Need advice on buying a certified pre-owned 2013 Jetta TDI 2.0

Mike7031

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Location
Virginia
TDI
2013 Jetta 2.0
Hi All,

I'm strongly considering purchasing a certified pre-owned 2013 Jetta TDI 2.0 automatic. It's a one-owner with 48,000 miles, blue exterior, beige leather heated seats, sunroof, and bluetooth. The VW dealer has it listed at $9,800, and they'll probably want $11,000 including their fees. It's being sold here in the northern Virginia area, and was previously owned in Massachusetts.

It's a CPO car, so it includes the 2-year bumper-to-bumper warranty, and it's gone through the dieselgate fix, so it has the extended emissions warranty. The extended emissions warranty covers fuel pumps (among other things), which seems to be very important, since I've read that the high pressure fuel pump fails and can be over $5k to replace.

My plan is to drive it for 2-4 years, depending on its reliability and how much it costs to maintain. I drive less than 8,000 miles per year and don't expect a regular commute of more than 15 miles.

I'd really like to buy this car, as it's a ton of fun to drive and feels safe, but I'm concerned about the cost of maintenance and repairs. I don't have the know-how to fix the car myself, and I've heard that TDI's require a lot of care.

Questions:
1) Given the 2-year B2B warranty and extended emissions warranty, what should I expect to pay for maintenance/repairs in the first 2 years? What about in the first 4 years?
2) Aside from the carfax, are there any records I should request before making a purchase decision?
3) What are the key parts to inspect before making a purchase decision?
4) Does the $11k price sound fair? Any negotiation tips?

Also, please feel free to give any other advice.

Thanks for your help!
 

iamatt

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Location
Rosharon, Texas
TDI
2014 Jetta 6 Speed manual
(other advice)

If you are only going to drive for two years I'd just get an accord for half of what you are going to spend. No problem selling that after two years. People who drive tdi typically keep alot longer and in for the Long haul no pun intended. 2013 with only 48K is very very low miles. You should not hit any major service intervals if you buy the car and drive the miles you think you will, not even close.

Sent from my FRD-L14 using Tapatalk
 

andreigbs

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Walworth Co., Wisconsin
TDI
N/A
FWIW, we bought our '14 Jetta with 18K miles for $14k. I think you might be overpaying or could find an even lower mileage model.

That said, I'd agree with @iamatt in that driving a TDI in short commutes won't be worth your investment; you'll never realize the fuel economy savings. If you're just wanting it for the torque and fun to drive factor, then OK.

Maintenance is important and easy enough with the proper tools. Oil changes every 10K miles, or once a year in your case. Fuel filters every 20K, DSG transmission fluid ever 40K, air filter every 60K, timing belt and associated rolling bits every 130K.

And the extended emissions warranty covers a ton of things, practically the entire engine including turbo, the entire fuel system and exhaust system. Those pesky sensors too. You'd be covered for 10yrs/120k miles, whichever occurs first (or something like that, ridiculously great warranty post-fix).

My advice: try finding a lower mileage 2014+, preferably a Golf. The build quality between Golfs and Jettas is quite significant. You can find these at pretty low mileage, all with the emissions fix and associated warranty (CPO be damned) for around $14-16K.

Good luck!
 

Mike7031

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Location
Virginia
TDI
2013 Jetta 2.0
(other advice)

If you are only going to drive for two years I'd just get an accord for half of what you are going to spend. No problem selling that after two years. People who drive tdi typically keep alot longer and in for the Long haul no pun intended. 2013 with only 48K is very very low miles. You should not hit any major service intervals if you buy the car and drive the miles you think you will, not even close.

Sent from my FRD-L14 using Tapatalk
Thanks for the service info! I actually have an 2004 Accord EX-V6. I'd like to keep it, but it's starting to wear down and seems to be costing me about $1500 per year in repairs. Will be looking to sell it soon.
 

Mike7031

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Location
Virginia
TDI
2013 Jetta 2.0
FWIW, we bought our '14 Jetta with 18K miles for $14k. I think you might be overpaying or could find an even lower mileage model.

That said, I'd agree with @iamatt in that driving a TDI in short commutes won't be worth your investment; you'll never realize the fuel economy savings. If you're just wanting it for the torque and fun to drive factor, then OK.

Maintenance is important and easy enough with the proper tools. Oil changes every 10K miles, or once a year in your case. Fuel filters every 20K, DSG transmission fluid ever 40K, air filter every 60K, timing belt and associated rolling bits every 130K.

And the extended emissions warranty covers a ton of things, practically the entire engine including turbo, the entire fuel system and exhaust system. Those pesky sensors too. You'd be covered for 10yrs/120k miles, whichever occurs first (or something like that, ridiculously great warranty post-fix).

