Ha, yes it is! Hi Steve - please come get this car.
Hi Ted! I hope you and Donna and Frances are well!
I would be tempted to remove the turbo and take the back roads all the way home to New England, but I want to suggest some other things first.
It sounds like you have a trusted mechanic that has been servicing the car for some time, but I have to ask: Is he a TDI guy? Although your car is 12 years old, 100k miles is quite early for the turbo to go bad, and is one of the most often misdiagnosed items by mechs who are not 100% TDI gurus. It is fairly common for owners to be told to replace the turbo, only for the source of the problem to be something else. That being said, I would want to confirm what is wrong with the turbo (which you can also do yourself, if you have the time). If the turbo is confirmed bad, see if you can get pictures of the vanes, and determine if there was any associated damage or parts to replace.
A new Mahle turbo is $700 from IDParts (you could get a confirmed good used one for less), plus install costs- which you could also do yourself, with some of the how-to threads here (and the time/space to do it, which obviously might be a problem). Without a running engine, not only are prospective buyers taking a risk on the block, but they can't drive it to confirm the other big ticket items are ok, including transmission, suspension, etc. Further, the majority of buyers won't consider it b/c they can't drive it home, and they simply won't deal with shipping or transport costs.
Once the engine is running, the car holds quite a bit of value: Late model BEW engine Golf with a stick, one owner, service history, no major accidents, all options except the leather package (a plus for many of us), and exceptionally low miles. Mk IV TDI's with less than 200k miles are routinely posted in the $4,000-$6,000 range- although obviously some sellers ask or settle for less. I'm tempted to say that yours will be among the lowest mileage cars posted in many years, which means (if it was running) you could attract buyers nationwide.
Savvy and skeptical TDI shoppers are thinking certain things, some of which you are likely aware of:
1) Price? The forum rules for TDIClub classifieds require a price. Honestly, my suggestion is not to post one, but close this thread, and either use a different forum to gather input (if you want it), or get the engine running so the car has a new life and sells for its proper value. Otherwise, someone will take it for cheap, do minimal work, and sell it for lots- I'm guessing you'll see some PM's in your inbox.
2) Timing belt? The BEW is due prior to 100k miles. Buyers want confirmation (a pic of the receipt helps, whereas saying that it's been done, does not) that a TDI Guru did it properly- along with all the associated items (rollers, tensioner, water pump, t-stat and housing, new G12 coolant, etc.). If they don't have this, buyers often won't run the engine w/o a new TB service, which is a considerable cost.
3) Pictures. The more the better- 360*, one taken every few paces, and then thorough pix of the engine, trunk, interior, cluster, dash, rotor & pads, tire tread depth, and underbody. The pictures are often less about "condition" than they are about the mental calculator of costs: Buyers are just adding or subtracting to determine value and what they will pay. Pictures of new tires or shocks/struts allow buyers to confirm that it's been done, but also to knock off those items as additional costs and hassles. If the car is well-serviced, pictures go a long way toward "proving" it. Thorough pictures also expand your market.
4) Service history. You provided some good basic details, but it wouldn't hurt to tell a story. You guys are the original owners, with the window sticker- If you have good records, start by speaking to the basics, and then post a chronological list of major services. Buyers (even those not found here) want to know
which oil and filter you have been using at 10,000mi changes- and oil changes at 5k miles often earn scorn, while the wrong oil is a red flag. Buyers want to know
which Contis were put on, are they cheap PureContacts in the wrong size, or ProContacts with a transferable warranty, etc. Buyers want to know that good filters and fluids were installed at the right intervals, that good suspension parts were installed (and what, exactly was replaced), and your records and receipts add value to the car and provide a level of security to buyers. Again, good pictures help tremendously here.
5) Condition. This car has been garaged for some of it's life? Very few dings? No sig accidents? Interior in great shape? Anthracite Blue is not rare, but it's far less common than Reflex Silver, White, Black, etc, and it looks great when cleaned and shining in the sun- show it off. Again, the mantra is about thorough pictures, but also, when buyers see an ad where the seller hasn't vacuumed or washed the car, they expect that someone is dumping it, and the level of care in the F/S ad reflects the level of care of the car. This isn't always true- you're busy, the car isn't at home, and life provides other things to do, but the car fetches greatest value when the pictures and attention to detail in the F/S ad reflect the car's true condition and upkeep. Buyers want to see that road salt isn't eating away at the front quarter panels or underbody, that the headliner isn't stained from sunroof leaks, and that the dirt on the paint isn't covering dents, hail damage, or locust bites.
6) Little things. Most buyers expect that interior wear from the previous owner will be inherited- they don't expect you buy or fix slight wear to the driver's bolster by swapping out seats. The little problems, however, can easily be fixed, and add value to the car, while expanding the market past the DIY crowd. Again, these things take a little time, and are easier if the car is at home, but often make the difference between a stellar F/S ad and all the rest.
Lastly, I just want to talk about value. My car (and M's) are older than yours and have twice the mileage, but I wouldn't sell them for less than $5,000 (and I wouldn't sell my mine for $6k). Of course, each owner and seller sets a price that they are happy with, and meets their parameters, but my point is that your car, with low mileage, holds quite a bit of value. If I brought your car back to New England, I'd get a proper diagnosis and eval of the turbo and TB, fix all the little things, wash and wax it, re-paint the Jaramas, vacuum and detail the interior, give it a 100% mechanical go-through, and then advertise it nationally for, um, a considerable amount of money. Of course, there would be a TDIClub discount for members.
Take a look at some of the asking prices. Again, this doesn't always equate to a sale price, but it gives you an idea of values. Of course, some buyers prefer an ALH, or a wagon, or want engine modifications, but you car offers extremely low mileage- often one of the strongest selling points.
2003 J, 5M, 129k miles, $7,150
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=474930
2003 JW, 147k miles, $6,000
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=477972
2002 G, 5M, 237k miles, $5,200
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=477976
2005 JW, 5M, 161k miles, $4,700
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=476609
2003 G, Auto, 132k miles, $5,500
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=478027
2003 J, 5M, 341k miles, $4,300
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=478010
2003 G, 5M, 145k miles, $6,000
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=476505
I hope this helps. If you need it, I have a speaker I can send you, or a center cap for the Jarama on the rear. In the end, don't let it go for cheap. If all else fails, you can flat-bed ship it to me for a few hundred bucks, I'll put in the time and work, and we can split the fortune when it sells!
Let me know if you need more info/help.
-S.
