BGlidewell said:
The bad thing about these cars is they are not serviceable by many outside the dealer and some tend to get electrical gremlins.
A useful link:
http://forums.tdiclub.com/
Don't forget about the intake manifold, intercooler, vacuum tubing and MAF gremlins! The inside of the intake manifold gets covered with an oily residue from the CCV system that when combined with the hot EGR gases creates a messy oily crust that can completely clog the intake manifold in as little as 90,000 miles. Using the wrong oil makes it worse. Pulling and cleaning the things is no fun. I have done it about 9 times on 3 of my TDI's.
Also, because of the design of the CCV system... ... The intercooler can partially fill with oil and needs to be drained and cleaned every 40,000 miles or so. If not, this can create a dangerous 'runaway' condition. Done this about 20 times on 3 of my TDI's.
A CCV mod will fix the problem. Cannister type or elephant hose mod.
The VW vacuum tubing lasts about 4 to 5 years then it all dry rots and creates a myriad of boost and power problems. There is an average of 35 feet of tubing under the hood depending on which model you buy. It is color coded for troubleshooting issues. Replacing it all with silicone color coded tubing is a good idea.
If you buy one or already have one... . Get yourself a VagCom scan tool from Ross Tech and save yourself a bunch of headaches. Don't trust anyone to work on them unless they have credentials to work on them (and can prove it). Including the dealer. Most people are complete idiots or completely clueless when it comes to those engines.
VW has been using cannister type filters in some of their engines since the early 1990's. This makes oil changes a cinch and is actually pretty refreshing. Just be sure the filters are wrapped in plastic when you buy them and not just stuck in a box. As above..... Be sure to use the "Spec'd" oil or you will regret it and you may have a hard time selling the car.
You may get a power window problem or a difficult to troubleshoot water leak (inside the car). Also the interior trim will start to peel after a few years and most of it becomes very brittle (more than usual).
They are still great cars!! The sticker price thing is nuts!! I have not heard that one yet. But now I have not bought one in a couple years now. If you get a manual the MPG will amaze you.
You need to sit down and do some math. I figured once that it would take me up to 5 or 6 years to get the savings of driving my TDI (based on 40,000 miles per year). This was comparing it to my Volvo which gets around 27 MPG versus the TDI's 45 MPG. It could take as much a 15 years to make up the difference with less annual miles per year. Something to consider if they are "Taking you to the bank".
If you are doing a bunch of driving..... The TDI is for sure the way to go. If not... . There are better options.
It really boils down to what you 'really' want.
Good luck!
AJ