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#16 of 50 Re: the big one [eldaino] by jeffyscott Mar 16, 2007 (2:10 pm)
Replying to: eldaino (Mar 16, 2007 1:31 pm) You were really lucky if you never had a bill over $100 on a car...unless this was a new car that you only owned for 2-3 years.   I sure know people who seem to get pretty big maintenance bills on Hondas and Toyotas, even at 30K. In fact I recall having said to them that their 30K was almost as much as 60K on Ford Windstar we have...which was about $500.   I don't see anything on the rabbit maintenance list at vw,com that is any different from our Jetta, unless you have DSG or tire pressure monitoring.   I was thinking today about how much the 20K service should cost. I figured about $50 for the synthetic oil change, $50 for cabin filter, and $20 for tire rotation...and then I thought I would allow $0 to $50 for all the inspections and checks. So I could see anywhere from $120 to $170, my dealer charges $180 after the discount coupon and they include extras like wheel balance and alignment check. So I decided the $180 is okay with me.   Be sure you keep reciepts for the non-dealer service and be sure they are using synthetic oil that meets VW specs. Replies to this message: eldaino (Mar 19, 2007 6:56 am)
#17 of 50 Re: the big one [jeffyscott] by eldaino Mar 19, 2007 (6:56 am)
Replying to: jeffyscott (Mar 16, 2007 2:10 pm) Be sure you keep reciepts for the non-dealer service and be sure they are using synthetic oil that meets VW specs.   Don't worry i sure will!   I was thinking today about how much the 20K service should cost. I figured about $50 for the synthetic oil change, $50 for cabin filter, and $20 for tire rotation...and then I thought I would allow $0 to $50 for all the inspections and checks. So I could see anywhere from $120 to $170, my dealer charges $180 after the discount coupon and they include extras like wheel balance and alignment check. So I decided the $180 is okay with me.   Its not horrible, but when you are coming from a honda that only cost me about 60 for all of the mentioned above, it is kinda a big hit. But its ok, i found my mechanic so i'll be sticking with him.
#18 of 50 13200 by eldaino Mar 22, 2007 (11:13 am)
over 13 k now, and still lovin her! Filled up with just at 13 gallons on this tank and hopefully i'll break the 30mpg mark.   My last tank was 12.8 gallons and i managed about 320 miles, which brought me to about 25mpg, which is just ok, but i did drive a little more than the last quarter of a tank on nothing but city streets, so i think i would have gotten well over 350 had it been my usuall highway jaunt; which would insinuate that my mpg are steadily improving.   Some accessorizing (man i know i spelled that one wrong! ) is on the way, hopefully i'll even be able to post some pics!   I just ordered the vw rabbit monster mats, which are great for the rainy season. I wanted to get the regular carpet floor mats, but they were pricey and drivergear had them back ordered until april. (same for the monsters.) so i found a website (1stvwparts.com) and they had them in stock, so i should be getting them soon. I was a bit resiliant to getting all season mats, but after my puppy figured he can jump the backseat of the hatch while we were driving and subsequently take a poop on the floor, i think the ability to just hose em down will come in handy. They have a similar styled mat for the hatch which i will be looking into as well!   I wanted some taillights in the same vein as the silver ones avail for the jetta, but the rabbit only has the darkened r32 styled ones which don't offer THAT much of a contrast. (i've seen some aftermarkets, but they just don't have that clean oem feel.)   Some 17's are in order (either the goal's or the stock gti rims) or even 18's(prob the kharthoum model.) I'd like to get the larger spoiler available as well.   I'm really wanting to replace the side moldings to body colored gti-ones, i know the 4 door has em, but there is no mk5 in 2 door guise that isn't a gti that usually has them. I just like the clean look. After that, comes the votex kit from vee dub themselves and my rabbit will be complete.   I'll probably be nearing or more than likely exceeding 13500 after this weekend so i'll keep everyone posted as far as problem go.   The clicking in the back by the gas cap sometimes still rears its head but its no biggie.   One thing that has caught my eye is ;gasp; of all things an electrical glitch. Every so often, and this is very rare as its only happened twice, the light on my drivers side door that blinks when the car is armed will sometimes stay on just after getting into the car or turning it off and getting out of it. Activating the alarm or deactivating it usually makes it stop but this is a little something that has no explanation, but isn't really a big deal either.   I'd still take this and the 5 sec windshield wiper fix over my broken visors in the civic and having the dealer order them in the wrong color so i had to wait forever to get them fixed. (they never were, traded in the car like that.)   Ok, eldaino out.
#19 of 50 15k by eldaino Apr 10, 2007 (1:00 pm)
15k and i just experienced my best tank yet: 362 miles on a little less than 13 gallons, driving about 85% highway. I averaged about 28 mpg. No problems at all with the car, although i now have to reset the service reminder that was done improperly at my last dealer visit.   I belive i'm going to do the oil change myself once 20k rolls around. I already found a site that has the filters in stock and vwvortex.com has detailed pictures on it being done so it should be a snap. The booklet calls for a tire rotation, which will be easy too, and topping off the fluids. No sweat, i'll let everyone know how it goes!
