Auto Parts: Volkswagon Transmission, pep boys, volkswagon repair

Question
Dear Expert...

I hope you can help me.  There is no "Volkswagon repair" expert at this time.  Recently, my 2001 VW Golf hit a stump.  Two mechanics looks at the scene of the accident and told me that the transmission pan was bent, leaking and would need to be replaced.  Since the VW has a closed system, they could not tell me if I had enough transmission fluid to not burn out the transmission.  Playing it safe, I had it towed to a dealership.  The car was not  driven since it had sprung the leak.

The dealer told me that, yes, the transmission pan was bent.  But since the car had so many miles on it without a fluid service there was a 70% chance that the transmission would fail due to the difference in viscosity between the new and the old fluid.  According to them, the fluid in the system could be much thicker than the new stuff.  We have between 70 and 80,000 miles on the vehicle. The agent gently suggested that I might not want to spend the money and invest, instead, in a new vehicle.

My first instinct is to tow the car off the lot and bring it somewhere else.  I'll probably do that anyway.  I'm just looking to see if this is true.  Everyone I spoke to said it sounded like a big stinking pile of, well, I'll keep this G-rated.

Looking forward to hearing from you.  Thanks.

Answer
Hi Lois,

Tow it away NOW!

70K is not enough miles to start worrying about a trans failure.

Fluid gets THINNER the longer it is in the trans which is the reason it is changed on a regular basis. Thick fluid makes better hydraulic pressure and fluid is thicker when CLEAN and NEW, not old and dirty.

Go get your car off of that guys lot and never look back!

Looking for a reputable service technician? My advice on finding a good technician is: Steer clear of the dealership and 'chain' stores like Firestone, Sears, Pep Boys, Monro Muffler/Brake, Midas, etc. as they usually only employ ONE ASE Certified Tech just so they can say they do and chances are, that guy is the asst. manager or manager and is not in the store to diagnose/repair vehicles anyway. Find a service location in the link below or get some names out of the yellow-pages and do a drive-by. Garages that employ ASE Certified Technicians will be marked with the 'Blue-Seal' insignia. If unsure about whether a place employs Certified Techs, just ask to see their credentials. ALL ASE Certified Technicians will be PROUD to show and display their certificate(s).

Thanks for the question, I hope this information was helpful to you.
Fred
Knucklebusters Used Auto & Truck Parts, Inc.
www.knucklebusters.us
570-453-0910
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