VW Jetta TDI money pit??

Hi all, I'm brand new to the forum and about to be the first time owner of a 2012 VW Jetta TDI Sedan....(maybe)

Being in the market for a new car, I had spent hours of research finding which vehicle would be the best match for me. All factors considered, I settled on the above mentioned vehicle.

Well....last night, I had a local mechanic (20 years in the bizz) swear up and down that the VW is NOT a wise investment. His reason, simply because after your warranty is up; any further maintaince and repairs, are very expensive and parts are NOT readily available such as they would be with other brands.

Honestly, I fell in love with the VW Jetta TDI even before owning it. However listening to this mechanic preach, I am very hesitant moving forward with the purschase. I know 1 mechanic is 1 source and 1 opinion, but it is a credible one nonetheless.

I am hoping to get some solid input addressing this concern from the VW TDI veterans on this forum. Thankyou for reading.

Roughneck said:

Hi all, I'm brand new to the forum and about to be the first time owner of a 2012 VW Jetta TDI Sedan....(maybe)

Being in the market for a new car, I had spent hours of research finding which vehicle would be the best match for me. All factors considered, I settled on the above mentioned vehicle.

Well....last night, I had a local mechanic (20 years in the bizz) swear up and down that the VW is NOT a wise investment. His reason, simply because after your warranty is up; any further maintaince and repairs, are very expensive and parts are NOT readily available such as they would be with other brands.

Honestly, I fell in love with the VW Jetta TDI even before owning it. However listening to this mechanic preach, I am very hesitant moving forward with the purschase. I know 1 mechanic is 1 source and 1 opinion, but it is a credible one nonetheless.

I am hoping to get some solid input addressing this concern from the VW TDI veterans on this forum. Thankyou for reading.

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You need to talk to a different wrench, the situation for a TDI service and parts couldn't be different. The key question is are you willing/able to do the 10K and 20K service yourself? I maintain 3 TDIs, a 2003 Jetta, 2006 New Beetle w/DSG, and a 2009 JSW w/DSG and between myself and a local guru the cars never see a dealer. Yes while the JSW was within the 36K dealer supplied service a VW dealer was used and was watched by me like a hawk after all I paid for it in the purchase price. If you are going to always use a dealer for service expect to take it in the shorts, example if I do the 10K service on the Beetle it costs about $40 for oil and filter and about 1.5 hours of my time to do the tire rotation and inspections, dealer cost $125 and who knows if they used the correct oil. THE DEALER IS NOT YOUR FRIEND in the land of VW. Use the search here to read the horror stories of dealer service but don't let that scare you away but be warned. As for parts and prices we have vendors that can supply almost any part at a discount from what a VW dealer would charge. TDIs are great cars but are not for everyone, their is a great deal of information here about our cars and better yet solutions, read,read,read.
Junp62

Roughneck said:

Hi all, I'm brand new to the forum and about to be the first time owner of a 2012 VW Jetta TDI Sedan....(maybe)

Being in the market for a new car, I had spent hours of research finding which vehicle would be the best match for me. All factors considered, I settled on the above mentioned vehicle.

Well....last night, I had a local mechanic (20 years in the bizz) swear up and down that the VW is NOT a wise investment. His reason, simply because after your warranty is up; any further maintaince and repairs, are very expensive and parts are NOT readily available such as they would be with other brands.

Honestly, I fell in love with the VW Jetta TDI even before owning it. However listening to this mechanic preach, I am very hesitant moving forward with the purschase. I know 1 mechanic is 1 source and 1 opinion, but it is a credible one nonetheless.

I am hoping to get some solid input addressing this concern from the VW TDI veterans on this forum. Thankyou for reading.

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The only issue/concern would be the unresolved HPFP issue. FWIW and IMO, VWs are built better and are of higher quality then other vehicles out there. The maintenance cost (when done correctly) are in line with other vehicles.

Roughneck said:

.......Well....last night, I had a local mechanic (20 years in the bizz) swear up and down that the VW is NOT a wise investment. His reason, simply because after your warranty is up; any further maintaince and repairs, are very expensive and parts are NOT readily available such as they would be with other brands.

