Your Opinions Please (if I dare)

We are prior owners of a 2006 tdi that we loved despite all it's pitfalls (cam shaft, rebuild on tranny)
We are looking at getting back into a tdi and have 3 options we'd like yoir opinions on:
2002 manual trans with 278000kms seller just bought it from an older lady who just didn't want to spend the money on a timing belt. He changes the belt himself (he says he has done these several times and has a good knowledge of these vehicles) no lights innfash cam drives well but sounds like a strangled goose when it is started
2001 manual trans with 344000kms same seller as previous car. Was apparently owned by a person who worked at a tuner shop. The car has a straightpipe and cold air intake. Drives okay, seemed fairly hard over bumps.
(This One Just got sold) 2002 with 210kms original owner, with service records. Needs a timing belt right away as well as ABS light is on. AC needs servicing. Starter might need to be done sometime. Front bumper cracked. Some rust on front wheel wells. Has new battery. Did clutch at 175K. Struts and brakes at 174K. Summer and winter tires, both on rims.
What would be my best bet? Don't want to have to immediately pour money into anything.

Avoid automatic transmission.
I like #1 if...

I like 1 as well. Sounds like it's just a serp belt? On startup.

amandanicole said:

...Don't want to have to immediately pour money into anything.

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That's going to be a tall order on any Mk4 cars at this point and time...

I would have gone with option #3, the one owner car...until it sold.

I'm always very skeptical of the cars that "need nothing", because an old TDI always needs something.

I would recommend taking a guru to answer that question. Hard over bumps is suspension. Cold air intake needs OEM as far as I'm concerned straight pipe is okay so long as you don't live in California.

Strangled goose, would have to hear it.

eddieleephd said:

I would recommend taking a guru to answer that question. Hard over bumps is suspension. Cold air intake needs OEM as far as I'm concerned straight pipe is okay so long as you don't live in California.
Strangled goose, would have to hear it.

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Is there a guru in southeast alberta?

imo #2 = boy racer.. so nope.. run... that cold air intake is nuff to say pass...

CRSMP5 said:

imo #2 = boy racer.. so nope.. run... that cold air intake is nuff to say pass...

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Definitely sounds like it would've been run hard!

I should mention:
Option 2 had a little squeak on the passenger side shock. When I got down to listen while my husband pushed the trunk down it was coming from the top where it mounted. Bushing?

eddieleephd said:

Definitely sounds like it would've been run hard!

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Agreed. I was giving the benefit of the doubt that it was maintained and has "performance" parts....

The car sounds like a strangled goose, but he has just replaced the TB and knows these cars???? Lots of things in the TB path could do that, serpentine belt is the most easily fixed.

Was the tensioner, waterpump and idler pulleys replaced with the TB? Are you sure?

If the history is right it might be an ok buy, after another TB is installed by a competent mechanic

Maybe seek out the guy that did the TB? If he "knows" TDIs then he should be able to give you a bit more background: perhaps he could shed some light on that noise? (otherwise you might be getting yourself into a heap of $$ trouble) I'll warn, however, that the mechanic might also look to cover his (her?) behind- story:

Daughter's wagon was dealt with by someone who "knows" TDI cars. As I had VCDS plugged in and looking at the injector deviation he told me flat out that they were independently adjustable. WARNING LIGHTS FLASHING RED! Guy also told me that the second radiator/cooling fan would only come on if the engine were warm enough: my mind drew a blank at the time, and, the car I was driving was waiting on me to replace the AC drier and do a recharge, in which case I couldn't use it to verify- I later proved the guy wrong. I'd found that that PO had replaced the TB but not all the rollers (quick job to deal with a failed WP). If not for my knowledge of these cars (and I cannot say it enough- thank you TDI Club forum members!) I'd have ended up shelling out nearly $2k to deal with these repairs (rather than about $500). I didn't trust the PO, so I did the TB; and after finding what I did I KNEW I made the right call.

The "strangled goose" sound is the starter bendex hanging up. Its super common on MK4s due to clutch dust getting in the bendex. You can pull the starter, lube it and it will fix it for a while or just live with it. It doesn't hurt anything aside from your ears.

No worry of the Bendix failing? I've had to replace a few starters because of that spring not pushing the gear into the flywheel far enough. That was on forklifts though.

Going to look and probably buy #2 any last minute tests we can do on common problems non mechanics will identify?

Well, not one person on here recommended option number 2. You asked for opinions, and got over a dozen of them.

Good luck with the car. Hope you are happy with it.

ffemtp said:

Well, not one person on here recommended option number 2. You asked for opinions, and got over a dozen of them.
Good luck with the car. Hope you are happy with it.

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Oops my mistake. I meant #1. We bought #1.
Seems okay so far. Sounds like shocks are in our future and front brake pads. But happy to be back in a tdi none the less!

Option 1 was the better of the choices.

As was mentioned you should investigate the timing belt service to make sure all of the usual things were done at the same time. Water pump, tensioner, stretch bolts, etc. The starter is very easy to remove and reinstall as someone already suggested. There are a ton of how-to's on here, as well as on YouTube.

Welcome back to the world of TDI's!