Why do You Still Have Your MK4 TDI?

I originally bought the 2003 tdi golf for my wife because her job moved to 60 miles away, but after 7 years, my bmw was having a ton of electrical issues so I made her a proposition. Instead of me getting a replacement vehicle, she could get the new beetle she always wanted now that she is working close again, and I would inherit the golf. I fell in love with that golf over the years and greedily wanted it for myself

Well i just got mine seven months ago. So ya, I still have it. I currently own and have previously owned many vw's. Name it, I most likely owned one. However, I've always wanted to play with a TDI and never had the opportunity until recently. I've always been fascinated by TDI'S in general. I generally don't like to have the same thing everyone else has, so an alh mk4 tdi makes sense to me instead of your more generic 1.8T, 2.0T or even VRT. My twin screw G60 mk2 GTI is a good example. Everyone keeps telling me to drop a 1.8T in there. But I love the torque it has . Same as the TDI. My GTI VR6 is definitely faster than my TDI in current form, but the TDI honestly is more fun to drive and I can't beat the 38+ mpg's I get from it. It's fun, It's different and it pisses off prius's. That's good enough for me to keep it. And parts are quite affordable.

The MK4 TDI Jetta Wagon is the most practical vehicle ever made.

-Enough space for to take the kids camping/haul hockey equipment/fit my bike in the back without removing wheels (not all at the same time ).

-Easily upgraded to be fun to drive

-Fairly easy to work on and easy to get parts

-Fuel economy of course, since I have a long highway commute.

-Cheap enough that if it gets dinged in the parking lot or my kids bump into it with their bikes I won't freak out .

I still have mine because I need a hobby. This would explain all of the links in my signature also.

Because I'm too far into it financially to get rid of it. This is my LAST VW ever..period. Things on this car break & fail far too soon. Water leaks in the cabin & trunk, door panels break, foam blown out of air vents, hot air out of the vents regardless of temp setting on the dial, headliner falling down, turn signals fail monthly, cruise control doesn't work, etc. My wife's 2001 Camry has 40k more miles and had required FAR fewer repairs, most expensive single repair has been less than $800. The ALH requires a $600-$700 outlay every 100k miles for timing belt & water pump! This car sucks! It's a German Stück Scheiße!

I’ve came across “ the beast” in the summer of 02 at a Toyota dealer ship where my wife’s van was being worked on.

The next day I walked out with a used 01 auto 4 doorTDI golf with a moon roof with 31,000 miles on it.

I put 110 miles a day on it and my other car was a Toyota Tundra that I was filing up every other day.

This car has been amazing, it’s the longest car I’ve ever owned, currently on 17 years of ownership.

Granted there was a learning curve with it , as when the autos were acting up a few years after owning it.

This was how I found this great community of knowledgeable people that were willing to help.

I was part of the auto to manual swap as it was progressing and never regretted it, only wish the 6 speeds were available then. Car had 121,xxx miles at the time.

I’ve done the 2” lift kit , asr mod, Malone stage 3 with egr delete, running stock turbo with sprint 520’s.
Just did the tb for the 4th time along with a head changed , smoky first start and broken GP for 12 years.
Car has 416,xxx miles on it currently, taught all 3 kids to drive stick on original vr6/g60 clutch when auto to manual swap done.

All 3 kids have mk iv tdi’s manuals, all have asr mods , all have 2” lift kits.

1 has a stage 2 Malone tune with egr delete and dynamic idle. It’s a 02 NB bought from a member on this forum. Bought with 212,xxx miles on it.

1 has a Malone eco tune , egr delete and dynamic idle. Also an 03 NB saved from salvage yard with some rh front end damage.

My son has an 00 2 door golf , 2” lift , asr mod waiting for me to do his 3rd timing belt, he has 300,xxx miles on it and he refuses to get rid of the car as it almost doesn’t cost him anything, he has a lease car that’s a Subaru and that he needs as he’s a 911 dispatcher in the county he lives in.

