Highest Mileage TDI

floyd118

New member
Joined
Jul 4, 2006
Hi all, lets have a poll and see who has accumalated the highest total mileage in there car and what problems they had on the way!!!!!
 

Lance Allison

Requiesce In Pace October 20th, 2019
Joined
Jul 28, 1999
Location
Central Illinois
TDI
98 Jetta, Classic Green
Just shy of 340,000 miles now.
It's been chipped/modded most of that time.

Extremely reliable with the exception of needing a new clutch around 200k and having to replace the power window regulators on a regular basis. All major components are still original and untouched.

The stock clutch couldn't handle the extra power during our lovely Illinois winter and began slipping. Not too shabby considering about a 50% bump over stock power output.

And the window regulators have been a VW thorn until relatively recently. I have the R&R down to about 15 minutes now including removing the door panel and moving the window motor over to the new regulator assy.
 

K5ING

Mega-Miler
Joined
Apr 18, 2001
Location
Krum, TX
TDI
Silver 2001 Golf GL TDI 5-speed
I'm at 269,500 now, and all is well. I'm getting around 46mpg on non-high pressure tires (Yokohama YK420's). No smoke at all unless I really get on it while cold. Original clutch, IP, turbo, front brakes(!), shocks and struts. Even original window parts, glove box door, and everything else. Oil and filter changes are done by the book.

I had issues with timing belt changes, but those issues were due to the fact that I picked the wrong garage to do the job. The gang at Old Navy's GTG (MoGolf deserves to be singled out), twice, saved my butt from some very expensive problems. MoGolf also caught a cracked motor mount, but that my or may not have been due to the previously mentioned botched timing belt job.

I'm on my second MAF (the first lasted 180K miles), and have had both of my front inner fender liners replaced due to road debris. I'm also on my second oil pan due to road debris.
 
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catmandoo

Veteran Member
Joined
May 9, 2005
Location
ia
TDI
2000 jetta gls tdi,91 2dr jetta gl n/a diesel
200 jetta just turned 285,000 today,only the last 32,00 are mine,put some sprints in about 2 months ago,man what a difference,hey lance how ya like the sdl,i just picked up an 86 with 240,000,sweeeet ride, has to be one of thee if not thee greatest diesel cars ever built.
 

Lance Allison

Requiesce In Pace October 20th, 2019
Joined
Jul 28, 1999
Location
Central Illinois
TDI
98 Jetta, Classic Green
CAT--

I like the SDL a whole lot. I've had it several years and IIRC, it has about 330k mi now. About 165k of those are miles I racked up. Those miles have not been inexpensive though. During my ownership, there have been a fair share of couple-thousand-dollar repairs needed.

Actually I've been in the market for a 98 or 99 E300 turbo-diesel. Unfortunately my search hasn't warranted anything worth a second look.
I will find the right one eventually. And when I do, the SDL will need to find a new home.

Congrats on the SDL. I think you'll really enjoy it.
 

TDIMeister

Phd of TDIClub Enthusiast, Moderator at Large
Joined
May 1, 1999
Location
Canada
TDI
TDI
I hear GeWilli is up there with the miles as well on his 99.5 Golf, although he has been putting them on at a much slower rate since he moved to RI.
 

n1das

TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2002
Location
Nashua, NH, USA
TDI
2014 BMW 535xd ///M-Sport, 2012 BMW X5 Xdrive35d, former 3x TDI owner
I still feel like a newbie at "only" 218k miles on my 02 Golf TDI.
13k miles so far on my 05 PD Jetta Wagen (and NO! It's NOT for sale!).
 

spoilsport

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 3, 1999
Location
Houston TX
TDI
2000 Golf GLS Silver (Sold). 2005 Jetta TDI Wagon Tiptronic (daughter's)
Lance Allison said:
Just shy of 340,000 miles now.
It's been chipped/modded most of that time.
Since you've got the most to date, I'll ask you: ;)

Based on the current condition of your engine, how long
do you think it will go before it needs overhaul or replacement?
 

Lance Allison

Requiesce In Pace October 20th, 2019
Joined
Jul 28, 1999
Location
Central Illinois
TDI
98 Jetta, Classic Green
I'd hate to jinx myself and say thing TOO promising :)
I know that it runs and drives better than ever. I have an oil analysis done about every 3rd oil change and nothing is any different now than it has been.

It runs like a scalded dog and I have some decent shifter action back now. First thought I needed to adjust the short shift kit bushing...but soon realized my manual trans oil hadn't been changed in over 150k miles!!!! Oops. Did that last night and drove 300 miles today. MUCH improved!
 

NFSTDI

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Location
Sunny California :)
TDI
'98 Jetta
Mine has 205K and counting. I've owned it since 193K. I did a TB, clutch, suspension and all associated parts. I also did some body work and paint touch up but overall it's really been regular upkeep nothing to complain about. The previous owner, who got it new, did a few things....let's see....oil changes, tires, brakes, rotors, glow plugs, more tires, brakes, oh and I think she had a problem with the glove box lock!

Other than that I'd say it's been an extremely reliable well built car that is now well on the ride to a second lifetime!
 

