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VW Jetta TDI

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Comments

  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    I just passed 15K a few days ago, only had one issue with the car (had it towed 3 days after I bought it, fuel pump relay wasn't connected properly). Other than that it has been fine, no major issues. I like being able to go 600+ on a tank of fuel, and the difference right now is about 15 cents between gas and diesel. I have to agree, I like being able to run a car down the highway at decent speed with the A/C on, plenty of passenger/luggage space, and mileage that is quite decent as well.

    I quite enjoy the high speed/high MPG combination that I receive with this car. Mine is an automatic (too lazy to shift), don't think the mileage difference is that much between the two.

    I have been able to reach 52MPG, but I had to baby it a bit too much for my liking.

    I too hope the car lasts for ages, is there anything besides the regular maintenance that is necessary to make this car last a long time?
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    Best of luck with the leak, keep us posted!
  • sandman52sandman52 Member Posts: 36
    The 05.5 has a 5 year 60,000 mile powertrain warranty too, and fortunately for me it also has a 4 year roadside assistance program( I'm at 3 years 8 months), which has been reduced to 3 years on the 09's, so I called them, and within 30 minutes they had an independent towing service come to my home and pick the car up with a flatbed, and take it 60 miles to the nearest dealer ( which isn't the one I purchased it from ).

    They called later the same day, and said the dual mass flywheel had come apart, and that parts of it had worn thru the transmission shaft seal causing the leak. They said they had the parts on hand, and would have the car ready to go the next day.
    The next day (yesterday) they called to say that they had it already to go, but when they refilled the tranny with lube, they found another leak in a hard to see area, where the loose flywheel parts had worn through the tranny case as well, so they had ordered a new tranny for it too, and that wouldn't be there until tomorrow.

    Frankly I'm glad it wore thru the case and that I'll be getting a new tranny, since they weren't going to open the tranny, and there really wasn't any way of knowing if there was any damage from the short time it ran low on oil. Then I would have worried whether it would go out shortly after reaching the 60,000 mile warranty limit.
    So with a new tranny, pressure plate clutch disc, and flywheel, hopefully I should be able to be confident in it holding up for the long haul. The dealer service rep said there had been a batch of flywheels that had been shipped to the assembly plant with a heavy protective grease applied (cosmoline maybe?), and that it had been removed improperly, so that inside between the two flywheel halves it would tend to migrate to one side and throw the flywheel off balance, and eventually causing it to fail.

    They said this would all be covered under warranty ( as it should ). So hopefully I won't get any surprises when I pick it up tomorrow. If all goes as smoothly as it appears to have gone so far, I'll be very satisfied with VW's warranty service. I'll let you know if there are any problems, otherwise this will probably be my last post on the subject. :)
  • jkinzeljkinzel Member Posts: 735
    Would it be unreasonable to assume that you will get an additional 5 year/60,000 mile warranty on all new parts installed to correct this failure? I would certainly inquire about it if they don’t volunteer the information.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    I guess if all that had to happen, MUCH better under FULL warranty. All the best for continued trouble free operation.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Most repairs are warranted for 1 year, 12k mile.
  • sandman52sandman52 Member Posts: 36
    1 year or 12,000 miles wouldn't even get me to the end of the original warranty! :P

    I like jkenzel's idea of re-starting the 5yr /60,000mile clock better!! ;)

    I'll have to ask about that when I pick it up, but my guess is they won't extend it beyond the original warranty, since that is how long they warranted it to begin with, and if they re-started the clock, that would be like giving me a 8 yr 8 mo 105,000 mile transmission warranty, which is not what was promised.

