I am looking at a used 2001 Vw Jetta TDI, any advice?

[Silver Bullet Ram]

84,000 miles I can get it for $9900. 00 Not in bad shape. Is this thing hard to work on? I change my own oil and fuel filters. I know there is something about removing an intake manifold at some point to be cleaned, when is this done? Is it expensive?





Gary

 

[dpuckett]

Try tdiclub.com They are something like the TDR for VWs. never been there myself though.

 

[MD500E]

A few little common problems with them but not too bad over all. Just look at the TDIclub forum for lots of info. is it a 5 speed? The auto tdi is sluggish and defeats the purpose of the tdi, which is being able to get 50mpg. Good luck!

 

[DSpencer]

-One thing at 84k-has the timing belt been changed? This is an expensive procedure (around 600, I think). Hard to do by yourself but can be done.

Ditto on the manual. If you can, get it. Much better mileage. It also is pretty fun to drive. Our 2003 has already been to 56. 4mpg with me and 2 passengers, about 550lbs.

 

[RACE427]

TDI

I have been looking for one myself, would make a really nice ride for my daughter!!!

 

[JLEONARD]

We bought a 1999. 5 TDI several months ago. . a 5 speed with 75K on it.

It's got a few minor issues, one of them being the intake manifold thing, but overall it's been good.

On a trip this spring we got 46 mpg with me driving and taking no mercy on it... stayed at 80 plus whenever possible. Even stock they're surprisingly quick.

Wife gets MUCH better mileage than I do... . more like 50 around town.

Jay

 

[cpeters]

The timing belt is the main maintenence item on these motors, if the owner can't provide you with proof of replacement then you will need to get it done asap. If it breaks the it wrecks the motor.

 

[Silver Bullet Ram]

I passed it up, VW want $520 to replace the timing belt. I am not a big fan of having to replace timing belts alot and paying that kind of money. My cummins doesn't need a timing belt and the Vw shouldn't have one, imo. I had heard the second time was more than that because some other things needed to be replaced. Windows dropping into the door because a clip breaks is a turn off. The back brakes wear out much faster than the front, don't understand that one. Interiors that peel like it has a sunburn, which this one had, isn't good either. No one makes cars like the used too.

 

[skobylenski]

Has nobody read Consumer Reports lately? Go to Border's book store and pick up a copy off the magazine racks and read it in the café area. They said that ALL Volkswagens are trash, and the only ones that are getting slightly better are the 2005 models. The electrical systems fall apart, never mind the auto transmissions that are affectionally known by the Audi crowd as the "slushboxes" because they self destruct and turn into metal and oil mush. I'm just trying to save you guys some major headaches here, that's all.

 

[Rman]

I hear ya. I have a 2001 New Beetle auto... . JUNK. It's got tons of problems. I know lots of guys on here like them so i'll be as positive as I can. It's great on fuel, has good pick up and go, but other than those semi moot points this car is garbage.



It's not mine, it's my wifes... so I really could care less. It's falling apart inside, it's had more electrical problems than I care to deal with, its' had the transmission replaced at 27k miles on it, the intake it completely gummed up because I'm cheap and don't want to buy a laptop so I can fix it myself. VW customer service is AWFUL. The list can go on for days on this pile of german crap. But I'll be sporty and wish everyone that has one already the best of luck, cause mine has sure been a lemon.



My dad from day one taught me about VW's, I didn't listen and wanted to try a new diesel... I paid the price. Never again... Never again.

