FS: 2003 Golf TDi, silver, manual - Pittsburgh PA

SOLD!

UPDATED 12/14 @ 19:00 AFTER FIRST "SALE" FELL THROUGH: I'm selling my 2003 Golf GLS TDi, silver/charcoal interior, 164,0XX miles, manual, new TB at 160K miles, located in Pittsburgh (Plum Boro), PA 15239 (got a Sportwagen due to bigger family size). Asking $5500.

The Bad:
- Passenger front fender dented due to a low-speed incident with my wife's SUV in the driveway. Purely cosmetic, about two years ago, zero rust on the creases.
- Poorly touched up scratches on the rear hatch, and a 1" dent on the passenger rear door plastic trim. Both these were on the car when I bought it. Miscellaneous other small scratches and chips consistent with a 7-year-old vehicle. Paint still waxes up very nicely though.
- Passenger front door doesn't always open from the outside because the cable from the handle to the latch mechanism needs adjusted or put back onto the mechanism. Been this way since I cut the wires to the microswitch for the interior lights after it started staying on about two years ago and I didn't have time to do it. Easy but time consuming fix.
- MIL is on for #3 Glow Plug and I've narrowed it down to needing a new harness, haven't got around to it.

The Good:
- Timing belt and all accessories changed at 160K miles by John Andriezewski in New Jersey this August, have receipt. The old water pump had a rare premature failure, hence the off-interval change.
- Panzer plate, EGR delete, homemade CCV filter, aftermarket taillights (due to a cracked driver side lens) all installed
- MAF changed out in July after original one degraded/failed
- Glow plugs changed out in August for troubleshooting MIL and routine maintenance.
- Always ran correct full synthetic oil
- Used recommended amount of DieselKleen on 95% of fill-ups for the last 100K miles for no good reason other than overkill preventive measures.
- Has sunroof, Monsoon sound, working heated cloth seats
- Mufflerectomy, glasspack with nicer tip installed
- I'll throw in my Bentley manual and timing belt tools less the crank lock that I lost, for a full-price purchase (will sell separately otherwise AFTER the car is gone).
- I have most of the receipts for stuff that go with the car.
- Clean Pennsylvania title, I own it outright
- Valid Pennsylvania inspection good through 8/2011

Other Stuff:
- Both front fenders, hood, grille and radiator were professionally replaced and repainted after I rear-ended a guy at low speed in 2007. I have receipts.
- Alternator replaced in 2007 after it threw a pulley at 90K miles.
- Tires are Walmart no-names, probably have at least 10K left on them (30K+ on them now).
- I am the second owner, bought used from VW dealership in Allentown PA in 2006 with 48K miles on it. Previous owner was allegedly a retired German couple, I have all dealer maintenance records from my purchase.

I got the car starting and running reliably now (original non-start condition was due to completely dead battery being caused by my new GPS left plugged in 24-7 slowly draining the battery - I can explain in graphic detail if you're interested but it starts/runs normally now even after three days outside in 15* nights). Weather permitting I will run it through the carwash and get a few nicer pics hopefully Sunday.

Based on the fact that this is now a running car I have updated my asking price to $5500. Yes I might be able to get a little more but I think that's a fair price and I want to move it ASAP (2 drivers + 3 cars = unhappy wife!). Not to say I'm not open to fair discussion but don't expect to get it for free. Please email me at sdchanoski@yahoo.com as I don't get to check here as often as I do email. Thanks for looking!

Sam Chanoski

Your going to have to put a battery in it and get it started otherwise 99% of people will price it based on a non-running car = same as bad motor. Lot of people looking for 5 speed golfs on here so will be worth having that done.

email sent. DIBS!!! cash in hand!!!!
Peter

these cars are going fast....a day late is a car lost

He has not posted sold yet. Just because someone say's they want or are going to buy your car, doesn't mean they will. I still would not pay $4500 for a car that isn't running. If it's just a bad battery, I'd spend $100 and drop a new one in, then ask for more money. If you guy to buy a car that won't start you always have to assume the worst. Each to his own I guess.

SALE PENDING, expect about a week to take care of some logistical issues with the transfer. Draco, your point is well taken. The car is running now (battery was TOTALLY dead) but FWIW, sale price is as originally posted. I will update once finally sold, or if it becomes available. Thanks

Sam

I'm local and had an OEM battery good enough to get it running and keep it running.

