I have a '97 VW Golf full leather interior wagon with an exceptionally straight body with fancy aftermarket headlights,and nice mag wheels but a faulty, though driveable transmission, that would probably nett me quite a bit more if I wrecked it rather than sold it outright. The thing is, it would be such a shame to see it wrecked as it is so straight in every respect other than the transmission. The rego is currently on hold. Second hand auto trans for these are like hens teeth, and although I am quite capable of replacing the trans myself, the economics would only stack up if I wanted to keep the car. I already have 2 vehicles. Is there any demand for a complete vehicle like this?
msigg,
Feb 10, 1:51am
No worth about $500-800 to the right person, wreckers about $300, fix the trans and sell about $2500 if you can find a buyer. Car in this state are throw away. So whats it worth to you. Sell one of the other cars and fix this. Can you be bothered. For a couple of weeks wage you could buy another one going good. So all up to you. Sell for parts if you can be bothered with all the phone calls. Junk to me.
msigg,
Feb 10, 1:59am
I see another one on here with a new gearbox at 129k so they want $3,5k that's a wagon too. Plenty of sellers, not as many buyers.
brapbrap8,
Feb 10, 2:05am
Do you actually know what is wrong with the transmission?
gammelvind,
Feb 10, 2:16am
It's a VW, that's it's biggest problem.
franc123,
Feb 10, 2:29am
If you don't want the car and you don't want to part it out then you already know the answer. If you did want to keep it then ask around a few VW specialists, or auto transmission shops about what might be wrong and what's involved in the fix, there may be only one part at fault which if replaced could get it working again. If you are prepared to pull it out and get someone who knows what needs fixing to only do what they have to and sort it out for under say $500 and some new fluid, it would be worth it IMO. It may go OK for years after that, many auto transmissions get junked just because of one fixable problem. You might even get a reasonable offer for it as it is from one of these experts who wants to fix it and use as a courtesy car or something.
nzdoug,
Feb 10, 2:53am
VW dont make wagons, they make Variants. No wonder its got problems.
saxman99,
Feb 10, 3:46am
Change it to a manual?
budgel,
Feb 10, 2:52pm
I think so if you took it easy but as it has no current wof and the rego is on hold I couldnt recommend it.
mechnificent,
Feb 10, 3:19pm
Yeah but where are they going to find a mechanic that can use his discretion. which is what's required to repair instead of completely overhaul. which is why people end up throwing cars away. they can't find a mechanic any longer that can do repairs.
Everyone is brainwashed into this "have to replace everything" policy. just like with the cambelts.
mechnificent,
Feb 10, 3:27pm
It might even just need a filter change or a band adjusted. and still a lot of garages would want to send it off to the "specialists".
OP. Get a trans specialist to check it for you, or even two of them if their inspection and quotes are free. which they should be. It might only need a service.
franc123,
Feb 10, 5:58pm
There is good reasoning for that, its difficult to forecast what condition a component may be in 50k from the next belt change and 50k after the previous one. But I'm not going any further with that. As for VW transmissions, you aren't going to know until you ask. The reason I posted that was a relative had a trans failure on a similar era Passat, and had to make a similar decision to the OP. He was into VW's and mostly did his own repair work and had dealt with a particular parts supplier for many years and mentioned the problem, they knew what the issue was and directed him to a specialist who not only fixed it for cheap but even warrantied the repair too. It was a win win for not much money and saved an otherwise tidy and serviceable car from early scrapping. OK?
mechnificent,
Feb 10, 6:04pm
Yeah that's ok Franc.
It's what I do all the time, repairs that don't cost an arm and a leg, that fix what is needed, and without all the indiscriminate "have to replace everything" mentality.
You seem to be in two minds about this using our discrimination or not business Franc.
Cambelts no, repairing a transmission yes.
motorboy2011,
Feb 10, 6:07pm
that's low km for needing a new box.
budgel,
Feb 10, 7:20pm
Mechnificient, I am in your area, maybe a good project for you to buy to put that old school expertise to use! ;-)
I have done a lot of research on VW forums and the 01m transmission is notorious for failure. It was barely mobile when I got it, so I changed the transmission fluid with the correct stuff and did the filter too. I adjusted the transmission with advice from the Vortex forum and had a direct communication with the forum's transmission guru who reckons with the symptoms I described it needs a rebuild.
If I lived in Auckland I would bid on an accident damaged one and repair my car from it, but the logistics of doing that from here in Kaitaia would add dollars to the project that I probably wouldnt get back.
Does it cost the same price to list a whole wrecked car as one in going condition?
mechnificent,
Feb 10, 7:40pm
Well hello fellow far northerner.
Not for me thanks, I'm a jappa fan.
If they are real sure it needs a complete overhaul then it might well not be economically viable. Not paying for it to be done anyway.
If it had been a solenoid or a band adjustment or valve body loose sort of a thing I could have helped you out. Once we get into the mechanics of it the gaskets and seals and clutches and bands and torque converter flush kinda tend to make them uneconomical.
Have you priced parts for it at all ?
budgel,
Feb 10, 8:11pm
I have priced parts and it gets uneconomic pretty quickly, given what they sell for if they sell. It is the good money after bad dilemma that I have to deal with.
I'll probably just list it here to move it on for what I can get.
Thanks all for your input.
tamarillo,
Feb 10, 8:12pm
Another post just in here for someone pranged 2010 model and might like your bumpers grill etc. check it out.
budgel,
Jun 24, 6:08am
Big difference between '97 and 2010 models.
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