Another "Should I buy it" thread

Hey guys,

First post here on this forum, I am mostly a toyota/subaru guy.. But I've been looking to buy a Tdi for quite a while now and did quite a bit research about all models..

I've been looking to get a mk4 alh tdi, since it's been proven to be bulletproof and really reliable.. But it seems I can't find one under 300k kms around here..

But yesterday I found a 2011 golf tdi with m/transmission, 170k km, great shape for 9k$

I'm wondering what would be the best regarding reliability? keep looking for a mk4 around 200k or buy the 2011? Maintenance seems quite a bit easier on the mk4.. and a simple malone tune would bring me to the same hp..

If the previous owner has taken the car in for the VW emission fix, that new engine/emission warranty is transferable to you. I don't know what kind of warranty is offered if this is a turned in car, that has the emission fixed by the dealer, then being resold again.

On the other and, if the car already has a tune with all the emission parts taken out, you are really in the unknown territory with that kind of km. I am saying this because, with a tune, the previous owner must have been driving the car a lot harder, I would suspect all the suspension, engine mount, tranny mount, bushings... are probably worn out. So check the car's maintenance history to make sure you have all the records. There were also a couple threads on head gasket, especial tuned engine with high mileage. I remember one member ended up swapping in an used engine instead of fixing the gasket. Some folks here would say tuned car with emission crap out is more reliable, I would say it depends.

Normal DIY maintenance for this car is not that hard, engine oil/fuel oil filter/brake pad...etc. Some parts hidden deep inside the engine compartment (eg. thermostat), maybe hard to reach so for example, swapping in a new thermostat and not doing it right the first time can really turn the repair into a nightmare. Part price, compared to other Euro brands like BMW and Mini, I find VW parts are pretty reasonable with lots of places to buy from.

The seller is in his late 50s, so I hardly doubt he drived it hard... all maintenance is up to date, I didn't ask him about the recall/ fix on the emission / hpfp and all the little problematic related to the CJAA engine..

I'll ask him tomorrow morning when I'll go take a look at it. but so far, it looks like a well maintained car.

On the other hand, I could get a 2004 golf tdi with a blown engine, and swap engine for fairly cheap.. for around $2500

I'm just curious if the 2011 will give more trouble than the swapped mk4..

I just purchased a '13 JSW TDI manual trans certified from a VW dealer, post fix. When I inspected the car, I expected to find that there was a new adblue fill tube - nope. Apparently the generation 1 CR tdi models don't get adblue (or at least the manual trans ones). So basically, I got a 120k mile extended long block warranty + 2 year Certified bumper to bumper warranty. So far, I haven't seen or experienced any issues with the fix. I'm reliably getting about 42-45 mpg on the hwy at 75mph. I'm wondering if the newer generation 2/3 CR TDI's (150 hp) got a more extensive modification, aka 'fix'. But honestly, I got this car about 3-4k under blue book and I couldn't be happier. Thank you Dieselgate for making the CR TDI affordable!