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mostly not true, you do want to find a real mechanic (not him). Parts are readily available, cost is closer to japanese cars that Mercedes or BMW. There are some expensive parts in the diesels which don't always hold up well.
This reminds me of all the old hicks who would swear up and down, how great their chevys are, ford and mopar suck (replace any brand with the other). Well, if you've gotten inside these cars for repairs, etc., there obviously very, very similar.
I do believe VW quality is a notch below Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Subaru

You need a new mechanic. But sreiously, they ARE more expensive to purchase and maintain than many other cars. They also are a nicer car, and worth every penny IMHO.

Lots of techs simply are ignorant about these cars. Which is sad, because they are NOT hard to service, nor source parts for.

(oh, and THIS mechanic loves his Volkswagens!).

It might be easier to address your concerns if you list your alternatives to the Jetta.
Also, what are your requirements for the car (commute / travel, miles driven, passengers / cargo transported / price level / how long do you plan to keep it)?

If you are looking for a diesel car, there are no alternatives at this price level.
There are luxury diesel cars and SUVs that cost significantly more money.
If you are looking for an economy car, there are high MPG gas cars, electric cars,
and hybrids, but there are important differences.

This forum serves a very important function in my TDI ownership experience, but you have to be willing to invest your time in reading the posts and joining the discussions. You will find solutions to common problems, as well as valuable advice.

Good luck with your decision.

Speaking form over 30 years of working on and driving VW diesels, get a new mechanic...........One familiar with German cars.

I have observed that VW's are no less reliable than Asian models that have a better than deserved rap today. German cars are much more "fun" to drive than any Asian model I have driven in the last 25 years. German cars in general, VW's & Audi's in particular have features not seen on any other models on the road today. That higher tech does come at a price in parts and sticker, but to me and a lot of others it's worth the cost.

And I speak with current experience with new ( less than 5 years old )Toyota's and Honda's today. I have one of each along with my two VW's today. The Toyota a late model Corolla doesn't drive that bad but I truly hate to drive my 05 Accord. I would rather drive my 26 year old Jetta any day over either one of these.

If you like the a new VW TDI, buy it and you are just as likely to have a long trouble free life as any similar size Asian model sold today. But make sure you are either well informed on repairs before you do them if you can or have a good German car mechanic that specializes in VW diesels.........and dealers are pretty useless when comes to making repairs on these things so don't count on them for your maintenance.

On parts, VW parts are just as widely available as any other model sold today. Another plus is the fact that the current TDI-CR 2.0L 140hp is today installed in 5 models ( Audi A3, Jetta, Jetta Wagon, Golf, & Passat ) with one being added ( the New Beetle II ) by the end of the year in the US. This fact will make engine parts easily available in coming years.

New VWs are not cheap cars, and my experience with VW dealers is horrible. I'm convinced the only way to be happy with a TDI long term is to find a specialized mechanic that can service it reasonably, and not just replace expensive parts. Since TDIs are such a small segment of the US car market, the number of qualified mechanics is pretty tiny. Unfortunately, this usually means even the dealer's mechanics don't know how to solve any problems, and their whole service structure is set up to generate revenue for the dealership, not solve problems in the most economical way.

The combination of performance and fuel economy is pretty hard to beat.

I like VWs (obviously). And I've had great luck with all of mine. But they do take a different approach than competing cars. First, you have to avoid the dealer for almost everything, including warranty repairs. Second, you have to find someone who's truly an expert at maintaining these cars or they will become money pits. Third, you have to be a sensitive operator to make sure you don't overlook a small problem that can become a big one.

I talk to customers all day who've spend thousands of dollars at dealers and independent mechanics only still not have their TDI running properly. And I also frequently talk to customers who've ignored maintenance issues that subsequently become big problems. Examples; failed lift pump that takes out the tandem pump; worn rear shocks that take out axle bushings; low boost that carbons up and destroys the turbo; and, of course, the classic ignored timing belt replacement that takes out the cylinder head.