And my bastard child that I just got off jacks after being in the air for almost 2 1/2 years .
It had more damage than was told to me.

But it’s back together for the most part , runs beautifully, still have to finish the back end 2” lift and install an asr abs module. This car also has, Malone Stage 2 with sprint 520’s. It has 299,xxx on body and 166,xxx on engine.

It keeps me off the streets and out of bars.
Owes me nothing, haven’t had a car payment in 10 years.
Happy to invest $500-800 a year to keep my car going. It’s what 2-3 car payments.
It’s my hobby.
And it doesn’t have all the whistles and wiz bangs that all the newer cars have that
( a) cost a fortune to troubleshoot
( b ) cost a fortune to replace
( c ) refer to both a&b above.

Plus if it wasn’t stated IT GETS GREAT FUEL ECONOMY!!
I’m sure there’s more , but I want other members to post too. ; )

Plus I’m cheap, almost forgot to add that

McGuillicuddy said:

The MK4 TDI Jetta Wagon is the most practical vehicle ever made.

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True that. Mine took four of us snowboarding many times (with a Thule box on the roof), and managed to drive around NH, VT, and Maine in the dead of winter with snows and no AWD. Took all three kids to college. Brought them back for summers. Helped kids move (with a trailer when needed). Completed many track days which included embarrassing more than a few GTIs, and always got me home in one piece. And now it just goes and goes. It's been to Wisconsin twice in the last six months. Goes to NC at least once a year. And to NYC regularly. It's the car I drive: the others tend to sit.

rmidgett said:

Because I'm too far into it financially to get rid of it. This is my LAST VW ever..period. Things on this car break & fail far too soon. Water leaks in the cabin & trunk, door panels break, foam blown out of air vents, hot air out of the vents regardless of temp setting on the dial, headliner falling down, turn signals fail monthly, cruise control doesn't work, etc. My wife's 2001 Camry has 40k more miles and had required FAR fewer repairs, most expensive single repair has been less than $800. The ALH requires a $600-$700 outlay every 100k miles for timing belt & water pump! This car sucks! It's a German Stück Scheiße!

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Save the falling headliner (have a spare ready to go in) I've had none of these issues in my wagon. I have had to do a blend door repair in my '99.5 Golf, and the door panels did disintegrate in my son's '00 Golf after he left the windows down in the rain several times. But these cars have been dead reliable otherwise. Sure, they need more maintenance than a Camry, but also are far more rewarding. And with two in my family right now that are approaching 400K miles, I think the cost per mile is pretty reasonable, despite the maintenance costs.

It's our winter beater commuter car.

Because TDI !!!
It is cheap and special !!

Because simplicity. I don't look forward to working on my wife's NMS. And these tdi's just started showing up at the wrecking yard, so parts are a plenty, along with good vendors who sell good quality new belts bearings and such.

Because of the fuel savings. I went from a 55 mile one way commute to a 30 mile one way to a 25 mile one way to a 7 mile on way commute. Still will not get rid of it. The only way I will get rid of it is if I find a TDI wagon.

1. Mechanical reliability, cheap parts

2. I'm a diesel nerd Ive always envied my dads landcruiser/tdi
3. 5L/100km with 3 pedals
4. Love hatchback look/handling

6. Driver room, love small cars but being 6'4 its hard to find a comfy small car

Well, in the late 360k mile range, I gave my 2000 TDI Jetta to my son. He uses it as relay vehicle with his work. I did a TB job on it, among other things, before giving it to him. It should last another 100k miles with no issues, which should be well over 10 years (prolly will need another TB job just due to age by then).

I purchased my brother's 03 TDI Jetta for cheap (nice car). It had 302k miles on the body and transmission. The engine is from his originally purchased new 2001 that was involved in a T-bone... totaled by insurance company at 222k miles. That engine is in the 2003. That engine has 350k miles total on it .... suspect it will make it to 500k miles ..... Again, nice car, thus, why would want anything different?

