DEALER SCAM: VW Passat With a SERIOUS Cover Up!

[@habbadabbado5765]

And dealers wonder why people loathe them so much…

[@DontCryAboutIt]

They don't wonder...they know.

[@thefreeman8791]

As someone who used to sell used cars, I fully agree. And when he said it was really dumb to do this, I can verify that the dealers will do this. They “fix” things at the cheapest price possible.

[@edbenelli5374]

“Comes with a 5/50 warranty.” Five minutes or 50 feet from the dealership, whichever comes first…

[@BCNeil]

Not even that. The warranty company will claim it was pre-existing. They would actually be right.

[@emgriffiths9743]

I prefer the 50/50 if it breaks in two you get to keep both pieces

[@minnesnowtan9970]

I bought a 2018 Jetta which had a double warranty (6 years/72k miles) and VW (Luther West Side, Mpls) never gave me a hard time. The featured TDI was probably a VW buy-back that VW of America fixed and wound up in the hands of those small car dealers with the deserved bad reputations.

[@paulsz6194]

Most warranties aren’t worth the paper they are printed on. You really have to buy the top tier warranty so you don’t get knock back for some silly reasons.

[@kirstenspencer3630]

More like 5 SECONDS !!

[@khareembruce8832]

Wow you can tell wizard was not happy with his customers getting scammed. I appreciate that

[@2148aa]

0:08 explain fisting to me.

[@maxspeed57]

It's great that Wizard isn't depending on making money off of car repairs and cut the guy a break on the bill.

[@3970billbo]

I’m a weekend/shade mechanic that can work on my own cars (for the most part), so I was able to follow what you were saying. It’s so hard to find a mechanic that will tell you the honest truth about what needs to be fixed, what can wait, and not sell things you don’t need. It’s refreshing to see your videos. Thank you.

[@NoNo-iz8hd]

@@3970billbo most mechanics are not trustworthy. Stealership is the worse.

[@adotintheshark4848]

Most mechanics will not install your own parts, even if they are name brand and new. But they sure will install their parts at 200% markup.

[@johnhollenkamp3769]

Yep, mechanics sure have it easy. That's why the career is right behind "Influencer" and "Hollywood movie star" in popularity.

[@adotintheshark4848]

@@johnhollenkamp3769 just ahead of "porn star"

[@briang70]

I have a mechanic who I trust. I took a car in once because I thought it needed brakes. They told me they still had 60% left. If you're in Layton, Utah check out Shadetree Automotive at the SE corner of HAFB. No, I was not paid to write this.

[@jasonsmith1389]

Name and shame the dealer....only way they;ll stop this crap

[@JohnSmith-pl2bk]

The Land of Freedumb has insane laws that say that you can be sued for telling the truth... and you can't be sure that if you win you will get legal fees back from the bastards that lie and scam. When that changes to a civilised country's protection of consumers and fair comment....

[@scott8919]

They could sue him though. Doesn't matter if Wizard would win or not, the process of dealing with that BS is not worth it. It should be the customer's responsibility to be vigilant anyways.

[@porkrind]

If it was bought in Wichita, I bet I can name the stealership.

[@petrosaguilar8916]

​​@@scott8919the owner should write a Google review with a link to this video. Pretty hard to sue somebody if there is evidence against you. Enough negative online publicity and these crooks get hit in the only place it hurts, the pocketbook.

[@RespectfullyHumble]

Yes, that's a great idea 💡 👍. Dealerships who's only purpose is to make profits through scams need to be exposed. They are too many of them getting away with their crimes unpunished. We need a, "Punisher", system that punishes the offenders and puts their business into a registry of customer offenders that Rape customers from their hard earned cash!

[@WhittyPics]

What that dealer did sounds like FRAUD to me

[@AndyPipkin-dj8sy]

no dealer did this - hes talking wet

[@JohnSmith-pl2bk]

@@AndyPipkin-dj8sy Car dealer... used car dealer car dealership

[@adotintheshark4848]

sounds like a typical dealer to me.

[@petrosaguilar8916]

Likely a used car lot.

[@adotintheshark4848]

New car dealers can be shady too. They have many ways to screw you.

[@andrewthomason3857]

I have that exact car (although mine has a plain hood rod, not the kind with a hydraulic strut). The heater cores are notorious for plugging up. Although you don’t have to take the dash apart to change the core, it’s very difficult to push together the new core and the two pipes that come through the firewall. I would speculate that this car had its core replaced but the tech couldn’t get the connection made well enough not to leak, so he half-assed it with the Stop-Leak crap to get it out the door.

[@daftnord4957]

I've never done a heater core except for a 2012 passat. Did it in a parking lot when snowing. Don't remember what tools I brought but I remember my fingers hurting from getting those firewall connections

[@ScottishTerrorsInLA]

Interesting

[@timewa851]

? Driver's Door has been repainted. 1:38 Also VWofA loves to pour a strange black coolant goo in the reservoir as per their 'Safety Recalls' on heater cores. Had one done years ago. Core plugged later, I pulled it. Guess what? They just inspected for leaks & put their problematic goo in the tank. The heater core I pulled was the original. So they did NOT put a newer improved core in at the time of recall work. Nope, just that black tar they are so fond of. Thanks?? I guess??

[@MrTheHillfolk]

Don't forget those lovely supplemental coolant additive capsules that's a plastic screen with beads in them. Crumble apart and it goes right to the heater core. Trying to get the crap out isn't fun, and I don't want to replace the heater core. Running a high dose of rustoleum rust remover in the coolant and directly pouring some in and letting it sit has gotten like 75% of the heat back. Anything after a Mk4 VW is really crappy.

[@WARTHUNDERPILOT21]

When I was replacing the heater cores on vw's as per the bulletin we flushed the cooling system 2 or 3 times before replacing the core. This is the first I'm hearing of a black schmoo.

[@rogermorris7309]

YEP drvs door replaced windshield cracked = hard hit tweaked body

[@malcolmboynton7652]

retired now. 50 years in chev, vw, benz, and volvo. advice to a car buyer. before signing a deal, go to service and ask questions. how much for a heater core, a/c evaporator/condenser/xvalve? starter, alternator, and other item that will normally fail. dash out or nose off for repairs is crazy . what makes any car a good investment is cost per mile in the long run.

[@seanlacroix]

It’s not only the price of the parts, it can be how much labour to fix it is the issue.

