Turtle ! Turdhole! VW Beetles

[Witsend]

What type of Grown man wants to be seen driving one of these , let alone having to fix one of these Function Follows Farfignuegen Form Turtle Cars. I had two PITA new Beetles Cabrios in a row. One was an evap leak at the right rear corner under the wheel well liner and the next one needed a radiator where in Audi form the whole front end needs to be removed to see anything

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezAJeaCySV4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdjzjSBVF_g

[greasybob]

And I thought my work area was a mess.

[Crusty]

And I thought my work area was a mess.

When you have half a friggin car apart things might get a little worse than usual.
Brilliant German engineering

[greasybob]

Most folks who drive VW and Audi's are in love with their cars and don't mind paying a premium for service. It's not that uncommon to have to remove a bumper cover and then all the coolers as a unit on newer vehicles, I never minded the VW way of doing this with the bumper support. It makes everything else in the engine compartment accessible. The rear main seal / crank sensor set up on a 1.9 TDI ? That's another story

[Crusty]

Most folks who drive VW and Audi's are in love with their cars and don't mind paying a premium for service.

Up here, they won't pay a "premium" of any kind, they want the best scotch but are only willing to pay for turpentine....


It's not that uncommon to have to remove a bumper cover and then all the coolers as a unit on newer vehicles, I never minded the VW way of doing this with the bumper support.

Assembling four cooler units may be efficient for assembly line building but it sure adds to the time to replace the one that needs attention. Just because it is common, doesn't mean it's an efficient way of SERVICING a vehicle. Taking the assembly out to replace ONE, and just disturbing the others results in ancilliary damage no matter how gentle we try to take the corroded fasteners and brackets and fittings off. Oh the hue and cry even when they were told it could happen before the work begins.

It makes everything else in the engine compartment accessible. The rear main seal / crank sensor set up on a 1.9 TDI ? That's another story

The only way "everything else in the engine compartment" is accessible is when the engine is out of the vehicle, but that's another story.

There are some days the shop is spick-N-span. Other days it looks like Kansas after a tornado went through. Serviceability after the build isn't on many engineers radar. Quite often even any kind of longevity and safety isn't on their radar either.
Currently I have a V-dub on the hoist to replace the PLASTIC friction buttons for the brake shoes to ride against. Wheel cylinder popped out. Might be good for production (somehow-??) but it sure ain't safe. I don't think it's smart either.