So I joined the TDI family today!

I purchased a 2003 Jetta Wagon GLS today. Black paint, black leather. 86,948 miles too, which is super low. A few things need to be addressed, but I got it at a great price.

I will post some photos when I get the chance! It is nice to finally be aboard, I have been looking since November and finally pulled the trigger. It was fairly nearby too, drove 170 miles roundtrip to get it. I am tickled at the diesel sound!

Congratulations and welcome! Manual or automatic? That car is just broken in!

Definitly nice find...

Wish mine had leather but I got a one owner 02 Golf with on 65k on it just over 6 years ago.. Now it still only has 107k

Congrats,sounds like you picked up a nice ride.

It is a nice one for sure. I really like the sound TDIs make. I picked it up for $7,050 and its an automatic however I was hoping for a manual. Nice smooth ride, zippy and good responsive steering. Quite different from my girlfriend's 98 Golf. Now I might buy another TDI for her! I am looking forward to seeing what kind of MPGs I pull in. I have a decent commute and was happy to get the car. What are some things that would be good to do for the car? Lower it? Any cool mods that I can do? I do like it stock however...

Glad to be here finally!

I wouldn't lower it I would replace the timing belt ASAP if you don't have records of to being done

Welcome to the '03 Wagon Mafia -- though you have to be an Associate Member because you have the auto tranny! It's a sweet car and you landed one with fewer miles on it than mine (not easy to do that).

I wouldn't lower the car, either. I've already got an aluminum skidplate on mine because winter offers up all kinds of road hazards. Summer offers some, too, so unless you feel really lucky, I'd go get a skidplate. Mine is the Dieselgeek one.

If it hasn't been done already, you can do a ventectomy -- it's a DIY once you search for the instructions on this site. Lots of people apparently remove EGR and tune the car. Neither is terribly expensive and (apparently; haven't done it myself yet) it makes the car even more fun to drive.

Have fun!

Congratulations! I just picked up a similar vehicle from a fellow member. Wagon <3

Congrats on your TDI find!

Timing belt, water pump, and ALL timing belt related idlers/rollers/tensioner by a good reputable TDI shop/guru (or DIY if you're capable) asap!

If the right engine oil was/is used and the timing belt interval servicing is kept up with you should be able to keep that one going for another decade or two and several hundred thousand miles at the least...
My '03 wagon recently did a >1,200 mile road trip just fine with >300k miles on it and got 51mpg on the first tank and 48mpg on the second tank (through a bunch of road construction zones) with an average speed of 75mph for the trip...

For mods I'd normally say get a set of bigger nozzles but are nozzles or any other power/performance mods a good idea with the TDI Automatic?

Currently running two Mk4 TDI's with two different sets of nozzles, between my sedan that I installed PP520 nozzles in and my wagon that the P.O. installed Sprint 520's in, the PP520's are my preference over the Sprint 520's especially at freeway speeds, both offering an obvious large drivability/performance improvement over stock, although with everything else completely stock and adjusted the same way the difference between the two versions is still totally obvious to me but doesn't feel massive.
Another path I chose, a personal preference that is debated on here, after nearly 25k miles with a Franko6 cam I'm also a fan of it, especially combined with the PP520 nozzles as it makes the car continue to pull well in top gear at freeway speeds, although if you're totally happy with stock power/torque levels then any of that (nozzles, cam, etc) is total overkill...
With the PP520 nozzles and Frank06 cam I've still done as well as 53.6mpg and as poor as 43.2mpg in the same vehicle, typically seeing 43-45mpg at 70mph with a/c use and 45-48mpg without a/c, although both of mine are stock 5-speed manuals.