 

[therabbittree]

the tdis are great if you are mechanically inclined. . i have 2 of them and 3 extra engines for other projects ie tdi into rabbit swaps etc... any how our 2001 golf tdi is sweet it has never been in a dealer ever i do all my own work. its got over 100k miles and no problems besides performance increase mods . . did vr6/ g60 clutch, chip, lots o bigger injectors, t belt, exhaust mods ie no muffler, no egr, etc only non performance stuff has been the 3rd brake light, brake pads only changes once so far, tbelt, and wiper blades... ours is a gl so it was a 2dr with roll up windows so no window clip problems... we also have a 96 passat wagon tdi was 50k when we bought from original owner andnow has 65 k or so . . i have had no problem other then its doesn't have the power of my modded 2001 ha. . the egr did clog my passats intake i fixed that and did the t belt. . only problem has been the passenger window has its own mind on whether or not it wants to open when you use the switch ha. . stupid electric windows. . i've never changes the brakes yet and its still got the original tires ha. . can go 1000-1100 on a tank in the passat about 800 mile isn teh golf. . i drive the golf FAST like 85 plus to work 1 . 5-2 hrs one way to work and i still get 40mpg at that speed . . incredible ifi drove 55-65 i would get 45-52 miles per gallon on long trips i get it. we have ever tank that car has ever seen written down in a log. . about 150 tanks so far... i like em ... but if i was buying used i would do egr /intake / head cleaning , tbelt, waterpump, and chip it and striaght pipe it, i'd leave the cat in . and you'd love it. . 2002 and newer all have power windows. . they have a factory recall that fixs any of the power window clips, and the passat tdis are much roomier.

check out tdi club .com

i wish the mercedes diesels old or new were available with a standard transmission . . i hate autos. . only choice in us is vw tdi. mercedes (40K+), sprinter , or liberty cd. . only one that gets 40+mpg is vw and only one available with manual transmission is vw. plus tons of aftermarket performance available for vw. . the sprinters have injector nozzles available now too.

same as any car or truck i could not afford to own any vehicle i could not work on myself... even a new one. get the computer and tools / manual to fix it a learn to do it.

the tdi is really great if you fix the noraml issues then on its just oil changes and regular maintenance.

later

Deo

\x/ HillFolk!

 

[jimk]

the tdis are great if you are mechanically inclined. . i have 2 of them and 3 extra engines for other projects ie tdi into rabbit swaps etc... any how our 2001 golf tdi is sweet it has never been in a dealer ever i do all my own work. its got over 100k miles and no problems besides performance increase mods . . did vr6/ g60 clutch, chip, lots o bigger injectors, t belt, exhaust mods ie no muffler, no egr, etc only non performance stuff has been the 3rd brake light, brake pads only changes once so far, tbelt, and wiper blades... ours is a gl so it was a 2dr with roll up windows so no window clip problems... we also have a 96 passat wagon tdi was 50k when we bought from original owner andnow has 65 k or so . . i have had no problem other then its doesn't have the power of my modded 2001 ha. . the egr did clog my passats intake i fixed that and did the t belt. . only problem has been the passenger window has its own mind on whether or not it wants to open when you use the switch ha. . stupid electric windows. . i've never changes the brakes yet and its still got the original tires ha. . can go 1000-1100 on a tank in the passat about 800 mile isn teh golf. . i drive the golf FAST like 85 plus to work 1 . 5-2 hrs one way to work and i still get 40mpg at that speed . . incredible ifi drove 55-65 i would get 45-52 miles per gallon on long trips i get it. we have ever tank that car has ever seen written down in a log. . about 150 tanks so far... i like em ... but if i was buying used i would do egr /intake / head cleaning , tbelt, waterpump, and chip it and striaght pipe it, i'd leave the cat in . and you'd love it. . 2002 and newer all have power windows. . they have a factory recall that fixs any of the power window clips, and the passat tdis are much roomier.

check out tdi club .com

i wish the mercedes diesels old or new were available with a standard transmission . . i hate autos. . only choice in us is vw tdi. mercedes (40K+), sprinter , or liberty cd. . only one that gets 40+mpg is vw and only one available with manual transmission is vw. plus tons of aftermarket performance available for vw. . the sprinters have injector nozzles available now too.

same as any car or truck i could not afford to own any vehicle i could not work on myself... even a new one. get the computer and tools / manual to fix it a learn to do it.

the tdi is really great if you fix the noraml issues then on its just oil changes and regular maintenance.

later

Deo

\x/ HillFolk!

