Ouch! Expensive............!

[Pushing Fifty]

What I thought would be maybe a $150 job even with diagnostic time at the VW dealership is going to cost me about 3 times as much.

A simple switch that opens and releases my 2000 NB's gas door is going to cost $360 to replace plus the $90 diagnosis!
I know VW's aren't cheap to fix, but we're not talking about a $75,000 BMW here!

I also have a very small oil leak in the front. They told me I have 3 choices: Get a new oil pan for $660, have the threads to the plug re-ground for $150, or let the oil leak.

It's a good thing I love New Beetles. I'm thinking of a different 4-letter word here, but I'll post Damn.......

[scarabY2k]

I have no experience on fixing the gas door issue. How hard is it to get to?

As far as the oil pan is concerned, I'd fix the pan myself if I were you. Cup has a small leak too. The dealership is straight up ripping you off with the oil pan job. You can get them relatively cheap from ECS and other jobbbers out there. If you're near a fellow orger, somebody might give you hand with the pan- wouldn't hurt to ask.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by Pushing Fifty

What I thought would be maybe a $150 job even with diagnostic time at the VW dealership is going to cost me about 3 times as much.

A simple switch that opens and releases my 2000 NB's gas door is going to cost $360 to replace plus the $90 diagnosis!
I know VW's aren't cheap to fix, but we're not talking about a $75,000 BMW here!

I also have a very small oil leak in the front. They told me I have 3 choices: Get a new oil pan for $660, have the threads to the plug re-ground for $150, or let the oil leak.

It's a good thing I love New Beetles. I'm thinking of a different 4-letter word here, but I'll post Damn.......

What do you expect taking the Poor Beetle to the dealer. They will milk you for everything you are worth and then some.

The latch probably costs them very little. What they charge you is for their precious time and then multiply it by 10. Here is a DIY for the Door Latch by D2Beetle. Very excellently done and only takes about 30 minutes. Okay, if I would do it probably more like an hour
Fuel Door Latch DIY

Also don't let them swap out your oil pan for 660 bucks, that is just lunacris! You can get an Oil Pan for about $75 bucks and install it yourself in about 45 minutes. Even if you are slow it should only take about 1 1/2 hours on a cold garage with the car on jack stands. They are totally crazy to charge almost 700 bucks for a new Oil Pan.
http://www.ecstuning.com/Volkswagen-...Pan/ES1876715/

[Pushing Fifty]

Here's the problem: I don't wrench. I have no mechanical aptitude whatsoever. The only thing I can confidently do for my Beetle is put gas into it. I'm simply not a DIY'er.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by Pushing Fifty

Here's the problem: I don't wrench. I have no mechanical aptitude whatsoever. The only thing I can confidently do for my Beetle is put gas into it. I'm simply not a DIY'er.

That's okay. Check around your area for some VW/Audi Euro shops. They will still be expensive but more than likely at least half the price from the dealer costs.
Where do you live?

[scarabY2k]

Originally Posted by Pushing Fifty

Here's the problem: I don't wrench. I have no mechanical aptitude whatsoever. The only thing I can confidently do for my Beetle is put gas into it. I'm simply not a DIY'er.

Originally Posted by IndyTom

That's okay. Check around your area for some VW/Audi Euro shops. They will still be expensive but more than likely at least half the price from the dealer costs.
Where do you live?

Back in the day, all you had to do is supply beer (or the drink of your choice) and some eats, and you'd have friends over to put up rafters and finish a roof. The same applies to car repair, especially for our beetles- VW owners are real good for that. And you'd still come out cheaper than taking your beetle to the plunder and pillaging dealership.

It is for that reason that you should fill our your profile info. It really assists in networking orgers with everything to keep your beetle running.

[Pushing Fifty]

I live in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Up until a couple of years ago, there was a very good independent mechanic who specialized in VW/Audi and other European makes, but he suffered a major stroke and went out of business. The nearest independents are otherwise near Minneapolis, about an hour and a half away. Most private car repair shops here don't "werk on Furrin' crap" because "This here's Ford N' Chevy country!"

Picture a guy named Gus with 1950's Elvis sideburns spitting chewing tobacco into a rusted Folgers coffee can. The VW dealership is quite pricey, but they do excellent work. And of course, they love people like me.

[Oh Randi]

You know, if anything you could buy the oil pan online a lot cheaper and have the dealership install it.. or any other shop. That's a simple thing to do. If you take it to a non-VW place to do it though, I'd also supply them with the proper VW sealant.. I've heard it's no bueno to use certain types of sealant.

As for the gas door, the DIY that was mentioned earlier is a good one. It's really easy to do, this coming from a girl that was not blessed with any mechanical ability whatsoever. Trust me, everything I've learned to do, I learned the hard way.. Working on beetles was definitely NOT a God-given talent, but when you're poor and determined to keep the car, you kind of have to learn to do things yourself



oh, and if you do buy a new oil pan online, I'd recommend the hybrid oil pan unless you have an aluminum or steel skid plate. They're more durable. More expensive, but worth it. I cracked my aluminum oil pan on a stick. A freakin' stick. Not even a big one. So I went hybrid and never looked back. ECS tuning has them if you click on the link someone else posted already.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by Pushing Fifty

I live in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Up until a couple of years ago, there was a very good independent mechanic who specialized in VW/Audi and other European makes, but he suffered a major stroke and went out of business. The nearest independents are otherwise near Minneapolis, about an hour and a half away. Most private car repair shops here don't "werk on Furrin' crap" because "This here's Ford N' Chevy country!"

The VW dealership is quite pricey, but they do excellent work. And of course, they love people like me.

I always thought of Wisconsin being Milk and Cheese country with a Harley or two thrown in for good meassure.

Heck, I would love people like you. If there are any more in Eau Claire I can move up there and open a business

Seriously, if I were a little closer I would come up there and help you out. Since you are such a good customer at your dealership you should get to know some of the mechanics personally. Perhaps they will only take an arm next time instead of both legs and the arm

Here is a link to VW Repair Shops in Wisconsin. Not sure which would be closest to you. I think your dealer is even listed.

http://www.roadhaus.com/shops_search...hp?state_id=49

[Pushing Fifty]

Actually, I was leaning toward keeping my oil pan and just having the threads re-done. Even then, I'm not going to bother until my next oil change. I'm only losing about half a quart every 3000 miles. As for the other item (the gas door), that's already been done by Car City. They said it was an actuator or something like that.

[scarabY2k]

Originally Posted by Pushing Fifty

Actually, I was leaning toward keeping my oil pan and just having the threads re-done. Even then, I'm not going to bother until my next oil change. I'm only losing about half a quart every 3000 miles. As for the other item (the gas door), that's already been done by Car City. They said it was an actuator or something like that.

For the price of the helicoil, and labor, plus having to remove the existing oil pan, I'd go for the pan upgrade, but that's just me.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by Pushing Fifty

Actually, I was leaning toward keeping my oil pan and just having the threads re-done. Even then, I'm not going to bother until my next oil change. I'm only losing about half a quart every 3000 miles. As for the other item (the gas door), that's already been done by Car City. They said it was an actuator or something like that.

I had a small leak on my Audi TT Oil pan. Nothing major and instead of the metal crush gasket I used a ribbed plastic/rubber gasket I bought at Autozone. That actually sealed around the plug fine. I still got a drip or two once in a while but I never had to add oil between changes. Something to consider for your next oil change. VW wants you to use a "NEW" Oil drain plug including new crush gasket every time you change the oil.