# My Routan



## audiophiliac (May 22, 2004)

I figured I would start a thread where I would post all my dealings with the Routan over time. I have been a VW driver for over 10 years. I started with a '96 GTI VR6 and reluctantly and pretty much accidentally sold it. I had a short stint with a '90 Jetta GLI before the timing belt slipped. Rather than pour a bunch of money into it, I found someone who bought/bartered for it as is. I then picked up the '95 GTI VR6 I am currently driving. It got smashed up by an old lady and I almost lost interest in it. Besides needing a door, fender, some body work on the rocker panel and rear quarter, it has some other issues. But I keep plugging along in it. I decided that even though the Routan is only barely a VW, I would be happier with it than one of the alternatives. Hopefully this turns out to be the case. So far, so good. I am already looking for the replacement for my GTI....it will either be an R32 or a TDI of some sort. 

So the Routan. 2009 SE with RSE...not sure what option package it is. It has the screen for the second row, remote start, heated seats, and sunroof. It had 81000 miles on it when I bought it. It has been 2 weeks a couple of days and it is up over 83k now. It has been on a 1200 mile road trip, plus I bought it at a VW dealer 350 miles from home. Looks like one owner before me had it since new. I found several service receipts from another dealer behind the glove box. Mentioned on those inspections were rear brakes (all of which have been replaced it looks like and they function fine), A/C line leak, which I assume has since been repaired as it blows cold....although I think it use a bit more 134....not quite as cold as I think it should be. Might be normal for the chrysler vans though.

The first thing I did after I got it home was drive it around for a day or 2 before handing it over to my wife whom I bought it for. Just to make sure it was not going to fall apart or be otherwise unsafe for the family. Then before we left on the maiden road trip I changed the oil and air filter, which looked like it was the original! It was bad....like really bad. I will post some photos. There was a sticker for an oil change due at 74k...not sure it got done before I got it at 81k. The oil was pretty ragged to. I topped off the coolant, and off we went. I only made the first leg of the trip. My wife had 2 or 3 incidents where all the dash lights lit up and the wipers wiped once or twice and then all back to normal. It has not done it since I replaced the drivers side sliding door wire track/harness which was is bad shape and at least one wire was broken and could have caused an intermittent short.

Today, I took the front bumper off and re-attached the grill which was never clipped on right. I can tell the bumper has been resprayed....and poorly. It looks ok from 10', but it feels like sand paper. The lower grill has a broken piece. I think there was just a bender as nothing behind the bumper or grill looks to have been touched. We shall see how well it holds up. If it all pops apart again, it is time for some epoxy. 

You can tell it was owned by a family. Interior has its scrapes and dings here and there. Stains in the cargo area. But overall, it is clean. Exterior faired much better than inside. One door ding. The hatch trim panel looks to have been glued on. And the front bumper mishap. That is all. Aside from a few rock chips....and I mean very few, it looks new. No road rash on the wheels even. 

The MIL/CEL comes on now and then. According the dealer I bought it from, the code is for an o2 sensor and they agreed to pay for my local VW dealer to replace it. I am in the process of getting that coordinated as we speak. I am also going to ask the service department to flash the transmission computer and put it back into learn mode. I also need to have them adjust the pinch sensors in the sliding doors. Passenger side is a bit sensitive. I also need to get at least 1 new fobiks keyfob. 

My next major maintenance item is going be a transmission flush/filter change. I think I will do the heater hose "T" repair as well.....I like the idea of the metal replacement on ebay that someone else linked to recently. Top off the r134. Weathertech mats all around. Drive the piss out of it.  THe kids love it....mostly because they can watch "Frozen" wherever they go. My wife loves it because she can get to the kids easier for entry/exit. I love it because it is not the hyundai it replaced....what a POS! And it says VW on it. 

I will post any further updates, repairs, upgrades, modifications, here as they happen. Hopefully I might even be able to help some fellow Routan owners out with something here and there. I plan to do most of the wrenching myself on this thing. So anything that breaks, I will be the poor sap who has to fix it. Live and learn, right? Stay tuned.


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## ACmech (Nov 16, 2010)

Congrats on the purchase! I recently acquired a Routan SEL myself, and its been a great vehicle for my family, so far.


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## Steveaut (Sep 16, 2010)

I bought a 2010 new, now have 77k miles. Brakes replaced three times, rotors twice. Great vehicle. Average 19 around town; mix of freeway and city. No other problems. Great vehicle so far. I expect to own it three more years to get my monies worth before looking for something else. Great vacation vehicle. No regrets or complaints other than having to find a better combination of rotors and pads. Debating doing tune up and trans flush to improve reliability. 

As to oil, my oil looks pretty black every 5k-6k miles I change the oil. It does surprise me, but it's always been that way since new. Maybe the design, older design, I don't know. I use 10w 30 Mobile 1 Synthetic. Idles like new, plenty of power, runs great. I add about 1/2-1 qt of oil between oil changes. Again, it's been that way since new. I have had several vehicles that all have seemed to burn around a quart between oil changes. I guess I don't worry too much about. My Durango burned a lot more and kept going like a champ. Never understood why they do, but they do. I guess I do understand why, tolerances.


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## audiophiliac (May 22, 2004)

A small update:

We have had the van for a little over a month and have put 3500+ miles on it. That includes the 350 mile trip from the dealer I bought it at to my home, and 2 1000+ mile family road trips. Nothing major to report. I finally got around to getting it into the dealer for a diagnostic session and they found a faulty oxygen sensor. I am working on getting the dealer I bought it from pay to replace as per the sales agreement even though they claim they already replaced it. Not sure which one they replaced though...working on the details as we speak. Hopefully that will get resolved painlessly. 

I am getting ready to look into HID conversion, and some LED exterior bulbs. Wheels are on the short list of upgrades to do as well. I have some ideas, but still looking. I do not just want to do the standard journey or srt wheels everyone else is doing. So it could get interesting. I think I am going to replace the passenger sliding door wire guide/harness as a precaution. One of the chain links is broken, and it is only a matter of time before it gets worse. I need to see if the dealer can adjust the sensors that are giving us intermittent opening/closing issues...mainly on inclined surfaces.

Before we hit 100k miles, I plan to drop the tranny pan and replace fluid/filter....or maybe take it somewhere and have it fully flushed. Plugs/wires/belts, etc will also be done at that point. Seems to be some slight oil seepage from the oil pan gasket. Not a huge deal until it starts dripping. Front brakes are down to 4mm, so I am guessing they will need to be done before I hit 100k as well. I am going to do the fronts and rears and likely all 4 wheel bearings at the same time.


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