I have a 81 vw and my brother a 82 and a tdi jetta also. I have saved a lot on money an mileage on my dodge also. I will look into the 600 dollors

timing belt issue as that sounds like a lot of money. I have driven my car for 300k miles and not spent much money. I install autozone cv joints, and anything else that I can get life time warrenty. That is a long time for me. I like several years untill I retire so I will get my moneys worth.

I wont a caddy with a 1. 9 turbo diesel vw that has a 5 speed or even better yet would be a tdi with a mechanical pump. If I could find one for sale? good luck, the vw is a money saving investment for me JimK

 

[PJereb]

I spent the afternoon working on my friends 2001 GTI 1. 8L turbo. The day was spent running an 8 gauge wire from the battery to the rear of the car, along with a signal wire and an RCA cable for a subwoofer.



WHAT A PAIN!!!!



Wholly cow! I had no idea a car could have that much crap in the interior, not to mention a firewall that was nearly impenetrable.



We put on a good show for the neighbors by the time we got it stripped enough to route the wires. My driveway looked like a VW swap meet, we had the rear seats out, headrests, rear door panels, all the plastic battery shrouding, cable raceway covers, air cleaner, windshield wipers, kick panels, sound deadening panels, spare tire cover, hatchback trim, stereo, and a bunch of other Oktoberfest engineered VW interior bits, panels, clips and unnamed objects.



Just that experience would make me not want to own a modern VW car, TDI or not. The car is packed full of gizmos, and gimmicky bits just waiting to fail. Yes I like the way they look, but they are a bear to work on, especially when compared to my CTD or my wife’s Toyota Corolla.



Peter

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Peter said: "Yes I like the way they look, but they are a bear to work on, especially when compared to my CTD or my wife’s Toyota Corolla. "



Compare apples to apples and then get back to us. Your CTD or any Toyota (except an MR2... ) are probably the easiest vehicles to work on. German cars are never easy - but the end result is worth it.



As for the folks that hate TDI's or are worried about them... That's perfectly okay. You are entitled to your opinion.



Those of us that know what they are all about will always have respect for them. I beat the snot out of my TDI for ~50k miles... it NEVER left me stranded and always started (even in -10°F weather) without plugging it in.



I have a lot of respect for what the Volkswagen platform has to offer... especially when equipped with a TDI.



Matt

 

[PJereb]

So... ... what do you compare a VW to?



All BMW's are rear wheel drive (or all wheel drive), I believe the Mercedes is the same, Audi is partnered with VW, and Mini is a German- British hybrid. I am familiar with BMW 2002’s E21’s, E30’s and E36’s, and they all seem to be less complicated then the GTI that I was working on.



I know that you can’t beat the mileage of a TDI, or most likely the engine life, but if you ever have an electrical problem, you better get out your Rosary and pray



Rachel’s 94 Corolla gets 35 mpg, has over 160,000 miles, and has only required routine maintenance along with a battery, alternator, and a starter.



Hopefully some other auto manufactures will remove their heads from their rears and sell more diesel powered automobiles here in the states. I would love to replace Rachel’s car in a year or two with a diesel BMW 3 series, a diesel Mini, or some other smaller sedan, coupe or wagon, but we will probably end up with an unleaded powered car…. Hmm maybe a Focus SVT…. . hehehehe



Also, you can not purchase a new VW with a TDI in California. You got to love our iron fist smog laws; I believe the last year you could purchase them new in California was 2002 or 2003. You can still import a “used” one from out of state, and because they are “rare” now, it is routine to see a 4 to 7 year old Bug or Jetta near or over 100,000 miles on the odometer selling for 10-15 grand, which is insane IMHO, I could buy two used Toyota's for that kind of money.





Check out the insanity of USED TDI prices in California



www.tdimotors.com



He is a dealer in San Jose California... .

