Seeking Info on Diesel Jetta

I suggest looking at Consumer Reports for reliability information. I expect you will find that they are all good mechanical, and fair to poor body and electrical. (that's true for VW's in general)

Go for the Turbo if available. (unless someone has information that one of the older years was a problem year) The VW diesel turbos are good. A diesel turbo is not the same as a gasoline turbo. Diesels take to turbos very well. They do not cause extra wear on the engines etc. that can happen with gasoline turbos.

Cold starting today is better than the days when I was driving my 76 Rabbit diesel. I was able to start it at -17º F while visiting Canada. It was fun watching all the people who told me I would never get it started, trying to start their cars as mine started on the first try and I was able to pass them all up on the way out. Not much power for the first mile, but it did run just fine.

Cold is no problem for a modern diesel.

Newer and low miles is better along with buying an extended warranty policy! If you own one and it never breaks then you're happy but if it breaks and you must pay then you come here and complain! Bottom line over all the TDI has been a good engine with the biggest problem being MAF's and glow plug faults. BTW, the glow plug faults are normally not caused by the plugs but the harness feeding them.

Presently all TDI's are turbo which is the only thing offered here in the USA. I have a friend who has a 2000 TDI jetta and the only thing he has replaced besides normal service stuff is timing belts, 1- MAF, and recently the fuel sender for gelling problems. Not too bad for 150,000 miles.

They run plenty good and can be chipped.

I think your choices are 99 A3 platform and 99 and up A4 platform. Possibly some 98's.

Window regulators are a problem but htey've got a better one now and in the US they are civered fir 7 years. MAF's are a problem as are all makers that use Bosch MAF's. But you can put one for a mercedes diesel on it. Make sure the timing belt has been changed at the proper intervals or buy accordingly, dealers charge dearly but they have TDI GTGs (get to gethers) where experienced owners help inexperienced owners.

Yes

They are all tdi's. Turbo, intercooled, and drive by wire..

I don't think so.

Resolved, just use good fuel and a additive. Some in anada use 0w-30 oil . Synthetic required and Mobil One is NOT rated for them. Mobil Delvac1 is though.

Visit

Welcome, Joe R.

A sunroof was optional equipment on all Jettas.

The 'T' in 'TDI' = Turbo. The non-turbo ones were sold overseas and are known as 'SDI' but they weren't sold here.

Not 100% sure on that one. In either '02 or '03 they made the sunroof standard on GLS models and N/A on GL models. Prior to that they were optional on the GLS. Not sure abot the GL.

TDIs still seem to do well here. I've heard they're a little slower to start, but nothing like an old-school diesel.

As far as I know they're very reliable except for I think the MAF sensor I heard tends to be problematic. I think the glow plug relay was also revised somewhere along the line...the original one was troublesome. That's an easy fix.

tdiclub.com

JEB

Much thanks guys for your replies. And the tdiclub helped a lot. I think I'm convinced and now it's just a matter of time. ,,,as I'm finding out that my 91 3-series BMW is not a good commuting car.

____ James

'74 Beetle '91 BMW.....to be someday replaced with a TDI Jetta.