Help on VW Repair Estimates

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

Looking for some feedback on estimates received for repairs to my 2005 V6 Passat. Car has 126k miles on it.

  1. The oil pan is cracked so I need a new one. Estimate of $350 for factory parts or $290 for aftermarket. Those prices include labor, new sealant, OEM filter, drain plug, and oil. Both prices seem fair to me. Prefer to go with the factory parts.

  2. My axles are currently making a clicking noise. Mechanic recommended replacing both at a cost of $480 (includes labor). Seems like a fair price, but not sure how necessary of a fix this is. Any thoughts from the community?

Thanks for the help!

Jon

2

The estimate is not out of line. What does seem out of line needing CV joints/axles at such a low mileage. How did the oil pan crack? This is the kind of thing I would get a second opinion on.

3

Not sure how the pan cracked, but the mechanic took me under the lift and it was visible, as was oil in the undercarriage. I’m comfortable with that diagnosis.

As for the axles, I’m not sure what happened there. Is it a big risk to not replace them?

4

Stamped steel oil pan? Or cast alum? I could see a stripped oil drain bolt threads. 10 yr old car with 125k miles could need new cv joints.

5

The CV joints could have had the rubber boot torn unnoticed and that allowed the joints to lose lubricant and start to fail. At some point they will get worse, possibly freeze up and cause an accident. More likely they will let go totally and you will come to a stop.

Cost me $496 for one axle plus rear brakes in 09, with 66k miles on my 03 Passat (other was done at 60k under warrantee), so your price is good.

My theory is that the boots get torn when maneuvering in or out of tight parking spaces with lots of snow and ice. They could also take a hit from road debris … the cracked pan suggests that.

b

6

As Soon as the CV joints begin to click…you either need to repack and replace the CV Boots…or buy new axles. If the clicking just started a repack and a new rubber boot will save them…Ive saved more than I can count…but I do these things myself…and if they dont survive I just replace them.

Its different when you dont do your own repairs… In your instance just have them replaced…

Being a mechanic you can get away with things most wont or cant

Blackbird

7

126k isn’t unusually low miles for CV joints. That’s about when my ES300 needed one side.

Are both sides making noise? I’d replace the axle that’s making noise, not the other one.

8

My GTi joints have begun clicking 2x…each time it was solved with grease and a new boot. The axles for my 03’ GTi are seemingly Unobtanium…Ive been told if I want to replace my axles that I would need to send them out to be rebuilt. Im looking into this a bit…I would imagine my axles are similar to the Audi TT or another Audi product

But the moral of my story IS…that as soon as you hear the first click… They can be saved Ive repacked and replaced my CV boots on both axles so far and Im still rolling on the original axles at 142K. If those cv joints stay protected and lubed they can last a very long time. The main source of failure is crappy rubber boots… Which begs the question…WHY dont they make CV joint boots out of some sort of Rubber Impregnated canvas or something more durable…Yeah I know…Cost cost cost… But if this were the Space Shuttle…we wouldnt be using crappy rubber for the job. It would be some kind of Silicone rubber impregnated canvas… Hey maybe this is my new Invention???

Blackbird

9

Thanks for the thoughts all.

According to the mechanic the joints are too far gone for a repack and reboot. His quoted price on the boot (I insisted) was only $40 less than replacing the axle anyway. In any case, the clicking was pretty severe on both sides and there was very little lube at all left in the joints. Things are pointing towards replacing them it looks like.

And the pan is aluminum.