Dying Golf

TaxqOnClaim

So after 6 years my 2006 golf apparently has a terminal illness. It started lurching and cutting out the last few weeks and I'm told it wasn't the fuel pump but something inside the engine, likely oil in the engine mixing with diesel. They can't confirm this though as the engine is bolted together.

The garage tell me that at this point it will cost at least a grand to open it up and that's before any repairs are carried out. They could replace the engine but that would cost almost as much money as it's worth and I'd have to find a matching engine.

At the moment I can't afford to replace with a good car (used or new) as I'm in the middle of house buying and whatever I do I can't impact that process to buy a new car. I use the car mainly at weekends when I'm not working for travelling home from Dublin.

Just wondering if anybody here has advice on where to go from here? Not sure whether to buy something interim cheap or try get a second opinion on repair options.

Del2005

Get a cheap car with some tax and an NCT, check banger thread.


https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057729711/1/#post103214229

Car99

Get a proper diagnosis before you do anything what engine is it? Is it really smoky?

Toyotafanboi

If they are confident the engine is past it then I wouldn't pay to have it stripped. You'd probably get a second hand engine supplied and fitted for around €1k. This would definitely be the cheapest option if the rest of the car is in ok shape.

If you can't afford a good car get a banger.

Or since you don't use it much consider renting a car for the times you need it.

Del2005

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

If they are confident the engine is past it then I wouldn't pay to have it stripped. You'd probably get a second hand engine supplied and fitted for around €1k. This would definitely be the cheapest option if the rest of the car is in ok shape.

There's no guarantee that the replacement engine will be any better than the original. Get a banger for €500 and if it's a lemon they still have another €500 to try again or get it fixed. Definitely bring a mechanic to check any car that you are buying.

JohnBoy26

TaxqOnClaim wrote: »

So after 6 years my 2006 golf apparently has a terminal illness. It started lurching and cutting out the last few weeks and I'm told it wasn't the fuel pump but something inside the engine, likely oil in the engine mixing with diesel. They can't confirm this though as the engine is bolted together.

The garage tell me that at this point it will cost at least a grand to open it up and that's before any repairs are carried out. They could replace the engine but that would cost almost as much money as it's worth and I'd have to find a matching engine.

At the moment I can't afford to replace with a good car (used or new) as I'm in the middle of house buying and whatever I do I can't impact that process to buy a new car. I use the car mainly at weekends when I'm not working for travelling home from Dublin.

Just wondering if anybody here has advice on where to go from here? Not sure whether to buy something interim cheap or try get a second opinion on repair options.

Is it petrol or diesel?

Toyotafanboi

Del2005 wrote: »

There's no guarantee that the replacement engine will be any better than the original. Get a banger for €500 and if it's a lemon they still have another €500 to try again or get it fixed. Definitely bring a mechanic to check any car that you are buying.

That's six of one, half a dozen of the other. A €500 car is never really going to be in great shape.

Personally I'd rather spend €1k fixing my own car than having to potentially burn through 2x €500 bangers.

If a garage is doing supply and fit of an engine I'd expect some level of warranty on it, even if only 2-3 months.

Del2005

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

That's six of one, half a dozen of the other. A €500 car is never really going to be in great shape.

Personally I'd rather spend €1k fixing my own car than having to potentially burn through 2x €500 bangers.

If a garage is doing supply and fit of an engine I'd expect some level of warranty on it, even if only 2-3 months.

The OPs garage isn't doing supply and fit though, probably because they know the risks of 2nd hand engines for cars that old.

JohnBoy26

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

That's six of one, half a dozen of the other. A €500 car is never really going to be in great shape.

Personally I'd rather spend €1k fixing my own car than having to potentially burn through 2x €500 bangers.

If a garage is doing supply and fit of an engine I'd expect some level of warranty on it, even if only 2-3 months.

Ya but a secondhand engine is even more of an unknown than another car that you can see running.

ezra_

Get a second opinion on the car, from an indy who knows VWs well before you do anything.

Alanstrainor

I'd agree with the above. The mechanic saying they can't determine if fuel is mixing with engine oil sounds strange to me... surely this would be obvious?

What engine is this? Does the car smoke when accelerating? A very quick google suggests a failed tandem pump can cause diesel to mix with engine oil. Seems like a relatively inexpensive fix. But I also don't have a clue... just guessing.

TaxqOnClaim

Thanks for all the replies so far. Apparently there's some sort of cover on the engine and it would cost to remove this. Based on the likely cost of that and the potential cost of fixing the likely issue, they recommended replacing the car.

The engine is a 2.0 diesel. I could just do without but I've elderly parents down home so I'd prefer to have a car there just in case I had to dash down home at any point.

I did raise the prospect of a new engine but they questioned if they could find one and then I presume you could get unlucky with that too.

ezra_

TaxqOnClaim wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies so far. Apparently there's some sort of cover on the engine and it would cost to remove this. Based on the likely cost of that and the potential cost of fixing the likely issue, they recommended replacing the car.

The engine is a 2.0 diesel. I could just do without but I've elderly parents down home so I'd prefer to have a car there just in case I had to dash down home at any point.

I did raise the prospect of a new engine but they questioned if they could find one and then I presume you could get unlucky with that too.

Sounds like they are doing you a bit.
If you don't know a good indy VW specialist, PM me and I can recommend one.
Else find a good local one and see what he/she says.

Alanstrainor

TaxqOnClaim wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies so far. Apparently there's some sort of cover on the engine and it would cost to remove this. Based on the likely cost of that and the potential cost of fixing the likely issue, they recommended replacing the car.

The engine is a 2.0 diesel. I could just do without but I've elderly parents down home so I'd prefer to have a car there just in case I had to dash down home at any point.

I did raise the prospect of a new engine but they questioned if they could find one and then I presume you could get unlucky with that too.

That sounds like they're fobbing you off to be honest. From a quick google there are plenty of people with similar symptoms to you with that engine. The fix could be a tandem pump which looks to be a relatively easy fix (perhaps 400eur). It's time for a second opinion I think.

TaxqOnClaim

Not sure what a tandem pump is but they've already replaced the pump in the fuel tank and checked the pump beside the engine (is this the tandem pump?) and it's fine. For that reason they think it's inside the engine casing that the issue is.

Alanstrainor

TaxqOnClaim wrote: »

Not sure what a tandem pump is but they've already replaced the pump in the fuel tank and checked the pump beside the engine (is this the tandem pump?) and it's fine. For that reason they think it's inside the engine casing that the issue is.

Okay, yes that's the one beside the engine. Maybe I shouldn't have jumped the gun too much there.

TaxqOnClaim

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Okay, yes that's the one beside the engine. Maybe I shouldn't have jumped the gun too much there.

No worries. Thanks for replying. They're good mechanics to be fair - I've been using them for years so I don't doubt them. That said a solution to my current issue would be very welcome!