    I think I might try a new Jetta TDI 6spd manual while I'm there just to get a taste of how that extra 40 hp, and extra torque feel compared to mine, Then see if they will offer me a little extra for a trade in car with a brand new tranny! :)
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    You should be able to get top dollar for your Jetta TDI. The new transmission would be a good selling point from the dealers standpoint if the car is in nice condition. You should also test the DSG model. It is the next best thing to a stick shift. No clutch to worry about replacing not covered by any warranty. I swore off stick shift vehicles when my son's clutch went out at 11k miles in a new Toyota. NO warranty on clutches.
  • jim1977jim1977 Member Posts: 14
    I got 113,000 miles on the clutch in my first car, and Opel, while a friend with the same engine and clutch had to replace his every 35,000 miles. He knew it was due to his driving, which you could understand when you rode in his car. My current Infiniti G20 has 205,000 miles on the original clutch. I don't think an automatic would have gotten that far. Some cars are easier shifting that others, but unless there are reports that the TDI has an unusually weak clutch, I will probably go that way.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    My take was a kid and a clutch do not mix well. At least if he trashed the auto it would have been covered by warranty. The replacement clutch lasted over 100k miles when the engine blew up and I sold the POC. I personally like driving a stick. My wife no longer gets that thrill so I am limited in what I buy. I had a tiptronic in both my Passat TDI and Mercedes Sprinter. I found it especially nice downshifting on long downhill stretches. I imagine the DSG to be even better.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    A few tidbits to give you a projection.

    1. the engine is far from being "broken in". (aka 550 psi compression vs the more likely (at your 15k miles) 428-450 psi.)

    2. The best fuel mileage has yet to come (all things being equal, and let me be one of the first to say they are never/not equal) Look for 30,000 to 50,000 miles for fuel mileage to start to "level off".

    3. TDI's thrive under slightly to moderately aggressive load and rpm's operation.

    4. some information to understanding the TDI
    a. the turbo needs to be driven a certain way to keep the variable vanes from sticking, do NOT lug it! aka the best way to drive a turbo into the ground is to under rev it., aka drive it for EXTREME fuel mileage all the time.
    b. high rpms LOW LOAD is another killer do not rev it hard without a load
    c. max diesel engine torque comes on at a relatively (to whiny gassers) low 1750 rpms to 2250 rpms (look to your oem owners manual, Bentley's shop manual, on line specifications, etc)
    d. ALWAYS use the correct VW 507.00 specification oil (in the 2009 MY case)
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Virtually all of the above append can be summarized into...

    Use FULL THROTTLE accelleration several times per tank of fuel. ... Followed by no-throttle decelleration. (This decelleration part is CRUTIAL to good ring-sealing)

    This kind of treatment is "just what the Dr. orderd" in reguards to;
    1) Getting the piston-rings to seal (increase compression for breakin)
    2) Acheive the best MPG engine you can have.
    3)Keep the turbocharger-seals healthy. (if you dont use "boost", the seals may die an early death)
    4)Keep the VNT vanes freed up and working (Variable Nozzle Turbocharger) by burning off carbon build-up.

    If you go too long between these FULL THROTTLE accelleration treatments, you will likely see some black smoke out the tailpipe during treatment due to the carbon being blown out of the system.
  • sandman52sandman52 Member Posts: 36
    Got the repaired Jetta tonight, and as I thought, the repair didn't extend the warranty beyond the original time period. He said the total repair bill would have been approx. $6K if not under warranty.

    The new clutch did feel noticibly stiffer than the old as I drove the car home, so they may have beefed up the replacement pressure plates a little.

    I didn't get a chance to test drive an '09. My wife was waiting for me to take her out for dinner as a reward for driving 2 hours round trip to pick up my car, so she wasn't real interested in waiting around while I tried out a new one.

    The service rep did have an '09 in the shop that he started up for me however, and I was impressed with the total lack of diesel smell from the exhaust, and the absence of the normal little puff of smoke on start up. They also had an '09 in the shop that needed $4k worth of repairs after the owner ran 100% bio-diesel in it.....not a warranty repair needless to say.

