Finally Doing Timing with 164k on the Clock!

[SlickFix]

Over $20k worth of bills in the past 2 years on this car ($10k from previous owner and $10k from me). This includes the $7000 I just spent on Timing and the $9000 tiptronic rebuild he did in 2013..........

That's precisely why I became a DIY'er in 2010. I couldn't stomach those kinds of repair bills anymore. And I wouldn't say the JHM intermediate kit for $1600 US is doing it half-arsed. That kit includes the parts that are generally the problem. To each his own, though.

[rsrider]

I think you need to remember not everyone lives and works in the USA earning US dollars bud!

The JHM Intermediate Kit is $1575 US dollars, that's the equivalent of $2100 NZD + $178 US ($236 NZD) for freight to NZ + Customs Fees of $400 NZD, so you are already up to $2800 NZD even before the parts arrive at your door!

Also that kit doesn't include any mechanical adjusters which had failed on mine. So add another $570 US ($760 NZD) for factory ones, or $750 US ($1000 NZD) for the aftermarket JHM ones + more freight and customs fees - then if you cant do the job yourself you need to add labour @ 24 hours +............unless you live in the US and are willing/able to do the job yourself I don't see how you would get ANY change out of $5k for this job as an absolute minimum.

[BCsniper]

That's ridiculous. It's easy to spend under $2k for timing stuff and used Tip transmissions can be had for under a grand. Spending $20k on maintenance for a car seems absurd

[rsrider]

Try finding a used tiptronic B6 S4 transmission in NZ for that kind of money! They aren't common over here. You might find a B6 S4 wrecked every few months if you're lucky. The last engine I found for sale sold for almost $8000!

Also, you say $2000 for timing.......i'm guessing that would depend on what parts you replace. I don't believe in doing a job half arsed. If you are having to take the damn engine out to do a job you may as well do it properly. The labour alone to do my timing job was 24 hours plus parts at about 2000 US and of course all the other things you might as weĺl do with the engine out. Then there is the initial labour they charged to actually diagnose the problem

But i agree - spending 20k on maintenance is absurd but that's what's happened. The receipts from me and previous owners on this thing over time is insane. I would hate to tally up the receipts in the glove box over the past 5 years, it would probably be over $35k