A friend of mine recently had a Silverado total her '93 BMW 3 series. She's looking for a replacement. I suggested a 4-door Golf 2.5. I don't think she's up for the diesel ownership experience. And there are a lot of people out there like that. You have decide if you're up for owning a diesel VW. If so, the rewards are great. If not, you'll probably be very unhappy.

It is a money pit there fore you must sell your car to me for one dollar and sign the title over to me.

I've only owned one VW (my current Golf), but of the 30 cars I've owned since 1970, it's my favorite, and most reliable, hands down. As IndigoBlueWagon said a couple of posts ago, they do require a certain amount of involvement from the owner. They are not "gas 'n go" cars like Hondas or Toyotas. If it says to change the timing belt at 100K miles, they don't mean 105K miles. If it says to use a certain kind of oil or fluid (and they do), then USE that certain oil or fluid. Don't take it Jiffy Lube and use the cheapest thing they have.

And like has been mentioned before, find a local TDI guru to service your car if you don't do it yourself. You can find a list of them in the sticky in this section. Even if they are an hour or so away, it's worth the time and they are usually cheaper too.

Don't let the horror stories put you off. First, no one (but me) gets on here and posts about how great their cars are. They post when they have problems. Second, the horror stories you hear from others are usually from people who have never owned a VW, or treated their (usually gas powered) VW like a Honda or Toyota then get mad when it breaks.

VWs don't have to be a money pit if you're a smart and informed owner.

As I am fond of saying, "VWs are a harsh mistress". They do not tolerate half-a$$ maintenance. Do things on time, beware of your car, and she will reward you. Skimp on oil changes, timing belts, etc., then proceed at your own peril.

When my friends ask if they should get a VW, I ask them if they are comfortable either doing their own work or taking their car to an independent mechanic. Most of them say "no", so I tell them to go Hyundai

Roughneck said:

Hi all, I'm brand new to the forum and about to be the first time owner of a 2012 VW Jetta TDI Sedan....(maybe)

Being in the market for a new car, I had spent hours of research finding which vehicle would be the best match for me. All factors considered, I settled on the above mentioned vehicle.

Well....last night, I had a local mechanic (20 years in the bizz) swear up and down that the VW is NOT a wise investment. His reason, simply because after your warranty is up; any further maintaince and repairs, are very expensive and parts are NOT readily available such as they would be with other brands.

Honestly, I fell in love with the VW Jetta TDI even before owning it. However listening to this mechanic preach, I am very hesitant moving forward with the purschase. I know 1 mechanic is 1 source and 1 opinion, but it is a credible one nonetheless.

I am hoping to get some solid input addressing this concern from the VW TDI veterans on this forum. Thankyou for reading.

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Your mechanic does not seem to be at all aware about EU based vehicle manufactures.
EU law makes things exactly opposite of what your friend describes. Note I am not saying parts are cheap, I am saying they are readily available.

If he said VW just SUCKS, now that could be open for debate.

Oh, and btw, no car is a wise investment

I think you should ask several TDI owners, current or previous, that has had a High Pressure Fuel Pump failure on their 2009 through 2012 tdi, particularly one that had a failure outside of the 36k mile warranty, and had to pay for it themselves... if their car is a money pit. If they got rid of their new TDI's, ask them why. Get both sides of the story.

"VWs are a harsh mistress"

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... I like it !
=

Oh, and btw, no car is a wise investment

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...I agree. I've long said that interest in cars (ie. being a "car guy") is a genetic defect. Unfortunately, it's a defect I have...

