06 Jetta W DSG

Hello,

I am in the market of buying a TDI. I have previously owned a 2000 jetta tdi and loved every minute of it. I now am looking for another one and dont know to much about the mk5 tdi's..

Right now I am looking at an 06 Jetta auto DSG with 370,000 kms on it with some recent maintenance done (Timing belt and water pump, Camshaft, suspension, DSG Flywheel, DSG Fluid change, Alternator, Glowplugs, Brakes, Turbo) With all receipts for work

Is there any reason this car shouldn't go another 150,000-200,000 kms without any major repairs? What is the highest mileage these engines get on average? I know the main issues have been addressed but I don't know if I feel comfortable buying a automatic with this year.

I want to know if I should just go for another mk4 like the 03 manual ALH, or maybe have something a bit newer and nicer looking that will last me a while.

Thanks for reading, any input is appreciated !

Don't get me wrong, the DSG is an awesome transmission when they work right, but when things go haywire, which can happen after they accumulate a lot of miles, can be just stupid expensive to fix.

A manual on a high mileage car is just thousands of dollars less to fix when thing go wrong then it would cost on a DSG.

The weak points on a 2006 (BRM) are the Dual Mass Flywheel and the cam both of which are relatively cheap to fix compared to the mind numbing super expensive problems the later common rail cars (2009 to 2014) have.

It is my speculation that a number of these dsg transmissions are actually serviced to death. Since the filter housing sits on the top of the transmission, the potential for dirt to make its way inside during service is high. It may seem like common sense to clear the dirt but I'm sure this has been overlooked by many.

Mileage does not necessarily mean bad things for the dsg. No more so than any other part of the car with high mileage. Also, the manual transmissions have their own potential problems. Namely the differential has been known to grenade in some cases.

bopsman said:

Hello,

I want to know if I should just go for another mk4 like the 03 manual ALH, or maybe have something a bit newer and nicer looking that will last me a while.

Thanks for reading, any input is appreciated !

Click to expand...

The ALHs, except the automatic trans cars, are just simpler and generally cheaper to fix when things break or wear out due to mileage.
The problem here is that, if it has high mileage, it could be riddled with cheap aftermarket Ebay parts...and that is true of any car that you may be looking at.

In my experience, any TDI for sale probably has an expensive problem or upcoming maintenance. Just got to get them for the right price that reflects the cost of repairing it to make it worth what you would invest into a car with it's benefits. Also you have to do your homework if you are going to do the work or find a guru that can help with repairs. The dealer service is out of the question. They have no interest in you keeping your car in service and will price the work accordingly.

Thanks for the responses. The car sold this morning at 3000$ so I'll just keep on looking. I think I'm just going to stick with the ALH manual trans as I don't like having to worry that my tranny may go.

A5s are more desirable, but A4 easier to maintain. In the rust belt A4 bodies are holding up better. Wheel wells and hoods are a real problem for A5s. Expect to eventually replace motor wiring harness after 300k. I'm surprised mine has not failed. Other than that and the common issues with PD A5s, it's a great high mileage car.

Too bad you missed that $3k deal. Seems most new members finding A5s without proof of most of those issues fixed.