Perfectreign
Veteran Member
What is that white stuff on the ground?
What is that white stuff on the ground?
That's the stuff we wait for while putting up with Summer. I was wondering how he was going to get out of that parking space.What is that white stuff on the ground?
I probably drive three times as many miles each year as you do and spend three times as much on maintenance and repairs. But I think it's worth it.If you maintain your MK4, I am sure it will last forever.
I got this car for 4 years now and it cost me a grand total of 7000$. Purchase, repairs and minor upgrades here and there. (Nozzles, chip, leather seats... repairs are brakes, suspension, mags, tires...
I think 1750 a year is well worth the money for a great running, fuel efficient car
I don't think this is true. MKIV values have pretty much bottomed out. They took a hit when the bought back TDIs were released for sale, since people could get a much newer TDI with a good warranty for a reasonable price. You can buy a decent MKIV TDI manual for $1,000-$1,500 these days. And Jetta Wagons (probably the most expensive) are available for $2-$3K.One other thing about Mk4 TDIs: they don't depreciate. Not really. The value is not what year they were made or even how many miles are on the odometer, but how they are cared for.
I find myself having to talk people into some common sense, and assuring them that numbers in an odometer are not a direct indication of a car's "life" and that it is almost always a better long term plan to keep them in good order for as long as possible.
I do realize that people do often get tired of a car and/or simply want something different just because.
In the case of the ALH+manual cars in particular (the BEW a close second), there really hasn't been anything before or since that hits the mark so squarely on the bull's eye for 'Economy-Longevity-Performance'. They really do somehow land in a zone that, at least in this country, really have no rivals. There are certainly other cars that do some things as good, or close to as good, but nothing that does it all as easily.
My biggest concern going forward is parts availability beyond normal wear service parts. Things like center consoles, door panels, seat covers, window glass, trunk harnesses, and a million other little items are already on the NLA list, and it isn't like finding good used items is getting any easier, especially when they all are subject to the same failure points.
This is the biggest kicker on all vehicles. My father restores vehicles older vehicles and I restores vehicles and notes that it's the small little things that eats up the budget, not the large items like the drivetrain. Eventually, anything that is not metal will need to be replaced. How l long that is, I'm not sure for the modern materials. But any car my father restores from the '80s, '70s or '60s ends up having almost any non metal part replaced. My Ram is starting to have the same issues, door handles becoming brittle, door panels, the dash. I can keep the engine and drivetrain running for the rest of my life, and I can do bodywork, but the little things are making me contemplate an upgrade.snip
My biggest concern going forward is parts availability beyond normal wear service parts. Things like center consoles, door panels, seat covers, window glass, trunk harnesses, and a million other little items are already on the NLA list, and it isn't like finding good used items is getting any easier, especially when they all are subject to the same failure points.