VW Golf with turbo issues - worth fixing?

aecb

I've got a VW Golf, 1.9 TDI, 57 reg, 95k miles.


I've just found out that it is likely to need a new turbo soon which could apparently cost up to £800 including labour (took it into a garage and they couldn't find any faults so reckoned a whining noise when lifting off the accelerator that has started recently must be the first sign of the turbo going).


It is due a new cambelt in six months which is likely to be around another £350.


Other than driving my parents car for a few years after I first passed my test, this is the first car I've owned so I was just wondering what your views were on whether it is worth fixing the car when the turbo needs replacing, given that I'll also need to fork out for a new cambelt this year as well, and I'm guessing the car is now at the age where other problems may start to occur.


Having a reliable car is important to me as I do a daily 40-mile round commute in it.


Thanks in advance for any comments.

Marktheshark

It is quite a simple job to swap the turbo, couple of hours at tops, the cost of a recon unit is where the bulk of the cost is.

aecb

Marktheshark wrote: »

It is quite a simple job to swap the turbo, couple of hours at tops, the cost of a recon unit is where the bulk of the cost is.

Thanks - the bloke at the garage said to allow for £500 for the turbo and £300 for 5 hours labour off the top of his head, but that he was deliberately giving me an overestimate. Apparently replacing the turbo on my model is more complicated than most.

Marktheshark

I would google and find a specialist, you dont need someone who has started tooth sucking before the job.
Its two pipes and the manifold bolts and the whole unit drops out , one of the simplest turbos to swap.

Talc1234

Your golf has a relatively low millage. If it is a good car and looked after it has another 100 K miles left. The turbo might be cheaper if you buy a reconditioned unit (try VW forums)

Cars cost money whether repairs or depreciation. However repairing a good car makes more sense than replacing it every time something needs fixing. Your next car might have problems too.

Cam belt and water pump is a running cost that affects most cars of yours age and millage.

arcon5

If a garage just did a bolt off bolt on job on a turbo then you want to be worried.
With turbo failures you need to determine the cause of the failure and chase it, flush the oil pipes etc.

I've seen turbos replaced which failed due to oil starvation then they wondered why it failed again in no time -- because the feed pipe sometimes has a mesh filter and that is clodged with sludge from years of neglect.

As for the whine, have they checked turbo hoses....?

AdrianC

Marktheshark wrote: »

I would google and find a specialist, you dont need someone who has started tooth sucking before the job.
Its two pipes and the manifold bolts and the whole unit drops out , one of the simplest turbos to swap.

<raises eyebrows>
It might be two bolts onto the manifold. BUT... aren't you forgetting about access. And the downpipe. And the oilways. And the coolant. And the air plumbing. And the vac plumbing. And heat shields. And cleaning out the intercooler if the seals have been leaking oil. And... and... and...

aecb

Talc1234 wrote: »

Your golf has a relatively low millage. If it is a good car and looked after it has another 100 K miles left. The turbo might be cheaper if you buy a reconditioned unit (try VW forums)

Cars cost money whether repairs or depreciation. However repairing a good car makes more sense than replacing it every time something needs fixing. Your next car might have problems too.

Cam belt and water pump is a running cost that affects most cars of yours age and millage.

Thanks.

I bought it 18 months old with only 8k miles on the clock and have maintained a FSH so it has certainly been looked after.

I appreciate cam belt is a running cost - I've had it changed twice already - but it adds to my short term outlay if the turbo does need replacing and if I'm going to spend c£1k soon (almost half the part-ex value of my car probably), I want to know the car is very likely to stay reliable for a while.

I assume problems become more likely as the car gets older so wasn't sure when a car gets to the stage that it's not worth spending much on as another problem is likely to be round the corner!

Talc1234

aecb wrote: »

Thanks.

I bought it 18 months old with only 8k miles on the clock and have maintained a FSH so it has certainly been looked after.

I appreciate cam belt is a running cost - I've had it changed twice already - but it adds to my short term outlay if the turbo does need replacing and if I'm going to spend c£1k soon (almost half the part-ex value of my car probably), I want to know the car is very likely to stay reliable for a while.

I assume problems become more likely as the car gets older so wasn't sure when a car gets to the stage that it's not worth spending much on as another problem is likely to be round the corner!

Check ebay sold listing prices for vehicles of your age and millage. I had quick look myself and saw that they were selling for £3000 - £4000, however if you were to try and sell it as 'parts or repair' you will take a hit on what you will get.

Reconditioned turbos are offered for £200 - £300 plus fitting of course

Many Golf TDI's offered on ebay with 180 -200K miles.

BeenThroughItAll

Bearing in mind the quality of the diagnosis:

...couldn't find any faults so reckoned a whining noise when lifting off the accelerator that has started recently must be the first sign of the turbo going

There's no real guarantee that the turbo actually IS failing. Personally, I'd find another garage who's able to actually find the problem causing the noise, rather than this one who's given up trying and is just relying on what they 'reckon' is the fault.


Either drive it until the turbo really fails, then replace it, or find an alternative garage, would be my advice.

mcpitman

What BeenThroughItAll and others have said.

If any garage says "piece of !!!! mate, bolt off, bolt on, jobs a good un" or the like i would implore you to turnaround and walk away. Do the same if they "suck their teeth" when asked for a quote.

Equally, don't replace your turbo until you've had it diagnosed by a turbo specialist, might cost you £50, but saves you alot more than having it replaced for no reason.

Have you get any further details on the fault?

What sort of whine is it? (Air escaping, mechanical whining etc)
Where does the noise appear to come from?
Does it only whine on boost, off boost, all the time?

Etc etc