Simple rules... use this thread to vent frustrations about your DSM. Only about your DSM.

I'll start. She's in the garage . She's in the same position she's been in since I towed her home from the track in October. Now the tranny is out and a number of other things. It will be a couple months before I get her back together .

I just miss driving her and wish I had more time and $$ to get her back on the road quicker.

Thanks for letting me vent (since the wife just doesn't understand) .

Let me walk you through my history of torture. Dates are approximate.

April 2002
-DL - Bought it 4 years ago and it is finally payed off. Now I want a TSi more than anything.
-Bought a TSi

July 2002
-TSi - Punctured the bell housing, tranny runs dry to its demise.
-TSi - Spare tranny goes in. The damn thing locks up within a few hours after picking the car up and destroys my ACT 2600.
-TSi - New CFDF clutch goes in with mechanic supplied tranny that doesn't work from the start.
-TSi - Find another tranny, It's all good now.

August 2002
-TSi - Turbo leaking oil, enough to raise compression and snap a wrist pin. This is only three weeks after dropping in the working tranny.
-TSi - Engine removed and sent out for a rebuild.
-DL - Brought back to certifiable condition and put back on the road.

September 2002
-DL - Tranny dies at 265k km.
-DL - Got tranny replaced with a JDM that never works properly from the beginning.

November 2002
-DL - JDM tranny dies.
-Start taking the bus to work.

December, 2002
-DL - Car gets parted out, shell is sent to the wreckers.
-CRX - Bought for a winter beater - has a huge gas leak discovered on second fill-up (three days after purchase), needs new gas tank.

January, 2003
-CRX - Finally get a new gas tank, only to find problems with the carburator keep me from driving it, continue taking the bus to work.
-TSi - Got the engine back, pay for the rebuild ($$$$$$) - now just waiting for the right time to drop it back in.
-CRX - Replaced carburator - same problems still present - looking for the actual cause, continue taking the bus to work.

Through all of this I can hardly believe the amount of money I have wasted. The only positive is that I'm doing a lot of work on the TSi myself, learning as I go. I get to find and replace any part that isn't working just right. Once I'm done it'll be a brand new car. It damn well better be, either that or I will go insane!

Clutch wont disengage fully, cant get into gears... being dicked around by Mitsubishi... its too f&*king cold outside to work on the car.

bought car nov 2001....girlfriend bought for me
dec rad

jan alternator-battery goes out in freezing rain storm at 16th/mcowan pull into garage and power/phone goes down as the sliding doors are opening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

girlfriend and i break up---i keep my bitch

feb heater core hose blows right after the biggest fight with ex during the last trip moving my gear.

feb realize turbo gummed up and head gaskets leaks

march park it

april parked

may parked

june parked replace exhaust

july parked

aug parked

sept finally move it and got a ticket for 100 in 50, no insurance papers or registration papers on me(just moved car that day)

oct new turbo-alt goes again

nov parked

dec parked

jan got another head, too cold to put on

feb---will only tell

conclusion total of 6000k+ in a year and 2 months and is extremely reliable when its parked....still owe x gf money for it.

Rant mode off....not very expensive but i do all repairs myself...and still owe money on it!!!

thx for starting this thread "ahhhhhhhh"

Needs hangar bearing fix. Paint would be nice. That's it. Good thing I am touching wood!

I've had my 1990 2L NT for about two years then I bought a 1990 Tsi Awd... Then...

December 2002:
Tsi Awd: clutch dies on me... with the second sync. Still a non working tachometer, wierd vibration at ??00 ROM since I don't have a working tachometer. Brakes are due, tune-up is due... current status: freezing in driveway.

2L NT: A stupid idiot backs into my parked car... Insurance pays

Two weeks later a CRACK HEAD tries passing me a approx 150-190 in a 50 zone... I was turning leftwards on my street... he almost totalled my car... and definitly totalled his... what a waste a nice 2g Talon... At first the local radio station had announced that we were racing... which was definitly not the case...

