Going to see this car tomorrow, please advise what to look

[K98junkie]

I am going to see this Jetta tomorrow:

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/2074529282.html

Please give me advise what to look at, what would be the red flag...
The seller appears to be a curbstoner and the car has a bad transmission.

I currently have 2.0L Jetta GLS and had diesel powered 1st Gen. Golf many years ago , and diesel W123 Mercedes, so I am not entirely new to diesel.

Thanks a lot for your inputs.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

That kind of looks like a scam. But if it's not I'd look for a negligent owner who thought it was OK to drive it around without 5th gear. Replacing 5th isn't a big deal, but it causes me to wonder what else they've done to the car or neglected to do.

I'm betting that asking for service history will get you nowhere. Plan on 3-5K worth of work to get this car up to snuff, maybe more. So if it looks like you'd be willing to pay 7-8K for it with repairs then you might have something.

Still, that price is so low for a wagon I have to wonder...

 

[K98junkie]

No service history, that much I already know.

 

[rotarykid]

I smelled something fishy when I clicked on the link ?????????? Price is quite a bit too low unless there is a lot wrong there , salvage title ?? maybe . It has me wondering what took that 5th gear out ( low oil abuse ????) and if it's failure damaged the rest of the shiftbox ( floating metal in the rest of the trans chewing up the other gears ). And what else is fussed up on the car , these transmissions just don't fail for no reason . IF the miles are accurate they wouldn't bother me .

I do have a friend that has been driving a 97 Passat TDI for the past couple of years without 5th gear so it might not be as fatal as it sounds . But would at the least put my hands on a replacement trans before I'd take the plunge .

A car with a salvage title really doesn't bother me if it was fixed correctly but one with a list of things being wrong , neglected is a big flashing red light .

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Assume it needs:

- Timing belt
- Engine mounts
- Suspension
- 5th gear of course, maybe a transmission (a 5th gear failure alone isn't that uncommon, however)

Might also need:

- Brakes/tires/wheel bearings/various suspension and steering stuff
- Clutch
- Axles
- Turbo (don't assume that no boost or power means a dead turbo, however, there are lots of other causes.

I'd probably look for oil around the turbo and intercooler piping as evidence of a failing of failed turbo. I'd also check for fuel leaks around the injection pump.

It'll certainly have a check engine light. If you can get a VAG-COM or similar tool to check for codes that would help. See if it starts easily. Does it make decent power? A TDI in good shape should not feel slow. The oil will be black, don't worry about that.

And although mechanical repairs can add up, cosmetic stuff is expensive, too. Seats, door panels, headliner, etc. should be in good enough shape so you could live with it.

Your best bet would be to get this to a TDI guru for inspection. Not sure off the top of my head who's in the Pittsburgh area.

 

[puter]

Given the possibility for oil starvation / long change intervals as others have pointed out, I think I would also want to look at the cam...

 

[snakeye]

Worst case scenario = ygwypf
Best case scenario = you got a good deal

Come on guys, it's a 2003 wagon for 2500. That's a good price even with a blown engine.

Btw my father was driving down to Florida around 5 years ago with his 2001 Jetta, and randomly lost 4th gear I think. Doesn't necessarily have to be due to poor maintenance, things like this can happen. But yeah, the fact that the owner never got it fixed seems a bit fishy.

 

[K98junkie]

Well, drove this morning to see the car. The good point is that body appeared straight and the engine did not have unusual sound. There was rattling sound in the transmission, as if something was loose inside. All tires were shot, bad pulsation in the brake pedal, probably warped rotors. Engine light with codes 0671, 0672, 0673, 0674 (glow plugs?). It would turnon very easily, though. brake light and airbag lights are on. Steering was very heavy when not in motion, felt as if no steering assist at all. Did not look under the car. Could not see if there was IP leak; engine plastic cover was there and I forgot 10 mm socket... The interior was ratty. What I did not like most was that I could not feel that delightful torque at low RPM. I think my 1981 Golf with its 54 hp engine felt peppier. I drive 2000 Jetta with 2.0L gas engine. at 35 mph it is in 4th and asks for 5th. This one at 35 was asking downshift (fully warmed up engine). It definitely felt sluggish compared to my 2.0, which is known as 2.slow... Although it might be injection timing, not the compression etc. I think IndigoBlueWagon is right, this car needs at least 3K, even if I do fixes like brake and suspension myself, which I have done on my current Jetta. But let's be fair, can you realistically expect more from a car with 224K?

 

[puter]

Yes, I think you can.

If the car was properly maintained it should be running much better at 224k. These engines are known to last 400k.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Mine has 235K on it, and it drives very, very well. The low power is from no boost, may be as simple as a MAF sensor or vacuum line. Or a stuck actuator on the turbo. Or it may need a new turbo. Steering problem sounds like it might either need a pump or a steering rack. Any signs of steering fluid leaks?

Too bad it's ratty inside. Sometimes I find that more discouraging than mechanical issues.

 

[puter]

Mine has 235K on it, and it drives very, very well. The low power is from no boost, may be as simple as a MAF sensor or vacuum line. Or a stuck actuator on the turbo. Or it may need a new turbo. Steering problem sounds like it might either need a pump or a steering rack. Any signs of steering fluid leaks?

Too bad it's ratty inside. Sometimes I find that more discouraging than mechanical issues.

Yup, I also think it's a sign of how poorly the car was maintained.

 

[K98junkie]

In retrospect I think I couldn't emotionally attach myself to the car because of that. It felt no matter what I do it will remain filthy.

 

[The J]

You're getting yourself into a project, so you have to ask if it's worth it for you. You'll have downtime and aggravation to get it sorted out. Expect it to be a $5000 car at the minimum to get back to the way it should be running.

The mileage should not be an indicator of its condition -- 100k cars look just as crappy if they're poorly maintained, and most likely need the same fixes like suspension bushings, motor mounts, shocks, etc.

You can spend $2000 on getting it to run right, and still have a ratty interior. I couldn't sit in someone else's abused interior and be ok with it. If the interior is dirty, I doubt the mechanicals have been maintained.

Check for rust, misaligned body panels, mismatched paint, etc. to see if there are past accidents. A Pittsburgh car should have had its share of road salt.

The airbag code could be as simple as the plug under the driver's seat being corroded over time or it's in need of a new buckle, or it could mean more serious problems.

 

[turbocharged798]

I would offer him 2K and plan on putting 3K into it. Interior can always be cleaned/fixed/replaced. A good straight body is a MUST, everything else is fixable.

 

[ShagginWagon]

From what I've seen on here people can part out cars that are wrecked for much more money than this guy is asking. I think if you're up for a project or if you want to make some money this might not be a bad deal. You could also try low-balling the guy and see if you can pick it up for $1500-$2000. The only thing you need to remember is that when it comes time to resell it you're looking at a car that won't sell for more than $4000-$5000 and there isn't a bank I've ever heard of that will finance a car with that many miles, and most people with money would rather buy something newer.