I'm glad my Vanagon's problems are relatively easy to fix...

My wife comes in last Friday and tells me that the Passat ('01 GLX 4Motion
Wagon) smells funny inside.  I take a ride in it and decide that there's
definitely oil burning somewhere.

Well, it was in the shop three weeks ago for its third instrument cluster as
well as a bad tie rod end, so I figured they might still throw me some
Warranty slack even though it expired in November (VW Certified) and they
had helped me out on the new new cluster.  Under warranty, it got two new
clusters, new temp sender, and a few other things that escape me at the
moment.

The long and short of it is that it was in the shop with increasing
regularity.

We took it in last night, and they called this morning to tell me that both
valve covers and an engine seal are leaking "a lot of oil" onto the Cat, to
the tune of approx. $900.00.  The service guy told me, "yeah, this is a
pretty common problem."  I wish I'd known that and figured it out before the
warranty was up!

I looked at the payoff on my loan and told them they could keep it.  They
offered us an '07 2.0 Turbo Jetta for a very good price, which will result
in a lower payment, lower insurance, and a fresh new warranty.  And, I'm
told, the back seat of the new Jetta is larger than that of the old Passat,
so the kid's carseats will have more room.

I'll miss the all-wheel drive and the solid power of the Audi V-6, but I
won't miss the mounting problems that are creeping in...

I'm a glutton for punishment, going into my 22nd Volkswagen.

Oh, the Jetta is a compromise.  I wanted a 4-door GTI.  My wife wants a
trunk.

Joe T.
Volkswagen Masochist

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