My advice: try finding a lower mileage 2014+, preferably a Golf. The build quality between Golfs and Jettas is quite significant. You can find these at pretty low mileage, all with the emissions fix and associated warranty (CPO be damned) for around $14-16K.

Good luck!
Thanks for sharing your buying experience and the maintenance tips!

Sounds like I'd be good to go on the maintenance, and well covered between the CPO warranty and the extended emissions warranty.

The main reasons I'm considering a used TDI is the warranty coverage, price, options (heated seats, sunroof, and bluetooth), and it's fun to drive. I haven't been able to find that overall value on any other car for less than about $17k. As mentioned, I'm estimating getting the one I'm looking at for about $11,000 (including dealer fees, but not including taxes).


As for the price and miles, I've seen a few very low mileage Jetta TDI 2013 and 2014 models (15-25k miles), but they're all at least $2500 more. I think I'd prefer to spend less and deal with the higher mileage, since I'll have the CPO and extended emissions warranties.

A couple more questions based on your reply:

Other than being a newer car, is there something about the 2014+ models that is significantly better than 2013?

While fuel economy isn't my main factor, it's still somewhat important to me. My regular commute is not more than 15 miles, and my average drive is probably 6-10 miles, half suburbs and half highway. Given that, any idea of what I should expect for fuel economy? I don't need the upper end 40 MPG, but I might be disappointed if I got less than 27-30 MPG due to the higher cost of diesel compared to gas.

I might also test drive a Golf before making a final decision. Thanks for the tip!
 

dhuddleson

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2007
Location
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
TDI
2012 Jetta Highline TDI sedan
I would be concerned about the need for the modern diesels to be able to keep the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) working. The car/engine computer determines when to run a regeneration, and it expects that you have a driving cycle with enough distance and not just lots of stop/go and idle engine speed. Your 15 mile drive cycle may cause you more problems than good. Just my personal opinion from my own research...
 

AronS

Active member
Joined
Jul 2, 2017
Location
Bovey, MN
TDI
2014 Jetta TDI Sedan Premium 6 Speed Manual
Other than being a newer car, is there something about the 2014+ models that is significantly better than 2013?

While fuel economy isn't my main factor, it's still somewhat important to me. My regular commute is not more than 15 miles, and my average drive is probably 6-10 miles, half suburbs and half highway. Given that, any idea of what I should expect for fuel economy? I don't need the upper end 40 MPG, but I might be disappointed if I got less than 27-30 MPG due to the higher cost of diesel compared to gas.

The differences between a 2013 Jetta TDI and a 2014 Jetta TDI are:
1) The 2013 has torsion beam rear suspension and the 2014 have a more sophisticated independent rear suspension.
2) The 2014 features a soft touch dashboard where the 2013 has hard plastic (note both have hard plastic along the door, but it is not as cheap looking/feeling as a cheap economy car).

3) There may be a few minor differences in the electronics: the 2014 features CarNet, the iPod/iphone connectivity cord in the center console (rather than the glove box), and rear view camera/Fender audio system in the Premium and Premium with Navigation trims (I'm not sure if the 2013 has these or not).

Whether they are significant or not is up to you. In the 2015, you get (other than the obvious styling differences) slightly more horsepower, fuel economy, and torque. The downside is they are more complex (more to go wrong in the future) and require DEF fluid (most would say it's not a big deal but something to be aware of).

For strictly city driving, you fuel economy should be around the mid 30's (low 30's in colder temperatures) even in a "fixed" car as long as you are fairly conservative, so that should meet your expectations. I, as well as a lot of car journalists, have found VW's fuel economy numbers to be very conservative and easy to beat.
 

ezshift5

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2003
Location
West Coast
TDI
2013 JSW TDI (Enroute BB).......2017 Jetta 1.4 turbo 5M ....................
Hi All,
I drive less than 8,000 miles per year and don't expect a regular commute of more than 15 miles.

Does the $11k price sound fair? Any negotiation tips?

Also, please feel free to give any other advice.
I drove a 2013 JSW TDI 6M about 50k after buying new. Agree - great car.

Got 44 MPG for the 50,000 miles per Fuelly

If I were you - with a 15 mile commute - I'd take a hard look the the model year 2018 Jetta 1.4 - - - which gets about 10% less than the TDI Wagen.

The end of the model year plus VW factory and dealership discounts sure worked for me.......................perhaps they can work for you to!!

Smooth sailing (NavySpeak) for the new year,



ez
 

KITEWAGON

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Location
Seacoast, NH
TDI
2014 Touareg Exec, 2014 JSW
.... I'd just get an accord for half of what you are going to spend. ....

