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.

MikeK wrote:
> 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.

Try an auto recycle yard.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

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


"MikeK" > wrote in message news:8u9oe.5026$_w.2288@trnddc01...
> 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.

"MikeK" > wrote in message news:8u9oe.5026$_w.2288@trnddc01...
> 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.

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:

http://www.passatworld.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=180742

You can find the part online at:
https://www.1stvwparts.com/

Do a keyword search for "front deflector" or "front splash shield" --there
are pictures.

"CSS" > wrote in
:

>
> 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:
>
> http://www.passatworld.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=180742
>
> You can find the part online at:
> https://www.1stvwparts.com/
>
> Do a keyword search for "front deflector" or "front splash shield"
> --there are pictures.
>

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.

"MikeK" > wrote in message news:jwuoe.5350$ld3.5284@trnddc04...
> "CSS" > wrote in
> :
>
>>
>> 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:
>>
>> http://www.passatworld.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=180742
>>
>> You can find the part online at:
>> https://www.1stvwparts.com/
>>
>> Do a keyword search for "front deflector" or "front splash shield"
>> --there are pictures.
>>
>
> 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.

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

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

"MikeK" > wrote in message news:jwuoe.5350$ld3.5284@trnddc04...
> "CSS" > wrote in
> :
>
>>
>> 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:
>>
>> http://www.passatworld.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=180742
>>
>> You can find the part online at:
>> https://www.1stvwparts.com/
>>
>> Do a keyword search for "front deflector" or "front splash shield"
>> --there are pictures.
>>
>
> 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.

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.

"deanyel" > wrote in message
...
>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.
>


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.

"CSS" > wrote in
:

>
> "deanyel" > wrote in message
> ...
>>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.
>>
>
>
> 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).

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?"