I know people with late 90s New Beetles and people with early 90s Jettas. It seems that the quality of VWs has become hit or miss in recent years. I am curious, though, if beyond the cars themselves the TDI drivetrains are, like any worthwhile diesel, 300k motors. I ask because I am starting a company that is going to build custom bio-diesel and grease cars. Mercedes motors are, obviously, very expensive. A TDI, however, is a lot less expensive and has been proven capable of moving around a 3200 lb (I think) Passat. A lot of really cool old cars weigh less than 3200 lbs, so, it all boils down to whether or not the TDI is a viable candidate for such a transplant. What are people's experience with the motor (and transmission) itself?
If you throw it in the back of something powered by Cummins, absolutly!
I'll let you know...
2003 Jetta 1.9L TDI that just turned 187K. Even ran it on Straight Veg from ~86K to ~165K.
Between the miles I have put on it and the $9000 in collision work it got at 164K that will show up on Carfax when I sell or trade it, It's not worth selling or trading. I am just going to drive it until something major goes, maybe even to 300K.
i'd say that the electronics will give out long before the motor does... just my 2 cents
I'm pretty sure there are a few on TDIClub that have 500k or more miles now. They are really like most VW engines, rock solid- but as mentioned before, the electronics give out before the engines do. Now, eliminate the electronics.... hehehe.
Brendan
84 Scirocco 8v <-- Soon to be a M-TDI
01 Jeep TJ 4.0