JOE OLEARY

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2001
Location
Flint Mi.
203K miles on my 2001 Jetta, owned since 202K. Just broken in :D
Over 200K and still bone stock, is that some sort of record??? I have driven it over 1K miles with no mods:eek: Just got off the phone with Kerma, wont be stock for long:rolleyes:

Joe
 

2KJettaTDIGL

Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2004
Location
Baltimore, MD
TDI
Jetta 2000 White
About to turn 150,000K bought it with 96K and had timing belt done when purchased and just got it back with 2nd timing belt job.
Issues I've had: replace glow plugs; bottomed out on curb put in hybrid oil pan (recommended). Other than brakes and stuff still going strong. Have stage 2 chip. Thinking about bigger injectors any comments on that? .
 

Extremefeats

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2006
Location
GTA
TDI
2001 TDI Golf
Woow, as a newbie coming off a crappy ass Eagle Talon TSi Turbo'd car, these stats sure do make me feel good about my purchase. At 191 km, this 2001 Golf TDI is like new. :)
 

Extremefeats

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2006
Location
GTA
TDI
2001 TDI Golf
Any comments on chipping mine? How much does it cost and what kinda HP should I expect ? Also, with regard to glow plugs, when do you know they need replacing ?
 

anahata

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2002
Location
Tucson, AZ
TDI
2001 GOLF GLS, 4dr, silver, 5sp,
nothing extreme here

Up to 62,000 on a '01 golf 5 speed. Car needed MAF. Leak in IP resealed, Glove box hinge. Glow plug harness. slight leak on flange of tranny housing developing. Creak in driver's seat -gone. Oh Yeah, original owner (first 12k) had a leaky radiator replaced on warrenty. But hey....other than that it's been great....drives and conserves like a dream and I take good care of it. 1rst TB went smoothly done by Indpendent Auto in Phoenix.
 
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VW97TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 10, 2001
Location
Wisconsin,USA
TDI
97 Jetta TDI
Just sold 96 passat tdi with about 345,000. Chipped, new clutch, 3turbos, 1head job, brakes and calipers, struts, body rust...but...I still was driving it, ran good with the exception of some smoke when accelerating. Bought a lower milage 97 jetta(66K) and hope to run it to at least 350K+
 

MCathcart

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2001
Location
North Myrtle Beach, SC
TDI
2003 Jetta
I ended up with a '98 Beetle I bought new and a '99 that I bought with a bad clutch (DMF). I replaced the clutch in the '99 and tried to sell it with 142k on the clock. Most of the people that called about (the 50 mpg) said "Oh My! That's just toooo many miles". Most people that drive Gas cars don't know Squat about a diesel. My opinion of 142k on a Tdi? Let Her Roll, 300K is waaaaay Off! (I ended up selling the '98 and keeping the '99.)

Captain Mike
 

cha$e

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 9, 2001
Location
US
TDI
2010 Jetta
I have a 99.5 Jetta TDI GLS, which I bought new in May of 1999.
Currently 118,000 miles. We just moved to a house 60 miles away from my workplace, so that's likely to go up quickly.

Its entire history of work/problems so far:
Both front window regulators, twice each
Brake pads+discs at 68,000 (front or front+back) and front+back desperately needed now
Glow plug relay twice, glow plugs and harness once to fix P0380. What eventually fixed the problem was jamming a 1" square of aluminum foil inside the connectors on the harness.
Timing belt
Little plastic clip at the end of one of the rods coming forward from the underside of the (manual) shifter.
Accessory belt tensioner (broke on the interstate yesterday)
New tires, twice. Since the 2nd time, hubcaps always pop off within a week of (re-)attaching them. I just leave them off now, because I'm tired of running through traffic to retrieve them.
New battery
New MAF
Trunk lid, trunk floor, rear quarter panels, windshield replaced after I got rear-ended
Another new windshield due to a rock.
Added an engine heater
The microswitches in the locks of at least 2 doors are broken, so I can't do the nifty key/window trick anymore and to lock the car with the remote I have to push unlock THEN lock or it doesn't work. I know it's a $10 fix, but I haven't gotten around to it.
Microswitch for trunk latch died also, making the trunk light never come on, but I replaced it.
Added an engine block heater
Big rubber hose above the timing belt replaced because it split
Small cracks in front grill and bumper, plus very minor hail damage all over

So...sometimes a headache, but a lot better maintenance-wise than any other car I've owned. Still on the original clutch, transmission, etc.
 