I would go into the MKVI Forum and ask people who actually own the car what they think, they would have gone through the same process in weighing the pros and cons as you are now. They would also have real world experience on the vehicle that you are looking at. From what I can see in that Forum there aren't many issues with the exception of the recall for the chrome extenders on the tailpipes being too long(burn hazard) and the new recall for some of the fuel lines for the #2 injector - one supplier seems to have provided flawed pipes - so they are replacing those and installing harmonic dampeners on all affected models (rubber mounts).
I prefer a car maker who actually issues recalls to those who issue TSBs and only fix those who complain AND who know about the TSB - which seems to be the way North American car makes deal with issues.
I own a 2012 Jetta TDI and am very happy with it so far, I haven't been called for my fuel line recall yet but was called for a "Flash Update to the ECU" which I will get today. When I am at the dealership I will ask about the fuel line recall and get the fix installed.

No car, is a wise investment. In fact, automobile acquirement is just one of lifes discernments. They are all just POS's held together with nuts and bolts and some color added. Now transportation is a must for some and VW's are one of the choices we have.

Just as the VW air-coolers allowed the owner to manage their vehicle from 1939-2003(WorldWide). The current VW H2O's with all the information through sites such as here (Best Site Ever) and other VW ones, as well. Many issues can be solved by the owner. A well seasoned mechanic(not technician), more specifically, a TDI mechanic and owner knowledge, can be part of a Great Life Long Experience.

Volkswagen is not just a car, it is truly a way of life. If all your looking for is A-B turn the key. Then get a different breed.


Cheerz

I think from a statistical point of view the VW TDI's can come under a very harsh and unforgiving microscope. I own a 04 Honda Civic and 03 Jetta TDI. Probably 200,000 + and less than 9,000 were made, respectively. The math here is simple to do.

Be that as it may, I did a cost analysis @ like miles 110,000/120,000 miles to 100,000 miles. The Civic cost $955+ for the timing belt and water pump change and a host of other things that Honda mandates: vs $600.00 for the VW timing belt and water pump change. The Honda Civic in this anecdotal case costs app 59% more than the VW. I can detail the items if that is of interest.Yet, the Honda Civic far and away gets credit for being FAR cheaper than the Jetta. Keep in mind this is an apples to oranges comparison.

ruking said:

I think from a statistical point of view the VW TDI's can come under a very harsh and unforgiving microscope. I own a 04 Honda Civic and 03 Jetta TDI. Probably 200,000 + and less than 9,000 were made, respectively. The math here is simple to do.

Be that as it may, I did a cost analysis @ like miles 110,000/120,000 miles to 100,000 miles. The Civic cost $955+ for the timing belt and water pump change and a host of other things that Honda mandates: vs $600.00 for the VW timing belt and water pump change. The Honda Civic in this anecdotal case costs app 59% more than the VW. I can detail the items if that is of interest.Yet, the Honda Civic far and away gets credit for being FAR cheaper than the Jetta. Keep in mind this is an apples to oranges comparison.

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You really should look for just how many Volkswagens are built world-wide. Honda does not even sell a Civic in Japan, however. LOTS of Volkswagens built, just not many sold here.

I was in your position last year only I wasn't looking to buy a new car. My mechanic who I've had for 20 years said don't buy a VW unless you've got a warrantee. I decided to buy a VW anyway. I've always owned Nissan's and recently a Toytota pick up. You can't ignore basic maintenance on tdi's. If you aren't willing to do it yourself you better have a good mechanic. I knew when I bought my TDI wagon it was a gamble but I figured even if I had to put 2k into the car it would still be cheaper than buying a new one. I have 2005 PD wagon with 176k miles. During the past year I've replaced the timeing belt, brakes, tires, shocks, lift pump, door lock module and suspension and now my injectors need rebuilding and my intercooler has a leak. I did my homework and I knew what to expect but I'm a little surprised at how much it's costing me. I'm not ready to give up on my TDI. By now I've replaced all the worn out stuff but it's not cheap. A buddy of mine has a Camry that he bought with 50k miles on it and it's now over a 100k. He's done nothing to it BUT it's a boring ride. I tease him "camrys are for people who don't care WHAT they drive". His prior car was an infiniti G20 that had over 320k miles on it before he gave it away. If you take care of your car it should last but there is a lot more to go wrong with a TDI. Would I do it again? I don't know. Right now my greatest fear is someone will hit me and total the car and I'll get a fraction of what it's worth to me. But that's always a gamble when you buy used. Still, it's a fun car to drive

oilhammer said:

You really should look for just how many Volkswagens are built world-wide. Honda does not even sell a Civic in Japan, however. LOTS of Volkswagens built, just not many sold here.

