[callisto9]

well, i took my car to the local VW dealership today. i had a mechanic take a drive with me and he heard the noises. by the way, i have two: engine ping, and now that it's gotten cooler, the engine "ticks". anyway, so i know a mechanic can't diagnose a problem just by listening to it, but he didn't really offer any help. another mechanic just said "try higher octane fuel". vw dealership said maybe they could take a look if/when i brought it in for service. hmmm. so what was the point of the drive then? i guess i don't feel like i am getting anywhere.

everyone thinks i am nuts about my car. and i am. it was fine for the first 5 months i drove it. no problems whatsoever. it's now at 89K (83K when i bought it) and the engine makes all kinds of chatter. no one else really seems to hear the ticking and even if they so, think it's normal or it's nothing to be worried about. i guess i am not worried per se, but i know something's wrong. i just know it didn't use to sound that way and now it does, so in my mind, it indicates a problem.

and, to make me feel even more down. i got a few estimates on getting the front bumper fixed / repainted. $575 - $650 was the range. i just can't afford that, period.

i love this car so much and i have 3.5 years of payments to go. i want to drive him forever, but shoot, it's hard when you don't know what's wrong and don't know what questions to ask. i have a few things i'll be trying in the next few weeks and of course, i'll report back. as of right now, it's pinging (in 60 degree weather even!), ticking and well, that's it. i am getting my timing belt, water pump, thermostat and fuel filter done soon. after that i may consider getting the oil channels / passages clean and possibly cleaning the fuel system. we'll see!

sorry y'all. i just needed to rant. thanks for listening.

 

[SMG]

What happened to the bumper?

SMG

 

[callisto9]

What happened to the bumper?

SMG

the bumper was a mess when i got it. previous owner scratched it all up. bad. a body shop buffed out some of the stuff, but it's all over. then, i did some touch up paint. bad idea. it just looks awful. and i can't afford to fix it.

 

[SMG]

Oh, relatively easy to fix that.

Find out where they junk a lot of cars in your area, and then go buy the bumper off of a wrecked silver bug.

A lot of cars meet their demise from rear and side impacts

SMG

 

[Beetlebomb]

Doesn't look bad at all

I don't think that your Curby looks bad at all. I've looked at your pics of him on this site, and he looks quite good to me! The cosmetic defects you describe aren't that bad or even very noticeable. I've got a black '99 that I bought little over a month ago that had been driven hard on the freeway w/o a bra and has an extremely pock marked front end. Plus, it had been keyed by a vandal on part of the roof and rear hatch. It doesn't look bad from any distance, and the defects are virtually unnoticeable to the casual observer. The car runs great and I enjoy the NB driving experience immensely. I used to be very, very anal about the exterior paint of my cars, tryin' to keep them perfect, but that's impossible and I don't even have to try with this one. Relax and enjoy!

 

[callisto9]

Oh, relatively easy to fix that.

Find out where they junk a lot of cars in your area, and then go buy the bumper off of a wrecked silver bug.

A lot of cars meet their demise from rear and side impacts

SMG

from what i understand, finding a silver beetle bumper in this area is pretty darn hard. but i guess for the right price, i could have it shipped.

 

[callisto9]

I don't think that your Curby looks bad at all. I've looked at your pics of him on this site, and he looks quite good to me! The cosmetic defects you describe aren't that bad or even very noticeable. I've got a black '99 that I bought little over a month ago that had been driven hard on the freeway w/o a bra and has an extremely pock marked front end. Plus, it had been keyed by a vandal on part of the roof and rear hatch. It doesn't look bad from any distance, and the defects are virtually unnoticeable to the casual observer. The car runs great and I enjoy the NB driving experience immensely. I used to be very, very anal about the exterior paint of my cars, tryin' to keep them perfect, but that's impossible and I don't even have to try with this one. Relax and enjoy!

thanks and you're right. it's not THAT bad, i just get so anal about my cars sometimes. the previous owner was a highway driver and the front of that car is just a mess. i guess for $600, it will just have to stay that way.

i need to relax, you're right. i will try!

 

[callisto9]

well, parts have been ordered from ECS and the timing belt and other stuff will be done next week. here are the estimates i've received for doing the work:

local mechanic (labor only): $460
VW dealership (labor only): $650

parts + shipping from ECS tuning: $190

guess where i'm taking it (besides up the arse)?

no more mochas for me for awhile.

