A few summers ago I was towing a just purchased MGTD w/ a VW tow bar, stopped at a red light and ka-boom the TD got it from behind.
The other drivers Insurance was "Progressive" the Rep. was at my home in one day. The guy fills out two pages of an estimate as I stand there scratcing my head. He hops in his Ford Explorer and hits "print" on the in car computer and craps out a $3,000 check right there on the spot...." Just sign here"... the nice man says.
Fast forward to the next Saturday and I fix the cracks on the fiberglass apron, mix up Dupli-color rattle cans ( yellow cream and white) to get the right shade and spray the repaired area.
My "cost" $20.00 / their check $3,000.00.
Cancun was nice and again,thank you Progressive.
Someone once said that you make your own luck. So I guess you must've done some good some time somewhere, Dr. Clock!
Ed - I thought the saying was "If life gave you lemons, make lemonade."
Alan bypasses the whole lemons to lemonade thing and just turns lemons into gold.
angela
angela
I'd steer away from Passats and VW's period. Our Passat 4-motion is a pretty poorly made car with numerous faults and about half a dozen recalls. VW does not believe in block heaters, there's no provision for them so if its cold where you are you will have to devise some other way to heat the motor up so it will start. We also have to heat the interior of our car cause at minus 20 the ignition switch no longer works. Once started the car always smells like burning oil...maybe they are trying to be nostalgic aka the air cooled days. Speaking of burning...these cars have a tendency to catch on fire more than other cars. I believe this is being investigated in the US as we speak...Google it. They also are prone to leaking and soaking the interior...VW settled out of court in the US for millions (details are on the net). A friend in Germany had to expose them on TV before they would do the same for her over there. She just settled with them before Christmas after fighting them for over a year. Our car also smells like raw gasoline when it is cold...I have to drive it with the window down as the smell is so strong it makes my eyes water. The car floods VERY easily and has left me stranded more than a few times. NEVER touch the gas peddle as you turn it over or you could end up with the car not starting for days. Cam belts need to be changed about as often as an exotic...every 60K at the very least. Cam tensioner seals blow out every year when it starts to get cold. Electrics are fickle. The Tiptronic no longer works, a common problem. Car has less than 60K on it.
Conversely, our MB E320 4-matic wagon always starts, never smells like it will burst into flames, has never had one recall and drives circles around the Passat. It also gets better gas mileage in the "cruise" mode, has more cargo space, more confortable ride by far, etc, etc. And parts can actually cost less than VW parts. The Passat needs a rear O2 sensor...NAPA quoted me over $400. They said it was the most expensive O2 sensor they had ever seen.
Conversely, our MB E320 4-matic wagon always starts, never smells like it will burst into flames, has never had one recall and drives circles around the Passat. It also gets better gas mileage in the "cruise" mode, has more cargo space, more confortable ride by far, etc, etc. And parts can actually cost less than VW parts. The Passat needs a rear O2 sensor...NAPA quoted me over $400. They said it was the most expensive O2 sensor they had ever seen.
Well I picked up a used VW Passat V6 4-motion wagon for a good deal. Along with what I got back from the Subaru through the insurance company, it was not a lot out of pocket. It has heated seats and is very tight for a used car. It will also be able to drag the Spyder if needed.
A couple issues to deal with: fushing the heater core and an oil smell. These are well documented problems and not hard to fix at all. Oil smell is oil from the valve cover gaskets and more probably, a rubber covered metal disc that seals the opening for machining the cam journals. If new ones are installed, hi-temp oil resistant silicone and letting it cure for 24 hours do the trick. The seals are $2.35 each online.
The heater core clogs due to VW's crappy coolant and/or a mix of different coolant or the fact that coolant WILL NEVER BE LIFETIME! It needs to be changed and VW recently came out with another new coolant, wonder why that is? Quick fix to flush the system and install new coolant and distilled water, no minerals.
Sorry you had such a bad time with yours, Mike.
A couple issues to deal with: fushing the heater core and an oil smell. These are well documented problems and not hard to fix at all. Oil smell is oil from the valve cover gaskets and more probably, a rubber covered metal disc that seals the opening for machining the cam journals. If new ones are installed, hi-temp oil resistant silicone and letting it cure for 24 hours do the trick. The seals are $2.35 each online.
The heater core clogs due to VW's crappy coolant and/or a mix of different coolant or the fact that coolant WILL NEVER BE LIFETIME! It needs to be changed and VW recently came out with another new coolant, wonder why that is? Quick fix to flush the system and install new coolant and distilled water, no minerals.
Sorry you had such a bad time with yours, Mike.
