I am thinking about looking for a good old style Passat TDI (not sure what years they were produced-- I think about 96 or 97) but I really don't know much about them. The last VW I owned was a 1977 Scirocco and I loved that car but it was a very simple vehicle and I have heard quite a few horror stories about more modern VWs.
First off, I assume the diesels are much more durable and dependable than the gasoline cars. I have owned a few Mercedes diesels and
200,000 miles on a well maintained MB diesel really doesn't scare me. Is this the same for the VW diesel? With a little luck I would expect at least 350Kmi with major issues. (no serious oil burning etc.) Is this reasonable for that vintage TDI?How about the tubochargers themselves? Are they generally dependable?
What about the rest of the car? Any special trouble spots to be aware of? (e.g., blower motors, steering racks, etc?) electrical gremlins?
Any problems with corrossion and if so where do I check?
What type of fuel economy are people getting with the older TDIs?
How difficult or expensive is it to replace a timing belt and how often does it need to be done? Is the TDI an "interference" engine?
Thaks in advance,
Mike