Dealership ruins engine high mileage car what to do

[99cobrablack]

So my parents are on their 2nd tdi new beetle, currently at 170k. The first is over 300k and semi retired. Several months back she hits a deer, and with shop overrun has 11k repair reported on car fax (should have been totaled but wasn't). New vw headlight goes bad so my dad takes it to the nearest vw dealership 200 miles away. Decides to service the car since he is there. . Dealership leaves the airbox loose.

We live in dry dusty nw Kansas, and my mom does census work which entails a fair amount of gravel road travel, and in turn sucks the poor little motor full of dirt. It's trashed, cylinder walls look ok on the borescope, but cam, lifters, turbo, are trashed, lots of blow-by and oil consumption. The dealership says they want to help but don't know what their liability is on a car that is at "90% of its life, and has a big accident on carfax". They suggest paying the insurance deductible and having our insurance foot the rest, or trading for a new tdi. Which my parents have no interest in. Used tdi's are almost non existent, as well as used engines.
What is the most logical way of handling this? My parents had every intention of taking this car past 300k, and don't want a new tdi right now, nor the payment. I thought I would turn to svtp for some advice. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[oldmodman]

Sue the dealer for 100% of all required repairs to put it into the exact condition it was in when it drove in the dealers driveway.

Why should you suffer one single penny of loss for their negligence. And they should pay or supply you with a rental car for the duration of the repair time.

 

[Monster Mach]

Ditto^^ just stating they shouldn't be responsible because of its life admits guilt...

 

[CobraBob]

I agree with Drew's advice 100%. This should not cost your folks a dime. 100% the dealer's responsibility.

 

[James Snover]

100% the dealer should pay for everything. It does nto matter what the value of the car is, as far as they are concerned. Their obligation is to fix what they broke. Sue them.

 

[ttk53]

I would like to know how a loose air box ( aka no filter) kills a cam and lifters? the turbo I can see but cam and lifers?

 

[Azrael]

I would like to know how a loose air box ( aka no filter) kills a cam and lifters? the turbo I can see but cam and lifers?

I am kind of curious myself, not trying to be facetious; just not quite sure the chain of damage. I could see the turbo maybe taking a lunch, but how did it trash the cam and lifters?

 

[99cobrablack]

I would like to know how a loose air box ( aka no filter) kills a cam and lifters? the turbo I can see but cam and lifers?

Oil contamination. Liquid grit I'm assuming. I wasn't there to see the motor apart, they did give them a loaner until they figured things out.

 

[ashleyroachclip]

I don't see how it would get oil contamination , from said loose air box.

Kind of grasping at straws in my opinion .
There has got to be more to this than we are being told.

 

[99cobrablack]

I don't see how it would get oil contamination , from said loose air box.

Kind of grasping at straws in my opinion .
There has got to be more to this than we are being told.

Never pulled an oil sample on a dusted motor I take it? The cam/lifters were brought up during diagnosis as it has higher compression than a stock motor. On a car with good service records, I doubt the cam has gone flat in those miles. I'm just throwing this in on the list of parts that needs done as well. No part of this story is being untold.

 

[Azrael]

I don't see how it would get oil contamination , from said loose air box.

Kind of grasping at straws in my opinion .
There has got to be more to this than we are being told.

This, I mean the air filter was left off, but that should not lead to contaminated oil; unless there was something seriously wrong before the dirt/dust made it in the system or they dumped dirt/grit in the oil pan when they serviced it?!?!? I am still lost on the connection between contaminated oil and the air filter...

Never pulled an oil sample on a dusted motor I take it?

I haven't myself, that is why it has piqued my curiosity.

 

[99cobrablack]

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/830/silica-contamination

 

[Weather Man]

Your best bet would be to have the dealer install a used engine with equal to or less than the mileage of trashed engine. They may cut bait and pay the value of your vehicle. Small claims would be your best bet. The dealer will probably just wait you out, if you do nothing.

 

[R.D.P.]

Ask them for documentation from VW that show life expectancy on their TDI's is only 190k miles. It sucks for the dealer, but guess they should do a better job of doing maintenance work. Now they dealer does likely have the right to source a used engine and put it in instead of a new one. As far as finding one - anything is possible in the age of the internets

 

[Azrael]

http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/830/silica-contamination

Cool deal, thanks for the link! I was/am still trying to reconcile the clean cylinder bores and that much contamination through the turbo, intake, cylinders... Hopefully it works out for your parents!

 

[Grabber]

Airbox = Factory intake, correct?

If it was loose, wouldn't the car be running choppy? I remember not tightening down the clamps on my supercharged car from the intake to the head unit of the vortech and my car felt "off" and I checked it out before I drove it hard or for a long distance.

For now, I'd say the dealer should take responsibility. However, if I had a car that old with really high miles on it, I don't know if I could blame the dealer or company that serviced it right away. I'd certainly take it back and have them inspect it before I decided what route to go.

 

[99cobrablack]

Airbox = Factory intake, correct?

If it was loose, wouldn't the car be running choppy? I remember not tightening down the clamps on my supercharged car from the intake to the head unit of the vortech and my car felt "off" and I checked it out before I drove it hard or for a long distance.

For now, I'd say the dealer should take responsibility. However, if I had a car that old with really high miles on it, I don't know if I could blame the dealer or company that serviced it right away. I'd certainly take it back and have them inspect it before I decided what route to go.

Sorry I didn't make that clear, it's at the dealership right now. Car sounded fine with the hood shut.

 

[tnuce10]

I think the dealer should be liable for any damage they caused.

If your parents dropped off a vehicle that was running properly and the dealership caused these issues, it is 100% on them. Your parents shouldn't owe a penny.

The service records are a good start. Tell them "no one but certified VW techs have touched this car. If you determine that there was an error when maintenance was done to the vehicle, that means a VW tech is at fault which, in turn, makes it the dealership's responsibility to repair the damage their tech has caused."

 

[Willie2]

How many miles with the loose intake?

 

[99cobrablack]

How many miles with the loose intake?

Right at 5k miles, it started to use some oil, and my dad went to service it and found the loose airbox. Since the servicing it's used a quart in the last 300-ish miles.