LAC! VW gti 20th aniv.

[Chris Hall]

> Really?  Don't tell the original factory unit in my '94 miata.  Or the
> 6 year old unit that was in my Jetta when I sold it.

Do you drive your miata year round?  I think I remember you saying
that you live in Michigan or somewhere... Evey car I have owned's
battery can only take the heat / cold cycles of a Chicago climate for
so long, so I'd be surprised if your battery was used all year round
in a similar climate.  Not to mention, VW didn't manufacture the
battery in the car, so why complain about it?  That's like complaining
about having to change the oil that came with the car almost.  Not to
mention, I never said you -had- to change the battery every 3-4 years,
I said you -should- .  You -can- drive 100,000 miles on tires too, but
that doesn't mean you -should-.  The Germans like to replace parts
-before- they go bad, and you obviously seem to have the American
mentality of "don't fix what ain't broke".  The "don't fix what ain't
broke" people are the ones you usually see on the side of the road
with their flashers on... wishing they'd replace the failed part
before it left them stranded.

> I guess it would be unreasonable to expect them to be able to design a
> seal system to keep water out.  Besides, who ever would have thought that
> location would get wet?  Pretty sure the cables on my '87 4kq are original.
> I know the ones in the Jetta were, as were the ones on my '87 GTI (135k/12
> years).

Well, the e-brake cables on my 83&85 CGT's are both exposed... bare
cable under the car.  If you don't wash the salt off the bottom of the
car in the winter, they're gonna rust out and stick.  Sure, they could
seal them like say... the handbrake cables on a bicycle.  They could
also powder coat everything under the car so it never rusts, but no
one's gonna do that because then the car would be priced even more.
 
> > >
> > > ~120k Alternator needs new.
> >
> >Sounds about right.
> 
>     The alternator in my last 4kq was original; 210k.  The one in my Jetta
> finally needed new at ~185k/14 years.   It's not uncommon to find a Miata
> with 200k+ on the original alternator.

You had the 210k since new?  How can you be sure that it was the
original?  Date somewhere on the housing I take it?  Sure the brushes
were never replaced, etc?  That's interesting if it lasted that long. 
Guess you got a good one...  As far as the Miata with 200k+ on it....
I'm very happy for you, but I didn't say "sounds about right for every
car made" did I?

> >
> >Hope she's had the timing belt changed every 60,000 miles!
> 
>    Don't even get me started on that.   I don't find these
> maintenance/failure intervals acceptable at all.  Don't let me stop *you*
> though.  

Yeah sure... why change something as important as the timing belt? 
Especially on say, my 85 CGT where if it snaps, the pistons will pound
the valves in to oblivion and I'll have to spend a couple grand
instead of the $50 it would have cost to install a new belt.  Granted,
I don't think the Golf you were talking about has an "interference
engine" but again... why wait until it snaps to replace it?

 It's not that these components can't be made to last; VW are
> choosing lower priced options to keep thier costs down and maximize profit.
>   In my case at least, this has come at the cost of owner satisfaction.
> Which is more expensive in the long run?

Ahh, so you're one of those people.  Everything "sucks" these days,
right?  Refridgerators don't last as long as they "used to", vacuum
cleaners don't, etc...  I know the type.
 
> What do you think about those Audi V6's who's timing belts are breaking
> after the warrantee but before the scheduled maintenance?

> Or the fire-prone heated seats?
> 
> Coil packs?
> 
> Seems like the real mechanical bits are still solid, but the ancillary stuff
> is going downhill to the detriment of the entire package.

Uh, welcome to the world of VAG my friend.  You -do- realize that most
of the things you complained about VW / Audi didn't even manufacture,
right?  I don't -think- VAG owns Bosch (alternators), Recarro
(seats... if they're still making VW / Audi seats that is), and
whoever made the battery and sensors you had to replace, etc... so
maybe you're complaining about the wrong company.

-- 

Chris Hall
badcomrade at gmail.com
"making girls cry since 1974"