Which is the best series for diesel VWs? - General - VWDiesel.net The IDI, TDI, and mTDI source.

• Which is the best series for diesel VWs? by gonzo on 26 Mar, 2009 14:15
• What is the best series of VW diesels to own in terms of reliability?
  
  I have previously owned two Mark 2 VW diesels... one 1985 non-turbo golf and a 1989 turbo jetta. Both got me where I needed to go, and the fuel mileage was awesome, but they both had difficulties starting in the winter, rattled like a SOB, leaked oil, etc etc...
  
  I was thinking of buying a 2000 or higher TDI (Mark 4), but after searching around on the 'net I have found that lots of people had lots of problems with the Mark 4s... particularly electrical problems.
  
  So... for those of you that know VW diesels, which is the best series? Are Mark 3s fairly decent?
  
  Cheers
• #1 by rallydiesel on 26 Mar, 2009 14:24
• I would say that a Mk3 TDI would be pretty good for a reliable daily driver. However it's so subjective. I love my Mk2 1.6TD (noisy, vibrates, smelly) but I also love my Mk5 (comfortable, parts are expensive, PD reliability questions).
  
  As long as it's a diesel I like it.
• #2 by Turbinepowered on 26 Mar, 2009 14:43
• I most vociferously protest this poll's obvious bias toward A body cars!  :x
  
  
  
  
  B Platform Love!  :lol:
• #3 by the caveman on 26 Mar, 2009 18:52
• After working at VW dealers for 21 years and have had VW's in the family since 1956 i have the VERY strong opinion that the best car VW ever made was a stripper [no power windows or sunroof]  1998-99 A3 Jetta TDI.It was at the end of it's production run and so had all the issues worked out. Comfortable [much more than the previous models], fast [in the right hands] economical, cheap to fix. One of the best 2wd cars in the snow.
   My girlfriend was kinda miffed when i sold mine and got a 1990 Transporter but what you gonna do? I get to drive it once in a while as i sold it to a good friend and am amazed how solid it still is after 11 hard Quebec winters.
• #4 by 8v-of-fury on 26 Mar, 2009 22:29
• depending on the mileage and shape of the body I'd pick an Mk1. I daily drive a gasser mk1.. leaving the engine completely out of the equation, the car is solid. I have driven it hard for the coming up two years i've owned it and it keeps coming back for more. NOW i don't know much about Mk1 diesel's the body would surely be the same, maybe a little beefier suspension up front? but if the mileage and maintenance are good why would an 82 diesel with 180k be any worse/better than a 92 diesel with 180k? Either way I LOVE the Mk1 platform... and i also would prefer the 1.6's
  
  Have I been rambling? LoL
  
  my bad. Get what you will have fun with. If you like to wrench and can afford the time to do so, get an older model and have some good laughs (or times of rage. lol) fixing her up for daily use. Electrical is the only Mk1 issue
• #5 by Dr. Diesel on 27 Mar, 2009 03:23
• If you were to line up one of each example, (and there'd be about 12 of them, if you include similar vehicles with different turbo models, ie, 1.6L T3, 1.6L k24, AAZ T2, AAZ K14, AAZ K03 etc) brand new zero mileage, I'd bet on either the A1 or A2 non-turbo cars to go the furthest for the least money.
  
  It has been my observation that the more recent the model, the more cheaply it appears to have been built. I'm absolutely disgusted by the quality of the MK IV ( sorry to you MK IV owners!), we'll see how MK V pans out, but I don't expect much improvement.
  It seems that the A2 (ignoring the first two years of mexican produced Golfs) and B3 vehicles were the last of them that had a significant penchant towards quality, and it went downhill from there.
  
  Simplicity is usually synonymous to reliability by default, and it's hard to argue that Mk I and pre-89, non-carat Mk II cars weren't ultra-simple, which makes these two, in the non-turbo version my vote for most reliable.
  With a decent exhaust and a Giles pump, they'd be just as powerful as equivalent stock TD cars, without the added complexity and therefore diminished *comparative* reliability.
  
  blah blah blah, now I'm rambling.  :lol:
• #6 by the caveman on 27 Mar, 2009 09:37
• Dr Diesel i would have to agree with you partially about the build quality. The differences between the German and American built rabbits were pretty big, except for one big difference -the German ones had big rust/rot issues. I haven't seen one on the streets here in more 15 years if not more.
  As for my favorite -the A3 ,well i can tell you that i was very disappointed when the A4's came out. I should have  figured it out when we went for the introductory course for that model and they were telling us how VW's build strategy has changed and we would see big improvements in reliability, etc etc,blah,blah,blah. Boy were they wrong. I saw i big decline in the way VW looked at it's market and what kind of customers it wanted,sacrificing quality for "improvements " and gadgets to bring them more upscale.
• #7 by 8v-of-fury on 27 Mar, 2009 13:53
• Quote from: "the caveman"

  I saw i big decline in the way VW looked at it's market and what kind of customers it wanted,sacrificing quality for "improvements " and gadgets to bring them more upscale.

