Hardware bugs (was : coil/distributor replacement)

["JoseGomez" <kwerky@email.msn.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Marc Gallagher <mgallagher@Langan.com>

>
>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)


Marc et all:

And the answer is........ #3. I believe VW's have quite a low rating when it
comes to the hardware aspects of their cars. Those things are innate defects
of the VW VR6's in GLX and GTI form.No wonder their b to b warranty is so
short.

Admittedly mine's a 95 but in the past 4 months I have had the following
components take the proverbial crap on my car

1) window regulator
2) driver side key cylinder
3) the last of the two emergency brake cables- the other one went last
spring
4) Cruise control -Probably because I  found the clutch overcenter spring
rolling around in my drivers side foot well a while back. You have to be a
contortionist to put that spring back in.

A german friend of mine is actually incredulous of all these things going
wrong on a german car and is surprised when I tell her that that is par for
the course on our cars.

Other than that I had a major transmission overhaul at 9k miles (defective
2nd gear synchro), I'm on my 3rd battery ( two stock ones lasted less than a
year and half each),driver side molding reattached, a recurring leaking
problem with my oil pan (finally fixed after 3 visits),stock radio took a
crap at 20k miles. Luckily all of these problems were fixed under warranty
but still. Wierdest of all my instrument cluster burns out the bulbs once a
year. I've gotten so proficient at changing them that I can do them in less
than 10 min!!. Just this morning my car stumbled badly after start up (it's
been very foggy/misty in NY the last few days) I just hope against hope it
isn't the coilpack. VW's latest campaign is "Keep it real" as in using real
VW OEM parts as replacement. Believe me, they are going to have a time
selling that to anyone if they haven't  improved the design, reliability,and
manufacture of their oem parts on the MK IV's!

Also lately my windshield wipers will go crazy and start wiping at the
sslower regular interval even though I  have them in the programmable mode
Worst part of it is that I then can't turn them off. I try to move the stalk
back and forth to see if it might be a loose contact but to no avail they'll
keep wiping  but eventually stop on their own. Anyone ever has this happen
to them?Would it be stalk related or would the relay having a short in it
cause this problem?


Thanks all


Jose