Merry Xmas Jalops - My 05 Phaeton reaches 130K miles - All in working order! My bill for the year reached...

Yay, today we gather round to celebrate...my 2005 VW Phaeton reaching 130K miles! No codes, No CELs, all good and happy. And it took the fam to Yosemite for a great family trip. (Who needs an SUV?) This proud son of Ferdinand Piech continues to own the road and provide unsurpassed power and comfort. The 320HP NA V8 engine is a workhorse.

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Maintenance, as they said, is not for the faint-hearted or wallet-challenged. Even with the help of many talented friends, the bill for the year was as follows:

New Tires: $950 at Pep Boys (Cheap, I know)

Oil changes: (2) $240

Serpentine Belt: $220 (done with a buddy, a true struggle)

Fix central cover air vent: $250 (done carefully with the help of the Phaeton Master - he owns 5 Phaetons!)

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Trunk Harness Fix: $320 @ a VW indy shop (Could have been over $1200, so I’m thankful)

Replace Auto Transmission Fluid: $950 @ VW dealership - Was worth it. Tranny is back to normal

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So, nearly $3,000 this year. A happy Phaeton with no codes? Priceless!

Illustration for article titled Merry Xmas Jalops - My 05 Phaeton reaches 130K miles - All in working order! My bill for the year reached...
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Merry Xmas, Happy Holidays, Awesome Festivus, Kwanzaa, or whatever floats your boat? What was your end-of-year bill for maintenance?