My Precious

[Adam T7]

I would definitely not get any work done until you've had a second opinion!

Agree 100%.

I’ll bet most- if not all- that work doesn’t need doing.

Get the service done on your service plan, politely decline the work they’re offering, and leave it at that unless you notice a problem.

Agree this too.

Or go to a specialist independent.

[VWRed]

Think I've learnt my lesson thanks to the wise words of the forum - a good independent garage is the way forward if you've a car that's not under a VW warranty, ie, over 3 years or older like mine. This is certainly true regarding servicing. I could play devils advocate and say that the main dealer is pointing out issues that I may not have noticed whilst driving, but are issues none the less, that could potentially become more serious over time, the thermostat/water pump being a prime example. However, the more realistic view is that you're being 'up-sold' on a minor issue, or worse, the issues are 'found' to instigate the repair.

It's so very tempting to want your car to have a complete clean bill of health from a VW main dealer, it's what so many buyer look for, but at what cost to the seller? If you take my scenario, prior to the service I had a wedge of paperwork that proved that the car was mint, any issues raised at a service promptly remedied. Now I have a VW main dealer inspection sheet/invoice that raises all these issues with the only way to get a clean record to have the work done.

Apologies if I'm complaining about a situation created by my own doing, and lets face it, with all that's going on in the world at the moment it's embarrassingly insignificant, just annoying!

[Yusee]

You don’t need to give all the bills when you move the car on.
A printout of the electronic service records will show that the car has full service history.

[Hertsman]

Truly something to get over as it takes away driving pleasure, and I personally love to drive, find it relaxing, always have, and more so in a performance car with all around capability.

But do understand the feeling as have been there, but after one particular car took a few knocks (new bumper, new rear door, repaired wing) despite my caution, and the after was always fine, decided to just completely move on from worrying and attitude now is that if anything happens you simply get it fixed.

Someone just posted on here that their 2014 plate has clocked 108,000 miles and is running as well as ever, these cars will do way beyond 100,000 if maintained, and so again do not worry on such things, just run car to point want a change and then you sale it for what can sale it for, and move on to your new car.

This will make the detailers cringe, but my TCR not been washed since autumn, pointless! its filthy again within a day, so it always has a winter coat of muck on till Spring (It does have a Collonite coating though underneath that) and it might not look gleaming out there, but the rugged winter look actually kind of suits it.

Honestly, the day you move on from worry and just drive the car for the enjoyment is freeing, so try it

[willni]

This will make the detailers cringe, but my TCR not been washed since autumn, pointless! its filthy again within a day, so it always has a winter coat of muck on till Spring (It does have a Collonite coating though underneath that) and it might not look gleaming out there, but the rugged winter look actually kind of suits it.

Them's fighting words 

Cars are there to be driven, if you don't drive it you're really doing more harm than good leaving it parked up outside. Besides if you're not wanting to drive it, you definitely don't have the right exhaust on it 

[joe6]

[quote author=VWRed link=topic=288436.msg2647451#msg2647451

Any idea of clutch and exhaust costs to supply/fit and anything else I should ask the mechanic to do whilst the thermostat/ water pump is being replaced such as belts and tensioners?
[/quote]

Just had a new dmf & clutch fitted in the mk6 as pevious post - cost about £1000 but also new rear oil seal. No idea of exhaust price as still on original one at 95k miles and at last MOT told it was still very solid. Still not using any oil - same level at each oil change. Rear suspension arms can get a bit rusty so worth checking those. Cleaned mine a while ago, rust protection, paint sprayed and waxoiled. These cars last a long time if they get a bit of tlc so stop worrying and just drive.

[Adam T7]

I became a homeworker about 3 months after picking up my GTI, my mileage now is tiny -13.1k in 3 years.
But, when I do drive it, it’s a hell of a lot of fun and like an earlier post - relaxing.
I’ve always been a believer in preventive maintenance so it’s had an oil and filter change pretty much every six months plus a DSG fluid and filter change and Haldex oil and filter clean about 6 weeks ago.
I’ve kept it as clean as possible with a decent waxing every time - I also find washing cars relaxing (sad)
Couple of scrapes due my inept parking, but hey, just get them fixed.
It’s more of a hobby now - I could probably manage without it and use the wife’s Polo - but where’s the fun in that?

[Hertsman]

This will make the detailers cringe, but my TCR not been washed since autumn, pointless! its filthy again within a day, so it always has a winter coat of muck on till Spring (It does have a Collonite coating though underneath that) and it might not look gleaming out there, but the rugged winter look actually kind of suits it.

Them's fighting words 

Cars are there to be driven, if you don't drive it you're really doing more harm than good leaving it parked up outside. Besides if you're not wanting to drive it, you definitely don't have the right exhaust on it 

Haha, I would love to be as skilled and as patient as those who detail, maybe then I would feel the glow that makes me do it over and over again, but much like the acceptance to just driving the car and not worrying about the what might happen, there is acceptance that i am neither skilled or patient enough to detail a car, especially in the winter! So we go our separate paths wishing each other the best.

Did laugh the other day at an Autoglym Transit that was bright white and sparkling, imagine that being in your job description, must clean white van to showroom condition every day?! Ewww

Mine will get a really good clean circa March, which when done is quite satisfying must admit, but till then its a wipe over of number plates and lights when at its worst and keep on movin

[VWRed]

This feels like an epiphany for me. Many of the descriptions of owners worrying about their car getting dirty, putting on too many miles, wanting to get every minor issue fixed so the car (albeit 9 years old) remains as it was fresh out the factory, etc, etc, yep is, or should I say was, hopefully me. It's not going to be straight forward, but from today I'm going to enjoy driving the car, as opposed to looking at it.

The general consensus seems it's worth getting the brakes done (an obvious yes as I know they need doing), the thermostat/water pump (even if the main dealer may be vastly exaggerating the problem, but with it being a know weak point on the Mk7, may as well get it replaced now as it's likely to fail at some point) and the battery (even though OBD11 say OK, looking at the battery it does look like the original so at least 8 years old). These I'll get done and leave the leaking/misting shock as it's not effecting the driving in any way and it seems a 'misting' shock is to be expected. I'll squirrel away any other cash towards a clutch, exhaust or turbo should they go, although again, with my car only having 60k on it, hopefully won't be soon.

Sound like a plan?

[Yusee]

I wouldn’t get the water pump done.
Keep an eye on coolant level- and if it drops, then the dealer was probably right.

I suspect many of these are done needlessly by dealers  because it is a known fault.

( I also think the hurried , blurred video is suspicious- i had that with a couple of tyres they tried to get me to replace- he focused on the “ cuts” for less than a second, I couldn’t see them when I slowed the video down, nor when I inspected the tyres)

There’s no rationale to changing something because it’ll fail eventually- you may as well scrap the car now, using that logic😂