My mechanic wants $800 to replace the radiator on my 1974 VW Beetle

[taterguy]

Am I getting hosed?

[southpaw]

1. Yes

A 1974 Beetle has an air cooled engine, no?

[Dogtown]

33. Good spot, southpaw

OP almost got me.

[jobycom]

41. Damn.

And I knew that, too!

[Midlodemocrat]

2. I'll do it for $750.

[taterguy]

6. I'd spend $100 on gas getting it to you

Thanks but no thanks

[Blue-Jay]

3. .

[Sheets of Easter]

4. Yes, considering classic Beetles are air-cooled.

BTW, the pun's intended, right?

[taterguy]

44. Radiator hose? I get it now

Sometimes I'm a little slow on the uptake.

[Pierre.Suave]

5. HAHAHAHA

maybe he is installing the radiator from a 1974 Porsche, that would certainly up the price a bit...

:rofl:

[jmowreader]

53. 1974 Porsches are also air-cooled

[kmla]

7. Nah. That's actualy pretty cheap.

Wait until you have to buy a antifreeze for that radiator.

It'll cost you $1,275...

:bounce:

[taterguy]

8. I never had to buy anti-freeze for it before

Maybe that's why I need a new radiator

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. It's not easy replacing the radiator

It has a radiator inside the fan shroud that cools the oil. Replacing it generally means removing the engine from the car, then removing enough "stuff" to be able to lift off the shroud. The radiator has a few O-rings for seals, so don't drop them into the motor.

$800 seems high, but who knows?

:hi:

[taterguy]

10. You certainly know a lot about cars

But perhaps not very much about air-cooled engines

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

11. Is this a radiator?

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=113117021

Or what?

It looks like a duck, walks like a duck ...

:shrug:

[taterguy]

13. This looks like a duck, walks like a duck . . .

But apparently it's a domesticated goose

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

16. It doesn't look domesticated ...

It looks pissed.

I'd smack it with a VW radiator. Just to be safe.

:rofl:

[EnviroBat]

25. That appears to be a Northern Timberlands Goose.

Carnivorous man killers. Never turn your back on one.

"Cunning and elusive, the Northern Timberlands Goose will waddle towards it's unsuspecting prey until it is within striking range. Quacking softly, the animal approaches as if harmless to it's victim. The victim will often reach out to offer food, or pet the animal. This is when the bird strikes, immediately incapacitating it's prey with a swift slashing of the victims throat, inflicted by retracted talons found within the birds big, orange feet."

Unusual Birds of Prey Second ed. Malcom & Fitz
Bigglesworth Books 1997

[taterguy]

35. The pic was taken in a Southern city

They've expanded their range

:scared: :scared: :scared:

[EnviroBat]

37. Oh no! I was afraid of this...

It has begun...

:scared:

[taterguy]

38. We are so screwn

It's time to buy some stuff on credit

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

39. Flying Kudzu

They'll be everywhere.

They'll crap all over your '74 Beetle, unless you get it running. Fast.

[taterguy]

40. I saw an ad on Craigslist for a 1974 Beetle radiator

I'll send them my credit card info ASAP

[snooper2]

17. Looks like and says is oil cooler

2 very different animals :rofl:

Water and Oil don't mix :rofl:

[Fran Kubelik]

26. you post a question and then act like a childish asshole to people kind enough to answer you?

[Pierre.Suave]

31. uhmmm

this entire thread is a joke.

A 1974 VW beetle does not have a radiator because it is air cooled, not liquid cooled.

[Fran Kubelik]

32. well yes, I do know that

I have owned several VWs myself, and used to post on a VW board. But it seemed to me that the poster above was offering kind advice under the assumption that taterguy was asking a legitimate question. I thought taterguy's response to him was unnecessarily cruel.

[taterguy]

43. The dude's advising me to carry around VW radiators and pummel geese with them

That's not very kind to the geese

:eyes:

[jmowreader]

54. You can replace an oil cooler without pulling the engine

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

55. NOW you tell me!!!

:rofl:

The one I replaced was older, a tall upright cooler under the shroud. I think in 71 or 72 they went to the better "doghouse" style to keep the fan from convecting the radiated heat onto cylinder 3.

Anyway, pulling the engine wasn't a bad task on the bug. Undo some cables, unbolt the transaxle, and have some friends lift the back end of the car up and away.

[jmowreader]

65. It's actually easier to do it with the engine on the ground

For an oil cooler I wouldn't have pulled the engine out from under the car, though.

[EstimatedProphet]

12. This is what comes of bicycling everywhere

[taterguy]

15. I only started bicycling because I couldn't afford to fix my VW

[SacredCow]

14. My mom used to tell the full-service attendants to check the radiator...

on her Corvair.... Surprisingly enough, plenty of them told her that it was full.

