Hi guys,

Had a couple of warning lights come on recently to do with ABS & Traction Control.

My mechanic told me the following (over several days):

"Don't worry, 9 times out of 10 it's just a sensor, if you're very unlucky it's the ABS pump."

"Bad news, it is the pump, $3100 just for the part from VW plus labour - however I can do get an aftermarket one and do the job, all up, for $1900" (I said I had no alternative so please go ahead - and assumed that "aftermarket" meant new, but from a source other than VW).

"Ok, so that will be $2530" (This after I went in at 3pm to pre-pay the $1900 in cash as I had a late meeting and wouldn't be back that arvo to collect repaired van before they closed). I arked up immediately, so he took the $1900 but was miffed.

Next day: "We got the second hand part (wotha!?) in and it isn't working correctly - when we get down the street, we can't get the warning lights to go off." I was working on your van last night 'til 9pm to try and get it ready for your weekend away" (Wrong - I went there at 7pm to get it and all was locked up - unless he just had all the doors down). He then said "A new pump is over $4000 from VW"

Apart from feeling angry and let down, I believed I had been lied to and he had tried to take me down so I said "I'm away for 4 days now, don't do anything more, let's talk next Tuesday".

That's today and I'm only just now back onto this mess. Thought I would start by double checking the price of a new ABS pump, so I phoned Barloworld in Sydney. Their response: "$2486 including GST, but no dealer has one and there's none in the country, so that's a back order from Germany - probably about 3 weeks".

Finally, to my questions:

1) Am I right to now have serious misgivings about my Tweed Heads based "European Specialist" mechanic repairs firm? (I was dealing with the owner)

2) If the answer to the above is yes, can anyone recommend someone better on the Gold Coast / Tweed Coast?

3) Is ABS pump failure a relatively common thing? in which case why would VW have none in Australia?

4) Is a second hand part a viable option and what is a fair price - or "just don't go there"?

Just some additional info as I'm wondering if any one or more of these factors might have contibuted to this situation. Firstly, the vehicle sat at the dealer for a year or more when new, before being sold (probably not ideal).
Second, I had Ballina Campervans (a very big player in that field, they build VW camper vans etc) instal a 2nd battery with the associated bits to keep both batteries constantly topped up - my mechanic expressed reservations about that.
Third, all the engine and driveline was removed 18 months ago when the gearbox blew up. My mechanic said it was a lemon in that model and VW had replaced it with the same thing, but this time built properly by ZF. I'm told I have that one now, but it was an awfully big, several week operation and somewhat rushed at the end. Something missed, connected wrongly etc???

Any advice/help on this will be greatly appreciated.

cheers, Dubswin.