Sent from my FRD-L14 using Tapatalk
Good luck buying an Accord that is anywhere close to a 2013 with 50k miles for $5k. But the point is valid. If the TDI is only being bought for fuel economy just buy a cheap gasser. But if you enjoy the low end torque and the drive then it seems like a deal to me. $11k out the door for a CPO car with less than 50k on the clock seems like a good deal.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
I just picked up a '10 golf 2.5l 5 speed to replace my '11 golf tdi. It's a great car for the sort of driving you do. Plus it was less than $5k. I do miss the torque, and 6th gear, but it rides more comfortably on 15" wheels/tires. I could have gone either way with the abundance of cheap tdi's out there, but so far happy with the 2.5.
 

andreigbs

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Walworth Co., Wisconsin
TDI
N/A
Other than being a newer car, is there something about the 2014+ models that is significantly better than 2013?

Given that, any idea of what I should expect for fuel economy?
As @AronS astutely pointed out, the 2014s+ have a better rear suspension, so they tend to handle nicer. The soft-touch dash is a welcome addition as well, I almost can't believe they used that cheap hard plastic before. I also believe the backup cams were standard starting 2014, though I'll gladly stand corrected. In 2015, the engines were slightly different and more refined. They also added the DEF to the exhaust system, so there's more maintenance and technology involved. However, given the robust extended warranties from The Fix, I wouldn't lose sleep either way.

I highly recommend you sample both a Jetta and a Golf. Driving a 2015 Golf is like driving almost a different class of car. Doing it back to back at a local dealer will really highlight the difference.

As for your commute description: while not ideal for benefiting the most from a TDI powertrain's fuel efficiency, I would definitely expect upper 30s average MPGs at least. If more of the commute was steady speed highway cruising, I'd expect low 40s.

Temperature, speed, load, type of fuel (winter vs summer), and driving style will all combine to produce either decent fuel economy (mid to upper 30s MPG) or great fuel economy (40s+ MPG) in the long run. Couple that with the unbelievable warranty and you have a great deal, just find the right model/year.
 

Mike7031

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Location
Virginia
TDI
2013 Jetta 2.0
Good luck buying an Accord that is anywhere close to a 2013 with 50k miles for $5k. But the point is valid. If the TDI is only being bought for fuel economy just buy a cheap gasser. But if you enjoy the low end torque and the drive then it seems like a deal to me. $11k out the door for a CPO car with less than 50k on the clock seems like a good deal.
Thanks for your opinion on the price for that car!
 

Mike7031

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Location
Virginia
TDI
2013 Jetta 2.0
I doubt you can really find a 2019 Jetta for $13k. But darn if those deals are out there then that seems like a lot of car for very little money with terrific warranty. (6yr/72k bumper to bumper). I haven't driven one, but I've read good things about the powertrain.

https://jalopnik.com/now-is-the-time-to-buy-a-sedan-1831430271
Thanks for the link. I've seen the 2019 Jetta 1.4T S priced slightly below $13k, but I'm guessing that's close to $15k out the door with dealer fees (and not including tax). Still not a bad deal given their new warranty.
 

Mike7031

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Location
Virginia
TDI
2013 Jetta 2.0
I just picked up a '10 golf 2.5l 5 speed to replace my '11 golf tdi. It's a great car for the sort of driving you do. Plus it was less than $5k. I do miss the torque, and 6th gear, but it rides more comfortably on 15" wheels/tires. I could have gone either way with the abundance of cheap tdi's out there, but so far happy with the 2.5.
I recently test drove a Golf (2013 TDI) for the first time and loved it. I'd like to spend less on a car, like you did, but I'm concerned about getting one that's not under warranty. I had a 2000 Passat that had a ton of problems, mostly related to the electrical system, security system, and the window regulators breaking. Does the Golf generally not have such issues?
 

Mike7031

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Location
Virginia
TDI
2013 Jetta 2.0
The differences between a 2013 Jetta TDI and a 2014 Jetta TDI are:
1) The 2013 has torsion beam rear suspension and the 2014 have a more sophisticated independent rear suspension.
2) The 2014 features a soft touch dashboard where the 2013 has hard plastic (note both have hard plastic along the door, but it is not as cheap looking/feeling as a cheap economy car).

3) There may be a few minor differences in the electronics: the 2014 features CarNet, the iPod/iphone connectivity cord in the center console (rather than the glove box), and rear view camera/Fender audio system in the Premium and Premium with Navigation trims (I'm not sure if the 2013 has these or not).

Whether they are significant or not is up to you. In the 2015, you get (other than the obvious styling differences) slightly more horsepower, fuel economy, and torque. The downside is they are more complex (more to go wrong in the future) and require DEF fluid (most would say it's not a big deal but something to be aware of).

For strictly city driving, you fuel economy should be around the mid 30's (low 30's in colder temperatures) even in a "fixed" car as long as you are fairly conservative, so that should meet your expectations. I, as well as a lot of car journalists, have found VW's fuel economy numbers to be very conservative and easy to beat.
Thanks so much for the detailed advice. It sounds like a 2014 would be perfect for me, as I'd like the benefits you mentioned, and don't need the more advanced and higher maintenance stuff in the 2015+. Do your points above also apply to the Golf TDI or just to the Jetta?
 

Mike7031

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Location
Virginia
TDI
2013 Jetta 2.0
I drove a 2013 JSW TDI 6M about 50k after buying new. Agree - great car.
Got 44 MPG for the 50,000 miles per Fuelly
If I were you - with a 15 mile commute - I'd take a hard look the the model year 2018 Jetta 1.4 - - - which gets about 10% less than the TDI Wagen.
The end of the model year plus VW factory and dealership discounts sure worked for me.......................perhaps they can work for you to!!
Smooth sailing (NavySpeak) for the new year,
ez
Thanks for the tips!
 

Mike7031

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Location
Virginia
TDI
2013 Jetta 2.0
I would be concerned about the need for the modern diesels to be able to keep the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) working. The car/engine computer determines when to run a regeneration, and it expects that you have a driving cycle with enough distance and not just lots of stop/go and idle engine speed. Your 15 mile drive cycle may cause you more problems than good. Just my personal opinion from my own research...
Thanks for sharing this potential issue with me. I'm starting a new job soon. Going to see what the overall commute is like before making a car buying decision. I might end up going with a non-diesel to avoid the type of issue you mentioned.
 

Mike7031

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Location
Virginia
TDI
2013 Jetta 2.0
As @AronS astutely pointed out, the 2014s+ have a better rear suspension, so they tend to handle nicer. The soft-touch dash is a welcome addition as well, I almost can't believe they used that cheap hard plastic before. I also believe the backup cams were standard starting 2014, though I'll gladly stand corrected. In 2015, the engines were slightly different and more refined. They also added the DEF to the exhaust system, so there's more maintenance and technology involved. However, given the robust extended warranties from The Fix, I wouldn't lose sleep either way.

I highly recommend you sample both a Jetta and a Golf. Driving a 2015 Golf is like driving almost a different class of car. Doing it back to back at a local dealer will really highlight the difference.

As for your commute description: while not ideal for benefiting the most from a TDI powertrain's fuel efficiency, I would definitely expect upper 30s average MPGs at least. If more of the commute was steady speed highway cruising, I'd expect low 40s.

Temperature, speed, load, type of fuel (winter vs summer), and driving style will all combine to produce either decent fuel economy (mid to upper 30s MPG) or great fuel economy (40s+ MPG) in the long run. Couple that with the unbelievable warranty and you have a great deal, just find the right model/year.
Thanks for all this info. Took you advice and test drove a Golf (2013 TDI) for the first time, and did it right after driving a 2013 Jetta TDI. Huge difference. Now I don't think I can buy a Jetta :)
 

andreigbs

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Walworth Co., Wisconsin
TDI
N/A
The difference would've been even more dramatic had you driven the MK7 Golf (2015+).

Back when I first got my 2014 Golf, I drove the new 2015 GTI (such a blast to drive) and a 2014 Jetta TDI. The difference in refinement on the new platform Golfs was amazing. I don't think I'd be exaggerating to say it felt more like an Audi than a Veedub.

If you're set on the Golf, do yourself another favor and drive a 2015+ one as well. They also come equipped with gas engines which are very nice to drive and have no exhaust gizmos to worry about like the TDIs. I sampled a 2015 Golf TSI with 170hp and it was just lovely to drive, very quiet and well built. They return excellent fuel economy and run on regular unleaded which in some areas is less than $2/gal. Good luck in your search!

I'm not a VW salesman, but in high school I was voted "most likely to own a VW dealership." :)
 

hause

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Location
Charlotte (Noda), NC
TDI
MK4 Golf Tdi... all souped up also a MK7 Sportwagen on its way to greatness
If your still shopping OP, I can get you that car for $9500 of less. I'm a dealer, but I don't mind brokering for TDI forum members. I sell 5-10 of these a month. pm me if anyone is interested
 

bora2003

Veteran Member
Joined
May 29, 2006
Location
Barstow, CA
TDI
2003 Golf GLS 5-speed; 2009 Jetta TDI 6-spd; 2010 Jetta TDI Sportwagen; 2015 Golf TDI SE - Manual 6spd; 2012 Jetta TDI
I bought a 2014 Jetta TDI Value Edition with the factory "fix." It has 81K miles and cost $11K. I've had it since March of 2018 - no problems, decent mileage, and very comfortable. There is no "soft touch" dash in my stripper TDI, nor a back-up camera. I got used to the hard plastic pretty quickly. It's not ugly or anything, just "hard." :D The car feels solid with nary a rattle.

