We are looking to buy a high mileage vehicle. But not a sardine can, as my wife and I are not small people. We are thinking of a Passat or Jetta TDI. We do not generally buy new. But rather a few years old. Are there better years to look at? What to watch for? Are the automatics reliable or better going with sick shift? We would be paying cash and most likely private party. Do any of you have real life fuel mileage experience with these cars?

Alright, so someone school me here. I've registered on a TDI forum and get no responses. I forgot how much of a cold shoulder I can get on other forums!

 

I was looking into the VW Passat TDI and I read up that they make an AWD called the 4-motion. It sounds like the only vehicles like this with the 4-motion are gasoline powered?

 

I did some reading up on them and it sounds like these VW's have their fair share of problems. Sounds like the biggest thing is the timing belt and with the passat, the balance shaft.

 

This is the B5 generation, though.

 

I can't seem to determine what the best TDI engine is though.

 

I'm looking at a wagon as well.

If you stick with an 03 or older TDI you will be fine.

The gassers may have issues but the TDI are pretty straight forward. as to the comment of them being maintenance hogs, I do not know where this comes from, I have the dealer do the timing belt as I do not like working in the small tight quarters and do not have the tooling to time it afterwards anyhow.

I look at it this way, at 45 mpg I have saved more than enough in operating expense over a gasser to have someone else do the bigger jobs like this every 4 years or so and am still way ahead of a 30 mpg gasser.

I did do the Intake cleaning myself but that wasn't too bad.

War eagle is about due for this unless he has bypassed or disabled his EGR then he would be ok. Mine is 100% oem stock.

Hey, I have a 2012 that I just might sell!! lol The 2.0L TDI seems to be a pretty decent engine. It is quite surprising just how much power they have. My '12 JSW gives about 42 mpg with four people and luggage at 65 mph. Far as te iming belt, They are due to be changed at 80k miles (VW decided that) instead of 100k miles. They are not hard to replace on an '06 TDI 1.9L. I did one in about 4 hours the first time. I did use VCDS to check the timing later, but it was not bad to do.

01 Beetle TDI with 120k miles. It is the wife's commuter car but I drive it every chance I get! Never thought I would be caught dead in a Beetle but the fact that it is a diesel and a five speed makes it OK!

Even in weather that has consistenly been in the low teens to below zero we have been netting 40 to 43 mpg. (All highway miles). It's been a great little car.

Edited March 8, 201411 yr by diesel4life

My '12 has been giving mileage of only about 30 mpg to 35 mpg this winter, but that is normal every day driving locally. Once it warms up a bit it will jump up.

Should we be looking at Audi's too?

My '12 has been giving mileage of only about 30 mpg to 35 mpg this winter, but that is normal every day driving locally. Once it warms up a bit it will jump up.

I think there are a lot of differences here, my VW is pre emissions, much smaller/lighter than your wagon, and HP is substantially lower. Not to mention as cold as it has been here, I'm sure it has been MUCH colder up where you live.

Should we be looking at Audi's too?

Sure, if your pocket book allows! I have always been impressed with the Audi platform.

Audi and VW are the same platforms just a bit higher class interior and exterior options on the Audi. Kinda like comparing a suburban to an escalade.