turbo change on 1.4tdi polo £1300 REALLY?

[ollys]

My mum took her 2006 polo in for a service a VW yesterday. They did the service but said her turbo was leaking oil and needed changing. After a few "well madam, we could do you a good price, being £1300 (£500 labour £600 parts)" kind of condescending utterances from the helpful VW staff, she left saying she would get a second opinion....the car drives fine as it always has.

My questions are

(a) just becasue there is an oil leak (assuming there is one!) does this mean new turbo on one of these?

(b) if it does need a new turbo can it really be this much to change or is she being had?

Any help appreciated

Olly

[Mr V10]

Price seems decent to me, it is £899 for an OE quality turbo from ECP. You could probably have it reconditioned by Turbo Dynamics but for probably hardly any saving, I would go brand new OEM with the two year warranty. Not sure about labour, but get a price from an indie and see if they will match it, my local VW dealer will.

[sweegie]

Seems excessive to me, but I'm a tight Scotsman. Normal failure method for a turbo is a bearing fault, causing oil to seep into the exhaust and massive amount of smoke out the exhaust.

When they say an oil leak, is this what they mean or is it just an oil line that's weeping a little?

[Paulm]

Would need to see a pic of the leak. But £600 for a non VNT is expensive. Get a reconned one for around £350 then 200-300£ to fit it. IF the turbo has actually gone.

Ooops just cheked its a VNT turbo in there so £600 for turbo is not bad. Very difficult to recon a VNT beter buying new. Still think 2-300£ for fitting. 2006 Polo dont waste you money going to VW use a local guy. Not a difficult job

[ollys]

Thanks for the replies. V. Helpful

[bam_bam]

What's your mum's name?

[Madmonkee]

Half a day job to be honest,

Drain coolant, drain oil (I didn't need to), disconnect exhaust down pipe, take off inlet and outlet to the compressor side of turbo, remove boost line to recirc valve, remove oil line/coolant line to turbo, remove turbo from manifold/manifold from engine if combined.

If manifold/turbo combined, new head studs, new gasket, new turbo on, new copper washers on oil feed/water feed, inlet/outlet boost pipe and down pipe back on, boost line back on, unplug cam shaft sensor, refill coolant/oil, turn over engine to prime turbo, a couple a 5 second blasts should do it, plug sensor back in and away you go.

What I did on my Z20LET vauxhall engine, diesel maybe slightly different. Not too difficult in all, I had the pleasure of a turbo on the front end of the engine to make it easier