Also... One time I took my old VW Rabbit to Jiffy-Boob to get the oil changed (it was cold and I was sick so I didn't feel like doing it myself). Many of you know their game- they always want to sell you an air filter to go with the oil change. But I had pre-empted that and put in a brand new one before I went to the place. So out comes the guy with one of those "doughnut" air filters (like in late-model GM cars) and he proceeds to tell me that my air filter is dirty and needs changing. I thought he had the wrong customer at first, but he was clearly holding my paperwork. "Dude-" I say, "You pulled THAT out of my Volkswagen?" "Yeah" he says, "It's real dirty and needs to be changed." My response... "OK- I'll tell you what: Let's go out there together, and you show me how THAT air filter fits into a VW- If you can make it fit, I'll buy 100 of them." He stammered for a bit and I continued with, "Yeah, that's what I thought. Change my f**king oil in the next 10 minutes and I won't cause a scene. And I won't be back." I think I rolled outta there in less than 5 minutes.

[driver8]

19. Oh man, that is an awesome story!

I would love to do that to one of those guys!!

Thankfully I have found a kick ass mechanic who specializes in Toyotas (I drive a Camry) and is as honest as can be.

Fuck Jiffy Lube.

[SacredCow]

20. That was my last trip there, I assure you....

That particular franchise shut down a few years later, I believe.

My Saturn still goes to the dealership (since it's under warranty), and I have a good VW mechanic for my '79 Super Beetle. I'll have to have him check MY radiator, too....

[JVS]

21. In defense of Jiffy Lube, when I was 250 miles into a 500 trip and my exhaust system got fucked up..

and all the mechanics in the area were closed (it was 8:30 on a Sunday night) those kids let me drive on in and we rigged up my muffler with wire for no cost.

[SacredCow]

23. I'm guessing that they're franchised....

so yeah- there are probably some good ones out there.

[PeaceNikki]

28. I had a place change my oil and forget to put my oil fill cap back on

When I picked up the car I though it smelled icky... but I thought it was residual effect from a dirty mechanic in it. I went on a 200 mile trip the next day and when I got home and parked it, I noticed oil in the driveway. I popped the hood and gasped in shock at the mess it made in my engine compartment.

All they did to "appease" me was give me a fresh change, a new cap and power-washed my engine compartment.

Now I go somewhere else, but ALWAYS (half-jokingly) ask them to please remember to put my cap back on.

[SacredCow]

29. My sister had that happen....

glorious mess, that was.

[petronius]

42. I had some blazing idiot do that to me, in the middle of a long road trip

I only noticed it when the splattering oil started to obscure my windshield. :grr:

(Disclaimer: I was that blazing idiot.)

[truedelphi]

60. A friend of mine broke down on her way to my house abt six weeks ago

No oil in her car.

She had just had the oil changed about a week before.

At the same place that "always" changed her oil, and "always" changed her air filter.

Her new mechanic said that The air filter looked like it was ten years old.

[JVS]

18. A 1974 beetle isn't a type of bicycle WTF?

[taterguy]

24. Who the fuck said anything about bicycles?

[JVS]

27. You constantly mention them.

[taterguy]

30. Since when?

[Fran Kubelik]

34. ha

hahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahahahaha

[JVS]

48. yeah.

[taterguy]

58. Who the fuck are you? Wendell Scott?

Yeah this
Yeah that







FuCk YEAH

[skooooo]

22. Call the Better Business Bureau on them!

[av8rdave]

36. He wouldn't be my mechanic any more!

[taterguy]

66. Who said he was a he?

[LostinVA]

45. I was charged that for a new carburetor for my 2006 VW Golf diesel

It seemed a bit high to me.

[taterguy]

50. I'd have a Psychotic Reaction if I had to pay that much for a Carburetor (Dung)

Get it?

[truedelphi]

61. Do cars still have carbs?? I thought that anything with a fuel injection system

And/or catalytic converter didn't need one.

Of course, I know nothing about diesel vehicles.

[greendog]

46. ~

:P

[Shine]

47. I learned how to drive on a '72 VW Super Beetle

We called her Clementine Orange. :D I had some good times in that car.

Sorry, no advice about the repair costs. :hi: Good luck!

[taterguy]

49. I'm gonna need all the luck I can get

[jbane]

51. Taterguy....

My cat's name is Tater....and he wants his name back!!!

[taterguy]

52. Take it up with Skinner or a Mod

If you can arrange for me to get a new username then I'll be happy to return your cat's name

All because I'm a generous, giving person.

[kwassa]

56. I'll replace the radiator on your bicycle for $800.

A great deal.

[taterguy]

57. I use a CamelBak for that purpose

It cost about thirty bucks

Sometimes my wife fills it with anti-freeze. Just to fuck with me.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

63. HI! I looked up CamelBak ...neat stuff there!

I like their M.U.L.E. Waterproof MP3 pocket and three hr3 water... I could give my computer a rest. :P

[taterguy]

64. Anyone who does stuff outdoors could use a CamelBak

They've made all my hikes and bike rides much more enjoyable.

Seriously.

[old mark]

59. I'll do it for $600, if you drive it here and give me the title.

mark

[taterguy]

62. How am I supposed to drive a 1974 Beetle with a busted radiator?

Did you read the fucking thread?

[Doc_Technical]

67. Don't pay more than $10.00

to have your blinker fluid replaced!

[taterguy]

68. I can't afford blinkers

I just use my long arms when I need to signal