Going to a volkswagen specialist?

[Oddball]

Just wondered about your thoughts on this subject?

At some point in the near future, I would like to have the engine in my golf rebuilt, or at least thoroughly overhauled. I think the only problem with 16 year old volkswagens it that the body outlives the engine (or possibly the other way round). My car is in excellent condition (apart from that bearing last week), but the engine is getting a bit long in the tooth. It's got 140K on the clock, and the engine is very tired, oil leak around the rocker cover, oil burning, piston slap, worn bores (I think), head gasket on the way out.

Anyway, to cut my rambling short, I have two options. I could either take it to one of my two regular garages, both of which i'm pretty friendly with, or I can take it to the volkswagen specialist along the road.

I'm thinking of the pros and cons here,
The local garages already know me, and may be able to provide a small discount. But they are also general garages, not specialists.

The volks specialist however, is about 1/3 more expensive, but then again they will know my car inside out, and when my friend used them (2 new bushes, 2 brake pipes, 2 front disks and a new alternator) he had his car back the same day.

I'm not decided yet, so I just wanted your thoughts on the subject.

[Eshrules]

something like an engine build needs an awful lot of time and effort, someone who knows the engine well and who can be trusted. if you know the specialist, IMHO, he'd be the choice for me.

[golf tdi 02]

no doubt on this
got to be the vw every time
rich