How long will you keep your MK4 TDI?

[gcarl0]

For 15 years, I've maintained my '01 Jetta ALH and '04 Golf PD, in large part to this site's forums, members, and vendors.

Being located in New England, the winter's salt (against my garageless TDIs) is rusting away my cars' bodies.
So I spent time thinking about a TDI engine swap, say to a Jeep Cherokee, 4Runner, or Nissan Xterra.
However, finding the right host vehicle is tough, as I think I need model year 1999-2000 w/manual transmission, and low rust.

What are you folks considering doing with your up-in-the-years MK4 TDIs?
Selling and moving on? If so, on to what, that has similar torque / fuel economy?
or continued investment, say bodywork, new paint, seats, ...?

Thanks,
Glenn

 

[DuraBioPwr]

Im out here in Washington state. We get plenty of snow but they dont use alot of salt. Cars dont really rust out here.

Im going to drive it until the wheels fall off. I run it on homemade biodiesel most of the year and combined with the milage that these cars get and homemade fuel its almost free to drive. Just did the cam and clutch not too long ago. About to do the brakes all around. Parts are cheap and plentiful so keep on trucking. 275K on it now and runs great.

 

[Nero Morg]

Until it gets totaled, and even then, depending on the extent of damage, I might still fix it. Newer cars are becoming more difficult, more proprietary to work on, and in my opinion, becoming disposable. I know it's a cliché, but they definitely don't really build em like they used to.

 

[hey_allen]

I plan to drive mine until I can't drive it, and then probably try to find another car to stuff the powertrain into. That might be another MK4 VW, or something else, small and light.

 

[jokila]

I am in the south. No rust at all. I am at 471k miles (all mine) and going to do a mic drop at 500k. Probably.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Repair the rust and drive it. 6 years ago I had the tailgate and fenders replaced and one rocker repaired at the end of VW's 12 year rust warranty. This year I had the other rocker repaired and, unfortunately, the fenders replaced again, this time on my dime. Replacement fenders, even OE, aren't as good as originals, although the paint shop was careful to both paint and undercoat them this time.

I've been driving this car for 18 years, and have always owned at least one other car in that time, but this one is my go to. I'm with jolika, going to get it to 500K (420 now) and see what I think. But maintaing it is far cheaper than swapping the drivetrain into something else.

 

[Andyinchville1]

Since my car is in great shape body / chassis wise and mechanically I'll probably keep mine forever swapping out stuff / repairing / maintaining as needed.

Not too many low cost / relatively cheap to maintain cars that are fun to drive and get over 50 mpg on the highway.

Andrew

 

[tryin2vw]

The NC sun has made the clear coat on my 2002 terrible. But with 502,400 miles, it will be driven until the wheels fall off. Next timing belt change will be at 545,000.

 

[irvingj]

I kept my '72 Blazer for over 30 years; I expect to do the same with my '05 Wagon. Hell, it's only just recently hit 150K. Only worry is --as others have mentioned-- the #@!$ salt they use up here. Front 2 fenders replaced some time ago; right rear wheel arch getting pretty tender now. I'll invest to repair the rust.

With my Blazer, after 12 years & 180K miles I had ALL sheetmetal replaced except the front fenderwells, rear bumper & hood. This 2005 TDI is in far better shape than the Blazer was, even after 15 years!

 

[Rrusse11]

As long as I can.

 

[rwthomas1]

Mines in pretty good shape, so as long as possible. Since you mentioned engine swaps, why not do the easiest swap of all, a rust free Southern body? The rust belt and New England have lots of perfectly useable parts. Good engines, drivetrain, interiors, etc. The Southern stuff is all sun damaged, but rust free. If you have the time, and it seems like you are planning a bit into the future, start looking now. A car lightly smacked in the front, or with a blown engine, worn out interior, is what you need. I've gone to Texas for a truck cab, West Virginia for a truck frame, and Indiana for a truck bed (bed from NM). Yes, it was all effort and commitment. But I've never been burned this way, and it was always cheaper in the long run than buying new. RT

 

[ssaric1.9TDI]

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With deals like this I think I'll keep my MK4 for forever.

 

[sriracha]

Being a TDI from AZ, my wagon is completely free of rust. I've slowly been replacing/upgrading everything as needed. It's worth it for me to keep the wagon rolling, since the body is so clean. Just the other day I got a comment from a client, in disbelief that my car was 15 years old.

 

[rwthomas1]

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With deals like this I think I'll keep my MK4 for forever.

This! This right here! $500cash and a car dolly, down and back in 24hrs. Park the donor next to it and start pulling them down. Engine/trans in a weekend. Drive it for years, cheap and easy.

RT

 

[gcarl0]

RT, I was thinking the same thing after ssaric1.9TDI post . and a wagon no less, which is what I should have sought out in the beginning
Maybe now is time to finally install a hitch on one of my vehicles ...

Thanks all for the encouragement to stay in this marriage. BTW, what does one get for hitting 500K miles? A new set of front seats from VW USA

 

[hey_allen]

I'm at 360K miles, and I don't think I could tolerate the seats another 140K miles...
I already have a set pulled from a low mileage car waiting, but haven't taken the time to pull apart my interior to run the new heated seat wiring and install the newer seats.

