San Diego peeps I need your help

[Johns_Orange_B5]

So the other day, my car was misfiring like crazy, got it towed home, and vag'd it. Looks like the cam chain tensioner is done for, got p0012 code intake cam over-retarded, and multiple misfires in all cylinders, and it seems to be a common problem in 01's, but i haven't had time yet to take the valve cover off to check it out. I'm new to the area so I need your help. I've done the work myself twice before but that was at home in the bay, where I have ALL my tools, and a garage, now my cars just parked outside in a spot, plus my school schedule is packed this quarter. So anyone out there that could recommend a shop that might be able to do the work? or anyone out there who has the tools, place and the experience that can help me out, I'll pay you as well as work on the car with you when I'm free. I'm lookin at like $500 in parts, I wonder how much a shop will charge after labor?

[Johns_Orange_B5]

the worst part is, i just redid the interior, and new wheels.

[Johns_Orange_B5]

anyone? O yeah btw, I called the places that were referred by the link earlier, I haven't gotten replys from them yet, and lajolla autotech was really rude. Ted auto in vista is far, and theres 2 listing for it is it on vista village dr or vista way?

[TOYr32]

GL with the fix!

[bugzy]

did you already talk to www.samtechauto.com?

[Johns_Orange_B5]

yea I called haven't been picking up

[Johns_Orange_B5]

Ok so Extreme motorsports actually said they don't even want to do it, La Jolla auto tech was rude and booked for 2 weeks, samauto hasn't been picking up at all, I MISS STREETWERKE SO MUCH right now, so I called darren and asked him to refer me to a good place and he said that there is nothing he knows of off the top of his head, so he said he'll get back to me after he asks around. COME ON GUYS!!! What should i do, where should i go?

[DarkstaR]

still no luck John? :(

[Rhynolite]

Hey John, did you try Del Mar Car Service? They might do it for ya.

155 Carmel Valley Rd
Del Mar, CA 92014 (858) 755-1652

[Johns_Orange_B5]

Called group 5 they wont do it, they reffered me to tom's auto in la jolla, they wanna charge me $700 for labor (the highest i've been quoted), and $550 for the part, I told him I can get the part for $350 so can he just install it, he said "NO, if that part goes wrong I have to be responsible" which makes a lot of sense, so I said how bout I refer them to you so you can buy it from them (I was talking about ecs tuning), finally he said well now I have to charge you 30% extra because i need to make profit on the parts too, funny how the underlying factor is that everyone wants to make more and more money EVEN when they can help a customer out while still maintaining a good profit, they COULD just get a wholesale account with ecs and not jip their customers.

[oc-audica]

yea my relationship with my first mechanic went downhill becuase I kept bringing in my own parts... greedy arrogant prick, Tim Bunning @ Beach House Imports.

Really sucks that you can't find a dependable tech down there man =(

[bugzy]

Give Sam Tech Auto a call back.

I just spoke with Eric, he said he never got voicemail.

I dont know how expert he is with the Audi/VW, but I had him do work on my dad's MK4 GTI 1.8t, my mom's E320 and my M5. So I trust him.

[Johns_Orange_B5]

Del Mar car service, they area cheap quoted $400 in labor, BUT they also told me they won't do the work, they told me my diagnosis is wrong, and that I have sludge issues, funy cuz the motor only has 25k miles on it since the rebuild, it was my fault for re-using the old cam tensioner, after knowing that they declined their notion of sludge, and told me to go to the Audi stealership. So whats up with this? San Diego really doesn't have a shop that can even tackle this? come on

[ncttrnl]

I can see how a shop might tell you that you have a sludge problem right off the bat. The 1.8T is known for sludge and the chain tensioner is oil actuated and, as I understand it, is picky about oil quality issues.

When I replaced my tensioner, ECS was a little shady with me. They sell several versions of the tensioner but they don't make that entirely clear. I paid about $650 bucks for the part. Less than a month later, they were selling another version of the part for $350. They refused to give me any answer about the price difference. From the dealer and everywhere else, the part was about $650 dollars though so I let it go. I have a feeling the part ECS is selling for $350 is an older version that works.

In any case, good luck finding a place to do the repair for you. FWIW, it is a semi-involved process replacing the tensioner since the cams have to be lifted to free the tensioner.

[bugzy]

Might wanna head up to OC and talk to VW Specialties

[Johns_Orange_B5]

yea ncttrnl I believe it is the older part, it actually tells you on the site, but mine is actually even older than that it appears, as soon as he said sludge, it freaked me out so i actually pulled the valve cover just now, doesnt look like sludge to me, and the tensioner, which if i remember should have some play if u press down on, has almost none watsoever, and when cranked never really properly seats itself to the full down position, weird huh. Well seriously guys I don;t have the time to do it myself right now, I got midterms to study for still. So Lon you said vw specialties, r they the best of the best? cuz if I tow 50 miles I want it to be worth it.

[bugzy]

yea ncttrnl I believe it is the older part, it actually tells you on the site, but mine is actually even older than that it appears, as soon as he said sludge, it freaked me out so i actually pulled the valve cover just now, doesnt look like sludge to me, and the tensioner, which if i remember should have some play if u press down on, has almost none watsoever, and when cranked never really properly seats itself to the full down position, weird huh. Well seriously guys I don;t have the time to do it myself right now, I got midterms to study for still. So Lon you said vw specialties, r they the best of the best? cuz if I tow 50 miles I want it to be worth it.
they are very well know in the VW world

i would say they are one of the best in SoCal in regards to repair/maintenance

[Johns_Orange_B5]

Hey Lon, Samtech tries to stay away from audis and VW's, sounds good, i'll give em a ring

[Johns_Orange_B5]

called vw specialists they are booked for a while, still a little weary to tow that many miles, they did'nt really have a solid solution they told me to call back tomorrow.

[Johns_Orange_B5]

come on still need help guys

[oc-audica]

called vw specialists they are booked for a while, still a little weary to tow that many miles, they did'nt really have a solid solution they told me to call back tomorrow.
i kept getting that from Ron too "call back tomorrow" sucks but hey at least that means they are busy fixing peoples cars

[robvel80]

Have you tried:

Imported Car Service - VW Repairs‎ - more info »
7280 Broadway, Lemon Grove, CA
(619) 460-0350‎

He works on mostly aicooled VW's, but he does his share of MK4's and Audi's

[xx_a4quattro_xx]

ill tell you this bro i lived in san diego for all my life and owned a german car for 3 years to tell you the truth i dont trust no shop out here all the work i do i drive to la just to be honest with you unless you take it to miramar audi they charge a arm and a leg

[TwentyValveB5]

have you tried August European? I've heard good things.
also as another source for the part, try www.genuinevwaudiparts.com, or head down to Inter Auto Parts (aka Northside Imports) on Convoy.
I'd offer to help, but I just don't have the time; trying to sort out my own car and get the Jetta sold.

are you at UCSD? Where in the bay are you from?

[knightstick]

Hi, this is Jonny from Exalt Motorsports, we're a VAG Performance and Service shop located in El Cajon. A project like this would be right up our alley. If you'd like to discuss, please call the shop at 619/444-2300 and talk to Derek.

[Rhynolite]

John, would this help?

http://www.audiforums.com/m_878938/tm.htm

[DarkstaR]

John's car is already at the La Jolla Porsche Audi shop off of Miramar Rd.

[jayar]

hey john it's jr hope that you finally found the help you were looking for and that your car is soon to be back on the road man! we gotta have a photoshoot with kuya's e90 and my e90 :] i start driving like hopefully this week! so hope everything is good soon. so we can all roll out finally with me driving a car. :tup: