Help from Volkswagen diesel (TDI) owners needed.

[moosensquirrel]

I buy Ultra low sulfur diesel for my hobby farm so I can use it in my truck, tractors, motorhome, etc. I am wanting to buy a Volkswagen diesel TDI. I am aware of the good things, especially the fuel economy.

However, I would like to hear from actual owners, some of the negatives they have experienced.

Thanks in advance

 

[HoopDawg42]

So much torque at idle that the parking brakes will not hold hahahaha. I know this because my neighbor's wife has a jetta wagon. Yes...there's a story.

 

[basstracker89]

I have a friend that had one. He'd have another if he could get his hands on one. VWs are expensive to fix, but he swears by them. His Jetta has almost 400k on it, but it's gas. I want a Porsche Cayenne diesel, unfortunately they stopped importing them @ 2017. I have an older Mercedes diesel, I like it pretty well. @ 330k and counting. Again expensive to fix

 

[smoothhd]

https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php

Lots of info

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

I used to work for an independent VW/Audi shop in Macon back in 06/07. My boss LOVED the TDI models and I didn't get it at first. But then I got to test drive a TDI Beetle. They ran every bit as fast if not faster than the gas engine cars BUT they got around 40 MPG doing it. How can you argue with that?
But then not long after that VW got caught cheating on emissions and had to buy a huge number of cars back. Personally I would NOT have sold mine back.
Diesel tech (to me) seems to be the future. I saw a car magazine way back when we lived in Darien probably 17 or 18 about a turbo diesel Focus making crazy HP and torque numbers. But then I saw it was Europe only. We really NEED diesel and natural gas vehicles now more than ever.

 

[Coach]

Be careful of the sunroof, they leak and the overflow clogs and floods the floor. Guess where they put the computers, yep, under the floor.

 

[Outlier]

Be careful of the sunroof, they leak and the overflow clogs and floods the floor. Guess where they put the computers, yep, under the floor.

Even more so on the panoramic sunroofs but that's usually limited to the Jetta/Golf wagons.

 

[roundhouse]

Be careful of the sunroof, they leak and the overflow clogs and floods the floor. Guess where they put the computers, yep, under the floor.

The one on the beetle is on top of the dash just under a access hatch

We had several of the early ones , 2000 and 2002

They seems to be the more reliable

The injector pump was much lower pressure on those so it lasted longer

 

[Outlier]

I have some knowledge on the topic as i worked for a VW/Audi dealer from 2013-2018 and currently own a 2014 Passat TDI. Like modern diesel trucks, the emissions equipment tend to cause the most headaches. Certain engines and chassis had their own unique issues as well, i.e. the Golf/Jetta and the Beetle with CJAA motors tend to be a bit more reliable than the CKRA engines used in the American B7 Passat.

Unless you are willing to invest the money into a proper scan tool and have the time and capability to do a lot of the upkeep on them, I wouldn't recommend them. If you have a specific model in mind, I can go into a little more detail.

 

[moosensquirrel]

I have some knowledge on the topic as i worked for a VW/Audi dealer from 2013-2018 and currently own a 2014 Passat TDI. Like modern diesel trucks, the emissions equipment tend to cause the most headaches. Certain engines and chassis had their own unique issues as well, i.e. the Golf/Jetta and the Beetle with CJAA motors tend to be a bit more reliable than the CKRA engines used in the American B7 Passat.

Unless you are willing to invest the money into a proper scan tool and have the time and capability to do a lot of the upkeep on them, I wouldn't recommend them. If you have a specific model in mind, I can go into a little more detail.

Thanks: here is one I am looking at. Can you tell anything from the photo that might be a major negative?

2012 Jetta SportWagen TDI diesel for sale by owner - Jacksonville, FL - craigslist

2012 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI TURBO DIESEL. Only 109k miles - nothing on Diesel engine. Good Tires, Cold A/C, Clean Title Accident Free..

jacksonville.craigslist.org