Looking at buying this 2003 Jetta TDI. Should I pull the trigger?

Hey TDIClub! This is my first post - happy to join the community!

At the moment I don't own a TDI but I have been searching for the right car to make my entrance into the world of diesel! My requirements are that it has a manual transmission, and the ALH and wagon are highly preferred (based on my research)

Anyways, I have a deposit and a PPI done on this specific Jetta (http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/cto/4922528979.html) for the full asking price of $7500. Out of excitement I made the offer before even going to see the car, and now I'm starting to have second thoughts about it. After looking at the for sale section here, the price of the car im looking at seems awful high. The PPI revealed the car to be in good standing, and the extra wheels/tires are nice, but I really wanted to get expert opinions on if this is the car for me, or if I should keep looking!

Any help would be great!

always keep your muzzle pointed in a safe direction and the safety on until you are ready to shoot at your desired target. Applies to buying cars as well

Who did the PPI?

A place called Steves Place in Bend. The owner got the tuning (TDTuning stage 2) done at Double J in Portland

That's an awful lot of money for a sedan. A super super clean low mileage wagon might bring that price.

I just got an 06 loaded with a few more miles for a few thousand less than that. Seems a tad high for it.

It does say OBO. Try to offer $5,500 and see what happens. It does look like a very clean car. I wish there were pics of the engine compartment, that's a part of a way to tell how well the car has been maintained, and cared for. The price may be high but a very clean and well maintained car is sometimes hard to find. If it works for your wallet go for it.

Seems way high, even though the condition seems great.
Never recoup the savings from a gas model at that price.

Thanks all. I think you guys have saved me from making a very costly mistake! Shame I already dropped 100 bucks on it

I'da done the PPI for half that.

BrewskiPhoto said:

Thanks all. I think you guys have saved me from making a very costly mistake! Shame I already dropped 100 bucks on it

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Small price to pay if it save's you $1000's

whitedog said:

I'da done the PPI for half that.

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It was a shop of his choosing, which is another mistake I won't be making again!

Often the problem with buying a TDI is that someone out there will pay more than the car is worth, leaving those who want a good car at a fair price out in the cold.

That looks like a nice car, and at $5-6K you should jump on it. I'd probably do the timing belt service again when I got it, unless the PO has proof that it was completely done by a known expert. And I bet the suspension is original: It'll need struts and shocks, and probably control arm bushings. Might need rear axle bushings, too: they often do at this mileage if the suspension is original. So if you bought for $7,500, had that work done along with who knows what else might pop up on a 12 year old car, you'd be approaching $9K, which is a lot.

I like the idea of offering $5,500 and then walking away. If the seller calls, you've got a good car for a fair price. If not, you've saved some money. Jetta sedans are the most common TDIs. You'll find another.