[T3] Modern cars!

[Joe Plowick III]

Modern cars aren't that bad.  I've had my 2002 GTI 337 since new, and I've
been the only one to troubleshoot and make repairs to it.  I've done timing
belts, alternator replacement, hose replacements, and numerous other
maintenance items.  The only times it has left my sight to have work done
is for wheel alignments and tire mountings (typically by a VW dealer).
 Plus I've also added performance items to it as well.  Honestly I used to
fiddle with my Squareback more than my modified GTI.  I also have a VAG-COM
(now VCDS) to troubleshoot any computer codes, and that thing has more than
paid for itself.  I'm a little surprise that an alternator for you costs
$500.  Mine was less than $200 and that was for a higher output model (120A
vs 90A stock).  If you can work on an old car, then a new one isn't much
different.  They just require a different though process sometimes.  :)

Joe P.
'69 VW Squareback
'02 VW GTI 337


On Sun, Dec 30, 2012 at 1:56 PM, Dave Hall <dave at hallvw.clara.co.uk> wrote:

>
> 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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>
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