
2) Engine mounts are too soft and go bad
3) And despite what VAG say about the transmission, it definitely is NOT a lifetime transmission fluid…You should change it at every 30-40k along with the transmission filter.
4) Same could be said about the differential fluids if you have a 4motion.
5) The gear oil is also not “lifetime”
6) The fuel filter should also be changed every 30k ish, even though it’s in a major PITA location (right next to the fuel tank…Which normally requires extra labor).
7) There were problems with the MAF sensor, which should have been covered with 7 years emissions warranty.
8) The recommended interval for timing belt/water pump was not correct either (previously it was said 100k..Turns out it should have been inspected earlier). There was a lawsuit on this and VAG settled.
9) The engine cover seals probably go bad around 50k, which you can tell because you can smell an oil burning smell if you let the air in from the vent.
10) And you have a few hoses that will go bad that will need to be replaced around the same time.
11) The G12 coolant didn’t turn out to be as good as they thought it was, which is why they went to a G12Plus purple coolant. Some folks ended up getting a corroded radiator as a result.Unfortunately, a lot of this “maintanence” requires taking the front end of the car off. So that’s usually 2-3-4 hours of labor just to do that, let alone to actually fix the problem(s).
Anyway, it could have been worse. You could have bought a Mercedes…. Lol…[/quote]
ParticipantFlu,
It’s amazing you can run such a long list. I am sure you maintain your car well.
My Passat has 1.8T engine. Since last year, my Check Engine light showed up several times. I usually sent it to dealer to exam it and sent to Indi shop to repair it. The last time (6 month ago) Check Engine showed up, the Indi shop could not repair it. I sent to dealer and they did not find any problem and the Check Engine light was gone by itself.
And this week, a sign of “STOP, check your coolant” showed. I turned off the engine and it’s gone after I turned on the engine. It occurred three times in two days before I sent it to dealer. The dealer said someone put wrong coolant in it and it was leaking, so the coolant was almost gone. Besides that, he said there was crack in the transmission, and other problems. All the problems seemed to be emerging in 6 months, as when I sent the car to dealer 6 months ago, they never told me those problems.
NicMM
[quote=flu][quote=NicMM][quote=Diego Mamani][quote=NicMM]My 8 years old Passat needs big repairing, costing over $3000. I bought it brand new.[/quote]
Do you drive hard? How about following the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance?
I ask because I have a Ford that I bought new in the Fall of 2001 (9 years!) and it runs like new; nothing has broken down ever. Granted, I drive nicely, and I’ve followed all the maintenance. I also have low miles in it. But still, I’m used to think of an 8-year old car (such as yours) as a “newer” car.[/quote]
No, I don’t think I am driving hard but I can’t say I drive nicely either. The mileage is like under 80,000 miles. I went to dealer to maintain in the first 4 years when it was under warranty. After that, I went to dealer or some other repair shop depending on schedule, distance, availability, etc.
But I lost my manual during a moving four years ago. Not sure if I missed anything. Basically, my understanding is it should be maintained every 5000 miles.[/quote]
What exactly is going on with it?
If I recall, MY2002 is the B5.5 model, which was mainly a exterior refresh from the B5 models. If I recall, this shared platforms with the B5 Audi A4.
What engine is it? V6 or 1.8T or W8? Is it 4motion?
Unfortunately, 2001.5-2002 was a bad year for VAG products.
1) 2.8 V6 engines were pretty much problematic. Ditto on the W8.
2) the 1.8T generally is a pretty reliable engine. BUT, in MY2002, they were plagued with crappy coil pack issues. Also, I believe this was the year they bumped up the HP from 150hp to about 170-180hp and variable timing, etc…But VAG didn’t tell people (1) to switch to synthetic oil and (2) didn’t put on a TSP bulletin telling folks to run larger oil filters. And since 1.8T’s don’t have an afterrun oil pump when the engine is off, I believe a lot of 1.8T owners ended up with coked engine oil… failed oil pumps, etc…About 8 months after, VAG revised the maintenance by (a) oversized oil filter and (b) requiring full synthetic available in a not-so-common weight (0w40 Mobil 1, 5w40 Castrol Syntec, or Motul 5w30/5w40 european formula)…If you took it to a independent shop, I wonder if they got that right or if they even bother to put full synthetic in your engine.Aside from this issue, B5/B5.5 also suffer from
1) Control arm problems.
2) Engine mounts are too soft and go bad
3) And despite what VAG say about the transmission, it definitely is NOT a lifetime transmission fluid…You should change it at every 30-40k along with the transmission filter.
4) Same could be said about the differential fluids if you have a 4motion.
5) The gear oil is also not “lifetime”
6) The fuel filter should also be changed every 30k ish, even though it’s in a major PITA location (right next to the fuel tank…Which normally requires extra labor).
7) There were problems with the MAF sensor, which should have been covered with 7 years emissions warranty.
8) The recommended interval for timing belt/water pump was not correct either (previously it was said 100k..Turns out it should have been inspected earlier). There was a lawsuit on this and VAG settled.
