DMF Prices?

[Kitts]

Hi guys

It appears I'm well jinxed. I got my Octy serviced and the cam belt replaced last week and headed off for the coast to enjoy my first real drive in the car since purchasing.

I'd only been away a day when I noticed a strange metallic sound from under the bonnet, and sometimes it sounds like the car has a horrid vibration. I rang my Skoda dealer at home who said they thought it might be the flywheel, but to get the AA to look it over as they were obviously too far away.

The AA said the noise is coming from the gearbox area and brought me home on a transporter.

The car is now in the dealer's for investigation. It'a a late 2006 1.9 diesel DSG.

Does anyone know what kind of price the dealer will charge if it IS the flywheel? And could it have damaged my DSG box?

I just want to prepare myself for the shock when they tell me! :eek:

[k.young]

I don't know about the UK, but over here (Ireland) the DMF is about 1000euros + labour.

[psycholist]

There was a recent post here from someone who got a single mass flywheel put in instead and the pick up in the car is still smooth though, so that'd quite likely be a cheaper option. Probably what I'll do if there are ever any issues with my DMF.

http://briskoda.net/octavia-ii/future-1-9tdi-dmf-warranty-claims/153076/

[Kitts]

It looks like the single flywheel will only go in the 2 litre variant, though, and mine is the 1.9.

I really don't do a lot of mileage (about 3,000 a year) Is there a rough limit to how long the DMF will usually last in a DSG?

[k.young]

It looks like the single flywheel will only go in the 2 litre variant, though, and mine is the 1.9.

I really don't do a lot of mileage (about 3,000 a year) Is there a rough limit to how long the DMF will usually last in a DSG?

I got 130,000kms out of my first one.

[Pud]

single mass wheel can be fitted to the 1.9, mine was done that way, made the engine a bit rougher but was ok. You cannot fit the single mw to the 2.0, you have to have the dual mass job.

[Kitts]

I got 130,000kms out of my first one.

That at least makes me feel better. My car has 80,000 on it, all clocked up by the first owner. If it lasts that long again, then it will probably be the life of the car with the mileage I do.

I don't know if you can harm a DMF with driving style on the DSG box, but as a gal, I think I'm quite gentle with it, so hopefully I should get a fair bit out of a new one.

Still no word from the dealer so I have to wait until tomorrow for the final word.

[skippy41]

It was me that had the single flywheel and clutch fitted it cost £230 all in at the dealers,it made things a lot better I was only getting around 430 miles per tank now its 500 plus every time, I ran mine with the knacker-ed DMF for nearly a year it was only noisy when idling

[Taxi 219]

It looks like the single flywheel will only go in the 2 litre variant, though, and mine is the 1.9.

Just had mine done under warranty and mine is a 1.9TDi.The dealer converted to single mass flywheel and its so different now and a pleasure to drive

[Octygone]

If your car is a late 2006 model it should still be under warranty.......unles the mileage is high.....always worth asking though

[Kitts]

It is late - Nov 2006, but I don't have the history from the previous owner and I don't know how to contact them because the silly dealer I bought it from registered the car to himself. I do know they didn't use main dealers though. No doubt Skoda will say that's grounds not to cover it under their warranty.

I will ask the dealer when they get back to me about the single mass flywheel, though!

[TorqueDude]

I thought the DSG had a different style of DMF (integral with the box and more reliable).

When it comes to the warranty, you have to go in assuming that it will be a warranty job. If they think its not, then make skoda to prove to you that its outside of warranty.

[Kitts]

Skoda rang and now want £300 to take the box out just to diagnose the problem - which they say they still think is the flywheel anyway. Then I'll have to pay for the flywheel and stuff all on top.

I've only had the car three or four weeks, so I rang the garage I bought it from and he's going over to Skoda about the manufacturers warranty. He seems to think they should be paying and is going to ask them to share costs with him.

I liked the idea of the single mass, but to be honest, I don't think my local Skoda know much about the one they're wanting to fit, let alone something different!

[fj1200a]

Me thinks people are getting things confused - the op has a 1.9 WITH DSG, as far as I am aware it is not possible to convert to a solid flywheel, this is only possible on manual boxes.

Would love to be proved wrong as my dsg motor is now on 115k and I know the dmf can't last forever and anything to do with DSG is not cheap.

[Kitts]

Me thinks people are getting things confused - the op has a 1.9 WITH DSG, as far as I am aware it is not possible to convert to a solid flywheel, this is only possible on manual boxes.

.

Yep, my car is defintely DSG. Three letters which are starting to scare the heck out of me! This is my first Skoda and I was really enjoying the car until this happened. Since the problem, I've heard so many horror stories about fly wheels. Before this car I'd never even heard of the thing!

I've heard nothing back yet and am a bit miffed as I traded a 15 year old car that never had a major breakdown in all the time I owned it :( And I'd heard such good things about Skodas.

[fj1200a]

All I can suggest is you prepare for a struggle with your dealer/Skoda - One will try and pass the buck to the manufacturer who will fall back on the fact that it has not been serviced to their requirements. The dealer will then probably fob you off with it being a result of fair wear and tear. At this point it will be either preparing for a big bill from the Skoda dealer to replace the DMF if that is the problem (with still the potential that the Mechatronic will pack in and it is stoopid money) or getting a replacement box out of a low mileage write-off.

