VW TDI distick tube upgrade?

In removing the oil filter yesterday I was clumsy and managed to break the plastic dipstick tube on SWMBO's 2001 New Beetle TDI. Replacements are inexpensive, but I like to upgrade parts when I can. Are metal ones (read: unbreakable) available?

Gruvenparts MADE one for the 1.8T, not sure about the TDI. You're probably out of luck, searching TDIClub shows that a lot of people have the same issue...and just buy the $7 replacement.

http://www.ecstuning.com/ES2580487/

Thanks, SlickDizzy.

Plastic? WTF VW?

Yeah, plastic. It snapped the instant I bumped it. I assume the plastic was brittle because the car has almost 150k on it, but still. Seems like a really dumb place to put a plastic part.

Yep, it's been an issue since '85 or so. They always break, but they're cheap and the dealer always stocks them, so no one seems to care too much.

Odd... Never had this problem with my car in 10 years, 300K+ miles and literally dozens of oil changes which require R&R'ing the engine cover... just lucky I guess.

Of course, being metal doesn't make them invincible. The trans tube on the g/f's Volvo 850 broke...

Yep, mine broke at around 175K and 6 years old.

Whatever you do, make sure all the pieces are accounted for, you'll find the missing ones in the oil pickup.

Ours is still in one piece at 195,000, but a friends broke before 100,000. I need to grab one the next time I buy parts just to have it in wait.

Of course, ever Miata that I have ever bought has a broken dipstick, it's a plastic top attached to a metal stick.

Metal VW dipstick tube. This sounds like an aftermarket's wet dream.