Ahhh....bun warmers..... NICE!
angela
angela
Our car always smells like burning oil, always. And if its cold it smells like raw gasoline also. Did you check to be sure all the recalls were done? One of them is to replace the heat shields which can become saturated in oil and catch fire, ours was like that.
If you deal with the leaking oil and the constant burning oil smell then I would really appreciate an e-mail describing, or referring me, how to do it. Three trips to the dealer 1,000 miles away and $7,350 has still not fixed the problem. Not to mention the recall on the driver's heated seat switch, which worked well before the "fix" and has never worked since, even after it was "fixed" again, twice, at about $100 each time. Still does not work.
I wouldn't buy another and am thinking I won't be able to unload this one for anything more than scrap metal...and it only has 70,000 miles.
If you deal with the leaking oil and the constant burning oil smell then I would really appreciate an e-mail describing, or referring me, how to do it. Three trips to the dealer 1,000 miles away and $7,350 has still not fixed the problem. Not to mention the recall on the driver's heated seat switch, which worked well before the "fix" and has never worked since, even after it was "fixed" again, twice, at about $100 each time. Still does not work.
I wouldn't buy another and am thinking I won't be able to unload this one for anything more than scrap metal...and it only has 70,000 miles.
What happened to the Sooby....insurance keep it?
Bill, insurance company totalled it so I let it go. Since I changed brands I figured why keep it. I know someone could have used the engine, computer and possibly the trans, but I just wanted it gone from the driveway.
Brian, sorry about the above, had a brain fart and called you Mike. Don't know why....
This is the oil leak part(cam plug):
http://www.autohausaz.com/search/product.aspx?sid=zpbk2q450c334s45ntydzgqv&makeid=800026@VW&modelid=1382712@PASSAT 4 MOTION&year=2001&cid=20@Engine Parts, Seals %26 Gaskets&gid=5252@Cam Plug
Besides cam seals, cam plugs, the crank seal, VC gaskets and the valley gasket, there ain't nothing else except an oil cooler. The VC gaskets and cam plug WILL drip oil directly onto the manifolds though, hence the smell. Install cam plugs with black oil-resistant rtv, the type for oil pan gaskets. Let cure for 24 hours before starting the engine, and make sure it is super clean before you do it. Dealer sometimes won't add the rtv, and of course it never sits in their bay for a day without firing it up, now does it? Then they wonder why they leak....
Lots of info on Passatworld.com, look in the B5 information base. Autohausaz.com is highly recommended there.
Angela, my gf and my daughter both love the bun warmers too, and I like them as well. Leather is COLD without them.
Brian, sorry about the above, had a brain fart and called you Mike. Don't know why....
This is the oil leak part(cam plug):
http://www.autohausaz.com/search/product.aspx?sid=zpbk2q450c334s45ntydzgqv&makeid=800026@VW&modelid=1382712@PASSAT 4 MOTION&year=2001&cid=20@Engine Parts, Seals %26 Gaskets&gid=5252@Cam Plug
Besides cam seals, cam plugs, the crank seal, VC gaskets and the valley gasket, there ain't nothing else except an oil cooler. The VC gaskets and cam plug WILL drip oil directly onto the manifolds though, hence the smell. Install cam plugs with black oil-resistant rtv, the type for oil pan gaskets. Let cure for 24 hours before starting the engine, and make sure it is super clean before you do it. Dealer sometimes won't add the rtv, and of course it never sits in their bay for a day without firing it up, now does it? Then they wonder why they leak....
Lots of info on Passatworld.com, look in the B5 information base. Autohausaz.com is highly recommended there.
Angela, my gf and my daughter both love the bun warmers too, and I like them as well. Leather is COLD without them.
Totally agree with any DRY install using RTV. I had a persistently leaking rear axle cover for first 50,000 miles on an F-250. When I changed fluid (that lubricant is expen$ive), I let the RTV cure dry for 24 hours before replacing the fluid. It never leaked a drop during the second 50,000 miles. Repeated it again last month and it is looking good for a third round of 50,000 miles.
Same deal if you use Permatex Ultra-Copper, my personal favorite for valve covers. 24 hour dry cure. No leaks!
Same deal if you use Permatex Ultra-Copper, my personal favorite for valve covers. 24 hour dry cure. No leaks!
I also Only...use Permatex Ultra-Copper, 24 hour dry cure.
the stuff is the best..No Leaks! ~Alan
First time this happened the cam tensioners seals blew out on the highway. Its never been the same since. They've been replaced twice now in about 15,000 kms. I'll check on that link...I just want it fixed so I can dump the car. No one will buy it if it constantly smells like it will catch fire any moment.