 

[Beetlebomb]

Well, taking a big financial hit like that for car repairs is no fun, believe me. However, I think you will feel a whole lot better once they are done and Curby no longer has those troublesome symptoms....

 

[callisto9]

Well, taking a big financial hit like that for car repairs is no fun, believe me. However, I think you will feel a whole lot better once they are done and Curby no longer has those troublesome symptoms....

i don't think the timing belt / water pump / thermostat service will fix his engine noises, but it would be so cool if it did!

 

[Porkchop]

I think we need a support group... my ABS light keeps coming on and I'm doing my best to ignore it.

 

[JonK]

Erin,

I Think Curby looks great, I Also Have Marks on my New Beetle, from Before I owned It. With no extra money right now to get my car painted in those areas that it needs painted, mainly the Bumpers, Because I ALSO spent money on the Timming belt & water pump & Ten. Items, and other front Belt, and Oil Pan. So Now Saving Money For The paint Job.

I think Black Shows every Mark.

So For now I Am just enjoying Driving My New Beetle Which I Cant Stop Driving, And Look For Any Reason To Drive It. Also The miles On our Other Car will not go up as fast, Since I always want to Drive The New Beetle.

Have A Great Day,
John K.

 

[Growler]

erin, as good as Growler looks, he has his visual defects as well..

I have learned to live with them. I personally scratched the crap out of my fron bumper on the passenger side (mean old wall in my parking garage jumped out and bit me)
look close just in front of the front wheel :banghead:

also, in the 40k of life before I owned him, his nose got severly pock-marked from freeway driving and not washing dead bugs off his nose.

I love growler, just like you love your beetle.. but we are all different as people in our own unique ways... as are our beetles in their unique ways. remember, there is only one Curby.. he can never be duplicated perfectly. just like there is only one Erin who can never be duplicated.

 

[callisto9]

I think we need a support group... my ABS light keeps coming on and I'm doing my best to ignore it.

ha ha ha HA! my boyfriend was teasing me last night saying, "noooooo, the 'org' said i should get my windshield wiper reservoir flushed!" i laughed so hard i about peed myself.

 

[callisto9]

I love growler, just like you love your beetle.. but we are all different as people in our own unique ways... as are our beetles in their unique ways. remember, there is only one Curby.. he can never be duplicated perfectly. just like there is only one Erin who can never be duplicated.

awwww...so sweet! i guess i want to take such good care of my cars sometimes that i overlook the positive. i do love my car and his "marks" just show his long life and history.

 

[Beetlebomb]

With regard to the above....

...well said, the both of you, very well said.

 

[callisto9]

well, i got the parts for the 100K maintenance:

* timing belt
* timing belt tensioner roller
* thermostat
* engine mount bolts
* some seals
* accessory drive belt
* water pump
* one cup coffee maker

parts were bought from ECS, but i am wondering, do i need the accessory drive belt tensioner assembly?

i am having the work done next week and couldn't be more thrilled. wait, yes i could! engine (or something in that area) is still making all kinds of noises and i am going to have that checked out when i take it in.

my favorite part of this picture? WASSERPUMPEN! hell yeah. sounds like a german porno name.

 

[Deserion]

well, i got the parts for the 100K maintenance:

* water pump

Does the impeller sound/feel like metal? I've heard of one ECS customer accidentally getting a composite impeller (but that was resolved). My Ultimate Kit came today, too, and does have the metal impeller.

But did you get the Pentosin G12 coolant, too? Or does the shop have that?

-Des

 

[manoverboard987]

callisto9 -

you're not alone in that boat.

i too am coming up on timing belt, water pump, basically everything youre doin, and my engine is doing the exact same things.

let us all know if that maintenance resolves the issue. if it doesnt,you and i have some joint troubleshooting to do.

(ive taken it to 2 mechanics and theyve both told me that the maintenance should take care of it.)

 

[rcy]

Does the impeller sound/feel like metal? I've heard of one ECS customer accidentally getting a composite impeller (but that was resolved). My Ultimate Kit came today, too, and does have the metal impeller.

But did you get the Pentosin G12 coolant, too? Or does the shop have that?

-Des

It does kind of look like the wasserpumpen is plastic (or composite - whatever) in the picture....