[T3] Modern cars!

[Keith Park]

To add to what Dave is saying, Id never buy a modern car.  With Diagnostic
labor about $120/hr and requiring special tools, your screwed if anything
goes wrong with a modern car, the bills can add up REAL fast the the parts
prices are often MUCH higher than they are for older cars.

Here in NY, things often fail that aren't seen till emissions testing once a
year, so some poor folks go to get their inspection done and have to spend
hundreds, even thousands to get that sticker on the windshield now, and
often many tries are attempted before the tech can find an intermittent
problem.

Last week I saw a PERFECT Cadillac on the lift, it failed inspection because
the rear suspension had rusted out and fractured on the left trailing arm.

Keith


Top Notch Restorations
topnotch at nycap.rr.com 
http://www.a383ina68.addr.com/radiorest/main.htm
71 Squareback "Hothe"
65 Notchback "El Baja Rojo"
65 Squareback "Eggcrate"
87 golf "Winterat"
93 RX7 "Redstur"


-----Original Message-----
From: type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org
[mailto:type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org] On Behalf Of Dave Hall
Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2012 2:57 PM
To: type3 at vwtype3.org
Subject: [T3] Modern cars!

 
Don't be so sure about modern cars - my 4 year old Golf Hatch Tdi is waiting
for the dealer to diagnose a fault with the charging (60GBP or 100USD to get
the computer and plug the lead in!).  I know the belt is Ok, the battery
volts static are 12.7V and about 11.7 running.  The three 50A fuses in the
fuse-box next to the battery are intact (I assume these are parallel fuses
for the alternator output).  It starts fine, obviously I'm not taking it
anywhere, but this happened between shut down from a journey and starting
for the next a couple of days later.  The diode pack is my suspicion - if
I'm right the garage will take a couple of days getting the part - hopefully
just the 25USD for the diode pack, but more likely they will replace the
alternator (300GBP or 500USD just for the part!).   
Of course, it may just be an ECU fault that's stopping the battery charging
- they may only need to clear a fault code, or at worst replace the ECU!   

Old cars are not necessarily worse than new!  At least the old ones have
more accessible components.

Adriel, I hope you get the pump working - compared with newer cars it's a
much less complicated matter.

Dave
UK VW Type 3&4 Club
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