  
  
  See what happens when you try and show off by adding "improvements"? You Eff it up! simplicity!!!!!
  
  I would agree with Dr. Diesel about the A1 & A2 n/a's going further for the least amount of money. If you could find a good bodied A1 it would be your best bet, because of even more added simplicity over the A2. Struts cost like $40 each, brake pads are $20, brake discs and drums are around $20 and $45.. I'm sure the parts for A2's are similar in price, but from what i've found from working on both in a driveway with common garage tools.. the A1 is easier to work on. Here is your game plan, find a good bodied A1 non-turbo, get a good socket and screw driver set and a BFH, a Bentley and stay on this forum and maybe join the Tex for more answers to life's questions and your set. probably the easiest to work on, and one of the cheapest to maintain. Plus if your in the states you dont get raped on shipping charges from all the fabulous car parts places you guys have!
  
  What is with me and the rambling!? lol
• #8 by vanbcguy on 28 Mar, 2009 11:37
• The fun thing about the diesel A3's in Canada is that they come with A2 front end components!  So you have the same p/n for most of the bits and pieces and therefore the same $$$...
  
  Nice things about the A3's - non leaking sun roof would be a big one... Electronic speedo so no tired old cable sticking/binding/breaking... Fold down rear seats was a HUGE one for me, I use that feature way too much to go to an A1/A2.
  
  There's some things that VW has done right - make cars that drive really well, are easy to fix and last a long while. There's some things that VW has NOT done very well, like power windows and gadgets.  The A4's really show all the worst of VW's skills in that regard.  Definitely hasn't made me want to "upgrade" although they do have an improved suspension over the earlier cars...  Who knows how the A5's will last.
• #9 by Ziptar on 28 Mar, 2009 14:01
• I have owned an MKII, MKIII, and an MKIV Wagon.
  
  I like the MKII Best!!
  
  Although, If I can get one for the right price I might pickup an MKIII Golf as a winter bomber  (can't have my Florida A2 Jetta getting Salty now ), easier starts and all but, an MKII would work too. My MKII started just fine this past winter all the way down to the single digits.
• #10 by rallydiesel on 28 Mar, 2009 16:40
• Quote from: "vanbcguy"

  
  Who knows how the A5's will last.

  
  
  My Mk5 has very good build quality. The body/chassis is almost overbuilt. The only questionable thing is the camshaft longevity, although it seems hit and miss. There are people with over 130k miles with no wear and those with 30k that had to have their cams replaced.
• #11 by Golf/Jetta on 28 Mar, 2009 19:34
• gonzo, what are you looking for? smilage? body wise?
  A MK1 TDI. if i had the money. let alone the space to work on her.
  
  
  Averaged some weights and they go by 200KG
  Weight (some weight factor apply (A/C, sun roof, loaded, basic)
  mk1 ?¿?
  
  mk2
  
  golf 1280KG - had this one
  jetta 1480KG - had this one
  passat 1680KG
  
  mk3
  
  golf 1480KG
  jetta 1680KG - have two currently
  passat 1880KG
  
  bought my second car (mk2 Jettta Wolfsburg Edition) from a junk yard, broken trunk and window for 600 passed safty and emission. on the spot.
• #12 by diesel smoke on 28 Mar, 2009 23:43
• Well, between my '89 and '99.5, I like my '99.5 better. Easier on fuel, starts easy in cold, way more power, easier to do general maintenance. I still love my '89, and I hope to get it going again, I could put that car through anything! I called it my little red tractor because it sounded like one.  :lol:
• #13 by 8v-of-fury on 29 Mar, 2009 12:33
• Gonzo, where about are you located? It might better help narrow down what would be best for where you live. If you live in a hilly region and it gets really cold in the winter then you may want to head towards a TDI of some sort. However if you live Urban style and putt around the city, and the temps don't drop too bad in the winter then an N/a might be best for you for superior reliability and mileage.
  
  A good battery, starter and Gp's should make the older 1.6's start just as well as any other. That combined up with a Block heater and there should never be a question about starting .
  
  It's all up to you man, whatever you choose it'll be a good one. Your still getting a Volkswagen
  
  Reply to the darned thread already!!!! LOL