That is the problem. I'm oversimplifying, but...

The first type buy new cars +, as you say, will sell before maintenance is ever really an issue anyway... maintenance is to be avoided, but when needed, it constitutes handing over the keys to a service rep... Aesthetics, driving qualities, immediate needs, etc are paramount...

The second type buy used cars + expect to service them either through an indy or diy or whatever... these are the ones who care about simplicity, cost effective repairs etc... (I suppose there are some that buy used cars with the first mentality, but I can't imagine that works well)

Unfortunately, the first type largely defines the market for the second type because they are the supply. By the time a design is stable + known to be good (or bad) mechanically, it is deemed "long in the tooth" by the first camp and sales shift to other models (of unknown repairability)... of course the ever expanding feature set demanded by the first group doesn't help either...

neither's right or wrong really...

I like the Audis. There's a reason they drop in value as they hit that timing belt change interval. $1200 isn't that bad really - it's a set of tires... and it's only once every 5 years or so, no? I suppose in combination with other repairs... but there's a price to pay vs driving a econobox...

James...

posted by 216.59.22...

• Volkswagen/Audi timing belt change? $1200? Crazy!, Brian, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 07:12:38
  • Removing front end is often very easy., dmz789qqq, Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:55:21
    • the 1st sound point! (n/m), Siegfried, Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:28:23
  • Not that bad..., Larry West , Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:50:10
  • Re: Volkswagen/Audi timing belt change? $1200? Crazy!, William, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:38:05
    • RE: Ahhh the days of the OLD Beetle., Noel, Tue, 29 Nov 2011 06:12:04
      • 5 second belt job on a Beetle, B Millar , Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:03:41
        • Wow! This is really cool! (-), vvk, Sun, 4 Dec 2011 17:47:47
  • Crazy?! How 'bout 1400-1800 per for a PT-Cruiser? Or..., Acubra, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:16:59
  • So, what did you get done and what parts used?, Bill Homer , Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:58:47
    • Re: Revised estimate was $1400. Used Graf Water Pump., Brian, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:02:38
      • Re: Revised estimate was $1400. Used Graf Water Pump., Bill Homer , Tue, 29 Nov 2011 06:46:07
      • "I would never have bought the car if I knew that", James, Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:43:29
      • Really poor engineering ..., JMF, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:32:22
  • The death of DIY?, No Snaab, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:32:54
    • try this question the next time you'll look 4 a new car, Siegfried, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:57:58
      • 2 types of buyers., James, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:16:00 <-- Viewing This Message
        • third type, DE , Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:51:06
          • Re: third type, James, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:48:40
        • And..., Noel, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:48:51
      • Re: try this question the next time you'll look 4 a new car, Justin VanAbrahams , Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:14:20
        • Re: try this question the next time you'll look 4 a new car, dtech, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:46:15
        • I did, No Snaab, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:25:16
        • Minimal service is a virtue, Noel, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:40:58
          • "No maintenance" is not the rule on Japanese cars, Bill Homer , Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:08:16
    • not dead, just more sophisticated..., James, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:49:22
    • Re: The death of DIY?, TML , Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:21:12
  • Re: Volkswagen/Audi timing belt change? $1200? Crazy!, SWEDECAR , Sun, 27 Nov 2011 09:25:28
  • Re: Volkswagen/Audi thermostat change = $1200!, Bill Homer , Sun, 27 Nov 2011 09:24:15
    • Cover up the grille!!!, Mark from Toronto, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:37:03
      • If I was the only driver, would probably do so, Bill Homer , Sun, 27 Nov 2011 11:28:43
        • If you set it up right...., Mark from Toronto, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:05:13
          • try chain-driven jalousie from 92-96's! :) (n/m), Siegfried, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:47:20
    • Re: Volkswagen/Audi thermostat change = $1200!, nwas, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:11:23
      • Thermostats usually last through the warrantly period, Bill Homer , Sun, 27 Nov 2011 11:33:32
  • Yup, unfortunately $1200 sounds competitive., nateh89spg , Sun, 27 Nov 2011 08:40:53
    • Re: Yup, unfortunately $1200 sounds competitive., Son of Saab, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:38:40
      • So, it looks like ~ half for the far east, nateh89spg , Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:48:42
    • Honda, jeff in MD, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:30:06
    • Re:VW/Audi plastic water pump impellar?, Brian, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 09:15:29
      • No thermostat? Disagree on plastic WP impeller, Bill Homer , Sun, 27 Nov 2011 09:53:31
        • Just replaced plastic impeller WP in 03 VW........, Skip, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 13:39:24
          • Which coolant? Change interval?, Bill Homer , Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:32:46
        • Re: Graf Water pump with metal impeller was qouted?, Brian, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 11:54:44
          • Re: Graf Water pump - Just say "NO!", Bill Homer , Sun, 27 Nov 2011 13:07:54
  • Re: Crazy!, Noel, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 07:17:02
    • Re: VW/Audi dealer in CT $2500 + for T-Belt., Brian, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 07:36:34
      • ehh... So what's wrong with it?, Siegfried, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:11:48
        • What's wrong is bad design, Noel, Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:31:51
          • really bad?, Siegfried, Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:06:11
            • Well, OK, but my point is more that, Noel, Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:11:15
              • will you believe me if..., Siegfried, Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:14:17
                • Re: will you believe me if..., TML , Thu, 1 Dec 2011 05:07:27
                • Unfortunately, my VAG thermostat is dead at 56,000 mile, Bill Homer , Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:41:06
                  • Re: sorry, Siegfried, Thu, 1 Dec 2011 03:46:14
      • Re: VW/Audi dealer in CT $2500 + for T-Belt., bic, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:18:15
      • I was clearly misinformed!, Noel, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:55:32
        • Re: I was clearly misinformed!, No Snaab, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:02:04
          • Most likely the A/C evaporator or heater core failed, Bill Homer , Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:11:59
            • Re: Most likely the A/C evaporator or heater core failed, No Snaab, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:35:29
              • Mid '90s Audis had serially defective A/C evaporators, Bill Homer , Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:36:17
                • '00/'01 nm, No Snaab, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 04:53:05
                • OK, but compare it to a 9-5., Noel, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:25:23
                  • Re: OK, but compare it to a 9-5., No Snaab, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 04:51:39
                    • Complexity and the learning curve, Noel, Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:15:23
      • That is unfortunate., Mike Johnson, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:21:37
      • Makes the ng900/9-3 PS line seem like a good idea, nwas, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:09:54
      • Holy crap!, Skip, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 07:49:53
        • Re: Holy crap!, smt, Sun, 27 Nov 2011 11:13:45

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