VW Diesel Engine Life Survey

Metalnerd

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Nov 14, 2000
Location
Greensburg, PA, USA
TDI
96 Passat TDI Storm Grey
What is the most miles/km thay you have put on a VW diesel engine? I always seemed to buy mine @ 80K mi. and loose interest by 150K and make a trade.

I know of someone who drove a Rabbit for 380,000 miles / 600,000 km. with original block, head and tranny. No engine work except for a couple of injection pumps and a handful of waterpumps and alternators.

How about your high mileage VW/Audi diesel?
 

BawlsyTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2001
TDI
jetta, someday a getta, 2001, baltic green
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Metalnerd:
What is the most miles/km thay you have put on a VW diesel engine? I always seemed to buy mine @ 80K mi. and loose interest by 150K and make a trade.

I know of someone who drove a Rabbit for 380,000 miles / 600,000 km. with original block, head and tranny. No engine work except for a couple of injection pumps and a handful of waterpumps and alternators.

How about your high mileage VW/Audi diesel?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The first Diesel my folks owned had over 300,000 on it when they sold it. I occationally see it today, they sold it 8 or 10 years ago. I would guess that it has 500,000 miles on it now. I'm not sure as I've only seen it on the road not parked.
 

dieseldorf

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
TDI
ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
metalnerd, we have 96k on our '96 wagon. I suspect we will go quite a bit farther with that car since there are no replacement/equivalent cars available in this country. The car has been a trouble-free pleasure to have around especially when one considers the current price of guzz-oline!

I would buy a new diesel wagon tomorrow if such an animal were available but that's another story.
 

jck66

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 4, 2001
Location
Greenwich, CT, USA
TDI
12 Passat SE / 14 BMW 535d
My '84 Jetta was up to 220k before the body gave up the ghost. Several other VW diesels that my father or I have owned pretty much were in minor fender benders (that totaled them) or had other bodily problems and had to be retired before 200k was reached.
I've seen rabbits with 300k+ and my father-in-law has a 300SD with 225k and climbing.
 

banzai

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2000
Location
East Overshoe, ME
TDI
NB TDI
I have seen many Diesel Rabbits that have 250K+ miles on them- noticing more of them now that I have TDI-
Most died from something other than engine failure.....

My Gas 1984 Rabbit sucked- automatic meant always keeping pedal pushed to FLOOR!- needed front struts- bought 1200bux- sold 500 2 years later- guess I made out ok- Interior of car was IMMACULATE when I bought it- was a highline model wasnt too bad! 130K miles- ran when sold!

[ May 01, 2001: Message edited by: banzai ]
 

justme

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2000
Location
Hanover, NH
The odometer on our '84 diesel Jetta broke at about 180k. We drove it for a few more years (+15k per year) and sold it to a friend who drove it for a few more years. It never died; he just replaced it with a 4wd, which he needed. It's probably still sitting in his driveway.

My '80 diesel rabbit, I can't remember exactly, may have been around 170k when I sold it. Someone drove it around for maybe 3 years after that, at which point the body was too rusty.
 

Metalnerd

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Nov 14, 2000
Location
Greensburg, PA, USA
TDI
96 Passat TDI Storm Grey
Other people that I run into have had high mileage Rabbits, G/J and may say "the odomoeter broke at 250K mi. and we drove it for another 8 years......."

Living in the Rust Belt (we invented rust right here in Pittsburgh), most Rabbit engines outlived their bodies.

Surely one of you guys/gals has a Rabbit in Texas with 850,000 miles on it?

And this was before the popularity of Synthetic engine oils (I am shooting for a million !)
 

DZLguy

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2000
Location
All over Southern Ontario
TDI
Y2k Jetta GLS TDI
A colleague of mine last year, retired his 91 Jetta TD, with 895000km on it. Original motor, but it needed a rad, and serious body work. He tried to kill it many times to no avail. He retired it, mainly because he was concerned that one time he'd hit the brakes, and the body would keep on going.
 