Bought it because I didn’t want to keep piling miles on my 4th gen after I destroyed the getrag in my 1st gen. Both trucks are decently modified, so the car is pretty lacklustre (To get to a similar power to weight as my 4th gen the car needs to quadruple in power), but the car operates for a third of what the truck does, and then I don’t need to address the other problems my trucks have.

It's a free car that gets 48 mpg and puts your a$$ in the seat when you hit the gas pedal?

Bought my 2000 Jetta gals in 01 with 21k on the clock. It will be 18 years this fall and am nearing the 300k mark and still averaging 45 mpg (mostly road trips). Haven’t ever had a vehicle this long and am wondering what I will do if it gives up the ghost!

Maybe it will outlast me!

Bought it for a cheap commuter to and from work after having a RAM Ecodiesel and wanting something a little more MPG friendly for the trip. Initially was only going to keep it for a winter or two, basically just ride the guts out of it, but discovered that I enjoy working on it and learning how it works. Simple yet complex (if that makes any sense).

Hopefully I can get a few more year out of it before we have to part ways!

My 99 ALH

A friend of mine got a new one back in 2000ish and he is the one that got me into TDIs. We then got a 2.slow Jetta for my wife and she loved it. After moving several times, we finally landed in Big Bear CA and got ourselves an AWD WRX. We had to commute off the hill 4 times a week and while it was fun going up and down the hill with our WRX, fuel costs were eating at our budget. When we later ran across a used TDI in L.A. and went for it. We've had ours from around 2005ish. The car has been great for long trips and with our commute, it was perfect.




Recently started getting into improving my 20-year old TDI and got a tune for it with new nozzles. Still testing it out. I used to get 45mpg avg but now I'm in the 30s even after nozzles and tune...which I'm trying to figure out why (I'll take input!). But I still love this car and I don't know if I'll ever get rid of it.




And after this many miles, it's barely stretching its legs! right guys?

Sure is - I'm just shy of 384K miles and going strong.

I started with a MkVI about 6 years ago, got rear ended stopped in
a construction zone. Took the money and bought an "02 Golf with
the dreaded auto tranny. Now have 50k and nearly 3 years of excellent
service, and no, I don't know or want to know, what I've spent on the
mods listed below. Car's worth every penny.

Dead reliable, simple enough that even I can do a lot of the work,
and runs like a champ. Only 175k, so I'm hoping that it'll last me
as long as I can drive, being of the age where I'm now eligible for
Medicare.

I too am planning on daily driving mine until I can no longer drive...which hopefully will be the same day I drop dead.

"until I can no longer drive...which hopefully will be the same day I drop dead"

As long as those two events aren't simultaneous. Drive safe!

What is it they say?

'Better to go peacefully in your sleep than screaming like your passengers?'

1. Because my parents bought it new in 2004 and I remember doing family road trips in it with them when I came back from the service. They gave it to me when they bought a new car. I love them and it reminds me of them every time I look at it. I send them pic of it every once in a while and they remark at how it looks better than new.

2. We've almost always had a diesel in the family. The sound of the older diesels makes me feel like I'm home overtime I start it.