Using the a/c seems to be about a 3-5mpg economy hit for me with otherwise consistent driving, depending on just how hot the southern summer temps climb.
If you're doing mostly city you might end up in the 30's but I'd tend to think low 40's for your wagon. Highway, if you happen to end up down in the 30's and aren't towing or driving >80mph then something's wrong... I don't do much true "city" driving as our speed limits here are 40-55mph just about everywhere in town and heavy stop-n-go is rare around here but even with a/c and sitting in drive-thru's and such I've yet to end up below 41mpg so far in my '03 5-speed wagon and usually do mid to upper 40's as my long work commute is all 70mph highway.
Oh wait, you're an automatic... Hmmm... I seem to recall posts of them being 3-5mpg less than the stock 5-speed manuals are typically capable of so it'll be interesing to see how yours does.

eric.mathison said:

I wouldn't lower it I would replace the timing belt ASAP if you don't have records of to being done

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This is definitely a good recommendation.

Once you get the service end of things sorted out, I would look into freakwithracket's HID retrofit headlights. Great mod with good value that you'll use every time it's dark out.

Congrats on the new car.

So, I have been driving this wagon for a bit and wanted to know what water pump and other associated parts I need to buy and if there are any recommendations for brands.

I know I need a new water pump and timing belt, but what else?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I also have been getting only about 37mpg with this car. Kinda low for what I was expecting...anything I am doing wrong maybe? Recommendations for oil type too?

Thanks everyone for the input, I appreciate it!

Here's an all-inclusive kit from one of the approved venders:

http://shopping.boraparts.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_26_31_41&products_id=30

sizzlin bacon said:

anything I am doing wrong maybe?

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... buying an automatic.

I use Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck oil... lots of others use Rotella T6.

Rotella is usually cheaper, i just stick to the M1 because I like M1.

Please get that TB done ASAP... if it goes your looking at a couple of thousand dollar repair job.

If you love the car, you might start preparing yourself for a 5 spd swap. Apparently it's not as tough as you'd think, and there are several threads about it on the forum. It's nothing to jump into, but if you own the car a long time it's pretty likely that the auto trans in your car will eventually have problems. So if you start learning about it and gathering parts, you'll be ready. Your mileage will improve and the car will be more fun to drive, too.

I wouldn't bother with any performance mods, just get the maintenance done and have fun with it as is.

^^^
Halocin took the words right out of my mouth. Start putting money away now for a tranny swap. Figure out who should do it in the guru section, and be prepared to fall in love all over again when the autotragic finally fails. It might take a while, but putting in a stick will make the car so much more fun to drive, and it functions as a really effective theft deterrent! Really! No one knows how to drive them anymore!

Then get it chipped.

Since buying the wagon, I have driven about 3,500 miles and it sits approximately at 91,000 miles. Here recently, it has been having some issues while starting, as in I turn the key, and it won't start. Turn the key again and it won't start, and finally on the third try, it starts. However, I tried to get it to start this morning and it just wouldn't turn over, plain and simple. I could tell it was trying as I heard the starter going and the lights on the dash came on, but it just wouldn't ignite.

Over the past few weeks too, there has been some smoke come from the exhaust, and even though it is brief and only on start-up, it still has me concerned as to why that happens. Not black smoke, but kind of a gray-blue color. Once the car has started, the smoke goes away and it runs fine. The check engine light came on and the code was PO128 which according to the OBDII computer means a coolant thermostat issue.

I am afraid to try too many times as I don't want to burn out the starter, and I don't know if the timing belt is toast. Is there any way to tell if the timing belt is broken/needing replacement? From reading the forum and looking at the recommended mechanics in the area, there are no "VW Gurus" around me this side of the Canadian border. I live approximately 25 minutes south of the border, and therefore, Seattle is about 85 miles away too.

The only thing that gives me a little hope is that the battery light on my dash comes on and stays on when trying to start, which may make me think it is in fact a low battery and a light or something was left on by accident.

Any ideas as to what the issue might be? Where might I get a good timing belt kit, and does anyone know/trust anyone in my area (Bellingham, WA and the surrounding Whatcom County) who would be able to repair my wagon, at a reasonable cost and if I provide the belt kit?