9) The engine cover seals probably go bad around 50k, which you can tell because you can smell an oil burning smell if you let the air in from the vent.
10) And you have a few hoses that will go bad that will need to be replaced around the same time.
11) The G12 coolant didn’t turn out to be as good as they thought it was, which is why they went to a G12Plus purple coolant. Some folks ended up getting a corroded radiator as a result.Unfortunately, a lot of this “maintanence” requires taking the front end of the car off. So that’s usually 2-3-4 hours of labor just to do that, let alone to actually fix the problem(s).
Anyway, it could have been worse. You could have bought a Mercedes…. Lol…[/quote]
ParticipantFlu,
It’s amazing you can run such a long list. I am sure you maintain your car well.
My Passat has 1.8T engine. Since last year, my Check Engine light showed up several times. I usually sent it to dealer to exam it and sent to Indi shop to repair it. The last time (6 month ago) Check Engine showed up, the Indi shop could not repair it. I sent to dealer and they did not find any problem and the Check Engine light was gone by itself.
And this week, a sign of “STOP, check your coolant” showed. I turned off the engine and it’s gone after I turned on the engine. It occurred three times in two days before I sent it to dealer. The dealer said someone put wrong coolant in it and it was leaking, so the coolant was almost gone. Besides that, he said there was crack in the transmission, and other problems. All the problems seemed to be emerging in 6 months, as when I sent the car to dealer 6 months ago, they never told me those problems.
NicMM
[quote=flu][quote=NicMM][quote=Diego Mamani][quote=NicMM]My 8 years old Passat needs big repairing, costing over $3000. I bought it brand new.[/quote]
Do you drive hard? How about following the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance?
I ask because I have a Ford that I bought new in the Fall of 2001 (9 years!) and it runs like new; nothing has broken down ever. Granted, I drive nicely, and I’ve followed all the maintenance. I also have low miles in it. But still, I’m used to think of an 8-year old car (such as yours) as a “newer” car.[/quote]
No, I don’t think I am driving hard but I can’t say I drive nicely either. The mileage is like under 80,000 miles. I went to dealer to maintain in the first 4 years when it was under warranty. After that, I went to dealer or some other repair shop depending on schedule, distance, availability, etc.
But I lost my manual during a moving four years ago. Not sure if I missed anything. Basically, my understanding is it should be maintained every 5000 miles.[/quote]
What exactly is going on with it?
If I recall, MY2002 is the B5.5 model, which was mainly a exterior refresh from the B5 models. If I recall, this shared platforms with the B5 Audi A4.
What engine is it? V6 or 1.8T or W8? Is it 4motion?
Unfortunately, 2001.5-2002 was a bad year for VAG products.
1) 2.8 V6 engines were pretty much problematic. Ditto on the W8.
2) the 1.8T generally is a pretty reliable engine. BUT, in MY2002, they were plagued with crappy coil pack issues. Also, I believe this was the year they bumped up the HP from 150hp to about 170-180hp and variable timing, etc…But VAG didn’t tell people (1) to switch to synthetic oil and (2) didn’t put on a TSP bulletin telling folks to run larger oil filters. And since 1.8T’s don’t have an afterrun oil pump when the engine is off, I believe a lot of 1.8T owners ended up with coked engine oil… failed oil pumps, etc…About 8 months after, VAG revised the maintenance by (a) oversized oil filter and (b) requiring full synthetic available in a not-so-common weight (0w40 Mobil 1, 5w40 Castrol Syntec, or Motul 5w30/5w40 european formula)…If you took it to a independent shop, I wonder if they got that right or if they even bother to put full synthetic in your engine.Aside from this issue, B5/B5.5 also suffer from
1) Control arm problems.
2) Engine mounts are too soft and go bad
3) And despite what VAG say about the transmission, it definitely is NOT a lifetime transmission fluid…You should change it at every 30-40k along with the transmission filter.
4) Same could be said about the differential fluids if you have a 4motion.
5) The gear oil is also not “lifetime”
6) The fuel filter should also be changed every 30k ish, even though it’s in a major PITA location (right next to the fuel tank…Which normally requires extra labor).
7) There were problems with the MAF sensor, which should have been covered with 7 years emissions warranty.
8) The recommended interval for timing belt/water pump was not correct either (previously it was said 100k..Turns out it should have been inspected earlier). There was a lawsuit on this and VAG settled.
9) The engine cover seals probably go bad around 50k, which you can tell because you can smell an oil burning smell if you let the air in from the vent.
10) And you have a few hoses that will go bad that will need to be replaced around the same time.
11) The G12 coolant didn’t turn out to be as good as they thought it was, which is why they went to a G12Plus purple coolant. Some folks ended up getting a corroded radiator as a result.Unfortunately, a lot of this “maintanence” requires taking the front end of the car off. So that’s usually 2-3-4 hours of labor just to do that, let alone to actually fix the problem(s).
Anyway, it could have been worse. You could have bought a Mercedes…. Lol…[/quote]
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