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/vde/actualites/0212/act_602120166724.html
(no pics of my car sorry I don't know how to "upload" them... in this post)

January 20th 2003
2L NT: I got my car back today... The body is very nice... but they forgot to take a look at the tranny... While the engine is running I can't put the car into gear unless I force it... When the engine is not running it goes roughly into gear... Back to the garage...

DSM LOVE
I can't wait to get my car back since I hate crappy chevy cavalier and ford focus rentals.

dont hate me guys, but:

no issues, problems since 1998 except one broken 3 bolt rear end axle, its got a 4 bolt now, and its all good.

its been to the track a few times, its been my daily driver for a while, its been my grocery getter, it has taken me to my univ graduation, it has driven me to my first official f/t job interview, its been through its fair share... i am so proud of my li'l dsm, *cries of joy* now it just sits @ home looking all clean and pretty... eventhough i dont drive it much, again everything is in perfect order, i just dont care to expose it to winter/ elements... i dont think i could ever sell it even if it just sits there for 10 more years...

here is a pic of my li'l girl:

Scharok that doesn't belong here -- you need to go start "The Official Satisfaction Thread".

Scharok you forgot to mention that everything on your car is new from the front bumper back that is drive train related

exactly, but the point is i didnt do them one by one as they broke,... i did it all in one shot the day i got the car, and it has been trouble-free since,...which brings me to my point, if you do everything all at once, you will have a reliable car, but once you start cutting corners then things begin to snap, pop and crackle.

i am doing the same thing to the MR2, I could have done a quick head gasket job and called it a day, but it has been taking a week now, and wont be ready til mid feb probably, but when it rolls out it will be one bullet proof car thats not gonna see a shop unless its going in for an oil change.

Very true...

143 buddy!

I guess driving the cars only 5-10K a year helps too!

Well, I've had my 91 TSi AWD for almost 3 years now, and as much as I love the car, I've never had a car cost me so much in maintenance, and leave me stranded on the side of the road so often....

During the first 2 years, the car was bone stock, and I had the aternator go, the slave cylinder, front driveshafts, all wheel bearings, all brakes, hand brake cables, exhaust, belts and soooooo many other things go on it, it's not even funny. The only good part of the car that never gave me any problems whatsoever is my JDM engine.

Then last summer, I decide to start modding the car. I had to wait for months to get my exhaust, blew up my turbo 2 days after the car is back on the road, and everything on the throttle body is shot. I have so much left to invest in it still that sometimes I wonder 'Why bother?'

Then it hits me........it's a DSM!

When you're hooked, you're hooked!

You're all a bunch of babies! As Jim Brewer would say

"SUCK IT UP, DICK!"

Nothing wrong with venting some frustations. But instead of them being out in real threads keep them here. Maybe you have some yourself... I've seen you crying about how dog ass slow your car is now .

OK I've only counted 7 people with DSM frustrations. Come on guys post up, there HAS to be more problems than that on this board! You guys need to vent more than just your BOV..

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Mike Jackson:
<strong> I've seen you crying about how dog ass slow your car is now

Mine all started this year. 1997 TSI AWD. Right now, 105km on it.

April 2002- car hard to shift. Shift forks gone. Replaced, as good as new.

Oct 2002 - Driving in the wastelands known as Gatineau, Quebec (across the river from Ottawa), and my car starts blowing smoke and overheats. HEAD GASKET. I get it towed to my mechanic on the other side of Ottawa and costs me $140. The job itself, well you know, cost me alot.

November 2002 - at teh local track. Ready to show my friend in his Z28 SS my tail lights. Warm up run first, go into 4th, slipping clutch. DAMN IT. Wait a few weeks to get it done as I had no money. Decided for a Bully Stage 2 clutch seeing they are a local company to us and alot of Ottawa guy use them. MISTAKE.

December 2002 - Right after the clutch was done, the pedal feel is very different. VERY soft and pauses on the floor before releasing so your foot is faster than the pedal. HHMM?? My mech talked to Bully and Bully feel it is the install when my mechanic knows it is not. I pay to have it taken apart ($500ish) so Bully can look at all parts and my mech says it is the pressure plate causing the problem. Bully disagrees. My mech won. STock pressure plate put in and the problem is 90% better and very driveable. They did not waranty anything at this time. I am still fighting them.

