What Would You Pay For A 98 TDI 5spd?

Hey Guys, I had a 98 TDI 5spd with just 90k miles come up available where I am. Its the brighter blue color and looks immaculate. Its barebones and has manual windows. What would you guys want to buy one for? I'm not super interested in it myself, but might pick it up just to enable another TDI guy to get into it. Personally I need a wagon to be able to justify getting another TDI. Let me know! Thanks.

Tom

I bought a 98 5 speed jetta tdi a year and a half ago for $1900. It had 140k miles on it. I changed timing belt, fixed leaky fuel return lines, and replaced driver side lock mechanism with one from the junk yard. All in all I figure I have $2200 into it.

It's my daily driver and has been trouble free and gets 50 mpg. Also has no rust. I feel like I got a pretty good deal.

Another reference point. A functioning ahu or 1z engine with only 90k miles on it have been sold for well over $1500...just the engine. I would think the car you are talking about is worth somewhere between 2000 and 3000 assuming the body is in good condition and rust free.

wyopel said:

I bought a 98 5 speed jetta tdi
Also has no rust.

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your in washington right?, question if you would, where did you buy the car from, where did the car originally come from? just a question.

smee907 said:

Hey Guys, I had a 98 TDI 5spd with just 90k miles come up available where I am.
Its barebones and has manual windows.

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barebones can mean a couple of things, one question does it have A/C?, is it all in one piece, as original, more or less?
90kmi is low mileage, it of course doesnt tell you everything, but is an interesting starting point.

no more than 1500

Assuming it's a super nice car, I could easily see it going for $3k+. Especially since it's a Porcelain Blue car. That was a one year only color, if I remember right. If it's not such a nice car, the price will drop off pretty quick.

I paid nearly $18k for one.

Mine was a GLS w/ lux though. And it had 7 miles on it.

I could see someone paying $3k+ for a really, really nice one now.

Just to be clear, "bare bones" just means it has lifetime windows (GL trim), that is pretty much it. Sunroofs were a standalone option on the GL (very rare), as was ABS and side airbags (also very rare).

So a GL with only the standard equipment would be BETTER to me.

Well, I had a chance to look at it today and there's a dent on the passenger rear door and trim missing on the front driver's door. I smell fuel only from inside of it, and there's a check eng. light and airbag light and it needs a battery, so I'd have to get it fairly cheap to be comfortable investing into fixing it. That being said, I've bought other cheap ones before and sold them for good amounts even with them being very rough, but the ones that I sold were both 4th gens and I don't have experience with 3rd gens. Thanks for the input guys, I really appreciate you taking the time to give me your input. I'll post what it ends up selling for (local dealer auction). I imagine that it'll sell for $1500-$2000, but who knows.

so your at a dealer auction, so obviously if your going to get it get it for the least you can,, like you said above $1500-$2000 sounds about right. maybe some more, maybe some less, depending. anyways its not like your going to get that much if/when you resale it, whether you put more into it or so, more work &$.
3rd gens can be quite nice, getting a 'bit' old(to say the least), that one obviously needs some work, no telling how much more, at this point. battery usually not much a problem, CEL, no real telling problem, would be a plus+ if you could run a scan codes, cannt be sure if that all right up front. A-B light can be a problem, again no real telling up front. just saying still(at this point).

It ended up selling for $2200. That being said, TDIs are a hot commodity up here and NADA books it as a classic now and the book was $3500-$5100, so for the right dealer with the right people lined out, it would be a no brainer with a little fixing. I'm looking for a wagon for myself, so this one was just a grab it if its cheap kind of deal. It would have been an excellent candidate for restoring and keeping because overall the body was in nice shape aside from 1 dent and some trim needs. No rust is hard to find on these cars up here. It looked like it was garage kept, then traded in. Thanks again, guys!

Tom

$4000 and over for these cars is getting over-priced, i can see difference in prices for areas, but here, im on the east coast $4000 has to be in real good condition. and then its a pretty old model.
eeh if you had bought for that $2200 and had been able to sell for the supposed value of $3500-$5100, could have made a few bucks. i see your turn-over, nice way to make a few$.

It had rust. I guarantee it. Pretty much all A3s do at this point. Very few have survived.

I tried to sell mine 3 years ago asking $2000 since I had just put new tires and bilsteins on. Garage kept, no rust that I can find. Got one offer for $1200.

Maybe it's just my location, but anyway glad It didn't sell.

(echo)dont sell...

why would you want to sell yours for $2000 if its in such good condition, what would you get from it. like you said glad it didnt sell.

iluvmydiesels said:

(echo)dont sell...
why would you want to sell yours for $2000 if its in such good condition, what would you get from it. like you said glad it didnt sell.

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I had purchased a 2014 jetta tdi ( bought back - dieselgate) the 98 had already been sitting for half a year, was thinking i'd free up a space in the garage and save $ on insurance/tags.

yea having a car just sitting around is usually, &easily bad; usually for it. and not having it insured makes it tend to just sit. i start mine and drive,,a bit, each couple of months. helps over all i think.

Jetta SS said:

I tried to sell mine 3 years ago asking $2000 since I had just put new tires and bilsteins on. Garage kept, no rust that I can find. Got one offer for $1200.

Maybe it's just my location, but anyway glad It didn't sell.

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how much you want for her now? id think about it, if its still could be for sale.
if so, its possible i can make it down there to get,,a big if, but possible.

I've been driving the '98 since I turned the '14 in last year. Took about $1200 of that money and got a respray, heater core, tb, battery, & fresh fluids to get it back on the road.

Once I get back to making some better money I'm going to get something new again. I'm usually 300 miles from home working, and having an older vehicle like this is a risk.

I'll give you first dibs.

let me know. may consider,

Any MK3 that has less than 100k on it I'd be sure to make sure the word "total" is on the odometer- if not, add 300k to the odometer.....

tdidieselbobny said:

Any MK3 that has less than 100k on it I'd be sure to make sure the word "total" is on the odometer- if not, add 300k to the odometer.....

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Worth quoting.

There was a '98 TDI on my local craigslist a year or two ago that was posted as only having 60k miles on it for a decent price. I checked the pictures and noticed total missing from the odometer display. I didn't even bother contacting the person about the car. It was suddenly way overpriced.

Funny that this thread came up. I have a 98 Jetta TDI sitting in my shop. I had just done the timing belt and changed coolant. Took it out for a test drive and a brake line burst.

Car has has solid rockers and strut towers, but floor pan needs work... again! Too bad, because the AHU is a strong runner @ 170k.

60k whether or not true, isnt necessarily a good running car, at this point getting old for such lo mileage; for one. not to say w/a missing odometer, no telling, on that and more, take your chance. id quit on that one too.

as far as john, ive done some floor work, depends on which car, havent recently on 'newer' models. if everything is together and in order, get your floor straightened out, i remove as much as i can, everything if i can. get floor exposed, put up on stands and make a go at it. before finishing, depending on how involved total 'fix' is, i get formula 301 on all exposed metal, wash off, and finish off. the rest, motor and such may be good for a while,,