 

[GFritsch]

Getting back to the question of TDI being a good buy... . My wifes last car was a 98 Jetta TDI. The best small car we have ever owned. Total owner neglect--we changed the oil, fuel filters,tires and brakes only-- went 160k with no problems. YUP we never changed the timing belt any hoses. . nothing. This car was sold with 160k still with all the power and over 50mpg. Figured we got our moneys worth we went to the dealer, and low and behold we couldn't buy a new one in CA.



Ended up getting a Acura RSX. Amazing how much more usefull power that VW had.



Bottom line. You will probably like the TDI.

 

[big jake 1]

I was just talking to my 85 year old aunt from New Jersey this evening, she still drives and is sharp as a tack.



We were discussing new vehicles and I was telling her about the VW TDI and its ability to get over 50 mpg.



She knows of my 160 mile a day roundtrip commute to work and asked me why don't I get one.



I had to tell her about the good ol' State of California laws that will allow us to choose between the D-Max, PSD or CTD, which will all get us around 20mpg on #2, but has banned the VW TDI that will produce 45 to 50 mpg on a regular basis... ... .



I had no answer for her... ... ... .









big jake



THE FORD GUY Oo. Oo. Oo.

 

[SSwanigan]

Basic maintenance is easy. I had an '02 NB TDI. I put 48k on it in two years and drove it hard. I pulled an average of 46. 4 mpg for the entire 48k.



The later timing belts are rated for 80k. If you ever change a belt just get the latest and greatest.



Biggest drawback, VW of America service sucks. That can't be stated enough. I'd say they're on the verge of being crooks, at least the ones I dealt with around Seattle. I gave up after they wanted to dump Syntec in mine and demand I come back in 3k miles for another $60 oil change. Heard another dealer selling a customer $3000 of new brakes for her car with only 13,000 miles or so. Even when I supplied my own oil they returned it to me at the add oil mark.



Only interior fit and finsish problems I had was a broken window regulator. They won't replace them until they break, lucky for me mine crapped out in summer!

 

[KERMA]

If you are of the "car as an appliance" mindset, and just like to drive a car with as little involvement as possible, you're better off getting a Civic or Corolla.



With a TDI you have to understand that you can NOT rely on the dealer AT ALL to do anything right with it, and you are on your own for maintenance, you can't take it to Jiffy Lube. You have to assume the warranty is crap at best, VW is terrible about honoring the warranty, and they probably don't know how to fix it anyway. If it is a used car, you need to assume it was neglected by the prior owner(s), or at least they didn't do the proper maintenance.



On the other hand, if you don't mind getting "involved" with your car, VW TDI can't be beat. THere are certain "things" you have to do but if you already own a diesel they are not too strange. The good news is that they are VERY simple to work on, even the dreaded timing belt. VW gassers suck to work on, but the TDI is amazingly basic in the way it's put together. IF it was neglected by the prior owner and drives like a dog, a few little things will probably get it running better than new, IF IF IF you do the work yourself.



My 2001 has 140,000 miles on it, original front brake pads still, I drive the stink out of it, it's, well, "warmed over" The only problem it's had that is not "self-imposed" is the glow plug relay going bad, and a MAF, but those are kind of par for the course. Turbo went after 130,000 miles of HARD life, nothing spectacular, it just stopped making boost one day, bearings just wore out.



It got 37-40 mpg when new, bombed to almost double the stock power and torque, still gets 37-40 mpg (it's an auto).



It's not a "casual" car, but IMO it is very rewarding for an enthusiast who drives a lot and wants good fuel economy.

 

[SBall]

I'd buy that TDI in a heartbeat

I know many of you have had bad experiences with your VW dealers. Knowing that good news doesn't always propagate as easily as bad news does, I'd like to submit this. My wifes 99 VW Passat has 60,000 miles on it and we just had a recall for suspected ball joints. Our dealer replaced the control arms (ball joints), washed the car, and turned it around in one day at no charge to us. Contrast this to my 01 Dodge CTD with 60,000 miles that had bad ball joints. Would have cost me a fortune had it not been for the extend warranty I purchased. Still had to dig into my wallet for the deductable payment. I don't think you'll find any VW TDI vehicles out there with a "53 block" either!

Steve