[@harriettanthony7352]

Or SKIP all of this work and expense and buy an EV!

[@toddsmith1617]

​@@harriettanthony7352Better yeat buy it used.

[@gerardoresendiz6731]

Yeah they don’t tell you shit I asked for tge parts they change on my vw junk they just give the receipt that’s said parara n labor 😂😂😂😂😂 n tell me to get the fuck out or they call the police

[@GermanCarGuyMN]

@@harriettanthony7352then pay $15,000 for a battery replacement!

[@SquirrelWizard]

Retired mechanic here...like Wizard said, Pre Purchase Inspection!!! Dealers are scammers! Over priced and they like to buy junk to to sell to unsuspecting buyers. I only buy used cars from the original owners AND MUST HAVE all the service records!

they should have never bought a car that wouldn't heat up for the inside

[@raoulrr]

you don't even need some fancy 'inspection' service, just take a look at that coolant expansion tank, if it's anything but clear pink in there you walk away, that murky brown stuff was so obvious I can't understand how anyone could miss it (could also smell it if you opened the coolant tank)

[@bohr_II]

@@raoulrrsome people just don’t know anything about cars. it’s why this sort of thing happens so often

[@jeffreycheng5984]

No buy with paperwork issues. No buy without service history. No exceptions when it comes to buying a used car. No cash, no deal.

[@autobotjazz1972]

100% agree and if they refuse to let you take it to your guy for an inspection then walk away as they have something to hide.

[@ThatBobGuy850]

Friend of mine had an early-2000's Saturn. Mentioned to me that his passenger-side carpet was wet. I was like oh shit. Did a little research and discovered that the heater core lives behind a little removable panel on the passenger side. Couple of plastic clips, and the heater core came right out. New one went in like a slice of bread into a toaster. Two new plastic clips, refill with coolant - the whole job took less than an hour. I was - as the Brits say - gobsmacked. Made me into a Saturn lover! And I agree with you: Why can't all manufacturers do that??

[@cMethoDx]

For the money!! That's why. Always the money.

[@geraldscott4302]

Way back in 1975, at age 16, I got a 1970 Dodge Dart. Not long after got it, a core plug sprung a leak. It was virtually impossible to get to without pulling the engine. Now, pulling a 318 out of a 1970 Dodge Dart is not really a big deal, I have removed and installed dozens of engines since then. But I was 16, and not very experienced at the time. I put some Bars stop leak in it, and it held for more than 5 years, and was still not leaking when I sold the car. Those were such simple engines. Yes, you can blame whoever put that stuff in that car, but you can also blame whoever designed that nightmare of an engine.

[@jblac201]

I swear, I seriously cannot understate just how much I yearn to have a mechanic shop like Omega and the Wizard. I have found a few good mechanics here in Australia for my car, however I trust none of them as much as I trust the Wizard. If I caught wind of a mechanic like the Wizard, I would not hesitate to drive/ship the car long distance to attend that shop. No other mechanic would try and cut people a deal over a repair they were previously scammed on. It just shows the integrity of Omega and the Wizard.

[@tyrantdaddy]

Thanks Wizard, you're always a great help.

[@berkburak]

Hi from Sweden! There is another issue with VWs 2013-2020 model years with the coolant expansion tank that says" mit silikat". Theres a silicat bag that breaks down and dumps all the little sand like silicat bits into the soolant system. That silicat bag is there to prolong the life of the coolant but such a dumd idea to put a basic bag there. I got mine out :)

[@bikeman1x11]

take it out

[@illuminatisocietyoffreemas6965]

Get rid of that like it's Greta Thunberg

[@HANZELVANDERLAAY]

​@@illuminatisocietyoffreemas6965haha

[@donmitchell532]

😅​@@illuminatisocietyoffreemas6965

[@coalieroller5663]

easy fix, get a new bottle without the bag, or just get a old version of it, remove the bag before install. those expansion tank crack once in a while anyway. makes sure you switch to G12 evo afterwards.

[@joevarga5982]

13:15 Wrong. The car owner can sue in small claims and get a judgment without having to hire an attorney. The fees are low. They SHOULD sue as a matter of principle and YOU should help them. It would be an easy win and teach somebody a lesson and save the customer thousands of dollars. Do the right thing.

[@WayneKim-dv6id]

We bought a 2013 VW Passat tdi new and never had any issues in the 11 years we owned it. The only thing we did not like was the semi automatic transmission because of the scheduled maintenance required on the transmission every 40k which added several hundred dollars to the regular scheduled maintenance. Apparently dificult to change the transmission fluid as it was mostly labor cost. Regret trading it in last March and miss the 800 mile range on a tankful of diesel.

[@petrosaguilar8916]

Now, the experts will come to tell you that your experience was wrong because they read on Consumer Reports that VW is "unreliable."

[@andrewmooreandrewrmoore7615]

Yes the DSG transmission likes regular oil changes. As you say if you have obviously looked after the car should keep it long term.

[@Tom-f8r8o]

I have a 2007 diesel Passat, up until recently it was the most expensive car I'd owned, like 3x the price I've paid for a car before. But way less reliable. Very expensive silly electrical issues like $2500 for steering column lock which immobilises the car. Add onto that exhaust leak, coolant leak, fuel line leak, engine mount issue (very expensive but I kind of blame the mechanic, who knows) My old "crappy" cars were so much more reliable and cheap

[@Tom-f8r8o]

But it does get ridiculously good mileage. 1200km from a tank.

[@mikkol2634]

In Europe, the car dealership that sold the car would always be responsible for that.

[@ManuelGonzalez-fn2zf]

Well, unfortunately we now live in a spineless country that no longer holds anybody ACCOUNTABLE.

[@ehsnils]

@@ManuelGonzalez-fn2zf If you are lucky you could get a lawyer like Steve Letho to support you.

[@KrishnaSingh-ow1ie]

Thsts what I like about Europe. There system is set up to help the consumers Over here it's the exsct opposite. In this country consumers have no laws to protect them. This what happens when you live in a greedy capitalist society.

[@Dwigt_Rortugal]

​@@ManuelGonzalez-fn2zfI ❤️ politicians. Warning: rant alert. Where are the consumer protection laws here? I mean, I guess there are some... Why is right to repair a joke? They're also decades behind on any kind of technological understanding. Europe is usually way ahead of us on taking on the behemoth monopolies that sell all of our personal data. The ships have already sailed and are about to burn. Nah, let's just squabble and bicker on partisan lines. Let's just get people riled up, distracted, and malleable. Us vs. them. Then we can keep the wax museum pieces in suits and roll them out to keep the good old boys club intact. At some point these career politicians are going to age out.