    He said that now that the TDI back order list has been taken care of, the dealers are willing to deal a little more, but also the resale on the older ones has dropped as well because people no longer have to wait for a new one. I'll probably just hang on to this one. Even though the extra hp and torque would be nice, I'm happy with the power of the one I have, and it still looks like new. :)
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Some folks on www.TDIClub.com refer to that as an "Italian Tune". The truth is there is a lot of truth to it. However if that is all you did, you'd miss a lot of grey areas. Cases in point 1. 584 miles 6.25 hours travel time, fill 12.1 gal for 48.26 mpg. 2. 75 mph with bursts to 80 mph through 3 states, 59 mpg. Did I expect either's results? No ! Neither scenario was any where close to "full throttle" Did either/or and both keep the systems healthy? Yes to both items.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    Hope you don't mind if I comment on your trip results to see if I got the numbers right.

    584 miles in 6.25 hours = 93.44 mph avg!

    The mpg seems OK but would like to know where you can drive for 6.5 hours at 93 mph and not be posting this comment from a jail cell somewhere?

    In any case, glad to know you have no soot up your tail pipe.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Actually this has been done in more than a few areas. The one that I particularly like is the Rocky Mountains leg. Any faster and I would not have been able to truly soak in the gorgeous views and vistas. This was done in a range of 3000 ft to 6500 ft. ending @ 2000 ft. The 12.1 gals figure happens to be what fuel is taken on after:

    1. the low fuel lamp lights
    2. low fuel buzzer goes off
    3. finding the next cheap D2 station (knowing there are app 2.4 gals@ 48 mpg or 115 miles to find a cheap D2 station) :)
    4. fueling to the first click off
    5. doing the math for the mpg
    ;)
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    Thanks for the input, my goal is to keep this car as long as possible. I too have an 09 TDI, and had the dealer perform the first service (I bought a quart of the correct oil so I would assume they are using it when changing the oil).

    For this car, I believe the redline is 4500 rpm, but what would you consider high? I usually keep it around 2200 or so, no more than 3000.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    Thanks for the additional info, I will also keep this in mind while driving.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Yes, hopefully they did use the VW 507.00 specification oil (4 L)

    We get no where near the (previously) posted mpg on the 09 TDI. The range right now is between 39-45 mpg. There are also a mix of 3 drivers with the possiblity of a 4th. As an apples to oranges comparison, these same three drivers get between 38-42 mpg on a 04 Civic. Two of those drivers post 48-52 mpg on the same baseline daily commute.

    On your question of redline, I think your (my) gauge does indicate 4,500. The real redline is 5,100 rpms. The truth is it is safe for the car to run to 5,100 rpms. I do however realize this might send up red flags for a host of reasons; real and imagined. If you have a DSG, the system might also shift it for you anyway.

    So being that you seem to keep it @ around 3k, don't be afraid to let it, when the spirit moves you to go to @ least 75% of redline or 3,825 rpms (4,000). Believe it or not good doses of italian tuning are good for the TDI.
  • siberiasiberia Member Posts: 520
    The common rail fuel system is the most responsive diesel fueling system yet. It is capable of a wide range of fuel flow and timing if injection. My 2005 Liberty CRD will inject enough fuel at low rpm and high sudden throttle to produce a black cloud behind, at will. Most CRD owners that post on forums seem to believe that hard running of the CRD is needed to clean out the soot but it is the hard running that creates the excess soot in the first place.

    Now comes the 2009 Jetta CR rail that may (probably) have better tuning than the CRD Liberty and it has an exhaust filter that the CRD does not have. The Liberty is capable of impressive fuel economy if driven properly. The catch 22 that I suggest is that harder running puts more soot into the Jetta CR exhaust filter requiring fuel more to be frequently injected in such a way to burn the soot out of the filter. The more deftly the Jetta CR is driven the less soot in the exhaust filter and the less fuel is needed to burn out the filter.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    I am in the market for a Jetta TDI for a lot of reasons, but probaly the most compelling is the 40+ mpgs Highway.

    There are other Corolla sized Gas Vehicles that put up the same mpg numbers tho, and I hope the newly designed 2 ltr Jetta Diesel has eliminated all the Sooting, Coking and Turbo Clogging issues.

    This remains to be seen tho, from people like me who would own the Jetta and drive it like an old Granny, with an eye on the MFD readout in the dash telling me I made the right choice.

    I would buy an 06' in a second if they didn't have that dead spot from idel to slow acelleration in stop start city driving.

    I would much rather have an 06' with, real leather, a fully adjustable memory electric seat, a dual zone a/c and reported better mpgs than the new ones, but all the 06's I have test driven seemed to stumble and stall a little when easing forward in heavy traffic.

    Any thoughts?
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    .."There are other Corolla sized Gas Vehicles that put up the same mpg numbers tho, and I hope the newly designed 2 ltr Jetta Diesel has eliminated all the Sooting, Coking and Turbo Clogging issues. "...

    The answers are the only radical change (sooting) is the use of LSD (500 ppm) to ULSD (15 ppm to less).97% LESS Most of the issues of which you speak are driver behavior/s related.

    I do not think you would be happy with a diesel.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    Let the games begin! The basic idea is to see who can achieve the highest mpg over a minimum of 15 miles, take a picture of your average mpg and submit. Next trip I take I'm going to have a go at it. Only 3 entries so far.

    http://tdi.vw.com/leaderboard/

    Oh, is there a way to tell the difference by looking at the MFD if someone has choosen UK vs US MPG units?
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    My 06 TDI does not stumble or stall in stop/start city traffic (5-spd, pkg 2) - and the mpg barely varies from its typical 45 mpg. No soot is ever visible daytime - only at night if I stomp on it after cruising - visible in rearview/headlights.
    I'm not sure if the leather in my 06 is real or maybe it's *warm leatherette* (google that one, kids!).
    I actually prefer cloth seats.
    Fwiw, I get 50 mpg since I started driving so close to the 55 mph speed limit on the highways here. It's a bit hazardous to drive so slow due to the prevailing 70 or 75 mph speeds, but mpg is even more fantastic, and speed enforcement seems a especially capricious lately! :|
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    This contest seems to be a bit too easy, should require more mileage to be driven before calculating the average. Not very scientific as I had 88.7 mpg (I did use US MPG and not UK), very generous bit of highway to allow for such a high result. I would say realistically the average is about 45mpg (almost all highway driving).

    To ruking and bpeebles, driving the TDI a bit spirited actually seems to help the car to run better! It seems a bit counter-intuitive at first, but I can see how it benefits the car. My first reaction was to drive for the mileage, but can now see this may not be the best approach.
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    Since I've been driving absurdly slow lately and got an email from VW inviting me, I would like to enter TDI Tank Wars. But it seems to be only for owners of 2009 clean diesels, and not the great unwashed masses of pre-2009 UNCLEAN TDIs in USA.

    Btw, Even while driving for the max mpg I'll ever achieve, I floor the go-pedal most times to get to highway speeds.

    and: a local dude with a blue 09 sedan has plate "CLNDEZL" or something close to that. (i'm embarassed on his behalf.)
    hmm, i wonder if SMLYDZL is available. . (checking DMV web site, and: Yes it is!)
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    In app 100,000 miles or so, let us know how things are !!

    One TDI is @ 116,000 miles and I have had the following done:

    1. TB/WP (yours will be due @ 120,000 miles)
    2. two TSB's
    3. new tires @ 112,300 miles.

    So far I like the new tires !!
  • siberiasiberia Member Posts: 520
    Hi Shrifty,

    I'm getting just the opposite effect. The used TDI that I bought 10K miles ago showed substantial edge wear on the newer front tires which indicates hard stopping and hard driving. Also the engine sounded dead and did not have as much pep as my brother's PD TDI. I drive easy for fuel economy and never deliberately open it up except for an onramp were it is necessary or when passing on the 2-lane.