3. They are gorgeous looking cars (2004 BEW Wagon #NEVERGOINGTOSELLIT)

This is a timely subject for me....
It is my wife's 1999 New Beetle. We are the second owner - have had it for 16 years now and has 135k miles on it. Not a lick of rust anywhere - body is perfect except for a parking lot scrape.
She hasn't been able to drive for a few years now. It just sits in the barn. Lucky if it gets 500 miles a year - and that is me just taking it to town once in a while to keep the fluids moving.
Had the timing belt done last year just due to age (thank you Metal Man!). Other than one battery and both front wheel bearings that is it as far as repairs. It certainly owes us nothing.
Now I am at a crossroads and I don't know what to do. The fuel tank vent line has a leak from a mouse - when you fill the tank it leaks. Keep it at 1/2 tank and it is fine. This drives me nuts as I am always one to keep fuel tanks full.
It needs the turbo cleaned desperately. MetalMan got it to loosen up somewhat but still hits a brick wall at 3k RPM.
And I really want to get rid of the hard to start when warm issue. That alone will cost $225 from Malone Tuning to do being the ECU has to be re-socketed.
So what to do. It still passes PA state inspection every year. Do I get that stuff fixed just for it to sit in the barn all year? I know I could just let everything be, get it inspected (due in July). It's just hard for me to put $1k into this car when that is about all it is really worth at this point.
I keep it as a back up vehicle mostly. We have no family or friends nearby. If my pickup needs to go into the shop for a few days we are stuck without it. My wife is supposed to have surgery next month and have hopes that after her recovery she will be able to drive again. Even if so we are both retired now and go everywhere together in my fancy pickup anyway.
So that's why I still have my MK4. I used to enjoy working on my TDI's but just can't anymore due to physical limitations. Just don't know what to do at this point - hence my crossroad.

I still have mine (18 years now). Divorce is the quickest way to poverty, and I am still digging out of mine.

Besides there really isn’t anything out there floating my boat right now. Modern cars don’t have much character and working on them - making them your own - seeks to have gone the way of the dodo bird. And the government can now remotely turn off/control your car. What utter bull crap.

I have turned my Jetta into what I would have wanted in the first place with all kinds of interior and exterior upgrades, and with the engine and chassis still good I could keep her for a long time now.

And while she hasn’t been reliable at all I could upgrade as I went along- auto to manual, for example. After a long maintenance/upgrade cycle she’s good for another few years. And functionally she does everything I want.

I originally bought my Mkiv wagon car with the intention to DD for a year then turn it into a rehab project car. I used a small amount of my buyback money (sold back a Mkvi - I still miss that car terribly - full rawtek dpf delete exhaust, cp3 fuel pump, R tail lights among other things ) to bring it up to speed on PM work and used the rest to pay cash for my wedding. Three weeks before I got married I was laid off from a public safety job and not having a car payment was a life saver. Now that my wife and I are back on our feet, being laid off really drove home we don’t want to carry any debt and have been paying off everything (only the payment on her car left!) and plan to pay cash for her next car. Again, not having a payment on my wagon has been awesome. Even with a few major repairs needed it’s still less then a yearly car payment. As long as it runs I’ll be keeping it.

I bought mine in 07 (?) with 80k miles and a salvage title. It now has 258K. It came to me with non heated cloth seats and a sluggish disposition. It now has heated leather seats with lumbar support, thanks to PickNPull. The first 3 years I spent slowly working through deferred maintenance issues. Since then it's been amazingly reliable. In figuring out the sluggishness issue I removed the intake to clean and it was shiny compared to photos of the ones with partial occlusions posted here. There's no rust anywhere, the clutch is original, as is the turbo. I've been convinced that this particular vehicle, despite being a salvage title and being assembled in Mexico, is one of the ones that has been touched by the angels. It continues to have sniggling issues, which I'm not too happy with, but every time I drive it I'm amazed at how well it has performed for me.

Of all the 20 or so vehicles I've owned, none has worn tires more evenly than this Mk4.

Possibly the most compelling reason to keep it, is the braintrust available on this site.

What ^ he said (flashmayo) in last sentence.

This site and the information contained in it, was instrumental in our original decision to get a VW TDI.

Yes, at 243k and and 292k, we ask "what would we get if we bought another car?"

And we always come back to.... "Just keep these running"

Dad gave it to me at 272k 3.5 years ago. Auto trans was on its way out. I was driving 90 miles a day. Swapped in 5 speed and few other minor repairs and here we are. 340k, just had timing belt done, getting 46 mpg, and still chugging right along!