Jetta TDI

[Duke03]

I've toyed around with the idea of getting a daily beater for a while now because my work isn't in the best location, the highways suck, and I've been driving a very expensive paid off truck that people like to steal or break into. In my search for a cheap beater, I called a buddy of mine several times who is a VW/Audi enthusiast/ mechanic to ask about different cars I was looking at.  I don't know if I annoyed him or what, but after the 3rd car I ran buy him, he said I should just buy his 2003 Jetta TDI.  I was hesitant at first because honestly, I don't know anything about them, but he assured me that after owning this car for 8 years he had personally basically rebuilt it and fixed all the annoying stupid things that tend to brake on these cars.  He gave me a rundown of everything he had done to this car, and it was very extensive.  It has a new timing belt, completely new ac (which he removed the dash and fixed the insulation, heater core blend door etc) new clutch and one-piece fly wheel, completely rebuilt the entire suspension, new brakes, new glow plugs plus wiring, replaced all the window motors and door lock parts, new tires that don't even have 400 miles on them and even updated the radio that now has a built in back up camera.  The car currently has 265k miles on it, but the paint, body, and interior are spotless.  After owning it a week I must say I'm in love with this stupid 21-year-old car.  I paid my buddy what he asked for the car, which was $3300, but after owning it a week and doing some research I now realize he cut me one heck of a deal. He did warn me that VW's tend to multiple and once you own one the next thing you know you'll own 3 them.  He currently has 6 VW's/Audis.

Any ways I was wondering if anyone has ever owned one of these older TDI's and what quirks I should be on the lookout for?  Before he sold me the car he had driven it to Michigan twice this year, Alabama, and New Mexico and he stated that he'd drive this car anywhere without a second thought.

 

[sonofsven]

I haven't, but a buddy loves his tdi wagon.
He's done all sorts of mods on it, as he's a bit of a gearhead, plus we both grew up working on our collected air cooled VW's (see, your friend is right!)

[LifeHappens]

I owned a 2002 TDI Jetta and looooooooved that car! Drove it to just over 200,000 miles and sold it because we moved states. I wish I had kept it! It might still be on the road.

[Must_ache]

Volkswagen doesn't have the best reputation for reliability.
Also VW is struggling to cope with that it is shrinking.

[Dave1442397]

The older TDIs are supposed to hold up well. Once they switched to the newer diesels where you have to add the fluid (Blue Def?) the reliability took a nosedive.

[rothwem]

An Mk4! Does it smell like crayons in there?

Anyways, this generation of VW has a pretty big enthusiast base, so really anything that car needs is readily available and you should be able to keep it running almost indefinitely.  With that said, you can't really be shy about working on a car like that--you'll be bled dry quickly if you try to have a mechanic do everything for you to keep it in perfect shape. 

[TimCFJ40]

An Mk4! Does it smell like crayons in there?

Anyways, this generation of VW has a pretty big enthusiast base, so really anything that car needs is readily available and you should be able to keep it running almost indefinitely.  With that said, you can't really be shy about working on a car like that--you'll be bled dry quickly if you try to have a mechanic do everything for you to keep it in perfect shape.

Have several VW Head friends that would confirm.  Even the really reliable ones will continue to need work to keep them that way.  But that's probably true of any car that is 20 years old, however even more true of a VW. 

If you have some mechanical aptitude, some patience, and some luck it could be as good a car as you as any that you could buy for $3300.  If you can't work on it and can't stomach... idiosyncrasies... a 20 year old TDI might be a bad call. 

[Just Joe]

The great thing about VWs is that they are often international products so the aftermarket parts selection is huge. Allows you to buy parts from more sources. sometimes you can find better quality parts for a lower price this way.

And there are huge forums which have documented just about everything about VW products.

While there are plenty of people who want to cut corners and just have that "cool look", there are also plenty of folks who want to do quality work to their vehicles and make them last forever.

Good luck! I like that price!

[FlytilFIRE]

I had a '99 TDI. Loved that car, and about 15 years later, decided to paint and reupholster, since it was looking ragged. But the car was totaled by someone running a red light. The only mechanical problem I had was bad glow plugs, early on, and VW split the cost with me. Really reliable. great milage.

We then went to a 2012 TDI. Bigger, slightly worse milage. Sold it back to VW after the exhaust fraud was exposed.

I definitely liked the '99 better. Wouldn't get another VW because I don't do business with fraudsters.

[Duke03]

An Mk4! Does it smell like crayons in there?

Anyways, this generation of VW has a pretty big enthusiast base, so really anything that car needs is readily available and you should be able to keep it running almost indefinitely.  With that said, you can't really be shy about working on a car like that--you'll be bled dry quickly if you try to have a mechanic do everything for you to keep it in perfect shape.

I'm actually looking forward to working on it.  I'm very mechanically inclined, I've just been driving new vehicles for the last 15 years with a warranty.  This week I replaced one of the electric fan motors that decided to stop working.  Luckily it was only $60 and took me less than 20 minutes to replace it.  I also did a fuel filter, air filter, and oil change.  In doing so I noticed that the lower radiator hose has a wear spot where it has been rubbing on a nut.  It's not leaking, but I'm going to take care of that and order the other fan motor just to have on hand since it's 21 years old.  What used to take me 6 gallons of gas for a round trip to work in my truck now only takes 1.5 gallons in this Jetta.  Even if I spend $100 a month just doing routine maintenance and replacing parts before it becomes a problem, I'll still be saving money driving this thing. 

[GilesMM]

Can you run it on recycled French fry grease?

[ChpBstrd]

Never owned one, but my cousin owned a newer TDI about a decade ago. They let me test drive it while they rode in the back and I drifted it around a corner without their permission. Oopsie. Sorry not sorry. That car drove great and had incredible torque (shockingly, they now own a Tesla!).

Everything I've heard is that they are cars for people who like to tinker on cars. You buy a VW for the driving dynamics, not the reliability, economy, or durability. You love it so much you put in that head gasket, the new transmission, the new radiator, the alternator, the blah blah blah and it's just a lifestyle. "German engineering" means a simple function like a door latch or water pump that should have 3 parts has 15. You threaten to quit it, drive a Civic for a few months, experience tremors in your hands, sell the Civic, and you're back at rock bottom again, looking on some ancient forum about how to remove the entire rear suspension assembly to reach the fuel pump.

Now, at 21 years old and 265k miles, you have REALLY purchased the lifestyle!

That said, there's not much you can buy for $3300 that is reliable and not close to needing an engine or transmission overhaul. A $3300 Toyota is not necessarily a reliable vehicle either. You do not typically get "clean" for $3300 either.

I think your friend gave you a "good" price, not a steal, given the mileage and antique status. His receipts and records should always stay with the car, because you or a future buyer/owner will be referring to them to figure out how much of the car has been replaced and how much is left to replace. This will be important as each big ticket item comes up, and a judgment call must be made.

As others noted, you MUST be capable of doing your own work or this lifestyle will cost more than leasing BMWs. You must also be capable of enjoying this sort of work, or the lifestyle will be miserable. Yet with those two conditions met, the Jetta could provide you a quite satisfying commuting experience that doesn't break that bank.

The real problem with your lifestyle at the moment is that expensive truck. It will keep depreciating and sucking down insurance payments even if you aren't driving it. If you like the Jetta, keep the Jetta. But almost nobody needs an expensive truck because an expensive truck is too expensive to do any work. Yours is too expensive to even drive to work! In the worst possible year, when the Jetta needs a new engine AND transmission, it won't cost you as much as such a truck usually depreciates.