    After my first road trip of easy driving the engine got zippier and started the patented light throttle diesel rattle typical of pre common rail diesels and that sound has continued to get louder. Acceleration has improved and my documented mileage has improved 1.5 MPG over the 10K miles right through winter and winter fuel. :surprise:

    I think the light driving has allowed the turbo, turbo hoses, intercooler, engine and EGR valve to clean up. I think that hard driving creates more soot and what is mostly seen going out the back is poorly burned fuel and accumulation in the exhaust. You will also put less soot and fuel in your oil with easy driving due to less blowby.

    I am open to other reason(s) why my engine is improving with easy driving.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    It sounds more like fuel improvements than your driving style. Soot is caused by the fuel and running around town with light throttle will allow it to collect in the intake. Opening up the throttle will suck that loose stuff out the exhaust. I would bet you're buying better fuel than the previous owner (or when you first bought it) which will help idling/noise/etc. I used to run BP diesel supreme in mine and the difference in engine sound was night and day between typical pump #2. Mine had a very thin coat of soot in the intake at 140k miles. I ran it pretty hard for the most part.
  • siberiasiberia Member Posts: 520
    Hi Sebring95,

    You could be right. A friend of mine who has over 700k miles in TDIs (440K on the first one) subscribes to the easy driving method. He suggested that my timing belt is stretching and improving the timing or a sensor is failing in a good direction but will fail. I guess I will find that out when I do the timing belt in 10k miles.

    But, if my engine is improving with light driving due to better fuel doesn't that mean that the better fuel reduces the need for hard driving?
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Reduce? Yes. Eliminate? No. Plus, driving hard is fun!
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    I think the case/s truly has/have been laid out. As they are your dollars, it is truly your choice to pick your driving styles or even mix them up, etc.

    All we are really trying to do is to point out the various factors and knowing them, (and how/why they work) put as many of the factors (as one wishes) in your favor or...NOT. NONE by itself is a "magic bullet. " or... "bullet to the head" for that matter.

    So for example, do you think I got 112,300 miles on GY LS-H (aka CRAPPY) oem tires by "abusing" them?

    Since it can be dicey to fault isolate in print, let's take a stab @ tire edge wear. Edge wear can be due to a host of variables. So for example, in addition to your hypothesis, it can be alignment related, lack of /too much/incorrect rotation, too little/much tire pressure, or less likely, mechanic issues.

    As to your 1.5 mpg, again a host of reasons but for example, I have experienced that just switching from old to new tires, or even increase/decrease in tire pressure.

    All the best for trouble free operation.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    Siberia, lately when I've been running the car a bit hard, it hasn't been for too long, maybe about 15 minutes every few days and then moderately the rest of the time. This seems to be a good mix for me. It seems that running the car hard all of the time wouldn't be too good over a period of time with respect to increased wear and tear, but running it easy all of the time would lead to a buildup of soot.

    I'm going to try a bit of mixed driving, hopefully that will keep the car running for as long as possible. We'll see in a few years.
  • morey000morey000 Member Posts: 384
    My wife, who's had her heart set on a Prius for the last year, just drove one and hated it. (yeah!) She's got a '01 BMW 330i right now and is a sporty driver. No surprise that the feel and handling of the Prius wasn't to her liking. I've been gently pushing her in the direction of the Jetta TDI. Hopefully a sportwagen.

    We're not ready to buy until the fall. Would actually love a Passat TDI or an A4 TDI, but not sure if we could wait THAT long.

    I've driven the Jetta TDI which I liked. How does the Sportwagen TDI feel and handle in comparison?
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    My 2003 TDI would be in the top 10.

    I have a spreadsheet of every drop of fuel pumped into it for over 100K miles. I was just playin around learnin how to use Excell and kinda went overboard.