[@tonyn3227]

Not in USA, they don't give a shit here. Once drivenoff the lot.

[@anthony-i1k8c]

I've used "Subaru coolant conditioner" with great results. Also known as Holts Radweld. It only has like a tablespoon of stuff to stop a small leak. Works great and plugs nothing it shouldn't.

[@otarsulava]

Bar's leak works but needs steps to do: drain the whole coolant and fill with distilled water and now put Bar's leak, drive about 100 miles and drain all AGAIN, last step - refill with new coolant...

[@ThomasWilliams-ee6li]

I have a 2015 Passat TDI and got it directly from the return stock after the dieselgate scandal. It's been a great car, especially since I got it for half price and only 20k miles. I only buy lightly used cars and only from one dealer. They have had best dealer award in Minnesota multiple times and warranty their cars. Taking a chance on most used car dealers is just that. Cars are expensive so buy from reputable dealers. Also, get an inspection while you're at it.

[@MrGabrielgn]

In my country only top tier Passat versions are imported and sold by VW. I made the mistake of buying one new a few years ago. It was an amazing driving experience punching way above its price but it gave me endless problems in every part imaginable. With 10K km the aluminum trims started to oxidyxe and the dealer said it was my fault (it was not). With 30k km it was the water pump that cracked. The dealer wanted 2000 USD to put a new one. The list goes on and on. It was a very expensive mistake in the end. VW is the only car manufacturer that let me down after so many cars I've owned over 4 decades. Ford, GM, Renault and Honda always fulfilled my expectations.

[@markseibert8270]

$2000 for a water pump? Why wasn't it covered. VW's warranty is pretty good, and your kms was quite low. How old was the car?

[@MrGabrielgn]

@@markseibert8270 The car was 2 years old and the warranty for the engine in my country is 1 year. I had to sort the water pump from an importer (from Austria) and paid one third the price. This guys are gangsters. I have never had such a bad experience with any car manufacturer. I have many frinds with similar problems with their VW's water pump on TSIs. Not one had the water pump fixed under warranty.

[@PaulGinAZ68]

Here in the US there was a national recall on the 1.8t water pump and they were replacing them under warranty. It's strange that wherever you reside, they weren't doing that.

[@JohnSmith-pl2bk]

@@PaulGinAZ68 Obviously there was a scam by the dealers in that country... probably getting free warranty pumps from VW but charging their customers full whack ... because if the OP had known of the recall re water pumps he surely would have mentioned it!

[@SonOfTamriel]

This story is bullshit. I've owned VW's in Canada for 30+ years. My current VW project is a 2001 1.8t turbo S (granted only 180,000kms on it). Most reliable car I've ever had and I've owned many from Ford to Mitsubishi. I just like cars. VW has been a win win for me in fixing and reselling over the years and more fun than most brands to drive. I can do a lot of the work myself but any time its been in the shop its quick and easy to get things fixed, just had the timing belt/water pump done from a shop and I'm $1400 poorer (OH NO). People BS about VW all the time cause they have no idea how to take care if it from the get go or they take it some shady shadetree mechanic or crappy dealer that's only about making money.

[@willyck948]

I'm not recommending or condemning what I have done to an old beat up honda civic. Customer had a car over 200,000 miles, bold tire, week battery, destroyed front bumper, and is burning coolant. Tested the radiator and found combustion gasses and customer doesn't want to fix a headgasket so we may have put some k-seal in and told the costumer to watch the fluid level and temp gauge and look for another car. Their budges is $1500 for another car and I saw it still driving dispite poor prognosis over a month ago and it still needs tires and battery and who know what else now.

[@petrosaguilar8916]

How much can a battery cost? You can find decent used tires at a junkyard. $1500 budget for another car won't buy anything better.

[@willyck948]

@petrosaguilar8916 I recommend parts and repair every time I see it per company policy for certicy inspection and I'm not looking for a car for a customer.

[@Graver81-69]

You remind me of a shop teacher I had back in the 90s. I learned more from that man about mechanical work than I did my own dad

[@GregoryBaker]

Even if you get a pre-purchase inspection, they won’t find small electrical problems caused by coffee spills. Always test every single button and feature before handing your money over. Sticky buttons on the head unit or climate controls can be a deal breaker, you don’t know what’s in there till you look.

[@n9wox]

A similar thing happened with my 2012 Passat TDI. The user car dealer I bought it from was very honest. However, the VW Approved Emissions Modification (AEM) was done by a different dealer, Bommarito VW. Since it was a VW buy-back, and the car had been sitting for several years, the battery was dead. Bommarito replaced the battery with their own private label battery which had a crack. The acid gradually leaked from the battery and ate through the DSG cooler.

[@wishbone20t]

432,700 miles on my 2015 TDI (Diesel) Passat. These cars are known to have heater core issues, any of those leak products could be catastrophic. The other thing that could have happened- The water pump could have been leaking before the timing belt/water pump was done, mine did that twice. The same person that used the stop leak chemical could have used it previously.

[@dust_gale3108]

I mean lol it is really so easy to replace. Probably a 150 bucks job + parts. Why the hell would you use a stop leak Dealerships are just trash

[@wishbone20t]

@@dust_gale3108 A heater core is going to cost you about $750 to $800 at a dealership. The water pump gets replaced when you do the timing belt, that'll cost you about $2,000 to 2,300 at the dealership. Those are the most common water lakes on these vehicles

[@mattmartinolc]

I have a 2014 Passat TDI. Had it 5 years. Been my favorite car I've ever owned. No major issues as long as you are aware of their quirks and maintenance. I currently have a heater core in my trunk that I need to put in before winter. They're unfortunately infamous for clogging because the passages are so tiny. I bought a Chinese one hoping the passages are bigger since the VW ones will clog over and over again

[@thomasharris5151]

Take the dealer to court… there’s legal service that’ll do it for free in a lot of cities.

[@joewoodchuck3824]

Small claims court too.

[@ehsnils]

@@joewoodchuck3824 Until the small claims court decides that it's over their level. 😆

[@joewoodchuck3824]

@@ehsnils Small claims court limits are available with a phone call. The state I came from would certainly have covered the $3k. The amount increases to account for inflation too. I can't speak for anywhere else.

