HELP! Faulty air bag module 05 convert.

[northfla]

This is really killing me!

My airbag light came on. I took it to the dealership and they put the car on the computer and told me the airbag module had gone bad.

Well the bad news was it costs $850.00 to replace it. WOW! I went to someone else and they also told me that the part alone is $500.00. I know the airbag on the drivers side is now not working but at that price so what. I never had an airbag on my 72 super beetle! Does anyone have a cheaper solution to my problem.

I am about to spend 750.00 for TB/WP replacement and I just got to stop bleeding money on this car.

[billymade]

There are always ways to save money on a repair: it comes down to costs of the parts and labor. The parts; you can potentially get repaired or get a used one from a junk yard. The labor; generally is figured out beforehand and is based upon how much the shop charges per hour.... you could do this yourself and save money that way or find a shop with a cheaper hourly rate. Ultimately, the module may need to be adapted to the car using the factory computer or similar to the vagcom/vcds.... if you have access or the skills to do this.. you can save money that way as well.
One thing to consider; the airbag could save your life one day, so get it fixed and get it done correctly! It would be a shame to save "some money" and then end up losing your life in a accident; because the work wasn't done properly (another reason these type of parts generally replaced with new... can you imagine the potential lawsuits involved?) Good luck!

Possible links for air bag module repair:
http://www.google.com/search?client=...w=1236&bih=904

You could also save money by doing the timing belt swap yourself or at least buying the parts yourself and just paying the labor costs... here are some links to the timing belt kits... typically in the $250 range or less depending on which engine your cabrio has...

http://www.google.com/search?client=...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

x100!

(They are a whole in the pavement into which you keep pumping money. Just like a boat, a hole in the water into which you keep pouring money! Still believe it to be a "novelty" car! Just the reality guys! Unless of course you bought it new and dumped it when the b2b warranty ran out. But, then you also took a beating on the resale. Not for those with a fear of the mechanic's shop or those with shallow pockets. My 2¢!)

M.

[Deserion]

The airbag module (I believe) is underneath the console so it could definitely be a DIY job, especially if you have a VCDS (VAG-Com) handy.