January 2003 - 1,400 km on the clutch and BOOM. Clutch grenaded leaving a gasstation in rush hour traffic. Limped it to my mech's Sunday PM. Tuesday I get a cal lsaying it is ready and that Bully put in a stage 3 saying they realised a flaw in the Stage 1/2 designs. Full warranty parts and labour. They even gave my friend, Billy Giles - 98 TSI - a Stage 3 clutch seeing he had a Bully Stage 1 with that flaw. NOW, seeing they admitted fault, would not not make it clear to everyone that the first DEC 2002 repair should of had labour warranty also? Engineered fault, they repair it (like a recall) and all is done. I called the owner even today and still no word. I believe the last time I heard, they were going to help me out by paying $25 for every hour labour for the job. AAHHH, no. Ful lwarranty or small claims court I am going, as well reminding everyone about my experience with them.

January 2003 - Bad noises coming from my car. Believe it to be the steering box. Noisy bitch. Man, can those things ever squeel. AARRGGHH. I am pissed.

Dec 2001 Brake job

april 2002 Steering Line

june Tranny went so did the clutch,

Sept.
Failed emission o I had to change plugs and filters

Oct Brake job was required

Mine has been pretty good so far. Last year I took the offensive and did alot of preventative stuff like brakes and timing belt. When I was doing the brakes of course the rotors were seized so that one hurt a bit.

I have a feeling though that my car is planning a stealthy counter-attack. There are just little signs that I have alot of work coming up. Brake fluid was down recently, hmmm that never happened before. Battery goes on me, I THINK the alt is ok.. for now. The Door trim rips all off, temporary fix with the rivet gun, should hold. My aftermarket fog light comes apart one -30 morning, no way in hell I am working on that in this weather. Now my idle is starting to do some funny things, could be a number of things but again it's freaking cold out!. Even the dam original floor mats are getting in on it, they keep getting caught in the pedals and shifting around. Of course the good old lifter tick is siging away in this cold weather, she almost sounds like a tractor on start up when it's this cold.

I know it is no-where near the level of problems others are having. But all these little things add up and I am waiting for the big problem to come soon. Then all the little things in conjunction with the big one will lead to the common disease of DSMaddness.

Well, all quite on the DSM front for today, but theres always tomorows drive to work Cheers,

I don't want to talk about mine. Sheila is deep in my pocket and Jen is scrounging around for what ever is left .

Dammit now I'm getting screwed over a deal on a flywheel . I sent the guy the money and have yet to see my flywheel. Now he's not even returning my emails. He confirmed he got the MO Dec 13th but has never confrimed shipment of the flywheel. I'll give him a little more time then call in the reinforcements.

On the good side my Quaife equipped tranny should arrive next week.

Let's see.

I drove my 1990 Laser NT for 3 years/40000KM with no problems at all. Nothing replaced - except when I sold it the ex. manifold was cracked (Or the gasket was blown - I didn't notice it until I sold it)

1990 Talon NT - Drove for 20 000KM/2 years. Didn't replace a single mechanical part. Sold it with almost 200K on it.

1990 Talon NT - Driving currently. Best running Talon yet - no mechanical parts replaced (Until spring - I'm going to fix the starting problem). Has 196xxx on the clock too.

Oh - and the last two were insurance writeoffs - yet they're still bulletproof.

I've had such good luck I'm considering buying a 1992 Laser NT with 240K since they're asking 2200 OBO.

Parts ordered from Mitsu were to be here today

but maybe not until monday, I hate that.

Still cheers for Adam. he knows what he is doing. Just if his prices was a bit lower, but for anything not major he has my business.

I'm still waiting for that flywheel I paid for in December .

My 8mths with the talon has been a rather problem free one. Usual preventive maintenance like timing belt and stuff, new brakes when I got the car and the usual things.

had a problem with spark plugs getting crushed by the piston, but that turned out that the plug was a little too long. Also had a problem of "belt" consumption...but that turned out to be human error when installing the belt.

It looks like the previous owner fixed most of the problems..including a new engine