Metalnerd

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Nov 14, 2000
Location
Greensburg, PA, USA
TDI
96 Passat TDI Storm Grey
WOW That is over a half million miles - He was probably ready to give it a rest and change his own scenery. The new TDI-equipped cars are less tiresome on the nerves (with ample power to more than keep up with traffic) and comfy stuff like A/C and power everything. I don't think I will get sick of the Passat. It may nickel-and-dime me to death after 200-300,000 miles but we will see............
 

goldandblack

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2001
Location
Boilerville USA
TDI
TDI 97 Passat
My 86 diesel jetta has 229,364 miles on it.
Body is in good shape, i've had two blown head gaskets, cost under $500 each time. three batteries, 7 glow-plugs, 3 fuel filters , replaced the muffler and tail pipe.
That's about it. I am very pleased with it and use it as my backup car. I'm lucky to put 200 miles on it a month now but I know it is ready in case my 97 tdi Passat goes down. I have 98,386 miles on it and replaced timing belt....oh the diesel jetta is on it's 3rd timing belt. Raise the hood on the passat and the engine is about as clean as when I bought it, no leaking seals.
Great car and how I pray that vw brings the Passat over again with a tdi engine....I'll buy one quick. Happy-TDI-ING......
 

Craig

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 8, 1999
Location
Kitchener, Ont., Canada
1st Rabbit - 1978 diesel bought new, totally worn out engine at 295,000 km. Impossible to start below freezing.


2nd Rabbit 1981 - bought used--starting having the same cold weather starting problems at about 215,000 km so got rid of it quickly.


1st Jetta 'Snow White I' bought used from an amateur diesel mechanic. One of the lower main bearings completely wore out at 265,000 km.
At this time the original timing belt broke distroying the values (hey never knew you had to change those things). Was completely rebuilt with new rings, values and bottom end, by said amateur diesel mechanic. Gave car to him at 410,000 km (too many things needed replacing). Still going strong at 440,000 km with original turbo, which has never been touched and has been leaking oil for the past 250,000 km. He drives the car daily and says it is still the nicest VW diesel he has owned.

2000 Jetta TDI 'Snow White II' 65,000 km and have fingers crossed.
 

clacker

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2000
Location
Oxford Mills, Ontario, Canada
TDI
2015 Golf Wagon TDI DSG Trendline, 2000 Jetta TDI auto, 2008 Mercedes R320, 2006 smart fortwo cdi
Well my record was 600000kms (375000 miles) on a 1985 Jetta td, the head was redone before I had bought the car but the rest was original. I still own it but the repairs cut up with me and it is sitting untill I can find the time... I have serviced a 1990 Jetta turbo diesel with 1.1 million km (687500 miles), it was on its third trans and second engine. I was surprised that it was turbo and still good for so many miles. It was a courier in a rural area. I have owned over six Jettas each with over 350000 kms (220k) and mostly original and still very reliable cars. They all needed a thorough servicing when I bought them but would give a year or two of faithful service and then sell for two or three times what I had invested! I have found the most common problems are running out of trans oil, glow plugs and head gasket or timing belt failures (which is why I ended up with them for under $500).
Greg
 

MattRabbit

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 12, 1999
Location
Orlando, FL, USA
TDI
2015 Golf SE TDI, 2014 Beetle TDI, 1981 Rabbit Diesel


This was taken about a year ago when I installed my tachometer in the beast. It only has about 314,000 on it now, as it's just sitting in the garage awaiting a new injection pump.


Matt

Edit : I forgot to mention, the odometer was broken for a year.


[ May 07, 2001: Message edited by: MattRabbit ]
 

JeffT

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 4, 1999
Location
Diesel is diesel is diesel!
Well over 220,000 miles on my 1980 Dasher (odometer was broken for a few years and stuck at 220,000).

265,000 on my 1983 Quantum TD. I saw this car regularly for at least a couple of years after selling it.
 
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