Maf

[Ali C]

cleaning the MAF is this an easy job I was told you can clean it with contact cleaner

And is to take the MAF off is this easy

[Beretta]

Yes & Yes

[VRStu]

Cleaning the MAF is never very successfull, do yourself a favour and buy a new one from a VAG dealer.

[dieselV6]

VRStu , are you a dealer? Because cleaning the MAF usually works, as long as it is gentle but thorough and uses 97%+pure solvent (alcohol) so no residue remains. Toothbrush is useful, just make sure there is no residue on it either.

VAG dealer MAF prices are usually quite inflated, more than for other parts and more than other brand dealers. It has been documented repeatedly over the past years, with people buying Mercedes MAFs and retrofitting because they were 3x cheaper.

[VRStu]

No I'm not a dealer, in fact I am not even in 'the trade' so i have no other reason to recommend anything other than what I feel is the best advice.

I think you might be a little confused if you think that -

a) a new MAF from a main dealer is expensive

a Merc MAF is 3 x cheaper.

I firmly believe that the MAF should be considered a routine maintenance part at an interval such as 40, 50 or 60k miles. You may save a couple of quid now but you'll have little idea of the effect on performance and possible increase in fuel consumption caused by a faulty MAF.

How much do you think MAF's cost?

[dieselV6]

From another forum, in 2006:

I know the Bosch MAF's are notorouisly unreliable on VAG cars - I had one replaced at a main dealer 50K ago for £200 for the sensor and £65 labour - now that's what I call an hourly rate given I think I could do the job in 10mins if I had the right removal tool.

I think when you say MAFs are cheap(ish) you mean petrol ones, diesel ones are expensive. They have different characteristics. A lot of people looking after petrol MAFS got conned into installing petrol ones and ended up with a lot of tailpipe smoke.

I am also aware they can be had from Ebay for stlg35, it's just that I'd rather clean it first and try than buy it on Ebay...

If things have changed for better at dealer (ie 5x cheaper at dealer, or so) since then, please quote current prices and source, I'll be glad to use it for my next MAF :-)

In any case, my bet is that it is still around EUR180/stlg140 which was 2006 catalogue price :-)

[VRStu]

Sadly it would seem you have been caught up in the usual hype of expensive dealer parts. I have an account with VW and quite coincedently recieved a mailshot from them yesterday which amoung other things lists quite a lot of prices for MAF's.

Your 2.5 TDi is 059 906 461 which has an RRP of £66 plus VAT.

Some more for example, all RRP plus VAT -

Fabia 1.9 TDi 100hp - £57.50 or £66 depending on year

Fabia 1.9 TDi 130hp - £66

Octavia MK1 1.8T - £66

Octavia MK1 1.9TDi 90/110hp - £57.50 or £66 depending on year

Octavia MK1 2.0 - £57.50

Superb 1.9 TDi 100hp - £66

Superb 1.9 TDi - 130hp - £66

These are all brand new genuine VAG parts at VW RRP. If you happen to have an account then they are even cheaper.

Hopefully this goes some way to reassure you. Whilst the internet is a great source of information it is also a grat source of mis-information too.

It certainly wouldn't advocate purchasing one from eBay as these have often been reported to be poor.

[Hoddhead]

I think you might be a little confused if you think that -

a) a new MAF from a main dealer is expensive

a Merc MAF is 3 x cheaper.

I firmly believe that the MAF should be considered a routine maintenance part at an interval such as 40, 50 or 60k miles. You may save a couple of quid now but you'll have little idea of the effect on performance and possible increase in fuel consumption caused by a faulty MAF.

How much do you think MAF's cost?

Agree totally - have just had 10k running with no power and gutless engine. Bought a new MAF (sensor and housing) from a VW dealer this week for £66 - fitted it myself this evening (would have been quick job but for corroded screw head decomposing ). Car now has power right up to the red line, and feels great again. Thought that it couldn't be the MAF as I had changed it about 50k ago, but was wrong.

Thought to myself that MAF needs to be changed a bit like a cambelt - every 4 yrs/60k! Interestingly my local Skoda dealer (who picked up the MAF fault, along with temp sensor and solenoid) didn't have it in stock - and was on back order. VW had 150+ in their warehouse!!!

Cost - Not as much as you might think even at a VW dealer!

[dieselV6]

Are these for new or re-conditioned sensors?

Well, now that you mentioned it, the last time I asked for MAF at Skoda dealer it was stlg 180 incl VAT (that's the Octavia one, 1.9TDI110). This was exactly in August 2006, I remember because they messed up my car during that service.

Perhaps they did come down after so many customers got ripped off.

Still, I know what I'd choose given these alternatives:

going to dealer, spending stlg66 + another stlg 30-stlg60 labour charges

vs

10 min cleaning job attempt (where you lose nothing because the worst result is the sensor as broken as before, and best result is another 3-5 years of correct operation)

The decision is yours :-)

[David 8]

Well, now that you mentioned it, the last time I asked for MAF at Skoda dealer it was stlg 180 incl VAT (that's the Octavia one, 1.9TDI110). This was exactly in August 2006, I remember because they messed up my car during that service.

:-)

Daylight robbery there imo.

Prices are for brand spanking new.

[VRStu]

You are still trying to make this job more expensive than it needs to be.

I've given you the correct RRP prices for the new parts from the VAG dealer network. You do not need to make yourself feel better by adding the cost of labour as if you are capable of removing the MAF to clean it then you already worked out how to change it.

You can harp on about 2006 prices all day long but what is relevant are the current prices as of today.

As you say the choice is yours and as I said above, I am only offering my best advice.

[cheezemonkhai]

Cleaning the MAF is never very successfull, do yourself a favour and buy a new one from a VAG dealer.

It has worked fine for me, however it is definitely a case of diminishing returns and it is probably only worth doing once or twice as past this things don't really improve for very long.

I'd certainly say if the MAF has done 100k don't bother cleaning it just get a new one, and at 60k it is probably past it's best and needs a clean to extend it to 80-100k miles life.

FWIW the part is only £65 on exchange, so not exactly expensive if you gain 1 or 2 MPG over 60k.

[cjb]

About 2 years ago i replaced the MAF on my A3 with a Bosch one from Euro Car Parts. Price was about £80 exchange- the high price scare story is very out of date by now- and it didn't need special tools as the housing came with it.

if you are capable of removing the MAF to clean it then you already worked out how to change it.

TBH, that's so easy to do, you'd have to be mad to pay labour.

[Hoddhead]

Are these for new or re-conditioned sensors?

I paid £66 for a brand new sensor and housing from my local VW dealer. Skoda wanted £102 for the part and fitting, but I knew I could do it all myself. The part price was exactly the same, but Skoda for some reason couldn't get hold of one (:confused:). GSF wanted £55+VAT, but this was exchange, with a £25 +VAT surcharge if no exchange unit.

Fuel consumption has slightly worsened though...it's such a change to drive a car with some get up & go again that I'm finding it hard to take it easy!