Who has mega miles on a TDI

2001 Jetta. 185,000 miles. Still runs strong!

Oil changes every 10,000 miles with either Rotella or the VW Castrol.

The only major repairs have been glow plugs and harness and the steering rack.

Replaced the MAF at 95,000 with a Piersburg and the Cage mod. Still running strong.

1st TB replacement by DBW, the second by Oilhammer.

Gosh, I love this car!

Mine's not mega but the potential is there at 173 000 km on my 03 Golf it's almost broken in. Everything is original but the turbo I blew at ~30 000 km. I'm currently adding about 110 000 km/year.

1999.5 Jetta, 350,000km's no major work as of yet, although I did have to replace the rear drivers side brake caliper, lol. Oil intervals are 20,000km's with Esso Xtra XD-3 0w40, oem oil filters. Just did the timing belt/waterpump and everything looked great. Its all about the maintanence..

Some of you here make me feel like a youngster!

My 1998 Jetta TDI purchased new for $16,000 has 245,000 miles, Upsolute Low Smoke chip at 120,000, PP520s at 130,000, original clutch (!), cleaned intake, intercooler and everything. Daily RT commute of 90 miles, 80% highway. The way I drive it I only get between 42 and 45 MPG, but having 200+ ft.lbs. of torque is just too much fun not to use. I do all my own repairs and maintenance thanks to these forums. Absolutely the best investment I have ever made in a vehicle. Still runs great, only smokes when I hammer it and/or throw the evry switch. Towed a two-motorcycle trailer from SC to MI and back last summer -- about 650lbs total -- and almost couldn't tell I was towing. Replacements: two glow plugs, shocks and struts, rear wheel bearings (3x now).

I love it so much I bought another 1998 Jetta identical to mine in 2003, which is now my son's car. Completely stock. Mint condition. Another wise purchase ($6,175 at 61,750 miles -- that was wierd). Can't wait to put PP520s in it.

Last month I bought a 2001 tdi NB for my wife, only 55,000 on the odo, locally owned and in mint condition. Still getting to know this one, but getting exceptional mileage. What a fun car to drive! If my Jetta gets destroyed I will probably get a tdi NB for my daily commute (or take my wife's NB).

If you find a 1998 tdi Jetta, any mileage, buy it.

Not a TDI, but my 81 Rabbit has 231k original miles, It's had at least 2 head gaskets (I replaced one, and the one I took out was not oem), but has never been rebuilt. Still going strong.

It all boils down to how persistant you want to be. My previous 3 VWs succumbed to the tin worm, and the double aught Golf is now rusting at the top of the front fender lips and bottom of the trunk lid. It is at 147k miles, runs like new, but what a pig to work on compared to my Cherokee that is at 286k miles, runs like new, but has never had a cover off the engine. I also drive a 1912 Maxwell (now doing business as Daimler-Chrysler), and no doubt it will still be going while your VWs go in the dump (see sentence one). And my what a breeze it is to work on the Golf compared to the SL600, where if you spill your morning coffee on the top of the engine, it won't drip to the ground before lunch. *****, *****, but no plans to sell either.

mileage update

ok now I have 260,000 miles not km's.
And still running awsome

All these stories make me fell like a newbie at 'only' 209k miles in my 02 Golf TDI.

I sold my second TDI to my friend was a 2000 jetta and it has now 232,000 milles RC3 and is running strong....

Sheesh I only have a measley 240k miles on the '98 Jetta Tdi. Still have the original rear brake shoes, alt, a/C comp, clutch (but starting to chatter in reverse) etc. Best car I ever owned!

143k

I've got 134k on my 01 Golf, got it last year with 108k on it.

2002 Jetta GL TDI 181,000 runs like a a champ!

Although not a TDI my Pastor has a 1994 Honda Civic hatchback, 343,000 miles! Never been rebuilt, original clutch! Still his daily driver!

high mileage eh!

ok guys for all the td fans out there
92 jetta 5spd black had a few things wrong during its life it got
713000kms and i kept the instrument cluster to prove it plus some pics
this was a great car dispite a few repairs.
I've switched to a 2000 Jetta Tdi and its got 206,000kms on it so far and only had 2 repairs done since I got it used. I really like the newer model since its well so much more modern and has lots of nice goodies like heated seats and power everything.
I'd be glad to share the pics of the 92 if anyone is interested
fyi the fuel pump finally died but the engine was still working when I sold it.

2000 Jetta 285000 kms written off in accident
2000 Golf 247000 kms my daughter drives it now
2004 jetta wagon 133000 kms

I have two Jetta TDI's with over 200K. Both have original motors and drive trains, with a new clutch in the 1999 A3. Both are in good running order and are daily drivers. My 2000 is an automatic, well cared for, and runs like a champ. It looks like sharp and most people are amazed when they look at the odometer nearing 210K. I had the 99 repainted because of door damage and some other minor blemishes and the drivers seat cushion replaced, TB, brakes and strut/springs. ( routine maintenance ). She runs very strong and is fun to move through trafffic with.

The TDI engine is wonderful.

Although I only have 165,000 miles on mine, I think the engine will go for double that - at least.

Electrical gremlins are another matter entirely.

Too bad the TDI engine doesn't come in a Toyota or Honda....

I have 128000miles on my 01 VW Golf TDI, second owner. Replaced engine mounts bolts, turbo my falt, three or four oil pipes, cooling fans, glowplugs nothing major had to replace just had some minor problems like armrest, glowbox still running strong. I heard about this guy in Rapid City, SD who has 98 VW Golf or Jetta TDI don't remember for sure with almost 900,000 miles on original motor. Thats just unbelieveble!!! I would like to meet that guy sometime and see that car with my own eyes.

