Another "What Would You Do" involving an issue with a shop

[RWebb]

I took my Vanagon in to get the CV joints replaced about 10 months ago. (no DIY since I am getting lazy and lying under a car is not a lot of fun any more -- and the outer two boots are inside of the suspension arms on these things and hard to get to).

I had read on The Samba about all the problems people were having with CV joint boots failing -- it seems the VW world is infested with lots of very low quality parts. So I asked the guy about what brand he used (no clear answer) and then specifically asked him if the boots he used were good quality parts and would not fail. He said yes.

Guess what? Here is one of them after only 450 miles on it (and 10 months):



That hole is not from damage by road debris impacting the boot, it is from total failure of the low quality rubber (perhaps made from Chinese drywall) in the boot. Also, note the cracking all over the rubber end.

The brand is Meyle, and I think we will all want to avoid that brand in the future.

[WolfeMacleod]

Take it back, and insist

[RWebb]

I like to get under cars and check on how things look, and that is how I found the above problem.

So, I called the guy and then took it over there. Initially, he said it must be from me not driving the Vanagon (rubber lasts longer if it is flexed he said), Meyle was a German company, etc. but that he would replace that single boot (out of four).

I explained that I absolutely wanted all 4 boots replaced with some other brand, since all of them had similar cracking to the pic posted above and it would all fail in a short time. Failure would allow dirt in the joint, destroying it -- and it might bind disabling the vehicle on a back road somewhere, or even causing a crash. He said he would replace all 4 boots and repack the grease in the joint with the holey boot. We did not discuss any costs or charges.

I eventually got the vehicle back (he said Meyle had a bad run of parts & no longer made the boots, so he used Rein boots the second time) and while he credited me for the cost of (cheaper original Meyle Boots) but he charged me $135 labor. It seems that was half of his usual labor charge for this, so he must have eaten half of it.

When I picked it up I asked about the charges but did not insist that they be removed. (I rode my bike over there and did not feel like arguing with with his helper - he was not there).

What would you do?

[Laneco]

Take it back.

The only way the VW parts quality (and there's a lot of nasty crap out there) will improve is if people STOP buying the crap. You don't take it - you return it to the mechanic. He gets burned because now he's going to replace it for no labor or at least reduced labor - so he'll never buy the brand again, etc.

The only way to stop the influx of junk parts is to put the pinch on the maker of the junk - one person at a time.

angela

[RWebb]

ok, now that I finished the story, what do you two think?

it is a small amount of money...

[Dantilla]

Sounds fair. Take care of your mechanic. He's being nice by reducing his normal rate, and poor quality parts were not at all what he wants, any more than you.

He's treating you fair, be fair in return and don't squabble by asking him to work for free.

[Mark Henry]

Ask for Lobro brand boot kits. Will cost more but worth it.

The "German" name doesn't mean poop in the VW aftermarket world anymore.

[KNS]

+1 to what Laneco said!. A shop won't know to stop buying crap parts unless people bring the crap back - you did the right thing. He can now demand better from his supplier.

His labor sounds fair, he could have done the whole thing again for free but I doubt he would have knowingly put crap on your Vanagon in the first place.

[john70t]

Not specific to VW. Had some Honda boots go bad as well.

It's a dance.
One country (or should I say a group of domestic major buyers/distributors) imports crap, the OEM prices go up as a result, then finally some quality aftermarkets may spring up.

For now, it's probably worth insisting on stealership parts, or bring them along.

[BeyGon]

seems like they treated you pretty fair.

[ZOO]

I think he treated you fairly. It was, after all, ten MONTHS after he did the work. I know you said only 450 miles, but again, that is a long time for a "come back".

[fastfredracing]

Not taking sides here, but let me say that it is getting harder, and harder to actually find quality parts anymore. Brands that I once considered top notch, seem to have been getting cheaper, and cheaper, and I am loosing my faith in almost all of the aftermarket stuff.
I had a customer who specifically asked my use only an american made wheel bearing on his Ford. I told him, impossible for me guarantee, short of buying directly through Ford, and I could not even guarantee that the Ford part was made in the usa. I challenged him to find an american made bearing, and after a two week search. He came up empty.

[bell]

you know......i replace a ton of cv boots on everything from porsches to vws, and being florida I see all that the environment does to these things.....there is no way in hell that that boot was replaced within a year, that thing looks dryrotted to hell, I would say it looks about 10 years old....
I don't carte how cheap or poor quality it is, they just don't look like that unless they are super old......
even of out was new old stock it wouldn't look like that.......
this is just my opinion of course, but I stand by it.....

[fastfredracing]

I was going to say the same thing Bell

[RWebb]

interesting - you guys both are pretty sure it could not be NOS?
- even of the cheapo boots for VWs?

that would mean they HAD to put 4 used boots on the first time

[bell]

was there a clamp on it? sometimes I'm forced to reuse the clamps, but I'll clean them up at least......
it's the cracks that go I've through when the clamp goes that tells me it's old, had the clamp been on there the cracks wouldn't be under it as it's the flexing stress which will cause cracks when it's dry.....a clamp would keep that area from flexing. it just doesn't look right to me.
also where it meets the axle on the edge it looks like it's been on there for quite some time

[fastfredracing]

I just cannot imagine that much dry rot in 10 months. Maybe if they were left out in the direct sun in Death Valley.

[A930Rocket]

Did you look at the boots after the original install? Could they have not replaced them either by accident or on purpose?

Finding quality parts is hard. After several sets of aftermarket front rotors on my 2001 F150, I ordered factory Ford parts from the dealer. They were made in China...

[bell]

and you're in orygun so you aren't exactly in a dry climate......

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Laneco

Take it back.

The only way the VW parts quality (and there's a lot of nasty crap out there) will improve is if people STOP buying the crap. You don't take it - you return it to the mechanic. He gets burned because now he's going to replace it for no labor or at least reduced labor - so he'll never buy the brand again, etc.

The only way to stop the influx of junk parts is to put the pinch on the maker of the junk - one person at a time.

angela

+1

I rebuilt the rear suspension in my 94 E320 recently. Used Meyle parts, all four links on each side. Nasty creaking so I took it all apart thinking I had installed the links incorrectly. Put it back together...creaking. Friend of mine with the same car and a lot more history said Meyle links are known to do this and that in general, though German, Meyle is Walmart quality.

the vendor I bought them from took them back, no questions asked and sent me a Lemfoerder kit. Worlds of difference. Lemfoerder was $100 more but well worth it.

I let the vendor know I only want top quality parts from here on out.

Probably something we should all do when purchasing parts, taking our cars to a shop.