New Beetle TDI and New Jetta TDI long term reliability

#11

Your Hyundai will need its oil changed, it will need its brakes done, you
will have to replace all its fluids every 2 years, its transmission will
need a flush every so often. This is basically the maintenance that my Golf
has encountered. Sure the windows clips and regs died, and the MAF died, but
VW admitted that they skimped a little on the supplier and got shoddy parts
that really were not up to VW standards. I didn't pay for these defects this
was all done under warranty, and the MAF - I got money back from VW Canada
after I paid out of pocket.

VW's parts prices seem a little expensive tho, but I mean there is always
the aftermarket, parts should be cheaper that route, I just prefer getting
genuie VW stuff.

My Golf is much more fun to drive then a Sonata tho. Sure you can go faster
in a straight line, but I have been in one around a corner.... it's like
cornering an early 90's Oldsmobile, so much body roll... Then again, a lot
of people like that numbness and loss of touch with what is going on when
driving, I like to be able to feel what is going on by the vibrations coming
thru the control surfaces, I really miss my old 91 Golf for this reason, you
could tell exactly what kind of surface you were on, and the level of
traction just by how loose/tight the steering felt... it was great.
"FerdyPooh" <fredjr1 (AT) bellsouth (DOT) net> wrote

Quote:

Generally speaking, it looks as if some or most of the responses so far
that
the cars exhibit a generous amount of high maintenance, but are overall
fairly reliable. If my take on this is wrong, please advise---

Parts and service (especially parts) seem to be much more expensive than
their American, Japanese, and Korean counterparts. VW's seem to have
certain
"quirks" that must be dealt with in order to happily own one----

(By the way, I already own a 2004 Hyundai Sonata GLS----the quality, fit
and finish, warranty and reliability and value of this car is absolutely
beyond reproach--prolly a big surprise to hear as most folks have
badmouthed
Hyundai's for years due to their ugly past reputation----Hyundai has done
a
180 degree turn around in terms of quality, and truly is the best kept
secret in the automotive world----they are working VERY hard to change
their
image, and doing a great job of it----hard stigma to get rid of, trust
me---it reflects in their resale values---but it is, however, a very
BORING
car, sorry, I digress)

Back to the subject-----I am a genuine home mechanic, have an extensive
garage and tend to do all work possible on my own autos (have fully frame
off restored a couple of vintage ones, but not German ones or VW's), need
input on special tooling, knowledge, a little more info about VAG-COM---is
this a special diagnostic program just for VW? What about common OBD II
scanners and code readers?

Info appreciated on aftermarket parts (not performance stuff, just
replacement parts)

Thanks again, talk soon----

"Woodchuck" <stv_euroski (AT) yahoo (DOT) comXXX> wrote in message
news:4024cef1$0$35837$4d5ecec7 (AT) reader (DOT) city-net.com...
Long term=you will spend money to keep it going! TDI's last a long time
as
long as you keep up with the services and timing belt replacement and
don't
use CHEAP oil and parts. I personally service 3 (1999-2000) TDI's which
have
114,000, 155,000, and one with close to 180,000 miles and all have had
problems over the years and all have kept to VW's service schedule but
have
had some problems. The normal stuff such as MAF's, brake repairs, tires,
and
other minor things over the miles of use. All 3 owners use *only* VW
dealer
parts including VW Castrol oil and have NOT had the intake removed for
the
what most report as a "common know problem" of the intake and EGR
getting
gunked up! So is the problem related to owners who cut corners on
service,
oil or is it because we have better fuel quality in our area... I don't
know? We have already replace a TDI engine because the owner fell his
T-belt
would last a lot longer than VW said it should and guess what, HE LOST
the
BET! Wonder if he is crying somewhere on the internet that his VW TDI is
a
piece of crap! As for which car I would own that would be the Jetta over
the
NB as I view the NB as a Sunday afternoon fun car. I think the Jetta
will
be
worth more money for resell down the road. If I was looking for a TDI I
would purchase the newest and lowest miles car my budget would permit
and
presently that would be nothing older than a 2000. One last thing from
1998-2003 not much has changed for the TDI other than the newer engine
say
the t-belts are now go for 80k miles.

Does this help?

"FerdyPooh" <fredjr1 (AT) bellsouth (DOT) net> wrote in message
news:jG%Ub.12216$Rl4.2043 (AT) bignews5 (DOT) bellsouth.net...
I am trying to get a few "real life" stories from New Beetle TDI and
New
Jetta TDI (1995.5) and newer dubs. By now, there should be quite a
few
high
mileage units, especially the 98's 99's and 00's. I am not
particularly
looking for "horror" stories; we all know that there are plenty of
those
available at "carreview.com" and "my vw lemon.com" etc, and although
those
are welcome to respond also, I would also like to hear from folks with
average and good experiences as well.

Please describe, in as much detail as practical and possible, the
issues
that you have had with your TDI's--including mileage at problem and
total
mileage at present. A good description of your vehicle's trim level
and
options would be nice also.

Just trying to get a realistic picture of the long term with these
cars,
so
that I can make an intelligent decision of whether to buy or
not----and
please, be objective----I am not trying to get anyone to sell me on
VW.
I
know that most folks that frequent this group love their dubs; maybe
I'll
love one too soon; maybe not.

Thanks in advance------

#12

I have a 2001 Jetta with 128000km.

Problems repaired free of charge under the warranty:

75000km - MAF
106000 - Brake light switch
118000 - Starter motor replaced and ignition switch (they say the extra load
due to the starter motor going caused the ignition switch to malfunction).

It is out of warranty now and I hope everything stays together!

Loves the car

Ernest (South Africa)

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New Beetle TDI and New Jetta TDI long term reliability

Volkswagen Golf, Jetta, Corrado, Vanagon, new models, etc. (rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled)

Re: To Woodchuck and others that responded - 02-08-2004 , 06:33 PM

Re: New Beetle TDI and New Jetta TDI long term reliability - 02-09-2004 , 04:34 AM