cephalopod
Well-known member
My 2001 Golf TDI has 330K miles on it and it has some problems (bad compression on one cylinder, possibly needs a new head gasket, seat's uncomfortable, won't shift into 4th gear easily, AC doesn't work). I have primarily run it on B99/B100. Especially as I recently experienced diesel runaway on the hilly mountain freeway I use to commute to work, my wife really wants me to get a newer, more comfortable and reliable car. I care greatly about CO2 emissions; the reasons I bought the car in the first place are the good fuel economy and the ability to use a carbon-neutral fuel like biodiesel.
I know you can't use biodiesel in 2007 or newer TDIs due to the DPF that was added starting that year, but the fueling infrastructure is disappearing (no coincidence there). There is a more widely available product called HPR diesel or "renewable diesel" which can be used in newer TDIs. So I'm thinking that another TDI is still going to be the most eco-friendly commuter car I can find. Reasonably affordable EVs with sufficient range aren't on the market yet.
So now I'm trying to figure out if I should try to find a lower milage pre-2007 TDI or get a newer vehicle. It sounds like all the emissions stuff makes them less reliable and I'm unclear about what fixes different years require.
What years are good/bad? I only know the ALH engine. I know there is BEW, common rail, and different DPF equipped engines which have higher stock HP but possibly lower mpg and possibly reduced reliability (though a car with 330K miles isn't that reliable either). If I got a newer vehicle, would I want one equipped with a urea tank?
Sorry for the long post, but I'm really confused about what to do. Thanks!
I know you can't use biodiesel in 2007 or newer TDIs due to the DPF that was added starting that year, but the fueling infrastructure is disappearing (no coincidence there). There is a more widely available product called HPR diesel or "renewable diesel" which can be used in newer TDIs. So I'm thinking that another TDI is still going to be the most eco-friendly commuter car I can find. Reasonably affordable EVs with sufficient range aren't on the market yet.
So now I'm trying to figure out if I should try to find a lower milage pre-2007 TDI or get a newer vehicle. It sounds like all the emissions stuff makes them less reliable and I'm unclear about what fixes different years require.
What years are good/bad? I only know the ALH engine. I know there is BEW, common rail, and different DPF equipped engines which have higher stock HP but possibly lower mpg and possibly reduced reliability (though a car with 330K miles isn't that reliable either). If I got a newer vehicle, would I want one equipped with a urea tank?
Sorry for the long post, but I'm really confused about what to do. Thanks!