bottom engine cover for passat

Got a 2000 Passat GLX wagon, and took it in to the dealer the other day and discovered the bottom engine cover is not there. Sheesh.

This car has, for last two years, been only to the local dealer for repair, the dealer's oil change place for oil changes, and a dealer 100 miles away when the water pump died four months ago. No one claims to have left the cover off, and no one shows notes on the cover being missing when the car was brought in to them (except most recently). IOW nobody fesses up, and I KNOW I didn't lose the sucker going down the highway!

Anyway, where can I get a replacement? If I have to buy one, I sure don't want to pay the dealer's price. Googling for the part online didn't bring me any luck. TIA.

Reply to
MikeK
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Try an auto recycle yard.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

You may find a used one at a junk yard, but as to finding one anywhere else I don't think so.

Reply to
Woodchuck

The plastic cover that covers the engine potion on the lower chassis is referred to as the "belly pan." It attaches with about ten total fasteners, of four different types. It is common for even VW mechanics to confuse the front fasteners with the rear ones. They look the same, but are slightly different in length. That said, they are different colors, but maybe this is not enough. Quickie oil change places almost always put it back on wrong, so these should be avoided unless you want to get in the bay and help them out.

If all of the fasteners are not installed correctly the pan can fly off. Even if they are installed correctly, the pan can still come off if you hit an object, in deep snow, etc. Not the greatest design.

The part for a GLS or GLX runs about $100-140 (ouch). However, it appears the W8 belly pan works and can be purchased for about $50. This thread at Passat World gives the part number and where to order:

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You can find the part online at:
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Do a keyword search for "front deflector" or "front splash shield" --there are pictures.

Reply to
CSS

"CSS" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:

Thanks for the help, I just posted in the forum there for a hair more info, but it sure looks like the W8 pan is a replacement for most of the other pans, including mine. The part for the 00 2.8 is $198 at 1stVW, but for the 02 4.0 it's $42.01, and even the DEALER price (according to one Passat World poster) is like $70. This is just another example of VW's gouge, that they make a better part, cheaper, for one car but that will fit others.

Reply to
MikeK

I suspect VW is making their profits on the W8 in some way other than replacement parts .

Reply to
CSS

Just a guess, maybe there are 2 different venders making the pan. Yep ,it does suck!

Reply to
Woodchuck

I live for the opportunity to throw those things away. I would never put one back on, let alone BUY one to put back on. I want to know when and where I have a fluid leak. I want oil changes to be a minor production. I want the engine to run cooler. These things are not necessary. Many cars never had them. Volvo for example used to have them and just stopped cold turkey a few years ago.

Reply to
deanyel

The problem with leaving it off is that it forms part of the structure to hold the front wheel well liners in place. Leave it off and you run the risk of the tires eating up the liners (like the OP found out). It also has ducts that funnel air up and in help to cool the engine and transmission. And it does provide some amount of protection for the lower portion of the engine bay, from road splash and from impact. The 1.8 engine has an aluminum oil pan-- believe me, it can use any amount of extra impact protection down there, esp. for a lowered car.

If you have a B5 or B5.5 Passat and you're going to throw your belly pan away, throw it in my direction-- I'd like to have a spare.

That said, the one on my '03 Passat GLS rarely comes off. I use a Pela 6000 to vacuum out the oil through the dipstick and I can change the filter from above. Last time I took it off was to install a Forge diverter valve and upgrade vacuum hoses to silicone. No need to remove it for routine oil and filter changes, and my technique makes it all of a 15 or so minute job.

Reply to
CSS

"CSS" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:

Actually, my liners started getting eat up (at least on one side) BEFORE my pan disappeared, after reading about the issue of getting it back on correctly, I suspect that someone at the oil change place may have done it incorrectly and let the liner on the driver's side be loose and start flapping. You get a hole in that sucker before you know it. My friend with an 01 4motion looked at it and said "oh, yours too?"

Reply to
MikeK

Yes, they're not cheap. The cover on my 98 Passat Wagon didn't fly off, but it cost me about $40 to replace four missing fasteners at the dealer.

Reply to
Juey Ong

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