    My spreadsheet automatically calculates for each fillup;
    MPG
    Fuel-cost/gallon
    fuel-cost/mile

    My spreadsheet also calculates overall statistics. Here are my hilights as of 100,925 miles;
    min MPG = 36
    average MPG = 50
    max MPG = 65

    min cost/mile = 0.03/mile
    overall cost/mile = 0.05/mile
    max cost/mile = 0.1/mile

    I even programmed excell to graph MPG and fuel-cost for every fillup.
  • jkinzeljkinzel Member Posts: 735
    You should market that program, that would be handy to have.

    I'm using a Auto Maint. software that kind of does the same thing but it is for a small fleet and is some what over kill.
  • siberiasiberia Member Posts: 520
    So for example, do you think I got 112,300 miles on GY LS-H (aka CRAPPY) oem tires by "abusing" them?

    No, Ruking1, I absolutely do not think you are abusing them. When I first read that I thought it was a stunning achievement. Also, this calls into question my definition of what hard driving really is. I may be driving harder than you and thinking that my driving is "easy" driving when it's not. So I'll drop that issue as somewhat undefinable.

    I am happy with the way this discussion is going but I am not happy with my ability to communicate.

    The 05 TDI that I purchased already had 79k miles on the clock. The Nokian WRs look like they were new maybe 10K miles before that. The rear tires (now front) showed almost no wear and the front tires (now back) showed what I would call severe bevel in the braking direction. This means hard stopping but not necessarily hard acceleration, but I think they go together. 10K miles later the fronts still look perfect and the rears look about the same – still beveled. I may have to go another 20k miles before the next rotation to get this straightened out. Nokian WRs are directional.

    Alignment is good based on no repeat of bevel on the front tires and pretty good fuel economy for an automatic 5 speed (45.7 mpg now overall and not quite 50 mpg when all highway at 65 mph). Tire pressure is 38 psi front and 40 psi rear. I check often. The only way that I am getting improved mileage due to wheel alignment is that it was a little out of alignment and it is wearing towards better alignment. Possible, I guess.

    After reading a ton of posts on TDIclub.com where mileage is dropping it seems very odd to have mileage increasing after 80k miles - this isn't really my usual luck. ;)

    Thanks for the responses.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    This Jetta has everything I want except the Navi, (I can live without) need some input on the miles vrs' price if anyone has an opinion...let er rip...
    Thanks..need to know soon, I would have to buy it sight unseen.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volkswagen-Jetta-TDI-2006-Volkswagen-Jetta-TDI-Se- - dan-Deasil-Leather-Sunroof_W0QQitemZ220407978448QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Truck- - s?hash=item335156d9d0&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A317%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A- - 1%7C240%3A1318
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Ok, if it is not mechanical as in worn/bad bearings, etc, one thing that is problematic is the right front passenger side (design issue-torque steer power issue) tends to wear front rotors, pads, bearings, and by "inference" front right tire faster. I saw this very early on (miles wise) in the Bentley's technical manual. The "inference"raised my curiosity, so I started to research/track it.

    Long story short, instead of doing the oem recommended tire rotation of front to back back to front, where in effect only two tires get onto the front right passenger side, I went to a 4/5 tire, cross the rears and fronts straight back rotation. The upshot was EVERY tire spend 10,000 miles on the right front passenger side. The corollary, each tire spend 10,000 miles in each position also, evening out the wear.

    So since you have or have chosen the directional tires, the best advice (swag) would be to have (a 5th tire or) 3rd right side tire. The upshot here is wear would now be spread over 3 tires (directional) instead of two. Or if you only go with 4 total directional tires, once the scalloping starts, it is hard to reverse. Sorry this is not better news.

    I do run 38-36 psi fronts and 38-34 rears.
  • siberiasiberia Member Posts: 520
    Thanks, you wrote some mechanical things that I did not know about the front wheel drive Jetta. I have a similar tire wear problem with my Liberty diesel. It goes after the rears, especially the right rear. I have to measure with a tire gauge every rotation and put the best tire on the right rear, the next best on the left rear, the 2 worst on the front and the last is the spare.

