Newbie looking for a VW Diesel Car... Which ones problem fre

[jaron_denson]

Hello,
I am excited to be a vw diesel ownerf but I need advice on which one to get. I am looking for something between 95 and 2005. Good suggestions on models/motors to look for or stay away from would be great. Thanks in advance.

[burn_your_money]

If you get a MK3 watch out for rust... pretty much everywhere :roll:

[Mark(The Miser)UK]

Hello,
I am excited to be a vw diesel ownerf but I need advice on which one to get. I am looking for something between 95 and 2005. Good suggestions on models/motors to look for or stay away from would be great. Thanks in advance.

Forget the newfangled stuff get yourself a Quantum. Very low maintenance IMO, and easy access to everything.

[clbanman]

I think some considerations are:
A. Are you comfortable with or willing to work on your own car?
B. What level of work are to able and willing to do?
C. Are you planning on modifications/ what are your goals?

[the caveman]

IMO the best car VW ever made [and i'm an aircooled guy from way back] was 1998-1999 Mk 3 TDI stripper-no power windows, sunroof, or mags. Super tough , reliable and efficient as hell. I would buy another in a minute.

[burn_your_money]

I think the mk2 German made cars are best

[jaron_denson]

Well yes I am comfortable working on my own cars, I have since I was 15. I want something newer and respectable. The jetta and golf tdi appeal to me. But I hear they are plagued with electrical problems.

[Mark(The Miser)UK]

I guess Quantum's had respect once. Cost at new was as much if not more than a small house back in the 1980's.

The 'Q' roof rack is the best roof rack EVER produced by VW /Audi, and may never be surpassed.

The TDi's were a breakthrough and are marvellous. However where they fail is as they age and all that self clogging EGR crap starts coming into play.
Recently my Q ran for 2 miles without water towing a caravan. It's still here, whereas a 'new' car would have melted untold amounts of plastic, and, basically been retired.
Get to know your car and then you can hear problems before they halt the car with failure.

[madmedix]

I'm with Tyler, the mk2. My Jetta has 498,000 km on her. Original engine and tranny; second clutch. She's now got some issues, looks rough, but at that mileage, it doesn't owe me a hell of a lot. It's the commuter anyway. Now, watch out for RUST. Especially the engine carrier (rad and front engine mount sit on it) and if the power steering leaks....have a strong drink and think again before purchase. I'm not too worried about her issues because this series is very easy to work on. The biggest problem is rusted bolts that like to snap off. The newer you get, the more stuff to go wrong....

Andy

[Mark(The Miser)UK]

Have you noticed, that the Mk1/2 era  circuit diagrams were the easiest to follow... Probably because earlier stuff seemed hand drawn, and the later stuff started disappearing into black boxes with ooodles of wires attached... Was this coinciding with the advent of CAD :idea:

 If you like to be in control of your driving, get something mk2 ish

[jtanguay]

stay away from the mexican built mk3's.  the german made ones are good.  mexican made ones are just complete crap... they used crappy wire to save some money.  not to mention the absense of proper rust protection  :roll:

maybe the 98-99 versions are better, and i've seen some nice '97's around...  but ya if you do research, find out where it was built  :wink:

mk2's are great, but at this stage, they will most likely need brakes (not just pads & shoes...), fuel lines, a pump, and a total fluid change out (brake fluid, tranny fluid, rad flush, p/s fluid is usually ok but couldn't hurt to change it, and dont forget the blinker fluid  :lol:) unless you buy the car from someone who really took care of it, but this usually ups the price to the $2500+ range...

so if you're good with cars and can do most of the work yourself, go grab a mk2.  if you don't know counter clockwise from clockwise and which way is tighten/loosen, then go grab a nice mk3 or mk4, or even mk5  :lol:

one piece of advice is to run away from early, high mileage, PD (pump duse) motors.  most people don't change the oil at the right intervals, which then wrecks the cam as it also fires the injectors (pump duse = pump injector) some scary stories - this one lady had her intake lobe worn right down, so much that it did not open the intake valve  :shock: ran it so long this way that it needed quite a few parts to fix it.  not every case is like this, but it's almost a gamble, because people say that once the damage is done, theres really not much you can do about it.  even using good oil after the fact, the problem will only worsen, and might mean a very slow death if you baby it...

do some research about pump duse over at TDI club.  if it's a VE motor, you're good to go.  the best way to test a diesel is to start it on a cold morning.  it should start right up after only 1 crank and idle smoothly.  if it doesnt, then it could be the glow plugs, low compression (due to rings or valve sealing issue), or a fuel problem (either in the pump, or in one of the lines leaking air into the system)

hope thats not too all over the place!  :lol:

[Ziptar]

Well yes I am comfortable working on my own cars, I have since I was 15. I want something newer and respectable. The jetta and golf tdi appeal to me. But I hear they are plagued with electrical problems.

respectable?? The MKII has all my respect   If you are looking for respect from others, forget a VW diesel right now...

I bought a 98 MKIII Jetta TDI (German built) new, owned it for 5 years and 187,000 miles. I never had any electrical problems, come to think of it I never had any problems.

I traded that in for a new 2003 MKIV Jetta TDI Wagon (German Built). I owned that for 5.5 years and 230,000 miles. I never had any problems with that either.

Last year I made an MKII Jetta Carat. <--(German)

I sold the MKIV last month. I love driving the MkII!

so count me in with the rest of the MkII guys, so simple, so easy, so solid, so cheap to fix. If you will be wrenching for yourself, you don't get any simpler than an MKII. they come apart in no time flat ( I know I took two completely apart)

So the MkII is my favorite.

2nd would be the MkIV, built well, and comfy.

the only reason the MkIII gets 3rd place is, I always thought my MkIII was just blah... It looked like every other car on the road at the time.

I agree with jtanguay, if it's not a VE pumped car... think twice about it..

[fatmobile]

delete

[fatmobile]

delete

[fatmobile]

They didn't make the Mk2 diesels with the fancy options.
Never something like the '91 Jetta GLI,... with the recaros and BBS rims.
 We kind of got ripped off.
 ...but for the price of a newer car you could  build your dream Jetta.
 For something fancy and easy to work on.
I vote MK2, GLI,... with a 1.6 TD.
 Take a look at this guys project:
http://vwdiesel.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=16090
 '91 GLI? You likey?

 How many times do I have to say it,... a triple post enough?  :lol:
 Sorry about that,... where's the delete option?