Worth it to buy a mk3 tdi over a gasser?

[dan]

I'm considering buying a mk3 jetta or golf. Diesel ones fetch around $4000 whereas an equivalent gas model would be half that much and likely have under 200k miles.

I drive ~50 miles a day, 5 days week so I'm not putting on huge miles like many TDI owners I know of. I'm also a college student with hopefully a year of school left and a paid off diesel seems like a better bet budget wise.

I'm very mechanically capable but don't know much about diesels, so I guess I'm looking for advice on whether this seems like a good idea or should I just save my money and whatever else and buy a gas mk3 instead.

[sprstu]

I love TDIs but honestly if youre not super pumped about owning a diesel I would recommend the MK3 2.0l instead. The 2.0 will get low 30's for mileage and is pretty much bullet proof and nothing will surprise you. All MK3 TDIs these days have over 200K miles and at that point they need to have their injectors rebuilt, the timing belt done and the pump resealed at the minimum. Those are not things to just jump into if youre not gung-ho about the TDi in the first place.

You will get 43-47mpg all day every day but the extra miles and maintenance of the TDI is out-weighed by the cheaper to buy and better likely hood of getting a not beat-to-shit car in a 2.0.

[JFettig]

Well said. That pretty much covers it.

[Wireclimer]

we keep Stu around so the Diesel club stays "exclusive"

[JFettig]

If you can get a well cared for TDI, I'd say go for it. JasonTDR is out in madison, not too far away, he works on these.
http://www.jasontdr.com/

[VAGatHeart]

You could buy my Mk3 2.0 Jetta...

[grape ice cream]

If you can get a well cared for TDI, I'd say go for it. JasonTDR is out in madison, not too far away, he works on these.
http://www.jasontdr.com/

Yea Jason is super good at working on TDI's and super nice guy if you needed any work done

[dan]

I was talking to the owner of one and he states that he's put fuel additive in every tank since 90k (it's at 207k right now). He seems like an honest guy and claims no leaks from the injection pump.

I just don't want to pick one of these up and have it be a ticking time bomb of needing tons of money poured into it.

[sprstu]

theyre not time bombs and as long as this guy has done the service correctly there is no reason it should last another 200K with the same amount of care. but buying a random, 250K mile MK3 TDI for $3500 could be a little harder to swallow than a $1500 2.0l

[gtiguy1994]

Just to give an example of how stout the MKIII 2.0 is; My 1994 Golf currently has 258,xxx miles on it and runs well. Basic maintenance is all I have done to it... and replaced a transmission when the diff rivets failed.
I beat the hell out of that car when I was 19/20....11 years ago.

[dan]

Well I'm going to look at said car today. We'll see if its what I think it is or not. Fingers crossed.

Also, I haven't got doubts about the stoutness of the aba motor, I just have doubts of people around here (Milwaukee) being able to take care of them properly.