[@KrishnaSingh-ow1ie]

You can't take them to small claims court. You don't need a lawyer and you can sew fir up to 100000. All you have to do is pay a small fee like 80 dollars. It depends on what state you live.

[@KrishnaSingh-ow1ie]

10,000 I mean

[@paulthompson1654]

Caution break glass and use the chemical flush with the old radiator core . Do this 3x over the space of a week . Refilling with clean water only between times . Then remove thermostat reverse flush block and replace /rodded out radiator core . If there are other coolers such as egr or internal engine oil cooler is why I suggest a soft approach . If these coolers are easily removed flush them separately / individually . There are more caustic flushes but will most definitely strip the cooling system toa very clean state but block the radiator with in 30 minutes . I only use these B4 after big engine work

[@Workshop8191]

Apart the EGR cooler, if its anything like the MK5 TDI, I think you'll need to check the oil cooler and the gearbox cooler for clogging too

[@MWHM2]

This is like 2 generations newer and the MK7 generations... Completely different engine.

[@Workshop8191]

​@@MWHM2 I'm assuming MK6 & MK7 CR-TDIs still have an oil cooler, not sure about the newer DSG boxes though

[@step8337]

As a former Passat B6 TDI owner (B6 and B7 are basically the same underneath) I can feel their pain, they are an easy car to work on heater cores a couple hours job. When I got mine in the UK I was scammed the battery would die if left for more than a day. No interior lights staying on, actually removed the stereo, changed the BCM as the drain was showing as coming from a faulty circuit in the BCM, changed it. Same error. Turned out someone had "fixed" an alternator fault by just adding more cables and hiding them (car had an undertray so I was using the inspection ports) prized it off, turned out to be a bar rectifier. New alt. Boom fixed, dealership refused to help throughout said because I had changed parts I caused it.

[@68CHUCKLES]

Friend's Jetta had intermittent entire dash shutting off & intermittent transmission going in and out of gear. After about the 3rd time at dealer, dealer tells him to drop off, leave in parking lot. Dealer claims he left window open, rained overnight, water got into electronics in floor, and then declared it totaled - unrepairable. His insurance paid for entire thing. What a scam !!!

[@billmelcher625]

that was a flood car and somebody knew it

[@1mymikey]

1987 5spd 287,000 miles. Water pump, thermostat, plugs and oil change. Had crank windows and crank sunroof. Gave it away still running!

[@PeterRoos]

How to turn a $300 repair into a $3,000 repair. This has nothing to do with it being a Volkswagen, it's just a scam.

[@AndyPipkin-dj8sy]

hes literally projecting his own scam as the dealers

[@Mr-pn2eh]

It's literally has ti do with a Volks crappin

[@JCollins38]

​@@Mr-pn2eh It has to do with a dealer covering up a problem with stop leak instead of fixing it, thats not a VW issue

[@DrClawizdead]

No one said it had to do with being a Volkswagen. He actually PRAISED VW for putting the core in an easy to access spot! The scam was the dealer taking a shortcut repair and costing the buyer more in the long run. Next time, watch the video.

[@DrClawizdead]

@@AndyPipkin-dj8sy What scam is he running here? Fixing the car?

[@NoNo-iz8hd]

Had a 2013 Passat 2.5 5 cylinder engine and at 65000 miles a slight rough idle started plugs and coils were good found the camshafts and finger followers were heavily pitted. Sold it !! Camshafts were on back order.

[@motroman1]

The front driver door has been painted and is not the same color as the rest of the vehicle

[@vx.calibre2901]

Paint shop quality control by Stevie Wonder

[@minnesnowtan9970]

I had a 2015 Passat, 1.8L gasoline, great car. Hit 40 mpg sometimes, great back seat for tall people, huge trunk. Great ride. Car Wizard is one of the more trustworthy channels. I really like such honest, empathetic and intelligent people.

[@ericpowers2469]

85k miles, it’s not even broken in yet. Recently had an Uber driver with a TDI Passat with 350k miles and it ran like a champ.

[@paulsz6194]

That’s an exception to the rule. You really need to keep on top with the maintenance & repairs in order to make it that far. It’s not like a Toyota Camry that can survive Some delayed or deferred maintenance…

[@kennethobando5755]

@@paulsz6194most Vws are not great. But the diesels as long as maintained are phenomenal. And easily go 400,000 miles.

[@Rusty-Shackleford69]

That is great to know! I recently purchased a 2015 passat tdi with the updated EA288 engine with 82k. Fuel economy is fantastic!

[@Rusty-Shackleford69]

​@paulsz6194 As a former BMW owner, maintenance is absolutely the key to longevity.

[@ericpowers2469]

@@paulsz6194 that’s the obvious for any vehicle

[@carlchurch2687]

Appreciate your thorough and honest approach, and I enjoy your videos. You are a credit to the industry.

[@brandonsmith5506]

When i used to work in the garage years ago and I used to hate all kinds of stop leak. My grandpa put that bars stop leak in the 96 Chevy truck with the 350 vortec that he gave me and all it needed was the intake gaskets. That bars stop leak was a complete nightmare to get it completely flushed out of the system.

[@danielsteward5090]

Yeah, Bars' leaks us like hypoid gear oil,or form a gasket #1. the smell is one you never forget.

[@stephen3164]

This is “using super glue on a bumper instead of bolts” level of scammy.

[@uo2230]

Have a 15 Golf TDI. Gets 50 mpg on the highway. Great car. Schmitty reliability tho. 42k already drivers window switch replaced, O2 sensor, water pump leaking replaced along w timing belt and tensioner. Thermostat and housing replaced due to leak. POS reliability. My 06 CVPI has 260k gets 15-18 mpg and us cheaper to operate. Very reliable. Sad to say I'll never buy another VW of any kind.

[@playdg]

I don't think you know how to use the phrase: "great car".

[@jaysun3149]

thanks to VW who designed the removable heater core.

[@MrRupus2020]

But boo too the guy that put the egr cooler in the circuit

[@majortolleson7976]

My dad introduced me to barz leaks "pellets" stop leak probably 45 years ago.... but he was trying to keep 500.00 cars on the road..... ok and maybe an occasional Cadillac with a radiator the size of a kitchen table!!! It served its purpose and the fact that its still out there proves that..... but it goes a bottle a 30 year old truck or tractor radiator, not a modern 4cyl with multiple bottles....

