Well, that's it...

[Mouse_GTI]

I thought I'd leave getting my replacement gearbox until around two weeks time, after the original plan of getting it fitted late last week. So today the inevitable happened. In the middle of Aberdeen, coming up to the red lights I stick it into third to use a bit of engine breaking, then feel something really weird as my hand was still on the gearstick. Then the most god awful noise I've heard of grinding metal and high pitched squealing.

Managed to get to work just! See the map I think it's quite an achievement: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&sourc ... 5&t=h&z=13

At one point on the roundabout I couldn't get it into first so had to build up the revs and take off in second with the smell of burning clutch. Even when I put it in neutral it would randomly make a huge racket. Wound down the window and you have to hear it to believe it, it sounds like a lorry driving past not a little Polo! The box is grinding and squealing whilst driving along even without acceleration.

It's now in the safety in my works car park where it will remain until a week tomorrow when it goes to the garage. I may see how far I can drive or just get it towed straight away, either way my Dad will be there as back-up with a tow rope. Thanks to Goldings Gearboxes on Ebay who are shipping up a refurbed box all the way up here (even though they usually don't deliver). Now I will have to get a lift to work really early as my mum works and my Dad starts at 6am!

Bloody car! Just 56.5k and dead already!

[6N2 GTI 00]

Sorry to hear that man, sounds like an absolute nightmare.

Was that the original box? Mine has covered just over 58,000 on the original box so its very concerning when you hear that gearboxes with less miles than mine are going wrong. How much is the replacement box going to cost?

I suppose in a strange way its kind of reassuring now that it has gone. One less thing to worry about but obviously now all the hassle awaits as well as the cost.
My cambelt tensioners failed aound 6 months ago - £470.00 which included a service.

They a problem cars sadly and can cost a fortune

[Mouse_GTI]

£445.00 for the gearbox for polo 1.6 gti 2001 petrol
£150.00 for surcharge until old unit is returned but if unit is unbuildable a charge of £75.00 will be incurred and taken from the £150.00 surcharge ...

Pretty good price, and that includes delivery all the way up to Aberdeen. Info on box:

Symptoms: – Gearbox oil pouring out of gearbox, sometimes with slipping clutch due to oil contamination. Often the gearbox jams and the car can not be moved.Gears fail and there is no drive to clutch and wheels.

Cause: - Hole punctured in the gearbox casing due to a sheared weak rivet on the differential failing. The rivets attaching the final drive gear to the differential are weak and shear off, sometimes after only 30,000 miles on early gearboxes. This a common problem with these gearboxes.

Cure: - We Replace weak rivets with stainless steel nuts and bolts, add reinforcing metal plate between the bolts and then fully re builed gearbox.

Yep that was the original box, quite disappointed

[6N2 GTI 00]

Yeah thats not a bad price in fairness. I wouldnt like to think what Volkswagen would charge.

Mine sometimes refuses to go in gear when cold, Thats only when stationary though on the drive. Sometimes it takes maybe 3 or 4 attempts to get it in gear. Normally what I do is start the car, leave it for 5 mins and then its fine.

Its probably an early sign of gearbox problems but I think it will be ok for atleast another 5,000 miles.

Yeah I can imagine your disapointed, especially with the car only doing 56K. I have heard of GTi's going with 30K though.

Good luck with the re-placement box hope it all goes well.

[Mouse_GTI]

If it's stiff when cold then that's normal, mine has always been like that. It was around March last year I first noticed faint "whirling" metallica noises when accelerating, and I mean really faint but they were there. At that point the car was on around 47k I think. Then about Februrary had the weird jet engine noise when decelerating from high revs in first. That was at around 54k so about 2k later and today it packed in with no warning

£1600 for a "new" one from VW (i.e. reconditioned with the original crap parts that will fail again).

My boss has been taking the p*** out of me and another workmate (who has a Mk2 Golf GTI that's been in the garage over a week) as he is a Vauxhall man

[Peetje GTI]

That sucks man..

Mine wasn't completely broke, but i did replace it just to make sure it wouldn't break down completely. Paid €400 for the rebuild, but I took the gearbox out myself. Good luck with it!

[Mouse_GTI]

Glad this didn't happen two weeks later. Got to drive down to Glasgow to see Maximo Park!

[Bepe]

i rang up VW mouse for one for mine, it was £1500 for an exchange box for mine and thats the 1.4 16v mk5

but got it done in the end at a gearbox specialist for £400, that included doing the pinyon bearing, some of the gears were breaking up, the diff bearings, and general reconing the box etc, runs realllly smooth now, i caught mine just in time before it blew a hole in the casing, it had been noisy and i mean noisy since august!!

[Tim_GTi]

That sucks mate, welcome to the unfortunate club. Mine went at around 45k.

[Bepe]

oh and to go with Tim, BUT mine didnt go bang, just had it done, it was on 74k

[Mouse_GTI]

Should be fun on Monday night, towing it to the other side of Aberdeen