[edw]

Does anyone have any advice on next best steps?
In early oct 2024 my VWT5 1.9 TDi started losing power and making a large knocking sound from the engine. My normal garage said that the engine needed replacing, but without any internal investigation (cost/benefit of investigating etc). They removed the engine really quickly, and then spent a few weeks looking for an engine - which they found. The supplier they chose suggested 10 days, which then became 2, then 3, then 4 weeks.... before arriving just before Xmas. So about 9 weeks in total. A recon engine was finally fitted in mid January, and promptly seized on start up. The supplier then supplied another engine, and I've had my van back since mid February.
Since then it has been back twice, with leaking coolant. Once the garage said it was a pipe. More leaks. Then I took it back, they said it was a plastic gasket. Since then , it's kept on leaking, and a test I did myself using the coolant tank has suggested a leaking cylinder head gasket or cracked head.
I'm now dropping the van back a third time for them to test it themselves. In the meantime, I'm hiring cars/taxis etc to get about for work.
I've lost faith in the engine, and in the garage - as the van problems started in October, and I'm now in mid March.
Does anyone have any advice as to next steps?

Should I have any faith in my current repaired engine - if the head/gasket gets replaced?
Should I just take the van elsewhere, take the garage to court, and get a proper warranted engine fitted?

Any help or advice would be appreciated.
Ed

[Nick]

Hi @edw , welcome to the RAC Community and thanks for making your first post, it's great to hear from you - sorry it's due to the situation you now find yourself in.

I would definitely be talking to them about recompense for the taxis and hire cars you are having to pay for - do they have courtesy cars or similar that they could lend you whilst it's in?

How old is your van? I'm making an assumption the warranty is expired?

Whilst I'm no expert it does seem like you're getting to a stage where for me, I would be looking at getting the vehicle checked by somewhere independent - maybe even a main dealer type place (assuming your garage is not).

[olduser]

Trying to be realistic - getting an engine from a wreckers is OK if you can change the engine yourself or have a friend who will do it for a few pints.
If the wreckers has a low mileage wreck then he will want a higher price but usually should you get a bad engine they will usually exchange it.
But in a garage, it is going to cost a lot of money to change an engine (time is money) this is the trade off or risk, if the engine has to be swapped again.

The garage will have used your van and it's engines as a fall back job, anyone idle in the garage will have worked on it, they will say to save you money.

As to where you are now, I assume the van is getting old, a head gasket leak can be checked as a chemical test, so I would let them do that but stress you need the van quickly.
If hoses have been checked the next likely item would be the water pump or radiator.
If it was either of those I think I would replace the water pump or have the radiator repaired/refurbished.

You can try asking for compensation, if refused you can then fill in the paperwork for the small claims court, and see what happens but there is no certainty about the outcome.

Looking at it as a lesson in life, (easy for me) should you be unfortunate enough to have a similar problem ever again.
Look for a supplier of reconditioned engines or ask your garages to do so.
These have warranties, some suppliers will supply, and fit others will just supply, you will have to make an effort to see what past customers have thought about them and their product.

You must make it clear what you want doing, replace the clutch, replace all hoses and so on?
Whilst this sounds expensive, all these replacements on their own are expensive in labour costs but are much less so if the engine is being replaced.

Best wishes.

[NMNeil]

As others have said, it's a 2024 VW, which has a 3 year 60,000 mile factory warranty.
Looking at the warranty details I believe the warranty is based on the car and the VIN, not on the owner, making it transferable, so why are you fitting a junkyard engine when VW would fit a new one for free?

[olduser]

How did I miss that?

It may have not been serviced or run with oil low to cause the damage, I suppose.

[NMNeil]

@olduser Or it's been modified voiding the warranty.
There's more to this story, so maybe the OP can elaborate.