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Normally yes. However the only ones that matter are the population let into our country. Have you ever tried to get a non US compliant VW TDI into the country? If things were "PAR", you wouldn't have to even give it a second thought, let alone go through the EXTREME hassles.

I have had both a 2000 TDI and 1990 1.6 (that I'm working on right now). The TDI gave me the biggest headache I've ever had with a vehicle and left me stranded over and over on a cold weather flaw. I finally figured it out due to this site and you can read here if you are interested http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=68872 . My ownership ended when a belt tensioner failed - not sure who's fault that was.

I have driven my 1.6 from 100K to 170K and have put over $2500 into it (and that's with a very competent and cheap mechanic doing the work). I'm not sure if this is mostly a delayed maintenance expense, a normal maintenance expense, or even something that shouldn't be considered all that expensive but the fact remains it sure seems like these cars aren't that easy to keep on the road. That said, I guess I still love these cars for some unknown reason.

Beautiful agony

As a new 2012 TDI SW owner, and growing up with 4 well loved and driven to DEATH bug's, my love for these cars is unshaken . Yes I agree ,they can be a Domentrix at times but they are not for turn key or lazy owner/drivers. Do your home work, ask questions and R E A D! ! and like us ..you will fall in love...

My TDI is the first non-Chevrolet I've ever owned. I like Chevy's, grew up with them back in the day. But this TDI is a real road machine! Feels so solid, even at 380K miles, and is such a pleasure to drive at high speeds. I'm lucky to have a guru only 40 minutes from me, so I do basic maintenance myself and leave more involved things for him.

My 2000 Jetta TDI (purchased in March of '02 with 45k miles on it) has cost me less than 15 cents per mile to own and maintain (everything from original cost to windshield washer fluid!).............that includes everything but the sale value now. So, consider it's worth, the cost would probably be close to 13 cents per mile. Now, go find me a Prius, Honda, Ford, Yota, etc., that can hold up to that...............oh, and it is fun to drive, approaching 300k miles!

I never owned a car that had to go back to the dealer more than my '09. Things breaking and falling off and there were the dealers to contend with. Buy another one? Nah.

I never looked at my 2003 like AndyBees but I was recently updating my Fuelly and realized from the stats that the car cost me 7 cents a mile some years and the max was 11 cents a mile. I kept all my receipts and the maintenance wasn't bad, brakes, one headlight bulb, tie rod ends, basic wear and tear parts. The only failure I had was one front spring broke so I replaced them all with H&R Sport Springs for the less than the cost of one spring from the dealer.

The most expensive maintenance was the timing belt and that was for the Metalnerd tools, VAGCOM and timing belt kit from Roseland, I did the timing belt myself and after another 100K Kms its still running strong. Of course I just traded it in for a 2012 Jetta TDI with 48 Month Bumper to Bumper warranty and 60 months on the Powertrain so won't be wrenching for a while. The most rewarding, and cheapest maintenance was cleaning out the intake and getting all that power back, it was also the messiest job.....

My 2003 Jetta was the most exciting/fun car to drive out of all the Mazdas, Nissans, Peugots, Volvos, Chevys, Rovers, Fords, MGs, and Triumphs that I have owned. It did not have excessive mechanical failures, some of my repairs were not required as well, like the time I replaced all the front wheel bearings only to find the noise was from bad tires!

If you maintain your car well and drive it hard then it should perform for years of enjoyable ownership, these cars are highway machines and that doesn't mean 8 lanes of boredom on cruise control, more of the backroad twisty lanes that allow you to drive it like it was intended. At least give it a good run on the weekend if your daily drive is boring! If you look at the specs on the new MKVI TDI with the 6MT it looks like it will hit 130 MPH and is actually faster than the gasser.... not that we will ever need that speed.