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Amphicar770

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Location
Philadelphia Suburbs
Had 330,000 miles on my 1986 BMW 524TDI when I sold her. She was still running strong on original engine, tranny, turbo, injector pump, etc. At one point did have most of the gaskets replaced, some suspension work, A/C repaired, etc. It was quick, quiet, always started right up, etc. Even with the 6 CYL, auto tranny, and more HP, it got about the same MPG as I am seeing from my MKV TDI with 5 speed. Sold it to some kid who was going to convert it into a greaser, can only asume it is still running.
 

dieselfueler

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2003
Location
Greater Jenkinsville, SC Metroplex Area
TDI
04 PD100 Jetta Wagon
Just took my 2004 Jetta wagon in for the EGR replacement today. It has 155K miles on it. We've changed the oil/filters, 2x new tires - first at 70k and the last at 150K, timing belt at 100k. There is a rattle in one of the ac vents. I'm thinking of brakes/rotors soon although there's brake left, there is a little rotor shimmy when I stop. It's so little that I'm the only one to notice it but then again, I do spend a lot of time driving it. :D
 

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
I know of a Jetta in Omaha with at least 400k miles -- the owner drives about 3500 miles a week! Actually, I haven't exchanged emails with him for about a year... his Jetta could have over 500k, or he could have replaced it with something a little newer.

Of course there's Glen (aka Golfland99) whose Golf had about 378k miles at the time of the Fullerton GTG a few weeks ago. But that was about 20k more than when he was in San Diego a couple months before.

I haven't posted in this thread, because my Golf's 176k+ miles don't really count as "high mileage".
 

Nutsnbolts

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Nov 1, 2001
Location
Weare, NH
TDI
2000 Jetta, Silver Arrow
I'm starting to think that we should have a section for high-mile members or maybe a hall of fame? I know for a fact that TDredI is about to flip 400K in his, and it would be interesting to see where everybody falls on the list. I'm also thinking that we should look into having some badges made reflecting when the car rolls 200, 300, 400, or even 500,000 miles. It could be another way to support the TDIClub. Fred- what do you think?

-Rich
 

itsmejerry

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2002
Location
Birmingham, AL
TDI
2015 Passat SE TDI Nav, 2015 Passat SE TDI, 2015 Beetle Convertible TDI, 2015 Golf Sportwagen TDI All Phase 2 Emission Modified complete. 50 State Legal Diesel!
623k

While only having 144k so far on my 03 Jetta TDI, prior to this car, I had a 5 speed, 89 Jetta Diesel, (pre-TDI) which lasted 623,000 on its original, unrebuilt engine until it was totaled in a wreck in 2002.

The engine was a 1.6L, and didn't have the computer like the TDI does, however I'd say that it was about 90% the same as a modern TDI engine.

My father drove it the first 575k or so, using it in a sales route for years, before giving it to me after he had no bites trying to sell it for $500.
5th gear wore out at 425k, and a transmission was unbolted from a car behind the mechanic's shop, and installed in this Jetta.

Somewhere I have the paperwork showing all the costs involved, including going through 16 sets of Michelin tires, about 125 oil changes, A few sets of glowplugs, 1 clutch, 1 transmission, an oil pump at 615,000, more than 1200 tanks of fuel, (gheesh-- is that even possible?) several sets of brakes, and a set of coils/shocks, but suprisingly few other unexpected repairs other than normal routine maintenance. Dad even kept a tank-by-tank record of mileage and mpgs. Toward the end of its life it had dropped from 46-47 mpg, to about 35 or so.

The car was a GL (base model) with wind-up windows, and no frills. By the time he gave it to me, the front bumper was being partially supported by nylon weed-eater string, the left rear window would slip down about 1/8th of in an inch but could easily be cranked by reaching back from the driver's seat to keep the whistling noise away. Mechanicly, at 615,000 it was decent, but the oil pressure light had just started flickering which I figured was either the oil pump or engine bearings. I was going to try to get it to 650,000 or so before I replaced/rebuilt the engine.

At the time of it's 'unfortunate incident' when it met a Buick corner to corner at about 35 mph, it didnt leak oil, but seemed to developing a smoke issue, again probably due to a developing compression issue.
So-- I'd say that with proper care most people can expect 300k easily. By slowing down a bit, 450-500 k can be attained, and if you don't abuse the car, even 6-700k is possible. The more highway miles one drives, the better. Most people just cant keep a car that long without thinking they need something new.
Btw--Dad's just taken mom's 2000 Jetta TDI recently as his "new" car, and for her b-day, they bought a 2006 Pkg 2 TDI Jetta.

Other notable diesels in the family:
79 Rabbit Diesel 373,000 (Totaled Dec 1988) Dad's
1989 Jetta Diesel 623,000 Dad/ me (totaled 2002)
1983 Rabbit Diesel 400,000 (My car in highschool-- sold when I was 30) Odometer was broken for last 2 years I owned it and showed 372,000
2000 Jetta TDI mom/dad-- unknown mileage-- daily driver
2006 Jetta TDI mom 8,000 +/-
2003 Jetta TDI-- me. 143,000.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Like TR, my TDIs don't qualify as high mileage, unless you add all the miles together. But in 142K my '02 (bought new) is still on its original MAF, EGR, battery, just got a temp sensor, brakes lasted 132K (in Boston traffic). TB at 80K, next one at 180. I've made many mods and upgrades that probably whould have been replacements if I didn't mod, like wheels, tires, and dampers.

What amazes me is the car runs better than ever at 142K, and it's as tight and rattle-free as new. I still look forward to driving it, and it's still fun. I'm after 300K, anyway.

I like the idea of 100/200/300K badges. I'd like to earn a couple of 200K ones.
 
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