coil/distributor replacement

[Marc Gallagher <mgallagher@Langan.com>]

This is a follow-up to a question posted to the VW-VR6 list.  Any help from
other lists would be appreciated...

----Original Message-----
From: kling_brian@emc.com

Went out this morning to start my car up.  Its been sitting for the past two
weeks outside.  The idle is very rough after I start it up.  So I pop the
hood and I see sparking coming from the spark plug wires.  Not at the spark
plug end, but at the other end of the wire.  Is this the coil pack, or
something else?  Is the fix for this to replace the offending wire or all
the wires?
--------------------------------

Must be the day for this.  I did the EXACT same this yesterday and....bright
lights everywhere.  I can see at least three cracks in the coil
pack/distributor (whatever you want to call it).  The fix is replacing the
assembly, not the wires. 

What happens is the plastic gets hairline cracks.  When it is damp out,
moisture accumulates in the crack, acting as a conductor from the wire to
the engine block, short circuiting the ignition cycle.

I have two sets of questions to the list folks.  First, I have had my 97 VR6
for two months now.  The car is obviously only two years old, only has
30,000 miles and so far I have replaced the e-brake cables, reinstalled the
side molding and now have the coil pack/distributor go.  So one of three
things is going on and I would like to know what everyone thinks.  Either:

	1)  I a having a run of bad luck, or
	2)  I have a lemon, or
	3)  These cars are pieces of crap (quality not speed, handling, etc)

Second, is the replacement of the coil/distributor easy?  Expensive?  I can
do caps and rotors but this ain't Kansas anymore (at first look).  It looked
pretty easy in Bentley but all they say is remove the plastic manifold cover
and pull the cable harness.  Any insight on how to do it or not do it.

Thanks for the opinions/help.

Marc
97' Jetta GLX - Red/Black - "Bright Lights Version"