[@carwashadamcooper1538]

The powdered aluminum type stop leak that comes in a little plastic tube is so much better and safer! If it won't plug the leak, it's time to replace something. IDK why anyone would still use Bars Leak unless they're trying to scam someone.

[@caleb7674]

Really should just replace the leaking part. Coolant is almost like water in consistency, it passes through very narrow coolant passages in the water jacket in the block, in the radiator and through the pump. Thick gunk will gum up and destroy your water pump, plug your radiator and cause your car to run hotter in general.

[@willie46502]

Common problem look for service bulletin from VW. Solder used during manufacture of heater cores was incompatible with coolant. If car had t-belt and waterpump replaced at correct interval and flushed properly that would help eliminate a lot of that rust and debris.Some think that Vw cast blocks with low nickel that causes them to rust prematurely. A good clue is to look at coolant reservoir bottle to gauge quality of coolant. We use a coolant flush designed for cat diesels that works well. If your heater core is leaking call VW and ask very politely if they can goodwill the repair.

[@DPoner]

Heater core location is awesome! VW for the win!

[@janniss6401]

It's amazing how many comments under this video are really negative in general and towards VW, when this is actually a great repair friendly design. Shows how people REALLY tend to focus on the negative... Pretty sad imho.

[@TheCompyshop]

@@janniss6401 Because there's a huge bias towards german cars. It's honestly crazy. VW's are generally pretty damn good cars and not terrible to repair if something does go wrong. I work with GM cars, you should see the garbage they put out. Makes Volkswagen look like the most reliable car on the road in comparison

[@Land_Raver]

​@TheCompyshop I do generally like working on them. Except for that stupid ABS module way back against the firewall that goes out and I have to drop the engine down.

[@jaybeemhardscrote7466]

I've owned and repaired my own VWs for 10 years! The worst problems I've had with them were usually my own fault lol

[@hariranormal5584]

@@TheCompyshop They have changed a lot with generations perhaps. I seriously doubt modern VW/Audi or anything are as repair friendly, I mean the amount of tech they have just naturally calls for complex systems that need complex tools and better knowledgeable people to understand and fix those things.

[@philbunt3870]

I would have thought 1 bottle of Bars Leaks in a new rad would block it! Nice to know it could help if needed. I use a local trustworthy mechanic, he and his employees have always been upfront and honest, I even crossed checked once the average cost for a repair online, he beat that price using genuine parts, considering that price I got was in US Dollars, and parts here are more expensive, excellent service! I always recommend his workshop to anyone who asks for a good Mechanic. Cheap does not mean good value, honesty and quality does.

[@paulmolohon4693]

I like the long nose modified needle nose pliers exclamation mark.

[@gabrieldetwiler7078]

They better be prepared to have a dpf or adblue replacement. These TDIs are fantastic but the emissions equipment is what kills them. But if they don’t live in an emissions testing area…

[@rockinrob2004]

Thanks car wizard for doing these videos & being the great person you are with trying to help us ALL! It's truly sad what many dealers, mechanics, etc., try to do to get over on those that are unaware.

[@erichgrigutis1066]

Put RMI-25 in after. It's a coolant system cleaner, conditioner and has dye so you can find leaks. After doing research about it, that a company was having 15-25 coolant related issues a month on their equipment and trucks. Ranged from h half ton to class 8. Their coolant issues dropped dramatically after consistently using RMI-25. I've been using it for years in everything and can say it does everything they say. It somehow floats all the coolant contamination to the fill tank.

[@briantrout7051]

Owned an '03 TDI for several years. Awesome car! I think I'd still be driving it if it hadn't been rear-ended and totaled. 50+mpg and 800 miles on a tank of fuel. Bought an '04 TDI to replace it. (Camshaft. GRRRRRR) Also, some of their automatics were problematic, mine were 5 speed manual. So it kinda depends on what it is.

[@mikehub6664]

My CJAA had both the heater core plugged (corrosion) and leaking EGR cooler. Heater core was easy. EGR cooler was a PITA. Swapped to Prestone Platinum 60% mix to keep the corrosion from happening again. BTW the heater is crazy hot now. Its routed from engine to egr cooler to heater core. Heats interior very well and at the vents its nearing 180F at max heat. I can never have it at max heat even at below freezing temps it litterally burns my fingers on the wheel. Feet vents only for max heat.

[@metalworker007]

i hear there is another fault common to VW;s where there is some sort of a little bag of preservative in the coolent bottle..after so many years it rips open and stuffs the whole system just like you are describing.

[@JohnSmith-pl2bk]

The bag contains silica and "conditions" the coolant. Might have worked better if VW had put it in a brass gauze "bag" or a stainless steel one like you use to steep loose tea leaves in a tea pot.

[@bartscanland9415]

Because Dodge Rams and Chevy trucks have a transmission tunnel by the accelerator pedal. 6:07

[@cmartin_ok]

.... and people wonder why the garage trade has such a poor reputation

[@adotintheshark4848]

this was a dealer issue

[@henrykim4230]

garage trade? why you would like Raygun

[@custos3249]

But according to mechanical nightmares and like channels, and especially their comment sections, there's no such thing as "the other shop." Only owners ever do stuff like this. No mechanic has ever messed up a job or taken someone for a ride. They're all competent, all trustworthy lol

[@NoNo-iz8hd]

@@cmartin_ok most garages are mostly parts changers little skill involved.

[@davidlefranc6240]

I've seen some diesel Volks with over 600k miles pretty good in our harsh Canadian weather.

[@johnholm8175]

I had a 2013 VW Passat TDI SEL. loved I. Put 40,000 miles on it before VW bought it back from me. It cost me $5,000 to drive it for 3 1/2 years

[@dylanjk5946]

i bought a 2012 sel premium with a bad hpfp cleaned all the lines out and replaced the hpfp and had 3k in it including what i paid for the car and it only had 90k miles drove it till 170k no problems then sold it for 6k

[@punishthemeatpocket]

5K? for what? Gas, insurance, repairs?

[@johnholm8175]

@@punishthemeatpocket I bought it for 33. they gave me 28,000 to buy it back. I had 8 oil changes, 3 of them free

[@Charlespwatkin]

@@johnholm8175 I bought a buyback TDI only had 12k miles. I’m not 165k and only have down routine maintenance. Plus 4 damn heater cores all replaced under the extended warranty. Beside the heater cores the car has been amazing.

