T5 gearboxes to suit 1.9 TDi..

[Dubswin]

Interested in Colinmc's account and I'm wondering if he can tell us the $ numbers please for the work done?

1) the $4800 quoted for the box - was that the full retail price or was it after a discount. If so, what was the full retail price quoted to you?

2) just clarifying - all the work was done by a VW dealer? And how much was the total bill including their labour and oils etc?

3) I'm not sure I understood the comment about the $2800 deposit. That didn't change the final price did it? You just meant that they wanted that amount up front? And did you end up surrendering your gearbox? What did you receive for it?

Cheers for that, Dubswin.

[Colinmc]

Dubswin

I made a lot of calls to dealers around the country to get pricing. The gearbox ranged from $7200 down to $4980 inc GST & delivery,which strangly for me was at my closest dealer ( Burwin Ferntreeguly ) I think that it said that it was a trade price on the invoice. The $2800 is a separate deposit to ensure the old gearbox is returned, however I did not need to pay this as we gave them the old gearbox when they delivered the new one.
Quotes for fitting the gearbox at VW dealers ranged from about $2600 to $1400 (by a country NSW dealer), so we found a local guy who specialised in German cars who quoted $900 for fitting the box. We also got clutch ($650),timing belt ($200) & water pump ($150) and full service. Total cost was $2600 parts & labour.
We also had the option of getting the box rebuilt for around $3000 however it would of meant taking it out, sending it to NSW, it would of taken about 10 days turnover and only offered a 6 month warranty where as the VW offers 2 Years.

I contacted VW Customer Service asking for $800 for the removal & refitting because of the faulty gearbox they supplied, but was told that I should of got it done at a VW dealer so there was nothing they could do & it was my "bad luck". I have sent the CEO an email however don't hold up much hope of hearing back.
My next step is to take them to VCAT .Consumer affairs have told me that it would be highly likely that I would get a ruling in my favour.

[Sunny43.5]

Let me get this straight you purchased a gear box from VW which was faulty and they are not going to pay for labour costs because you had some one else fit it . Go get the mongrels they need to be taken down a peg or two , how do they get away with this sort of thing . I know when I questioned VWA about the deposit issue they just fobbed me off without any sort of explanation , in actual fact the person who I spoke to was useless and told me to ring back another day so they could have time to check with someone else within VWA
needless to say I gave up it seems that once they have your money thats it . Howard

[Dubswin]

Thanks for your very detailed response Colinmc, much appreciated.
I didn't get any other quotes, just left the job to my local European specialist mechanic as I have grown to trust his experience and his honesty. I paid $7500 all up including a new clutch. We did the timing belt a few months ago.

I am left feeling very angry with VW about all this and feel compelled to do something about it. The company trades very heavily on it's image of being a premium quality manufacturer - and yet, reading through the various posts in the WC van forum, it is abundantly clear to me that the transmissions in these vehicles are rubbish...especially in this particular model.

The hide of VW...recalling this model in Europe but doing nothing in Australia...just leaving owners to contend with the mind numbing cost of the repairs.

Our 1.9 Tdi had clocked only 116,000 klms when the gearbox disintegrated. To make matters worse, this vehicle has NEVER done any work at all. It leads a blissful life as a private car, mostly conveying only the driver on a leisurely 35 klm highway commute and just some local running around on the weekend. It has never carried loads of any consequence whatsoever and has never towed anything.

Not happy Jan!

[Sunny43.5]

Have you any details about the recall in Europe ? Howard

[Dubswin]

I'll ask Colinmc to answer that one please. He made the comment in the previous page about the Europe recall.

At this stage, I'm pondering the logistics of mustering as many disgruntled owners as possible with dud (or repaired/replaced) transmissions for some sort of class action against VW. Is that a silly idea? cheers, Dubswin.

[Sunny43.5]

Count me in , Howard

[Colinmc]

"Recall in Europe"

I have tried to find the page that was talking about it but haven't been able to find it again, it was on a German forum & was translated by Google so it is hard to search for. However there are many references on the web to a service bulletin telling dealers to change the oil in the VW gear boxes because of the wrong oil.
Perhaps somebody who has access to the VW service system could check this.

[Dubswin]

Thanks Colinmc - do you have any idea approx when those service bulletins were issued? cheers, Dubswin.

[DOUBLECAB]

Ok Guys I'm back................... all your info on the 2005 1.9 DT 5 speed box put me off the 2005 model.............. so now a 2006 1.9DT 5 speed has surfaced........................would this unit be over all the 2005 issues or does the 2006 also have issues?

Thanks..........again

[Dubswin]

Hmm, that's a difficult one. My understanding is that at some point VW realized the 1.9 gearbox was a lemon (at least, the city box if not in fact the highway box as well) and arranged for ZF to take over the production of them to get them right. Very likely it was late 05 to early 06 as the first high klm T5 boxes would have started expiring by then. You could ask VW I suppose but would you get a straight answer? Anyone else have any ideas on this? Cheers, Dubswin.