Back to Arizona this weekend to pick up my Sister in law’s 2001 Gti VR6. It started leaking coolant and a trip to the import shop left her with a $2000 estimate. They do quality work but they are a retail shop and she can no longer afford that. She lost her husband a couple years ago and she is moving in with her daughter’s family. Leave early Sunday back on Wednesday= quick trip with the car trailer.

 

Already, knew it but you are a fine man,Andy.
I believe that's a turbo, no?

2K for a coolant leak? Must be in one hell of a place or be a complete pain in the **** to access.
or just BS

 

Probably a combination of what derf said, plus a shop trying to take advantage of a female. Have a safe trip, Andy. God Bless.

 

No turbo but it is 2.8 liters in a 15 degree v-6 with one cylinder head. Timing chains run up the back of the engine behind the flywheel. After researching the cooling system I am pretty sure it has a cracked plastic suction pipe that runs next to the block from the thermostat housing to the water pump. They call it a crack pipe, I am not sure why other than it cracks plus it looks like a crack pipe. They built this engine to put more cylinders in a 4 cylinder chassis. Needless to say everything is pretty compact and difficult to access. I am going to replace the loaded backing plates on my car trailer and buy new trailer tires before the trip on Sunday. Uhaul wanted 200 for a tow dolly from Prescott, AZ to here so I will just spend that money on my own trailer. I need to return the car and trailer more stuff from AZ back home on the next trip also.

 

Back home tonight, after looking at the repair records all the cooling stuff was replaced three years ago. It looks like my sister in law has spent about 10k for repairs in the last 10 years on this car. The shop offers 2 year, 24k mile warranty on repairs which is fair. Unfortunately they keep using factory plastic parts. Job security! There are aftermarket aluminum parts available for just a little more money. I will get it off the trailer this weekend and check it out. I am tired of this 2250 mile round trip.

 

Yikes. That's kinda far.

What? Aftermarket redesign to address OEM inadequacies?
Who knew?

 

Gruven is a performance vW place that makes replacement parts in the proper material. The cooling system on the VR6 engine is similar to the Ecotec design with the remote thermostat and coolant tube running the full length of the engine. Of course GM used steel for the tube and aluminum for the thermostat housing. Gruven has indentified the problem areas with these engines and manufactured the improved pieces. Their prices are only a slight premium over factory parts but they will last. Looking forward to fixing and driving this little rocket car.

 

That VW V-6 will definitely haul ***! I've had a multitude of them pass me in the past few years. NONE were doing under 90 mph.