Which parts should be repaired first?

MAURAUDER

MEMBER
VOLKSWAGEN

Hi.
My 1998 VW Passat 4cyl 1.8T
needs repairs totalling $5,000. Out of the list of things needed, in what order of importance should they be repaired? I can't possibly pay to get them all fixed at once. Thanks.

1- Steering Rack leaking will cost $1523
2- I had a delay when changing gears. Diagnosis: misc oil leaks will cost $785
3- My uphill driving was shot and I had no-pick up. Diagnosis: A turbocharger will cost $1170
4- I had horrible fumes coming from the car. Diagnosis: Catalytic Converter will cost $ 966
5- My check engine light was on. Diagnosis: Numerous vaccum hoses damaged new ones wil cost $110

I'm assuimg these are for new parts and b/c I went to VW their labor is probably included in the cost. I did not ask b/c I was too depressed when I went to pick up my car.

If you can help at all, thanks in advance.

1 Reply

MIKEYBDMAN

MECHANIC
623 POSTS

Ok, in reading your post, and doing a little research, you have convinced me to never buy a VW. All of the major parts you listed cannt be bought at local parts stores. They have to be purchased from the dealer, and they can charge you as much as they want for them.
Im not sure if this car is paid for, but I am hoping that it is. You have to consider is the car worth the amount of repairs you are about to put into the car. According to www. Kbb. Com the valuse on a good car like yours is around $5,500. So if you are going to put that much in repairs, why not spend that much on a new car? If the car runs at all, you should be able to get something for it, even if it is used as a trade in on a new or used car.
It is a shame that a 8 year old car is in a condition of needing its value in repairs. I would think of this as one of lifes lessons, and never make the same mistakes again. First off, turbo's are great, but they are not made to last the life of the car, and they are expensive to replace. There are websites that rate vehicles for durablity, and servicability. I would suggest researching before your next purchase. I am not saying dont buy what you want. But if you are going to buy a car that will require dealer parts, and dealer service for up keep, but the extended warrenty's to protect yourself from these problems.

You asked for order of repairs. Here is how I would do it.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1
The reason I would leave 1 and 2 for last is because they are leaks. If you check the fluid levels daily and make sure you keep the steering and transmission fluids full, those components should work normally. If you allow them to get low, you might be aasking for more problems.
Good Luck