[@osman_zengin]

Did you have to sell it back? Couldn't you keep it?

[@BigworkWal]

Yup, noticeable, too. I bought a vehicle about 5 years ago from the local dealer, and they did me dirty too. After I bought it and a year down the road the following winter, I noticed that smell that comes from stop leak after its been used into the system. It slimed up my heater core and had to get it flushed out, before it did anymore damage to my systems. I caught it just in time before it destroyed my entire cooling system. The damage was just the heater core is sludged but still works OK enough to use until i decide to replace it. When the quote was made to replace the heater core i dropped my phone then picked it up, I said he'll no I ain't going to pay for someone else's f*** up, flush it, and leave it, that dealership i bought it from, did me dirty". I still drive that vehicle but am currently looking for another basic A->B vehicle to replace one of my vehicles because sometimes you need to find a way out of a car before it becomes a bigger issue that, you can't fix anymore. Rust is what I'm talking about it's an ultimate killer.

[@TenFalconsMusic]

. Judging by the heavy tint job, I'm guessing coolant wasn't the only smell emanating from their vehicle.

[@punishthemeatpocket]

Fried chicken bits between the seats? Koolaid stains on the carpet? :S

[@HoustonRoad]

@@punishthemeatpocketcorrect, so you use to own it Mr Meatpocket?

[@richards8872]

@@punishthemeatpocketyou know The Wizard doesn’t like racist clowns right?

[@punishthemeatpocket]

@@richards8872 its a joke u dense mfer

[@SCARSORGofficial]

I had the same issue with an older Audi A6 2.8. Radiator was not flowing through the lower cores and the heater core eventually failed as well. It looked like sludge in the cooling system and I initially thought bad head gasket or a shop had improperly mixed coolant types. In the end, I think it was some stop leak crap that did it. Wound up with a new radiator and heater core and did a serious system flush before installing. Would wind up flushing a few more times over the following months and using Liqui Moly Radiator Flush. A year later it's finally getting better... could use one more flush. That crap is the devil.

[@zburnham]

Every single person at every car dealer in America is a criminal of some kind, or complicit in some unethical/illegal behavior. I've had people try to tell me a car wasn't on the lot, when it was right there, I've had people tell me that I needed a transmission service at 60k when the manufacturer (Honda) says 90k, I've had sales guys try to put another $1000 on the price of the car and hope I wouldn't notice, I've had sales managers tell me Sunday "That price is good whenever you come back in, we don't say prices are just for today" and then when I came in on Wednesday guess what he told me. Looked me right in the eye and lied to me. He got an earful, in his office where the acoustics are better for it. Never ever believe anything anyone at a dealer tells you without seeing it with your own eyes.

[@JohnSmith-pl2bk]

and getting it in writing while recording it on your phone....

[@petrosaguilar8916]

Buy used cars from auctions or private sellers.

[@trondsimonsen4025]

Almost only in America .... I hope you all knows the perpertraors ....

[@adotintheshark4848]

nothing wrong with doing a trans service at 60k, but do it yourself. Your transmission and wallet will thank you.

[@Digital-Dan]

Except, of course, for Euroasian Bob.

[@digi3218]

Ive had this one sportsbike for years and its always got really hot. I just realized it probably has had that radiator stop leak used on it before I ever got it. The coolant bottle has the same reddish gunk built up on the bottom and I never knew what it was. I recently decided I was going to replace the radiator because the bike always has a slight smell of coolant too. Now after watching this video I think its definitely a good idea.

[@perropulgoso3351]

It amazes me how the government agencies that supposedly are there to protect the consumers, don't crack down on dealership repair shops the way they should, undercover investigations are a good way of doing it.

[@petrosaguilar8916]

It's called "lobbying" which if it were happening in another country they'd label it corruption.

[@GohPhuckyoselph]

Thank the folks who wanted all that deregulation or allowed companies to regulate themselves.

[@billnasburg1361]

I wish all shops and dealers had the integrity that you have, but we all know that there a lot of scam artists everywhere. Best to you and Mrs. Wizard always as I appreciate your honesty, knowledge and experience

[@rhkips]

PPI is critical and too many people just don't do it. I recently bought a used car, and the dealership was very surprised when I whipped out a full-functioning scantool, a 3-ton jack and jack stands, and did my own PPI right in their parking lot where they had the car staged for me. It was a small Mom & Pop dealership, and to their credit, the owner ended up getting under the car with me, and had me walk him through my inspection. Good dealership, honest folks, and no rebuilt title cars.

[@Eddie-yc5yd]

ComeOnMan.....An honest mechanic is hard to find. Keep up the great videos

[@porcelainthunder2213]

If you see one of these on a car lot, just Passat by. Keep walkin’ .

[@cswoup5498]

thanks for all your videos. Love the content and real life stories and repairs

[@Silent-Lucidity]

That car was hit in the drivers door.

[@JuveZavala]

Yeah you can see the difference in paint color

[@SupremeKid98]

Looks great! 😂

[@rhettmatten7064]

Nobody flushes the coolant systems in a vw. And the factory coolant is red to easily indicate a leak and it contains sealing properties in the coolant. But after years of heat cycles , etc the coolant begins to conjeal on its own in the place w the smallest passages. My passat tdi did the same thing.

[@flea4061]

My wife had a W8 Manual Passat. To this day it was the worst car we ever owned. That thing spent more time in the shop then in my driveway. She's basically sworn off every buying another VW.

[@donswier]

She drove (half) of a Bugatti V16 with that W8😄👍. Manual tranny too. Rare (for a reason)

[@petrosaguilar8916]

I wish you still had it. That's one of my dream cars.

[@leo34150]

I mean the W8 isn't exactly a reliability champion. Even here in Europe it has a bad reputation.

[@andrewmooreandrewrmoore7615]

Rare car. Now getting sought after and going up in value.

[@paulieconnell1]

I’ve got one of these cars the 1.6 tdi here in the UK, absolutely brilliant mpg and range. Just filled up with 60 litres of diesel after 750 miles, no low fuel light on. There was another 100+ miles left in the tank.

[@russelljacob7955]

I hate to say it, but looks like it had an accident too perhaps. That drivers door looks a different color.