 

[jayb79]

I keep telling myself it has to go but I can't bring myself to do it I just love driving it and it doesn't cost much to keep it going. Maybe at 500k??? Probably not.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

I'm at 360K miles, and I don't think I could tolerate the seats another 140K miles...
I already have a set pulled from a low mileage car waiting, but haven't taken the time to pull apart my interior to run the new heated seat wiring and install the newer seats.

This may sound crazy, but I bought (with my mechanic) a wrecked Wagon to get the glove box for my '99.5. The wrecked car cost less than a glove box from the dealer. Go figure.

The wagon only had 100K miles on it, so the seats were far less flattened out than mine. And the car was a GL like mine, so they match.

 

[Nevada_TDI]

I love my Wifes 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee, but 12 to 14 MPG IS just too pricey. And I will drive my Jetta until it dies.

 

[Rob Mayercik]

Mine just clicked past 420K miles a day or two ago, and I'm getting it a new timing belt for Christmas (it's due).

No plans to get rid of it either - runs great, no rust issues. Fully expecting to be joining the "600 K miles club" one day...

 

[000silvertdi]

I've got 500,421 km on my 2000 vw golf tdi, this car runs like an absolute dream it still gets 1100 kmpg, this car is going to continue driving until a piston flies out of the hood or the body rusts off. and even after that its going to get the doaner engine I have sitting for it in the garage.

 

[csstevej]

I’ve had mine since 2003 , it’s a 2001 4 door golf. I bought it used with 32,xxx miles and was an auto.
The auto lasted to about 121,xxx miles than I did the swap.....now pushing 438,xxx miles on it and just fix or replace what’s needs to be and keep trucking......
I have 5 tdi’s spread through immediate family with the lowest at 288,xxx miles and mine being the highest.....all are manuals.
nobody wants to give them up......

 

[Gothmolly]

Mine's nearing death, getting some rust on the frame from a fender that rotted out, plus all the pieces that have broken on it over the years. Weird shimmy in the front at speed now, that's a new thing. Stillgets up and goes though, although with all the blowby and clogged intake it's gotten real smokey. I will miss it, they won't ever make a TDI better than the MkIV.

 

[PakProtector]

As long as I can. I like these liddle beasts. By the time the current two previously southern cars die of MI rusting, it will be slightly difficult to find another similar. I will try anyway... I suspect I will lay in a 2003 if such crosses my path in the mean time. Not particularly caring what body( Jetta or Golf ), but manual( unless the proper auto shows itself, the '03 is relatively easy to manual-ize ). Lurch is 30 now, and I have a solid bed for him.
cheers,
Douglas

 

[Nuje]

I finally gave up and sold mine (2002 Golf) summer 2019 because we weren't driving much anyway, and three cars for two people in a small town....why bother.

And then bought a 2003 Golf in need of some time and attention in December....
So, to answer the question...apparently for a long, long time because I just like playing around on them. And it's a blast to drive.

 

[jayb79]

And they are easy to fix parts are plentiful and very affordable. How many cars can you find a complete dual mass flywheel, pressure plate, clutch disk, and bolts for 200 bucks? Rear rotors are $10, radiator for under $100 and the list goes on.

 

[irvingj]

Not to mention how relatively simple these diesels are! We purchased a Sprinter-based RV new in 2015; what a nightmare! Controls on controls! Finicky electronics! Most everything is dealer- or specialist-required for diagnosis & repair.

My TDI ain't my Rochester 2-jet 307-equipped Blazer, but then it gets a lot better mileage (to put it mildly), and I can still work on it. (NOT that Sprinter, however....)

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Not to mention how relatively simple these diesels are! We purchased a Sprinter-based RV new in 2015; what a nightmare! Controls on controls! Finicky electronics! Most everything is dealer- or specialist-required for diagnosis & repair.

My TDI ain't my Rochester 2-jet 307-equipped Blazer, but then it gets a lot better mileage (to put it mildly), and I can still work on it. (NOT that Sprinter, however....)

When these cars were launched in 1998 (NB was first) people here complained endlessly about the complexity and fragility of the engine controls. MAF failures, turbo actuator problems, vacuum system issues, clogged intakes, dual mass flywheel failures, you name it. Now most people, me included, think of these as very simple, easy to maintain vehicles. Now I'm mystified and a bit intimidated by my '15 GSW and, even more so, the 335d.

 

[irvingj]

Yes, Indigo Blue -- you may recall that you're one of the few people other than me who has ever driven my '05 wagon, in 2006 (IIRC), at the Montreal TDI Fest -- back when the BEW engine was still relatively new (though already being phased out).

I also thought it was rather complex at the time, but not compared to our '15 OM642!! (And Ross-Tech's Vag-Com was only a couple hundred dollars, as opposed to the proprietary MB diagnostic software suite required for our Sprinter....)

I think our Sprinter, unfortunately, will be the last diesel I'll ever buy. Here's hoping idParts will stick around for many years so I can keep my "baby diesel" running!

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Here's hoping idParts will stick around for many years so I can keep my "baby diesel" running!

We're not going anywhere.