Could use some advice on engine breakdown, warranty and dealership

Thanks to all of you for your input.

After a few more days without progress, I was sent this today. I'm told this is as official as any kind of report that they have available. I was also told that there was no indication of any fault in the oil sensor but have little faith that the service manager checked himself and the records are spotty at best.
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Mr. Johnson,

Please review the following information and quotes regarding your 2007 GTI. As stated on the phone, there are two options available to you regarding repairs. First, the engine head, turbo, timing chain, and associated gaskets, bolts, etc can be replaced for the current engine. The estimate for these repairs, with parts and labor, is $6500 plus tax, with a 10% discount as well. However, this may not fully repair all damage to the engine, and further repairs may be needed due to previous damage once those repairs are complete and the vehicle is test drove and scanned.

The second option is to replace the engine completely with a used, 100,000 mile engine with an engine install kit. The cost for this would be the same, $6500 plus tax with an additional 10% discount as well. Please review these options and let us know how you would like to proceed.

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When I threatened to shop around for another estimate, I was told that if I can't find something by the beginning of next week that they would put a mechanic's lien on the vehicle because they've been housing it for a month. Most of that time has been me waiting on them though... This was said yesterday afternoon with me demanding an official estimate detailing the work to be done and I was promised an email as soon as I got off the phone. It didn't show up until 12:41 today.

As far as the replacement engine option, what do you think? I was told that there would be at least a 12 month or 12,000 mile warranty on it but it could be 24 and 24,000. Is it really just coincidence that it's the same exact price?

Now that I at least have a list of the work, I'm going to shop it around and see what info I can get.

That seems pricey for a 100k engine. I would pick up your car and take it to a independent shop. The fact that they are now saying their original estimate possibly won't even fix the car sounds sketchy to me. You should be able to piece together a brand new or nearly new bottom end and heads for <2.5k.

Butt posted from my Galaxy Note II

What do you owe them to get it out of that shop? Donot put a 100k motor in your car. Get another quote man.

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jerome99 said:

What do you owe them to get it out of that shop? Donot put a 100k motor in your car. Get another quote man.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 4

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They say I'm still going to be liable for the $1200 tear down even if I transfer it elsewhere.

I would still call around and see if anyone will give you an approximate quote too install a motor.

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www.kometmotorsports.com

seriously... call these guys.

I agree with the comment that they can't spell, I don't want people who can't spell Cylinder working on my car -- unless perhaps he only speaks German or something with a damn good excuse

qrsjohnson said:

They say I'm still going to be liable for the $1200 tear down even if I transfer it elsewhere.

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I wouldn't pay them squat. It sounds like they know that they can rip you off and will. They didn't fix anything...so why would you pay them? I would get it the heck out of that shop and start yelp around your area for a good trustworthy auto shop and have it taken there. You could even try Craigslisting mechanics that maybe doing side jobs, out of their garages. (I have a lot of mechanic friends that do this.) And at this point I would trust a neighbor than that shop it's at.

A good shop will charge you: $80 - $120/ hr + Parts

A side job mechanic: Less than that! + Parts

Shop around and dont let yourself get scammed. $6500 for a USED Engine with 100k on it? :lol: LOL, No Way! You can get some real decent work for a fraction of that.

Anyway, goodluck and keep us posted.

I contacted a few shops before the weekend and have only gotten one solid answer I'm hoping because of the holiday.

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Hey Chris,

I called up all of my suppliers. They only thing available is to do the same thing they are suggesting which is put in a used engine with 100k.
The engine with kit and labor you would be sitting at around 4850.00 with no complications. The warranty would be 1 year 12,000 miles mostly because the engine IS used. I would never recommend rebuilding an engine after a broken timing belt. As they told you, it may not even solve the problem. I would have to order the engine from california so it would take about 2 weeks to finish the vehicle is everything goes well.

Man... I'd be riding the warranty company pretty hard on this.

Do you have previous service records?
If you do, compare them to the service schedule from VW.
http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=17374&d=1193273720
If you don't, check the fine print on the warranty you purchased with the car.

If the car was low on oil and wasn't sending a check engine light, and you weren't going farther than the VW recommended oil change interval, then how could it be your fault?

If its sucking down oil then there is probably something broken IN THE ENGINE that the ENGINE warranty should cover. The warranty is there to cover pay for costs incurred when a covered part breaks. The HPFP, camshaft, pistons, valves, etc are all covered parts.

Here's a read up on what I think happened to the engine. The seized camshaft and snapped timing chain are why I think it was this. The HPFP is a known weak spot on the FSI motor.

http://changegears.wordpress.com/maintenance-information/cam-followers-and-oil-changes-a-warning/

Personally, I'd ask the shop to take the HPFP off and send you a picture of the pump, the follower, and camshaft. It won't cost much to do this. If its all dicked up, then its pretty safe to say that the HPFP, a part bolted directly to the engine, caused the damage. Then if you see damage, raise hell at the warranty company. No CEL, no warning, no neglect on your part.

Thanks for the info johnny_p.

I'm hitting a brick wall with the warranty company. They are sending me a form to fill out an appeal so hopefully I can convince them that way.

I didnt read the entire thing, but when you bought the car, you bought it from a dealer?

if yes, then why did the dealer not do an inspection to check for the oil before selling you the car? i had an 07 GTI and never had a low level oil indicator. I ran it a few times to just about 10k w/o topping off ever.

If you signed any paperwork, which they should have made you sign before tearing your engine down, you're fucked. If not, get a lawyer buddy to write something official sounding on letterhead to release your car. It's better in the driveway engine in pieces than the shylock shop it's at right now.

baff2004 said:

I wouldn't pay them squat. It sounds like they know that they can rip you off and will. They didn't fix anything...so why would you pay them?

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Engine teardown costs money. He authorized it too.

OP, if it's on paper, you're on the hook for the teardown cost.
If I were you, I would not deal with the shop you're dealing with now. They don't seem to care very much.

qrsjohnson said:

The second option is to replace the engine completely with a used, 100,000 mile engine with an engine install kit. The cost for this would be the same, $6500 plus tax.

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Running 60,000 mile MK5's at salvage auctions go for $2000 or $3000.