[@RedScare67]

Yeah I think I've inadvertently done this on my EJ204 Forester. Has had a funny intermittent engine temperature issue since I accidentally stabbed a hole in the radiator when i slipped while trying to pry the AC compressor clutch off .... Have done a few citric acid flushes, which helped a bit. Still, have done 200k miles now!

[@Reventon_909]

I’m a service advisor at a VW dealer in socal and we get these TDI’s daily for check engine lights and other issues. Luckily some of them are still under the TDI warranty extension from the diesel gate situation, but I would probably not advise not owing one of these outside of warranty.

[@theadvocate4698]

What is your opinion on a brand new manual jetta? Is it good?

[@DPoner]

@@Reventon_909 They’re awesome cars. Remove the EPA garbage and no problems.

[@DPoner]

@@theadvocate4698 The last time I took my car to a VW dealer they stripped that hard to reach torx bolt holding the EGR in. I know it was them because they are the only one that touched it before me.

[@theadvocate4698]

@@DPoner Cool, thanks!

[@JRs-Garage]

Just Finnished diagnosis and repair of a 2012 jetta cjaa tdi with a similar problem, ended up changing everything including putting a metal impeller water pump and timing belt service and doing a Malone stage 2 tune with a dpf /egr delete great car now But everyone is correct Toyota is the way to go if all you want to do is general maintenance just follow the Car Care Nut !

[@bmwloco]

I sold VWs for 5 years. I still have Audi "Clean TDI" advertising.

[@royfrye333]

I bought a new 2013 Passat SEL TDI. Had it for about 38 months. Loved it except for the transmission. It had a serious delay when you took your foot off the brake and pushed the accelerator pedal. It was about a 3 second delay before the transmission would go into gear. The engine would be racing and then it would slam into gear very hard. Many times I was almost hit broadside trying to pull onto a busy road due to the delay. It was the only reason I accepted VW’s buyout.

[@richards8872]

Did it have the DSG transmission? My friend had a 2010 Passat wagon and had the transmission replaced 3 times by VW and it was never right. Luckily it was totaled out after the last one

[@royfrye333]

@@richards8872 Yes. It had the DSG . I liked the car and really liked the diesel engine. But the delay in the transmission engagement was the only reason I accepted the buyback.

[@petrosaguilar8916]

@@royfrye333 it might have just needed a software update.

[@Barbarapape]

Another example as to why our love affair with all things German is over. Here in the UK you are covered for at least 6 months on any used car. But if the fault develops in month 7 you end up paying. There are more dodgy car sellers than good ones, and people sell cars for a reason, this ypu only find out when it's often too late to make a claim.

[@Barbarapape]

@@willydavid They were the car to own until the accoutants took over, now they are money pits.

[@petrosaguilar8916]

@@willydavid what are you talking about? Perhaps in whatever methhead two horse town you live in but go to any major American city and new/late model German big three are all over the freeways.

[@TrekZero]

@@Barbarapape The Beancounters are one issue at VW but you can also wrote a Thankyou Letter to your EPA with more and more strict emissions restrictions that made the Engines more and more complex -> EGR and DEF

[@Barbarapape]

@@TrekZero I didn't write any letters to the EPA, i live in the Uk who bowed and scraped to the Euorocrats that dictated the emmision regulations at that time. VW and many others fitted cheat devices to meet them and got caught out. Since i would never buy any car with a diesel engine, and only run older cars i escaped their wrath, at least for now.

[@davidgutting4317]

I had a 2012 TDI Passat I bought new. It was a great car until the timing belt service. I had add blue valve problems, the steel mesh fuel filter rusted and clogged, then deisel gate required a reprogram and the power and mileage went down the toilet. Then the cats started to clog and then the turbo failed. The TDI Passat requires special oil and coolant and no water in the system because it rots the heater core and a bunch of aluminum parts. You’re going to have a hell of a time finding parts for that thing, I don’t think it’s worth saving.

[@heavenhelpus479]

Why? Simple - money. Stealerships aren't going to change as long as they keep moving metal!

[@Dwigt_Rortugal]

...and no one is holding them accountable.

[@xiukn8]

Great color match on drivers door 👌 such good looking car

[@newjersey502]

Thanks Wizard !! This is a good one !!!

[@b3stanga697]

Driver’s door looks like it was painted.

[@steeleluedtke398]

At the dealer we have those come in once in a while for a clogged heater core as there is a tsb for it. One of the techs ran a hose to bypass the heater core after removing it and using the vw cooling system flusher and flushing it multiple times because of all the gunk. I would recommend doing the same thing.

[@flubberlane8437]

Hi Car Wizard 🧙‍♀️

[@dylano7242]

The only vw to buy is a one with a 1.9L tdi diesel and a manual transmission . My daily driver is a 06 jetta tdi 1.9L manual transmission, with a larger turbo and has a smyth ute pickup conversion. Gets 48 mpg and can tow 2k lbs or 1k lbs load in bed.

[@rickolson-51]

I recently bought a 2009 Toyota Venza with 144K miles from a Toy dealership... it came with a 3K/3 month warranty. Day one a transmission sensor went out and they installed a new one ($750) also installed a new seat belt assembly. After about 2 weeks the battery died and they installed a new one. So far I'm pretty pleased with their service and we love the car. So glad I didn't buy the car from a regular lot.

[@punishthemeatpocket]

Dealers generally will fix stuff when it breaks under warranty-- Toyota is better than most at honoring warranties from my experience.

[@richards8872]

@@punishthemeatpocketnot on new ones with turbos lol

[@petrosaguilar8916]

@@rickolson-51 that's why if you do buy a used car from a dealer stick to the big name ones that sell mainly new cars. They don't tend to patch up faulty cars like the corner lots do.

[@JoeFpoc]

Always wondered what’s the reason for having a EGR cooler on diesels and what happens if you just remove all that junk. I’ve only ever dealt with EGR’s on old 80s and 90s small block chevys and you can just throw them in the garbage and doesn’t effect anything

[@johnnodge4327]

The EGR reduces Nitrogen dioxide emissions, so is mandatory in many places now. In most of Europe, removing or disabling the EGR system will render the vehicle unfit for road use.

[@raygunsforronnie847]

Depends on the "EPA year" standards in place. If you simply disconnect the sensors in any part of the emissions control system the ECM will set a code and turn on the CEL. Probably not in 2013, but for sure currently - a compromised emissions system will eventually de-rate performance to "limp mode" (about 5 MPH). In the USA it's illegal to alter, tamper with, defeat, or remove emissions control system devices or software. I remember the era you speak of, and everything we used to know about controlling engine performance and emissions control are now automated. We're getting cleaner burning, better MPG performance than ever before because a computer is supervising fuel, ignition, timing, turbo boost, fuel pump, all in order to hit those EPA targets.

