More $$$$ poured into the MK3

[Guest]

Well, I've decided there is no such thing as a cheap motor vehicle. You either pay a big purchase price or pay later. I'm paying later. I should be grateful I'm not doing both.

MK3 now has a new clutch including cable and the gear changer has been tightened up. Feels much nicer and at least it goes. This time last week it did neither.

This brings the total spend to $8,700 (including original purchase price of $3,500). I should have just bought a mk4!

I'd appreciate some advice regarding some cosmetic things

1. There's water getting in somewhere. While waiting for the clutch to be done my service guys took out and dried the carpet and they cleaned the plenum and a/c drain tubes so hopefully this will stop the leak. In your experieince, what are the other most llikely sources of leakage?

2. The speedo stops working sometimes. It's not the sensor. It's only the speedo, not the other dials. Should I replace the cluster? Anyone got one for sale?

3. When I put the car in for the latest repair the drivers window (regulator) wasn't working. When I picked it up it is working. They replaced a broken snipper button on that door. Could there be a connection? How likely is it to stay working? I'm so glad I didn't pay the ~$200 to have it fixed!!!

4. Next on my list is aircon/heating and engine mounts. What else should I expect to wear out? I've had repaired rear brakes and bearings, front struts and bushes, transmission mounts, clutch,

[mattross]

1. Thru the plenum under the windshield water deflectors. Sometime water gets in thru the Pollen filter, or the heater core is leaking
2. Check your wiring, or the VSS connection. Its not too hard to pull the cluster out (steering wheel and about 4-6 screws, then a few bits of plastic, remember the airbag clockspring procedure when putting back on). You could pull the cluster out and test it to see if the cluster is bad. If you have a resistor wheel you could test it.
3. Regs are a common problem in VW's
4. A/C - Heater - whats the problem, is it not heating or cooling? Engine mounts are also common as they use rubber.
Expect all your suspension beaings & mounts to wear out as they are rubber too...also a common problem. Other expected are
Fuel Pump relay, Windsheild water deflector rubbers, Air Box Flaps seals, Heater core, seal of oil cooler, cruise control. There is a thread on here where a lot of people have added all the problems they've had with MK3.

Now with all you problems, i suspect you've had water in the back of the dash where all the electrics are (cluster/power windows connection, etc). Maybe there is your problem?