Oh, and about the alternator battery thing.... loose ground cable, maybe?  Prob left undone/loose when the trans was put back in.  Seen that a few times.  Again, usually by a mechanic not familiar with VWs.

The ground cable was off by the time it was looked at Saturday morning.  They couldn't get the alternator or battery to work after I had almost driven the whole way home, so I had a new alt / battery installed.  Now, I'm told some bolts weren't tightened down around the tie rods (I think) and the ball joints were affected.  Something else was rubbing against the front rotors, and damaged axels have been mentioned.

For the record, I have known so many messes begun with VWs that started up with the phrase "I needed to save some money"....  There is no way in hell I would crawl around in my driveway/ on the ground to put a clutch in a cabrio for $100...

We probably would have been better off with that guy at this point.  Apparently, his wife had the same opinion and wouldn't let him do it at the last minute.  It actually went to a garage that has done very good work in the past on our other cars (American).  It just wasn't until he had her completely apart and halfway into it that he told me they had never worked on a car like mine before.  Would have been good information to have when I called him about it....

He has promised he will make it right.  He's going to send her tomorrow to a front end specialist to make sure I'm back together correctly.  I'm fine with cars having problems because something just wears out.  I get pissed when someone tears it up through ignorance however.

Some lessons hurt badly.  Really, really, really badly.   :'( :'( :'(

There can be a huge difference between a good honest mechanic, and a good honest mechanic that knows how, and has the tools to work on late model VWs.  And regardless of how many people tell you, most people (including mechanics) don't get a grip on that concept until they experinace it first hand.  I can assure you, you are not the first to make that kind of mistake.  As the old GI Joe cartoons used to say at the end, "and now you know, and knowing is half the battle."

My dad was a mechanic so I grew up turning wrenches.  I always thought of myself as a good mechanic . . . maybe too slow to make a living at it, but at least I could work on my own cars.  Then we got a 96 Passat.  Everything I've touched on that car has turned into an educational experiance and mistakes can get expensive in a hurry.  I've had my share of "do it myself to save money" projects and ended up spending twice what someone with the knowledge and tools would have charged me.

SHE'S BAAA-aaack!!!!!

Myrtle was sent to a front end specialist and checked over.  He even paid for a front end alignment.  The owner apologized profusely last night and said he appreciated the opportunity to make it right.  Beyond doing it right the first time, I guess that's all I can ask.  Picked her up last night and she is zipping along like nothing was ever wrong.  Won't ever take her back there again, but would feel fine about them working on our Dodge or Pontiac again (did good work on those).

Thank goodness that's over.