Tdi Golf diesels - Just sussing out their reliability with high mileage

Rudolph Claus

Has anyone got one of the newer Tdi engines, think they became Tdi`s in 2000. My friend is thinking of buying one, but their making mad money even for 2001`s with nearly 90,000miles on them. Hes looking for the car/van version in particular and even the smallest of the tdi`s (90Hp) seem to be about 10/11,000 for a 2001 with big miles.

Hes considering buying one of the 90,000 milers as thats all available in his budget, but we want to know if these engines are good when they have 150/60,000 on them. What mileage could he expect to get out a 110Hp Tdi carvan with already 90k miles on it. Anyone here have a Tdi in the car form even with over 120k miles or so and what problems have you experienced apart from regular services?

Do bushings and stuff need to be replaced around the 90k mark, would he have to spend a fair bit on a 90k miler van after buying it, would there be immediate repairs like at at that mileage in general. 11grand seems like mad money fopr a 6yr old van with 90k miles???

Cheers.
Ps: Anyone know of any decent `00/`01 golf vans for sale with a decent price tag.

lomb

Nuttzy wrote:

11grand seems like mad money fopr a 6yr old van with 90k miles
Ps: Anyone know of any decent `00/`01 golf vans for sale with a decent price tag.

have u ever driven a MKIV golf? if not i sugest u do,ive driven alot of cars and the mkiv is the nicest car u will get in terms of stearing solidity, and germanic feel. u get nothing for nothing at the end of the day, i drove a couple of cars today alot more recent and nothing comes close even. best bet is log onto ukmkivs.net
theres a gang of us over there and theyl answer your questions. personally id avoid high milage on any car, but then thats just me.

maidhc

Nuttzy wrote:

Do bushings and stuff need to be replaced around the 90k mark, would he have to spend a fair bit on a 90k miler van after buying it, would there be immediate repairs like at at that mileage in general. 11grand seems like mad money fopr a 6yr old van with 90k miles???

Silly silly money. Whether any secondhand (or even new) car will be reliable is like asking how long is a piece of string.

If I was buying a car/van I think a Focus would be a better option. Much cheaper, and the 90bhp TDDi is absolutely unbreakable even if poorly maintained. For 11k you should get an at least an 03 with less than 50k.

Rudolph Claus

Is there much of a difference between the 90 and 110Hp models? the golf is heavy so would the 90 be decent enough. He doesnt want mad power but doesnt want an underpowered one either. For example: The 1.4petrol golf is renowned for being under powered, is the basic tdi similar?

Ps: hes not mad on the focus and are ye sure of there reliability in the diesels?

maidhc

I only ever drove a 90bhp in an Audi A4, and it was ok. Not fast, but not too slow either... it was grand really, although dissppointing for the class of car! The TDI has much more torque than the 1.4, and will be much more drivable.

My grandfather has has seven or eight of the TDIs (back to the first of them in 1992 or so). None gave any trouble but only did about 60 before they were sold on.

The Focus TDDI engine has been around since sometime before christ was born, although it was given a direct injection head in 1998 for the Focus. I have an older indirect injection verison on the same engine in the mondeo at it has done 165k without costing anything. I know there is a taxi guy in dublin with 280k up on a focus diesel. They are being fitted to the Transit Connects now. It isnt the fastest or quietest engine about, but neither is the 90bhp TDI in the golf.

TKK

I have a mk iv golf with 115k on the clock and it's as good as the day I bought it with 50k on it. I do my own servicing, usually between the 8 & 10k mark. The way it's running now I swear it will go forever.

TKK

On the power issue - mine is the 90bhp and it's powerful enough. I had a 1.4 petrol astra before this and it was well ahead of it.

ando

I own a VW 110 TDI engine powered car (which is for sale in the for sale section;) ) I'd think that there would'nt be much differance down low between a 90 and 110 HP TDI, but as you get upto speed, ie over 40mph you'll notice the differance. No point in comparing a 1.4 with a TDI engine imo, TDI has sooo much more torque

maidhc

maidhc wrote:

Silly silly money. Whether any secondhand (or even new) car will be reliable is like asking how long is a piece of string.

If I was buying a car/van I think a Focus would be a better option. Much cheaper, and the 90bhp TDDi is absolutely unbreakable even if poorly maintained. For 11k you should get an at least an 03 with less than 50k.

Those in the know apparently say the TDCI is the diesel to get if you are going with the Focus.

The TDDi is an older diesel engine and performance is behind that of the TDCI.

I think the newer one is a common rail engine.

HashSlinging

TKK wrote:

On the power issue - mine is the 90bhp and it's powerful enough. I had a 1.4 petrol astra before this and it was well ahead of it.

If you think that your old astra was faster than the TDi your Tdi has a fault.

maidhc

ronoc wrote:

Those in the know apparently say the TDCI is the diesel to get if you are going with the Focus.

The TDDi is an older diesel engine and performance is behind that of the TDCI.

I think the newer one is a common rail engine.

The TDCI is a lovely engine (I have focus with a 115bhp version), and it is streets ahead of the TDDI as regards power and refinement. Only reason I didnt suggest it is because it probably wouldn't take as much abuse as the TDDI, because of the fancy fueling system, extra electronics and a dual mass flywheel.

Big Nelly

Just sold a 1.9Tdi 90Bhp Base 00 Passat, was only 88k on the clock and the car was in perfect nic, would have been a great buy for your mate. I like it so much have changed for a newer 130Bhp Passat Highline.

The 1.9Tdi are great I have found, the 90Bhp is not slow but not overly quick either, when I first drove it I found it alot quicker than my old 1.6 petrol but over the past year I found it wanting sometimes when passing on motorways etc. But on normal 100Kmph there is no probs. Also the milage is great, on long runs I was getting around 600 miles to a tank and 500-550 in city driving. Tank cost about 55 quid to fill.....would recommend the passat to anyone looking to buying a diesel engine.....

I know you ask about the Golf but the Passat are very similiar, same engine more or less and all the difference is the size...>I find the Golf very bouncy on the road and I don't like the shape....also it looks like a Polo which is shocking to me......just my point of view anywya

Also the Golf is way way over priced......Passat are expensive I admit but not as bad as Golf and you get more extra's on a Passat for same money as Golf...everyone says the Golf holds it value but I had my Passat for just over a year, put about 20k on it and sold for 9500....lost 500 on car over the year

TKK

HashSlinging wrote:

If you think that your old astra was faster than the TDi your Tdi has a fault.

Sorry that wasn't very clear of me. I meant the golf is way ahead of the astra. Like ando said there's way more torque.