Non-porsche service story - aka wow it's cheap to service some cars
 

My mom has an old 2003 Jetta GL 2.0 that she loves and just doesn't drive too much so it's fine for her to tool around town. Car has 98k miles.

Well, she's in Europe with her sister, so I decide to take a look at her car while watering her plants and see what maintenance she's had done to it other than oil changes which she's good about.

Answer: NOTHING (other than tires)

Bring it to a local, small VW specialty shop near us and have them quote and do the WORKS. 100k major. Good little shop, use high quality parts, they know their vws. Yeah, nothing done, at all, confirmed by mechanic... and confirmed by the pile of messed up worn (including cracked water pump blades) parts on the shop floor when I picked it up.

Here's what they did:
Oil & filter
Timing belt + tensioner
Water pump
Thermostat
Coolant flush/replace
Spark plugs
fan belt replaced
air filter replaced
cabin filter replaced
Fuel filter replaced
wiper blades replaced
Full front and rear brake pads + rotors (pads were nearly on metal!?!)
Brake fluid flush
And a couple burned out bulbs replaced

out the door? $1200

Crazy. I priced out to do it all myself and the parts alone would have been close to $800.

That same work at a Porsche dealer would have run many thousands of dollars.

Something to be said about driving a 'low end' automobile.

You shouldn't have touched it, now its going to fall apart, it was nicely preserved.

Just kidding, you did well, good son. Pay it forward.

"If it was easy, it wouldn't be cool." - Quote that I remind myself whenever I have issues with the 911 (never had a major issue other than flat tire and coolant leak)

Having a reliable LS engine platform in a GM vehicle is easy/cheap to service however it's nowhere as cool as having a 911 because there are so many on the road.

Very nice of you to do!

I have 3 high maintenance vehicles (porsche, bmw, mini) and have for many years, this was a flashback to when I drove a honda and oil changes cost me $20 and less if I did myself.

Unfortunately, the pay for fun factor is in full effect here. And I don't mind paying.

You're probably right, car will fall apart now :-) It's due to be replaced but until she does this will hold her over.
The mechanic advised when I asked about the tranny fluid "DON'T TOUCH IT" If it works, drive it until it fails. They said if regular changes were done it would be OK, but since it's been this long... leave it be. I guess whatever auto they use is known to not like fluid flushes and will stop shifting. Fine. I drove it and it shifts and drives fine now, ton more power and way smoother.

Perhaps I'm reaching on this one but here's a thought... As a general statement, the fairer sex tends to be attracted to drama, tabloids, etc. As men, we substitute this attention-validation with high maintenance vehicles. Same thing... different pile.

Well said...