[Vwdiesel] Age, Diesel History and BONUS TDI Tragedy

[Tad]

Not all dealers are frightfully incompetent, but enough are that it throws a
bad light on the lot of them.

With all of the well-documented horror stories that we know about, I shudder
to imagine the stories that we *don't* know about... which surely are
greater in number!

On Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 8:58 AM, doonboggle <doonboggle at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Taking a diesel VW to the dealer is the worse thing an owner can do.  They,
> the dealers, in the VAST majority of the cases, know little to nothing about
> the finite items regarding the diesel engine.  VWoA has failed for years and
> years of not focusing on sales of the diesel TDI, due entirely to the
> overabundance of gasoline engines versions.  Their attitude seems to be,
> 'Well California and east coast states don't allow diesels, so we won't
> manufacture that many.'
>
> I don't know the exact ratio, but would hazard a guess that out of all the
> VWs imported and/or assembled, that 5% or less are diesel, with the
> remaining 95% being gas.  So it is a simple equation ... sales of gas engine
> versions are where the $$ are.  Thusly their $$ spent on mechanic training,
> etc. are directed to the gas schools, etc.;
>  leaving we diesel owners to suck hind tit.
>
> When we bought our 2 Jetta TDI sedans ... one for us and one for
> grandaughter ... I had studied up on the model by visiting the TDIClub web
> site, and reading a lot of lengthy and highly informative posts.  As such, I
> was aware of the warranty requirements regarding synthetic oil.
>
> As a result, I conducted my own research with 3 dealers; our local Lithia,
> one in Arizona and one in Denver.  In all 3 cases, the dealers response to
> my query what oil they used, their responses was the same ... essentially
> 'whatever is on the shelf.'
>
> When I pinned them down as to make, grade, etc., one as an example ...
> Lithia ... informed me that the corporate offices buy oil by the barrel, and
> the brand, grade (505.01, 507.00, etc.) would vary from order to order.
>
> So then, further to the service managers, I also pinned them down by
> focusing on the grade numbers, such as the examples of
>  above, and each and every one said they, at that moment, could not advise
> what was used by the mechanic, when the service order merely showed ... 'Oil
> changed'.
>
> It gets worse.  One time when exiting the service office, I saw a mechanic
> outside on smoke break, and walked up to him.  Verified that he was one of
> the ones who did the oil changes, etc., and then asked him what would they
> used if I brought my 06 Jetta TDI in at that moment for oil change.  His
> response,  'Pennzoil 10-40'.  I mentioned the 'SPECIFIC" synthetic oil
> requirements of the warranty, and he sort of chuckled at that.
>
> Moral of story ... at least for me ... I only use VW dealers for warranty
> work.  I do my own oil changes with the precise oil that VWoA advises ...
> and further got it in writing from the 'head' office via email ... and
> document it by pictures, neighbor witness signature, etc. so that if the
> engine craps out, that they cannot
>  claim I let a non-approved oil be used .... even though in my 3 cases of
> research, 100% of the 3 dealers knew nothing (literally) regarding the
> correct rating of oil ... even in one case not even knowing that synthetic
> was the need.
>
> Date: Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:28:03 -0600
> From: Shalyn Shourds <sshourds at flash.net>
> Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Age, Diesel History and BONUS TDI Tragedy
> To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> Message-ID: <4B205CB3.7080503 at flash.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
>
> >
> Does anyone have any advice re: What happened !? Where to get a used
> engine in Georgia ? Sniff....I think I have something in my eye...
>
> Sadly, I have a lot of experience in TDI tragedies.  I don't quite
> understand what happened.  You say the timing belt was fine?  Was it loose
> or were obvious parts (like tensioners) missing?  Did the valves and the
> pistons meet?
>
> If so, then you really need to get a dealer (not the one that replaced the
> belt) evaluation of what happened and take it back to the dealer that did
> the work.  They owe you a new engine.  Unless you were really
> revving the engine, your bottom end is probably OK.  I was running about
> 2200 rpm on the highway and I don't even think
>  I had marks on my pistons when my belt let go.  That just leaves you
> buying a head which is easier and cheaper.  It may even be rebuildable.  A
> new one will cost you around $1100 or so.  I got lucky and found an OEM one
> on eBay for $600.
>
> If it was something other than the crank/cam timing going bad, it'll  take
> someone opening up the works and seeing what's awry.
>
>
>
>
>
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