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What do I need and what don't I need?

jmille30

New member
Hi there everyone,
I'm hoping to get some information from the car enthusiast community on what exactly I need and what I don't need.
I recently took my car in to the dealership and they told me a bunch of things were wrong with my Mk6 Golf R all of which they wanted me to authorize them to order parts and fix. Now some things I would for sure agree with while others I am not so sure on. As someone who has the means and is handy enough to replace/ fix most things that aren't related to the driveline I would be doing the work myself, I just want to make sure that the work needs to be done.

This is what they told me:

Front diff leaking- they advised replacing both seals since they are already in there. This one I can confirm diff has been leaking on the passenger side. How can I tell where this leak is coming from exactly or is diff seals just a good go-to?

Rear brake lines swollen and rear breaks "sticking" recommended replace both calipers and all brake lines- this one I agree with brake lines being swollen and needing replacing, no issues there. My e-brake goes up too much and the old owner replaced the lines with non- OEM ones so the auto-adjusting feature no longer works. I don't necessarily agree with replacing both calipers as I don't believe they are actually sticking. On these cars, since they have a rear diff shouldn't you be able to spin the wheel but it not keep spinning because it has to turn inside the diff? I checked fronts to backs and everything seems the exact same between all 4. I tried to ask for more info but the tech just said it doesn't keep spinning so replace it all.

They also commented on control arm rear bushings being on their way out and having play recommended replacing all bushings- this one confuses me as I have crawled under the car and can't find any play in either control arm, not saying it isn't there more just asking what I should be looking for. Instead of just replacing bushings I would just buy some new Superpro control arms and replace the bushings that way if this were the case. Wondering what I should be looking for here, bushing doesn't look like it's coming apart but maybe I should take a better look.

Finally, they said that the right front strut bearing needs replacing and while they are at it the springs look like they are "going to explode" and would recommend replacing them at all 4 corners of the car. Then the tech looked at me and said actually I would recommend coil-overs. This was a weird exchange, to say the least. I do agree with the passenger-side needing a new bearing, bushing, and spring as the coasting has come off and it is rusting, but I don't agree with all 4 corners.

I just wanna say that I have zero issues with replacing / upgrading parts, I love any excuse to replace parts on my car with newer better parts, but I tend to do it when the car actually needs the parts and I just want to make sure this is the case. Any recommendations from anyone would be greatly apprciated.

Thanks for reading.
 

Joe_Mama

Autocross Champion
  • - Reseal/Replace the leaking differential

  • - Replace brake lines if they are deformed or damaged (sounds like they are?)

  • - Do not replace calipers

  • - Adjust e-brake cable

  • - Leave the rear control arms alone unless you have some massive clunking and instability in the rear. When you do replace them, do as you said and just buy the whole control arm. It is a pain to press bushings into them.

  • - If you think the pass side front needs a new strut bearing you might as well replace everything. There is no point in pulling everything just to replace 1 strut bearing if your shits all rusty and old. Coilovers were probably recommended because a quality 4 corner coil suspension can be had for about the same price as 1 corner OEM. FWIW i have never seen a spring that 'looked like it was going to explode'. Unless they are all bound up or something crazy.


How many miles on your R?
 
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