2008 passat CV boot

Yes, and in our area the price is about $210 each. Around here most start failing at about 50,000miles, but your car is 4 years old.

CV boots can dry rot and tear, or can be torn by an impact with something kicked up from the road, so yes they can fail even that soon. As far as the cost goes, it depends on if it's one side or both sides and if it's all four boots or not.

They said it's the two outer boots, and they want over $500. I'll start checking on garages tomorrow. Do any chains (like Midas, etc) do that kind of work? Would the local mechanic at the gas station have enough expertise?

I would keep away from the chains. You will be much safer at an independent mechanic's shop. Ask around at work and friends and neighbors.

You should be able to get a lower price than the dealer.

That said $500 is not too bad if both outer boots are bad.

As others have noted, those boots can go out that soon and age as about as much to do with it as miles.

BTW A failed CV joint, car can't go anywhere. Only one has to fail.

1. Sometimes they fail, sometimes they are damaged (stones, debris, etc.)
2. That much? From a dealer?!? What kind of question is that? Of course it costs that much, in fact it will cost more since they'll be obligated to find other things that need replacement.

Well they can go down hill pretty well with a broken cv joint. Or maybe on a tow truck or pulled or pushed.

But yes I agree with Dioclese, they usually can not move under their own power. ;-)

Have your boots replaced after inspecting the cv joints. Some believe it is better/cheaper to replace the whole half shaft. Even a dealer I talked to said that if the inner boot is cracked the vehicle gets a new/remanned half shaft. I believe in repairing what you have!

I'm sure they(chains) can do the job. Around here the chains come the dealer to buy the boot kit which usually means their price for the boot is more than the dealers list price. Currently the boot kits list for about $55 at our place and the rest being labor at $85 per hour. VW boot kit has the, boot, clamps, grease, hub bolt. It's really a good deal.

I had a CV joint fail (it was still moving, but grinding around every corner) on my 2005 Passat TDI w/ 5 speed Tiptronic automatic at about

Anyway, the parts guy could not get individual CV joints, and they ended up replacing the entire axle and both joints. That's gotta be one expensive repair. I just hope the other side lasts 6 months, until the lease is up.

I've got a 1999 Passat, passenger side CV joint shat the bed, and I couldn't get one anywhere for reasonable money (that side on that year is unique). Had it rebuilt by Raxles, took a week including shipping both ways, but for $200 they stripped and repainted the shaft, and installed new inner and outer joints and boots. The outer end was wrapped in saran wrap to keep the grease in and dirt out. Took me an hour to pop it in.

Overall an excellent experience, I would highly recommend them. BTW, when I called, the phone was picked up by an actual person who understood what they had in inventory, what their rebuilding process was, the process for shipping an axle to be rebuilt (instead of buying one they had and returning the core), etc.

If it was still moving on its own power, the CV joint had not failed at that point. A very strong warning that it will fail very, very soon though. And, undeniable evidence that needs immediate replacing.