I saw the for sale post right after you started the thread and based on price for a non-running car didn't think it was a bargain.

Had I thought of my extra battery I could have helped you out though.

Good luck with the sale.

Glad to hear you got it running, you could have got more Lots of people on here looking for a 5 speed golf. Including myself need to sell my other beetle first though and maybe the other golf.

My auto golf would not start last week due to me leaving the lights on all night and it being cold as hell the next morning. Was a pain to get it started after, we had to jump it and leave the other car running for a good 15 mins to get enough charge before it would even try to start.

I was just trying to tell ya $100 for a battery could have ment an extra $1,000 or more on the price. That and lots of people won't touch a non running car because you can't test drive it to see what the heck else is wrong with it. I wasn't trying to say your car would not run just that it would be worth putting the battery into it.

Talk is cheap. Claiming you could have gotten more for a car is just hot air. Without producing a cash buyer, it is all just talk.

Powder Hound said:

Talk is cheap. Claiming you could have gotten more for a car is just hot air. Without producing a cash buyer, it is all just talk.

Click to expand...

It's a fact most people will pay more for a car thats running then one that is not. Unless they are smoking crack then maybe you are right.

Bump for today

Hope everyone had a merry Christmas. I ran it through the carwash this morning and got some better pics...

Ah nice, car Ya like I said some people say, I'LL TAKE IT! Then they can't get the money or the wife says NO!.

Plenty of people looking for a 5 speed golf, just wish I was not broke.

Have you tried putting the old tailights back in the car to see if this cures the tailight situation? Would not want to try and drive this thing home with no lights.

The driver side OEM tail light assembly had the plastic piece shattered beyond repair so I replaced both with aftermarkets (no used OEMs or reasonably priced new OEMs were available at the time), and tossed the one destroyed and one good original tail light.

Here is exactly what it does: with the headlights OFF everything works as it should. With the headlights ON the clear tail lights do not light up, and the ECU senses this fact and to compensate turns ON all three brake lights all the time the headlights are on, as well as makes the glow plug light on the dash flash (the brake lights on and flashing GP light are doing exactly what VW designed them to do when the tail lights don't illuminate). I agree this is not an ideal way to drive around, but I did for quite some time with no issues.

I am continuing to play around with it to try to fix it as my very limited free time permits, and will update if there's any change.

Sam

You put in your ad that the front fenders and hood were replaced. Did you have to replace anything else? If so what all did they replace? Did the repair shop use volkswagen parts or china aftermarket stuff. Does the title you have say rebuild or salvage? The battery you just put in is it the correct type for this car(CCA)? Also do you have any under hood pictures? Sorry about all the questions just trying to get a better idea of cars condition. Thanks

Both front fenders, the hood, the radiator, the upper grille (vhere the VW emblem is) and both headlight assemblies were replaced and possibly some minor bracketry/hardware; the shop was VW certified and all the parts were OEM far as I know (the new headlights have the correct VW markings/numbers/German on them for sure); everything looks/feels/operates and was priced like OEM. The shop did an AWESOME job and I am a picky guy who's not given to undue praise.

It is a normal title, NOT an R or salvage, nothing with the title even came into play with the repairs.

The battery in it was installed in February 2010; it's a MAXX-47N rated for 590ish CCA, and was the correct battery for the car per the Everstart application guide. I did not replace it after the no-start trouble, I recharged it and had Walmart do a load test on it where it passed all checks (I have receipt and test printout from this), and it passes all the checks in the Bentley manual. It is still under full replacement warranty for 2 years, and then prorated for another six. The problem was my GPS never shutting off slowly draining the battery; removed it and all was better.

I will get and post an underhood pic tomorrow.

Underhood pics posted in the post with the other photos. The issue with the tail lights has been fixed, they are all now working completely as they should be. The problem was a mistake in the wiring of the aftermarket harnesses for the lights I installed, the pinouts did not match the car. I rewired them correctly and all is good there.

draco76 said:

It's a fact most people will pay more for a car thats running then one that is not. Unless they are smoking crack then maybe you are right.

Click to expand...

I agree. My only point was telling someone they could have gotten more applies to getting more in the same situation but holding out for a buyer who will pay more. Getting more for a running vs nonrunning car is absolutely correct.

sold! It runs great now.

Nice, what did you end up getting for it? Just wanted to see if I was right or not I was thinking like $5kish. Thought $4500 too low but $5500 little high so 5K sounded about right.