Okay so apprently my car is leaking oil, they put the dye in and checked for the leaks and this is the dealership estimate that i got:

Requires repair:
oil cooler
Valve cover gasket
Front cam seals
P.C.V. clean up

PARTS (APPROX.- $ 180 + 8.0 HOURS OF LABOUR- $800.00)

Parts:
058-198-025-A Gasket set 50.64
058-103-213 Tube 44.78
N-904-673-01 Seal 3.20
N-905-618-01 Clip (2 x 2.00) 4.00
06A-103-247 Housing 9.38
N-102-581-01 Clip 2.25
035-103-245-A Valve 20.30
N-102-555-01 Clip 1.50
068-103-085-E Seal 8.64
038-117-070-A Washer 5.48

Any suggestions as to what I should do? How easy would this stuff be to do myself considering I have fairly low experience?

 

I did the cam tensioner gasket and valvecover gasket in about 2 hours on a longitude engine, cost $40 in gaskets and $25 for cam tool.

Never had to mess with the oil cooler. PVC should be somewhat easy to clean. If you can do the two gaskets, that would cut off $400.

 

Any online tutorials or guides for this stuff for a 97 1.8t?

 

http://passat.wikispaces.com/
http://www.taligentx.com/passat/main...vecovergasket/

these should help. if you mark the camslike in the links, your fine. The cam gasket if you just undo the 3 screws you can slide it out without going to crazy on the intake cam.

 

If you need to have the front cam seals done - that requires you to remove the front of the car. It just like doing the Timing belt job(look at audidiy.com for a DIY). Are you handy with a wrench - I'm ok with working on cars and I did this job a few weeks ago. Find all the parts you need at ECStuning.com or purems.com. everything on your list you should be able to do over a saturday.

 

I've done a few simple things with the car (changing brake pads, wheel bearings) and I don't mind trying something a little more complicated but I just dont want to get into doing anything that I could really mess up and destroy the engine or something like a timing belt job and I also prefer to work around the car not underneath it seeing as I'd be working in my garage and just have those simple little supports to hold the car.