    So here's the short list of candidates so far:
    1. Fuel has been gradually improving. I use the same fuel in my Liberty with no improvement, but that could be the Jeep's fault and the fuel is really better.
    2. A mechanical wear - timing belt, front end alignment or other that is wearing in a direction that is temporarily improving mileage.
    3. Something different between the previous drivers driving style and mine (not a serious candidate in my mind).
    4. Improper maintenance by previous owner such as wrong oil or too extended oil changes. Some things in the engine were gummed up (rings? Lifters?) and now it's cleaning up with correct oil and change intervals (doing 7,500 right now will go to 10k after 3 changes).
    5. A ha! Just occurred to me thinking about no 1. Previous owner used bad fuel and good fuel is cleaning it up now.
    6. None of the above. "We can never KNOW anything". :)
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Have you had a chance to drive the Jetta on snow and ice? If so how would you rate the handling compared to your Liberty? I would assume the Liberty is better in deep snow.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    There is no way I would buy that vehicle.

    -Completely unknown maintenance history.
    -No-name used car lot lacking grasp of English language (Deasil ???)
    -Likely an auction car
    -No warranty
    -Buy-it-now price is likely close to reserve.

    I've seen a couple VERY nice private party cars with known maintenance history sell for similar coin. A couple had lower mileage than this one. These '06 models are starting to come around to reasonable cost on the resale market. Considering you can pickup a brand new '09 for around $20,000....I'd have a very hard time buying a used one, particularly with an unknown past.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Buying any used vehicle in this day and age without a complete title & maintenance history with factory warranty left is scary. Any vehicle like that would have to be dirt cheap. A friend just went to trade in his Altima that he bought used with a clean title here in CA. Only to find out it was totalled before he bought it. Extensive repairs that diminish the resale or trade value. Buyer beware!
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    Yes this deal would have to be a big leap of faith.

    From the CarFAx details, the only maintence record is the wash job at 88681 miles just before it was sold at a dealer auction.

    It is recorded as a one owner vehicle, but I guess he/she is long gone and any service records too.
  • siberiasiberia Member Posts: 520
    Yeah, I did Gagrice. Last winter I drove it in 4-5 inches of kinda wet fresh snow. The combination of front wheel drive diesel, ESP and Nokian WRs on the Jetta is impressive. I drove the Jeep on a couple of trips when I knew there was going to be snow only to find out later that the Jetta would have been fine with maybe a little better feel and control on the slick stuff. I could maybe relax more and rely on the Jetta electronics. The antilock brakes seem the same.

    In the Jeep, we got caught in a blizzard with bumper deep fresh powder that was drifted half way up the radiator at times - plugged the radiator with snow almost to the top on one side. I believe the diesel engine kept us going when a gasser might not have, because the power is so steady. All I had to do was hold the pedal and concentrate on steering.

    I have driven the Jeep in the Ozarks with 4-5 inches of snow on the road and had no trouble driving around front wheel drive cars that were stuck on hills. I may be delusional, but I think the Jetta TDI with good snow tires would go right up those hills. I think I would put money on it. Of course when there is an ice storm in the Ozarks nothing goes anywhere without chains or studs until the salt and gravel trucks get out.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    The Nokian WRs are awesome tires... I had a set on my CR-V. It's the only all-season tire that is truly suitable for snow travel.

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  • mike91326mike91326 Member Posts: 251
    Does anyone know if you can get steering wheel mounted audio controls on the TDI SportWagen like that are on the TDI sedan? Can they be added after market? You would think that the radio and wiring are the same.
  • mikemartinmikemartin Member Posts: 205
    Nokian WRs are fantastic tires.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    yes, my '00 went like a tank with the WR's and I didn't have all the fancy traction control stuff either. Still handled pretty good in the dry too. Only problem with the Jetta was it sat pretty low to the ground, so deep stuff could get hairy. We ran Blizzaks on our Odyssey this winter and it wasn't anywhere near as good in the snow.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Only one little obscure tire store in San Diego sells Nokian tires. Then I think the last snow was about 30 years ago.
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