I am sure it is not any consellation but these boxes are very reliable/strong on the whole (mine did 92k before it's first oil change and still going fine @ 115k) however as mechanical/electronic devices there is a potential for failure.

[Kitts]

We have a local auto box specialist who may be cheaper than Skoda if all else fails. They fixed a Ford I had a few years back after my Ford dealer fitted a new auto box and the car STILL wouldn't change gear! (The dealer then promptly told me I wasn't using it right because I was *gasp* a woman and I wasn't used to autos - despite me owning said car for 4 years)

Can I ask what is the Mechatronic? And is it likely to fail because the flywheel has? I'm assuming it's some sort of electrical control unit for the DSG box that gives it the 'orders' ?

[fj1200a]

Not wanting to be a constant bearer of BAd news but you may be tied to a Skoda/VAG dealer as these boxes are factory tooling only and not many indies would be prepared to invest in them. There will be independents out there that can work on them,just not many and I would try and get names of dsg owners who have used them.

Ask any Audi TT dsg driver what a mechatronic is and chances are they will swear or breakdown crying as the failure rate was big and the £4000 was not often sucked up by Audi. Your discription pretty much covers it.

[mrlapou]

DSG box parts can only be bought through VW network.

Mechatronic is the electro hydraulic electronic control unit that sits on the side of the box under a plastic black cover. Not likely to fail as they have software programming to protect it.

Here's some scary reading for you !:silly: http://forums.vwvortex.com/zeroforum?id=988

It's oil needs changing every 40k miles. Can be a DIY job for £80 ish or poss +£180 by dealer.

I made my own filling rig for less than £20 and spent about an hour changing the oil.

Edited 6 August, 2009 by mrlapou

[psycholist]

Mechatronic just describes any device that has a combination of electrical and mechanical parts/functions - in the DSG they're the actuators that drive the gear changes. If this was the problem in your car it'd probably give a whole raft of warning lights and not change gear correctly. Noise with no warning lights is more like DMF symptoms. The other possibility is the final drive parts (Everything between the wheels and the gearbox), but if it's the differential or CV joints you'll get more of a cracking noise rather than anything metallic and for CV joints it'll be worse while cornering tightly.

DMF problems are universal across the whole Volkswagen Audi Group and beyond (VAG don't make their own DMF's), but for every DMF that fails there are plenty that never give a spot of bother.

[Kitts]

Skoda refuse to even do the repair at trade for the dealer I got the car from.

The auto specialist I spoke of seemed to actually know the DSG box better than the Skoda dealer did and said they can defintely fix it, but it won't be cheap. I trust there word, as I only drive autos and have known them for years. They put my local Ford's auto box guy to shame.

The dealer I got the Octy from has been very fair after all this and offered to get the DMF done or give me my money back for the car as I am now pretty scared about another failure.

I have to be honest, if the Mechatronic thing or other gearbox components should fail once my warranty is up I'd be struggling to keep up with them. £4000 for the Mechatronic thing !!!!!!

I'm thinking it over tonight, but I'm guessing I might get my dosh back and try again!

[dieseldarren]

The auto specialist I spoke of seemed to actually know the DSG box better than the Skoda dealer did and said they can defintely fix it, but it won't be cheap. I trust there word, as I only drive autos and have known them for years. They put my local Ford's auto box guy to shame.

The dealer I got the Octy from has been very fair after all this and offered to get the DMF done or give me my money back for the car as I am now pretty scared about another failure.

I have to be honest, if the Mechatronic thing or other gearbox components should fail once my warranty is up I'd be struggling to keep up with them. £4000 for the Mechatronic thing !!!!!!

I'm thinking it over tonight, but I'm guessing I might get my dosh back and try again!

Sorry to see you've had such a disappointing start to what are in general very nice cars.

I think reading through the thread, it appears the most likely diagnosis is just the DMF with hopefully no further damage to the DSG (although I'm in no way qualified on this matter).

It's reassuring to see that your supplying dealer is actually both friendly & willing to help.

I'm guessing that as your car has done 80 in under 3 years, its spent most of that time on motorways & as such is unlikely to have been unduly stressed.

Is it possible for you to get an independent exam done on the car e.g. AA/RAC to offer you some piece of mind that if the dealer replaced the DMF you've not got a long list of future breakdowns in store?

Although I can fully understand, why a refund & a fresh start would be tempting...

Good luck either way ... Darren

[skippy41]

Under your consumer rights you can reject the car and get a full refund, or ask the supplying dealer to fix it at no cost to you,a car of that age should have come with a minimum 6 months warranty

[Kitts]

Under your consumer rights you can reject the car and get a full refund, or ask the supplying dealer to fix it at no cost to you,a car of that age should have come with a minimum 6 months warranty

HI Skippy

The dealer has offered a full repair now at my choice of garage or a refund. I'm going to have a chat with them tom, but to be honest I think I'm going for the full refund and stanrt again idea!

[Taxi 219]

Hi Kitts iam sorry to hear this but i hope you stick with it and get it done.Its not worth losing a very good car because of this.Iam sure all will be ok afterwards.Good luck