It gets good mileage, but not nearly as good on the highway mileage as my 2015 Golf TDI.

The main drawback I find with this car is the lack of a complete speedometer cluster ... no temp gauge, and no MFD display, as in my Golf.

But, no regrets in the purchase nearly a year later. I love driving this car.
 

bruce51d

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 6, 2013
Location
meadville pa
TDI
2012 jetta
I had a 12 Jetta that I bought new, sold as part of the buy back with 90k. I had a rental car the other day in Vegas that was a wagon tdi, auto. It got me to thinking about what all those cars that were sold back were doin now. Well after lookin on the internet ive found many for sale and they look cheap. Now lookin for another one. Maybe I’ll get a golf this time.
 

tdiinsc

Active member
Joined
Feb 28, 2018
Location
Greenville, SC
TDI
2015 Golf Sportwagen TDI, 14' Jetta TDI
Hi All,
I'm strongly considering purchasing a certified pre-owned 2013 Jetta TDI 2.0 automatic. It's a one-owner with 48,000 miles, blue exterior, beige leather heated seats, sunroof, and bluetooth. The VW dealer has it listed at $9,800, and they'll probably want $11,000 including their fees. It's being sold here in the northern Virginia area, and was previously owned in Massachusetts.
It's a CPO car, so it includes the 2-year bumper-to-bumper warranty, and it's gone through the dieselgate fix, so it has the extended emissions warranty. The extended emissions warranty covers fuel pumps (among other things), which seems to be very important, since I've read that the high pressure fuel pump fails and can be over $5k to replace.
My plan is to drive it for 2-4 years, depending on its reliability and how much it costs to maintain. I drive less than 8,000 miles per year and don't expect a regular commute of more than 15 miles.
I'd really like to buy this car, as it's a ton of fun to drive and feels safe, but I'm concerned about the cost of maintenance and repairs. I don't have the know-how to fix the car myself, and I've heard that TDI's require a lot of care.
Questions:
1) Given the 2-year B2B warranty and extended emissions warranty, what should I expect to pay for maintenance/repairs in the first 2 years? What about in the first 4 years?
2) Aside from the carfax, are there any records I should request before making a purchase decision?
3) What are the key parts to inspect before making a purchase decision?
4) Does the $11k price sound fair? Any negotiation tips?
Also, please feel free to give any other advice.
Thanks for your help!
I bought a 2014 jetta value edition 6MT back in july of last year. It had 28k miles on it and CPO and walked out of the dealer about $12.5k TTL. You'll most likely have just oil changes and fuel filters to worry about until it comes time for timing belt and water pump but that'll be a while. We picked up my wifes car last march and have put about 20k miles on it and so far its just been regular maintenance only, so who knows what it'll be long term.

I have a short 8 mile commute mostly local, so in the South Carolina winter, my car really doesn't have a chance to fully warm up (lately has been in the low 20's in the morning). Now my car did come with phase 1 and 2 already done and i installed a green diesel tune and i have a fuelly tracked (hand calculated) 43 mpg over 4500 miles. My wife in her golf sportwagen tdi (Phase 1 only) has a longer 30 mile commute and she gets the same as me. For as short as you plan to keep the car, id probably go with the other suggestion of spending much less and getting an accord or something...if you have the money to burn, get the TDI. The price of diesel in my area varies quite a bit but is generally reasonable (currently $2.55 average, low of $2.38), not sure in your area but something to consider.
 

tdiinsc

Active member
Joined
Feb 28, 2018
Location
Greenville, SC
TDI
2015 Golf Sportwagen TDI, 14' Jetta TDI
Please elaborate, thanks.
Green Diesel Engineering....

A few folks on the board were early beta testers for them. They don't advertise the power benefits as much as the fuel economy benefits. You do of course get more power, but i've enjoyed a solid ~7mpg increase consistently over my stock VW phase 2 emissions tuning. You can check out their website..they were basically ex big 3 (Ford/Chrysler/GM) diesel engineers that were let go and decided to form their own company. They do more work with the jeep diesels and the dodge eco diesels, they are more well known for that. If you have any further questions just message me.
 
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