99 A3 Jetta
350000km
Most work done on this car in the past year.
Struts, front bearings, rotors, calipers
Biggest repair -- IP...that hurt
Also thanks to the imcompetence of a supposedly experienced VW mechanic, I had to replace my Crank gear. Something about using that bolt to turn the engine in the wrong direction....go figure.

Anyway, now that the IP is replaced and the timing a little advanced I am now getting about 100 to 150km more per tank...about 42mpg. Thinking about a 5th gear swap now.

steam4 said:

I guess I'm still a newbie too, with only 295,000 miles!

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if your a newbie, i must be at embryonic stage with 60K! i have just started to notice an increase in MPG from about 38 to 45.

wgargan said:

increase in MPG from about 38 to 45.

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WOW. that's alot, I hope mine MPG's go up some more soon.

My 2002 has 173k km, I bought it at 38k km.
I've put:
$600 for TB+water pump at 125k km
$85 for MAF Sensor
2 Glow plugs at $29 each
2 fuel filters at $39 each
many oil changes averaging $40 per
Bilstein HD shocks/struts @$600 CDN
2 sets of summer tires at $600 per set
1 coolant temp sensor $10
1 Vag Com HexCom $350 (to reset those blasted CEL's)
1 cheapo laptop to run the above


This is my first VW, I've only bought one American car in my life - Jeep YJ (Wrangler), all JAP cars before this.

When I total up the above, I get depressed. I had a 92 Honda Civic that I put 200k km in the same time as I've owned this VW before and only put gas and oil and filters. I owned a Toyota Echo that did 125000km in 4 yrs with only gas and oil.

Will I buy another VW, probably not. I love the driving style and ride of this car, it's the blasted little things that keep breaking down - very annoying.

It really is a niche car - not for the faint of heart at all. If VW would address all those little things that keep breaking and change the engine where it has a chain instead of a belt - I'd be VW loyal to the end.

I really wish Toyota would sell their diesel cars over here in NA. That's all I would buy.....

I'm semi married to this car now, put too much $$ into it to get rid of it. I'm going to keep it until my wife's Corolla lease ends in 3 yrs time - at which time I'll buy it and take it over....hopefully the little annoying breakdowns will settle down a bit and I don't push this car off a cliff....

sobriez said:

My 2002 has 173k km, I bought it at 38k km.

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About 135k worth of real fuel $$$ saving. You might be alot further ahead in the TDI, then you think. I'm not positive on the mileage those corrola's are getting. However, if I drove a corrola the way I drive a VW TDI it certianly would cost more fuel $$'s per mile, over a TDI. Factored over a 135k mile period perhaps some of those repairs and regular maintenence items are more then reasonable.

"bump"

baby jetta

My car is just a baby at 155,000 miles.

I am the second owner and it was purchased with 12,500 miles. It is completely stock, with the exception of a few things like the snow screen has been removed and I have a little after-market heater.

Maintenance that I can think of at the moment:

• Timing belt & tensioners (twice)
• Front & rear brake pads and rotors a couple of times
• A few fuel filters
• A battery or two
• Replaced the fuse box on top of the battery once (it worked before I broke it)
• Fished out a metal hook from the shift linkage, and...
• One MAF sensor

With the help of one NitroWolf, I will be getting a new chip & injector nozzles in hopes to putter around a bit faster!

My best MPG is 56, the average is 48. I drive my car daily except in the warm weather months, where it tends to sit for days at a time while I commute on the motorcycles.

Now who wants to talk about motorcycles?

I now have 252k miles since the start of this post.

344k here on tdi jetta, still running great

Only 193k miles, but gradually creeping up on the leaders with about 1100 more every week.

211,000

2000 Golf GLS

Unfixed:

Haunted hazard switch
Broken glove box
Heated seats don't work
Both lock cylinders broken
Bad door switch
Starter is going
Rear center seat belt seized

Fixed under warranty:

Wrong PS fluid
Bad sunroof motor
Bad OEM tires paid for by VWOA

Fixed by me:

MAF
Lower rad hose
Glow plug harness/plugs
Pads all around - rotors soon.
Just replaced the OEM battery

Oil changes every 10,000 (Delvac 1 or Chevron Delo synthetic)
Fuel filter every 30,000
Air filter every 20,000
Cabin filter every 40,000
MTF every other year

Timing belts at 60,000, 140,000 and coming up at 240,000

FoundDriver funny story

FoundDriver said:

If you ever want to hear a funny story I'll tell you about the Touareg TDI I bought and owned for 3 days until I totaled it. It would do 130 like it was nothing (stopping it took a little more effort). I totaled it in a parking lot! long story.

Click to expand...

Well, seeing I cannot contribute in this thread...my 1999NB only has 188k km on the clock (is it broken in enough to get chipped? ) with nothing really broken (oh, yes...rear caliper banjo fitting washers! 50c each!!) and routine (ok.."extra care") maintenance I would really like to go off-topic and hear that story!
I know that I would have a hard time associating "funny" and "totalling my Touareg TDI"! Ok..you have my attention! what happened?

We have had our share of TDIs in the family growing up. We had a MKII Jetta with 490,000 kms that just recently was smashed and wrote off. We currently have a black 99.5 jetta with 310,000 kms but have been having some power issues with it for the last little while. And lastly my uncle just sold his 2000 NB with 428,000 kms and still running strong. The Beetle was an animal. He gave it an 'italian tuneup' on a daily basis lol and it never skipped a beat. Love these things!