#20 of 50 retraction by jeffyscott Apr 16, 2007 (10:06 am)
About a month ago I posted:   I was thinking today about how much the 20K service should cost. I figured about $50 for the synthetic oil change, $50 for cabin filter, and $20 for tire rotation...and then I thought I would allow $0 to $50 for all the inspections and checks. So I could see anywhere from $120 to $170, my dealer charges $180 after the discount coupon and they include extras like wheel balance and alignment check. So I decided the $180 is okay with me.   Well, I had my 20,000 mile service. Ended up being $187, before taxes and fees. But then I noticed pollen/cabin filter was not shown on the list of parts on the reciept. I called and asked about this and was told "we don't include that in the package because not all VW's have a cabin filter". I complained that their coupon said "includes all VW 20,000 mile maintenance and the maintenance schedule has cabin filter on it". I complained some more and said there was no way I would have agreed to the $200 package had I known it did not include the cabin filter and then just said I would not be paying for that package again and hung up. A few minutes later the service manager calls back and tells me, if I stop in they will do the cabin filter.   So in future, I will go back to my former habit of ordering service "ala cart". Next year it will go in for "oil change and rotation", no more asking for 10,000, 20,000, 40,000 maintenance.   If there is a charge for it, I will pay the dealer for the 48 mo./40,000 mile inspections and checks, just in case they would actually find a problem that is covered by warranty.
#21 of 50 man! by eldaino Apr 16, 2007 (12:27 pm)
sorry about that jeffyscott, i gotta check my service receipts and see if that was done! Replies to this message: jeffyscott (Apr 17, 2007 4:06 am)
#22 of 50 Re: man! [eldaino] by jeffyscott Apr 17, 2007 (4:06 am)
Replying to: eldaino (Apr 16, 2007 12:27 pm) It's not that it is a big deal whether it was done or not...it won't affect the operation of the vehicle or warranty...after a while the air coming in through the filter will smell bad, though. My issue is I thought the price I was given included that, otherwise I would not have taken their package deal. And I know I did refer to my understanding that the the VW 20,000 mile included cabin filter, oil change, tire rotation when I was checing on the price there vs. another dealer.   At least they are going to make it right, so I will get what I thought I was paying for.
#23 of 50 07 rabbit gas mileage by steven39 Apr 18, 2007 (10:41 am)
daino,i have 4,000 miles on my 07 which i purchased in oct 06....my mileage isn't very good in the city at about maybe 20 if that.it's somewhat better on the highway at about 26.hopefully after reading your post my gas milaege will improve as i put more miles on the car as you have... Replies to this message: eldaino (Apr 19, 2007 8:25 am)
#24 of 50 Re: 07 rabbit gas mileage [steven39] by eldaino Apr 19, 2007 (8:25 am)
Replying to: steven39 (Apr 18, 2007 10:41 am) hey steve good to hear from ya! I didn't realize that you got yours in oct too!   My gas mileage isn't stellar, but for the car and what it is rated at, it does pretty good. I usually don't figure my city mileage, but my tanks average 27-28 mpg driving about 80% highway. The best i got was 29.somthing mpg and it was a 95% highway trip.
#25 of 50 18700 miles by eldaino May 16, 2007 (6:50 am)
well folks, the bunny is nearing his time for his next service.   As i mentioned in other posts, the service interval came up when i neared 15k, when the serive manual does not call for it until 20, so i took the liberty of resetting it myself.   I had to add some castrol syntec, the oil wasn't super low, but it was at a point to where it wouldn't hurt to add some.   I took a trip to asheville a couple of weeks ago, used cruise control, and took it realatively easy; going about 70-75 miles the whole way. I got about 370 miles to a tank on 12 1/2 gallons of gas...resulting in an al time high of 30 mpg. Granted this trip was 95 percent freeway, with a bit of city driving all done very cautiously, as to not hurt mileage. On monday, my wife and i had our normal 30 mile commute so this helped a bit too.   I realized the other day how often i spend driving fast; on the 85 freeway here in nc, its pretty much impossible to go below 70 mph. I regularly drive at 80 even. I belive that even better mileage than what i currently average, (which is 27-28 to a tank) is possible if the conditions were more favorable, which would help me exceed epa estimates. (going by the new ones too, but, as my trip to asheville demonstrated, with a little restraint, even the old ones are possible too!)   Alas i think that my time with the bunny is ending despite its ability to be right on par with the epa's numbers...the closest volkswagen dealers are now quoting 250 dollars for the 20k service; which is truly ridiculous.   There is a local mechanic who works on vw's, and has done a few newer jettas, but i will be his first new rabbit if i go to him. And even he is planning on charging me about 80 bucks for an oil change/tire rotation.   I am undertaking the task of changing the oil myself, for economical reasons, not because i feel totally comfortable with servicing the car myself. (like i did with my honda's), but because it is just too much money to waste on a car. If i had no bills aside from the regular ones like phone, car payment, insurance etc...then maybe putting the service on a credit card and paying it off wouldn't be so bad...but the principal of having paid so much to begin with is still there.   it is with regret, then, that i belive this to be my last vw. Not because the car has not been reliable, because it has, and not because the driving experience was not exceptional,not because the fit and finish for the price was literally ASTOUNDING, and not because the car is a peppy and an engaging drive;....no, its becasue the cost of ownership of this car counteracts its affordable price tag.   I still have about a year or a little less to go with him, so i will thorougly enjoy this solid little ride...but the sooner i can part with him from, the better (from a financial standpoint.)   As far as the oil change goes, i'll have to order the filters online at a german auto parts store, which will be done this week.   More updates to follow.   -dain Replies to this message: jeffyscott (May 16, 2007 9:43 am) eldaino (May 17, 2007 6:19 am) jeffyscott (May 17, 2007 10:00 am)

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