[@Idtelos]

Wait. Wait. Wait...Did the Car Wizard really refer to a serious fisting?...you might want to clarify the type of fisting. lol

[@richards8872]

He knows what he is doing lol

[@raygunsforronnie847]

It really needed the "Wizard, we're not that kind of channel!" that was saved for the borescope innuendo.

[@threeballedtomcat9380]

Having owned and operated an automobile repair shop for a lot of years and can say that I saw a lot of those stop leak nightmares. Older cars weren't too bad to get stopped up, but once the aluminum and plastic heater cores and radiators got popular, it became a problem. The dealer that did that stop leak "repair" is a thief and should have to pay for the repair you are doing. That dealer created 4 problems by just not doing 1 proper repair. So dishonest, so stupid. Keep up the good work !

[@Bobby_Mesas]

I know there are a lot of anti-VW comments, but I love my 2012 VW Passat. I got a pretty basic model with the 2.5L Inline 5 engine and that thing is solid as a rock. My previous Passat (yes, I like the Passat) had some electrical issues but this one luckily does not. About 80,000 miles on it and it still drives like it did when I bought it. I take it in for regular maintenance like oil changes, cabin air filter, etc. My son did drive it into a tree at low speed and it needed body work, but came out of the shop and you could not tell anything happened to it. Luckily, no frame or engine damage. Looking at it, you could never tell it was in an accident. It does not blow me away with acceleration but slip it into sport mode and you can merge onto the highway with no hesitation. I would not get a Passat or Jetta with the turbo engine. Just not a fan of turbos, never had one go bad on me. I just don't like that heart-stopping turbo lag when doing a left-hand turn into traffic. Also, with today's cars, they throw such small engines into a relatively large car, I just do not trust that they will last.

[@hoppysport2872]

Great post, Bobby. In 2012 I was in the market for a new car and was drawn to the Passat. I originally wanted the TDI but was wary. The Inline 5 was bulletproof, compelling and quite a bit cheaper. And the rear seat legroom is superb. I ended up buying a brand-new, leftover 2008 SAAB 9-5 from a GM dealer for $17,500...a $38,000 car back in 2008. That SAAB 9-5 is still my daily driver. In 12 years of ownership I've spent $5,300 in all parts, labor, preventative maintenance, tires, fluids, suspension and exhaust. It has never left me stranded. In fairness to VW, my friend did buy a 2013 Passat with the 5 cylinder and still drives it today. That engine has been terrific, and he's spent a total of $8,000 in maintenance. My SAAB 9-5 now has 136,000 miles. Still on its original Mitsubishi TD04 turbo. They usually last well over 200,000 miles. Same with the timing chain.

[@timewa851]

True. The turbo just becomes another expensive element to replace, turbo/engine/transaxle. Just get the larger engine while you can. Avoid sub-2.0L anything(s). Won't go 300,000 miles. Not without an extra $12,000.

[@hoppysport2872]

@@timewa851 So true about turbos. Manufacturers use them to add horsepower while complying with government regulations. As for twin turbos? No way! A normally aspirated V6 is the way to go...if they even exist today? So much to research today if you want to buy and keep your car for more than 5 years. -No turbo -Easy access to alternator, fuel pump, water pump -Simple electrical Frankly, I'd actually search for a mint, low mileage GM vehicle with a 3800 Series ll engine. As for new, I have no idea? Any suggestions?

[@nakoma5]

The 2.5 5 cyl is their best engine.

[@richards8872]

Which transmission though? The DSG is garbage in that generation

[@gregculverwell]

These kind regards scams have been around since the dawn of csrs. I remember when I was buying my 1st car back in the 70s. I was warned about 2 particular scams - Bars leak and bananas peels in noisy differentials. Maybe it's worse now, or it's just so much more expensive to fix issues now.

[@hankw999]

Bought a jetta new in 1981. Only had it 3 years.During this time ignition switch broke, wiring to seats broke, indoor door panels broke, window cranks broke, gas cap broke, drivers window broke from track and fell to the bottom of the door, a/c leaked, leaked oil and had an idle problem dealer could not fix and just did the parts canon on it with great expense. German quality

[@angelr8892]

Don't know if it applies to these vehicles, but a heads up for VW owners on an issue that can cause overheat, maybe blown gasket. 2009 Jetta with the sideways 5. Mystery overheating problem. One radiator hose hot, other cold, very little output from the heater. Another guy had already done the thermostat, no go. They were considering water pump next, but that involved lifting engine, so I was asked my opinion. I didn't think it was pump since small return line to coolant reservoir was circulating a coolant/steam mix. Steam was concerning! I did a ton of research and finally found a post by a mechanic that said it was the heater core?!? Seems the buffoon design runs a hose directly from thermostat housing to the core, then to engine. If the core clogs, thermostat never opens! And they made the passages on the core tiny, easily clogged, especially since the coolant is supposed to be “lifetime”. Well since VW might consider 60k mi “lifetime” for their cars, might be accurate, lol. Core was the fix, and luckily it was late winter time, so never got hot enough to cause more damage.

[@trevorsutherland5263]

If you got 10 years out of a German car with just regular maintenance, you got your money's worth and have nothing to complain about. Beyond that, you should expect to pay big to keep it running. If buying a used 11 year old German car and you don't get a pre-sale inspection, *you* are the problem, not the car.

[@indolentcheese]

Truer words were never spoken; well said.

[@SMURFF707]

I’m pretty sure it was as simple as opening the radiator cap and you could see the stop leak…

[@dylanjk5946]

@@SMURFF707 ive owned roughly 50-55 cars in my life and 90 percent of the time when i sold them ppl wouldnt even pop the hood and id say almost half never even test drove it and i only had 1 guy ever look under it

[@larsonmarkov1699]

A TOYOTA OUTLASTS GERMAN CARS

[@stormtrooper9404]

@@willydavidThey never were that good to begin with! Just their competition was even worse, until the japanese came! And most of the "german quality" myth came from a handful of models who were indeed unbreakable. But for any mercedes w124 you say, I can counter at least 5 shitty german cars. Nowadays, they are even worse!