Thank you for your time, I appreciate the help and advice. This is my daily driver as my other vehicle gets half the mileage my wagon gets.

If there is an issue with the timing belt, will it act like that? I hope it is only a battery issue... I will be buying the timing belt kit and getting it taken care of soon. It is hard to get time to get it into a shop, as I work Monday through Friday 8-4.

EDIT: I saw the timing belt kit above (http://shopping.boraparts.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_26_31_41&products_id=30) and was wondering what I should order. It looks like when you are selecting the stuff to buy, you can "add" options to the kit for improvements. Additions include the camshaft and lifter kit for and additional $168, a Dayco Belt for +$10, extra coolant for up for 3L or 4.5L, an EGR O-Ring for $3.50, an Idler Pulley (good for 150K-200K miles) for $24.95 and a serpentine belt tensioner (good for 150K-200K miles) for an additional $90. Would all of these upgrades be advised or do I just need the basic kit? I don't think I would need the camshaft and lifters given the relatively few miles on the car.

Grayish white smoke is normal at start up at this time of year for your car. The new ones don't do it, but the old ones did, briefly. Say the first 5 minutes.

belome said:

Please get that TB done ASAP... if it goes your looking at a couple of thousand dollar repair job.

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sizzlin bacon said:

and I don't know if the timing belt is toast. Is there any way to tell if the timing belt is broken/needing replacement?

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Can't say I didn't try to warn you. The absolute first thing anyone buying a used TDI should do is verify that the TB was replaced at the proper interval by a competent person using all of the correct pieces and parts.

...as to your question, yes, you can pull the TB cover and visually inspect. If it isn't tight or it is missing teeth it is toast. Also, keep in mind if it "looks" good, it doesn't mean it is good.

Turns out it was the anti-shudder valve in the intake that was stuck closed with this issue.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?p=4649088#post4649088

Man, at 91k miles on a 2003 (11-12 year old vehicle), if it hasn't definitely been done yet or done by a reputable shop you really want to replace the timing belt, all rollers/idlers/tensioner, and water pump asap!
All it takes is a bit of dry-rot/rubber rot on a 10 year old belt and you're really flirting with disaster every time you turn the key... and even if it has been done, unless you know and trust whomever did it, it's basically like playing an expensive game of TDI russian roulette.

I believe the factory 2003 setup was a 100k belt and rollers instead of the 60k or 80k version belt and rollers like the earlier years started out with but don't let anyone tell you the rollers "still look fine", replace them all when the belt is replaced and don't go bargain hunting for the cheapest ones around or it can come back to bite you when you least expect it!

My 2003 TDI wagon's got more than triple your odometer reading, the previous timing belt job was likely done at about 200k miles (within the last 4-5 years, 2nd owner wasn't certain when or at what mileage the original owner had it done) and when I pulled it all apart a couple of months ago for the 300k mile timing belt service and began feeling around for the water pump bolts to remove the pump I found that the water pump was actually seeping coolant down the block just a little.

The original owner of my 2001 TDI sedan apparently let someone convince her that all she needed was the belt. I got the car from her 32k miles after that and thought all was going to be well for at least 60k more miles but at 12k into my ownership two of the original factory 2001 rollers seized up, took out the belt, left me stranded, and cost me a cylinder head rebuild with no warning... The car always started and "ran fine" right up until the moment it didn't anymore and even when it stopped there were no warning lights to tell me anything was wrong, it just wouldn't go anymore.
So now I'm 25k more miles into that car since everything got fixed properly and I know it was all done right with good quality parts so I don't have to worry about that again for at least a few more years...

Oh, and whatever you do, do NOT just disable the anti-shudder valve. Do whatever's needed to make it operate normally as I'm pretty sure it also tries to reduce the chances of a diesel "run-away" scenario.
I'm wondering if a vacuum leak is your issue?

Best of luck to you with your wagon.