Best Years For A Used VW-TDI?

[DGStrate]

2002 here...

I have a good friend who has a 2000 Jetta and I have a 2002 Jetta, both TDIs, both manual trannies. he is around 150-160k, while I am a little over 100k. Biggest thing is to change timing belt religiously! Pretty easy to wrench on except you need to take a lot of things apart to get to stuff. Cartridge filter on front of motor is great. Belly pan underneath is appreciated, but makes for a pain if you change the oil from the drainplug as it has to be removed.



I am unsure of all my friends mods, but I have 520 injectors, VR6 clutch, Upsolute economy chip, 3" exhaust, 11mm injection pump (from a auto trans TDI), and a VNT17 turbo (1 step up from stock). Mine is quite peppy, fun to drive, and I get 43-45 with mixed driving, 48-49 on straight freeway.



The 1999-2003 will get slightly better economy (as they were prior to the Pump Duese people are referring to). The 1999 to 2003 are also a little easier to modify for more power, better mileage, etc.



Window lifts (too soft a plastic) were a problem in these years on cars with power windows and it is not uncommon for the window to fall into the door because the lift pieces fail.



I agree to skip the Auto transmission option if you can. Also, the factory stereo (even if the Monsoon option was selected) SUCKS! Mine got a JVC head unit, JBL speakers and a Planet Audio amp within a month of getting it from the prior owner.



Hope this helps some...

 

[jeepit]

We have an 06 TDI and it has been trouble free. Average 43 MPG according to my records.

I would buy another but only have 98,000 miles on this one and should be good to 300,000.

No problem starting it up at -17 degrees last weekend!

 

[mhsmith57]

My wife's car is a 2006 VW Jetta TDI, 6-spd DSG Xmission, and letherette seats. No problems but prevent/maint can be a little pricey compared to the Jap imports. But it's German engineering so you get what you pay for. It will be paid off soon and she wants to keep it, loves it, and feels very safe in it. I'd like to buy the newer 2012 VW Golf TDI with the 6-spd transmission (140hp/236 torque) for myself. Supposedly the "Myth Busters" on TV tested one which returned 60+ mpg traveling X country. Good luck in your choice.

Mark

 

[98ramtough]

I have a 2003 VW Jetta TDI that has 170k+ miles on it. It has been pretty trouble free. At around 100k miles it started to really lose power. After doing some reasearch I found out the EGR valve clogs up and really restricts power. I needed this cleaned and the timing belt done. I found a guy in Portland, OR that is known for working on TDIs around the country. He fixed everything for me for cheap and said he recalibrated something so the EGR wouldn't be an issue anymore. I do get a check engine light because of the change of programming or whatever he did. But my mileage and power is like brand new.



My car is a 5speed, gets new oil every 10k miles, fuel filter once a year. Air filter once a year, and tires every 80k miles. Other than that, it doesn't get anything done to it. It gets 50mpg plus on the highway. It really has been one heck of a car. I drive it a lot.

 

[rscurtis]

Imagine the MPG these cars would get if you could shed the 1000# of useless junk that has been added in the last 20 years. My 1989 only weighed 2200#.

 

[mhsmith57]

I hear that. I had an '89 Honda CRX HF that got 49 mpg continuously on regular gas. I think it weighed around <2000lbs. And it didn't have the "feel good & look at me" hybrid technology behind it. Auto manufacturers can do it, they just want more $$ for their cars and from us. Pretty sad.

Mark

 

[Regcabguy]

Imagine the MPG these cars would get if you could shed the 1000# of useless junk that has been added in the last 20 years. My 1989 only weighed 2200#.

The useless junk keeps you alive in the event of a serious collision. The beauty of the old ones without 1000# of useless junk is that in the event of an accident, it was instant death. The added emissions have cut into the efficiency.

 

[rscurtis]

There have been safety advances made, no doubt about it, but not 1000# worth. The old VW and my '83 Mercedes were renowned for their safety in their day, sometimes at the expense of totaling the car after a crash, espescially the VW. Power doors, power seats, DVD players, sound insulation, cupholders, sunroofs, 10 speaker sound systems, etc. , do not contrubute to safety, and in fact, may actually detract from it. Multiple air bags and stability control give a false sense of security to those who weren't paying attention in science or physics class. The Europeans seem to survive OK without all this extra baggage, we could to, or should at least be given the option. One day, we will all worship FE as the highest priority.

 

[EWalshak]

Does anyone know good or bad about mid to late 90's models vw diesel.