Long Time - Back w Q - Which TDI Would You Choose?

[no-blue-screen]

Greetings group. It's been a long long time since I was here. Since the dieselgate buyback of my 2015 Golf TDI I have been driving electric vehicles.

With that said I have an dilemma... My 17 yo daughter refuses to drive an EV (we live in a rural area) and she likes the beetle.

I plan to do a delete on the car after purchase. With that in mind here is the question.

If you were in the market for a used beetle TDI which would you choose?

ALH is going to be too old for her. The ones she has been looking at are 2013-2015.

How defiant is it that a guy like me who drives two EVs wants to get his daughter a deleted TDI?

 

[oilhammer]

ALH too old... LMAO.... I'm too old to worry about things breaking down on me, that's why I drive an ALH every day.

 

[pedroYUL]

Get her a 1.4T, so far I've been very impressed with this engine in a Jetta.

 

[oilhammer]

I was impressed until I had to deal with the screws falling out of the VVT actuator and oiling the belt down, then having to suffer through a really dumb setup for locking the cams to do the belt.

 

[pedroYUL]

I was impressed until I had to deal with the screws falling out of the VVT actuator and oiling the belt down, then having to suffer through a really dumb setup for locking the cams to do the belt.

How many so far like that? I will be doing the belt and reinstalling those VVT bolts with loctite, and yes, the setup to lock the engine at TDC is over-complicated. At least this is no door plug flying out!

 

[oilhammer]

I've only seen one, but the dealer I get our parts from has done several, so he knew what all parts I was going to need. And honestly, a proactive R&R and Loctite of those bolts would not be that big of a deal so long as you did it ahead of time... and the 150k mile belt service interval is certainly quite generous. But the digging out of the water pump and its little drive belt at the back end of the head, buried under a bunch of stuff, is what makes the whole job far more difficult than it should have been. And then you'll probably break the stupid purge line, which is in the way, and integral with the valve and whole line that runs down under the intake manifold and requires THAT be removed to replace.

 

[pedroYUL]

If you can still retrieve all of those part numbers, I would love to have them, as my dealer is beyond incompetent.
I can get the belt kit from eeuroparts, but it brings no hardware at all.

 

[no-blue-screen]

ALH too old... LMAO.... I'm too old to worry about things breaking down on me, that's why I drive an ALH every day.

For her... She is stuck on the beetle... She says "it's cute". Did they put the TSI in the beetle?

I loved my 2003 ALH Beetle 5 speed. Now I drive a Rivian . It was TDI that got me hooked on torque. Now I have 908 lb ft and quad electric motors

Daughter refuses to drive an EV.

 

[oilhammer]

Unfortunately, yes, the 2012+ Beetles did get a TSI engine. Some version of the craptastic EA888 engine was either optional, or towards the end, the ONLY engine available in them. Terrible, terrible engine.

The earlier versions (and the later years of the 'New' Beetle) got a 2.5L gasser 5cyl, which are pretty decent engines.

2014 was the last year you could get the 2.5L in the Beetle, and it was a split year. The later ones got the 1.8L version of the EA888 turd as the base engine. 2013 was all the 2.5L. I should note that the performance oriented trim of the Beetle got the 2.0L EA888 engine (like the GTI). And those were available (under various letter codes) the entire 2012-2019 run.

So for the 2.5L, you are looking at only 2012-early 2014 base trim Beetles. Which, base trim is still pretty tarted up. It isn't like things like A/C or power steering or power windows or ABS were options... all that stuff was standard equipment. They were available with both a 5sp manual or a 6sp (Aisin) automatic. 170hp, they push the Beetle around just fine, and are capable of getting low 30s MPG on the highway, and are one of very few VAG gassers that specifically do NOT require premium gasoline. If she's dead set on a Beetle, and you don't want something "too old", I'd shop for one of those.

 

[pedroYUL]

@no-blue-screen : find your daughter a 2015 Beetle TDI. It will have the last common rail engine for North America, which uses DEF.

...or as oilhammer says, a 2.5L

 

[no-blue-screen]

Unfortunately, yes, the 2012+ Beetles did get a TSI engine. Some version of the craptastic EA888 engine was either optional, or towards the end, the ONLY engine available in them. Terrible, terrible engine.

The earlier versions (and the later years of the 'New' Beetle) got a 2.5L gasser 5cyl, which are pretty decent engines.

2014 was the last year you could get the 2.5L in the Beetle, and it was a split year. The later ones got the 1.8L version of the EA888 turd as the base engine. 2013 was all the 2.5L. I should note that the performance oriented trim of the Beetle got the 2.0L EA888 engine (like the GTI). And those were available (under various letter codes) the entire 2012-2019 run.

So for the 2.5L, you are looking at only 2012-early 2014 base trim Beetles. Which, base trim is still pretty tarted up. It isn't like things like A/C or power steering or power windows or ABS were options... all that stuff was standard equipment. They were available with both a 5sp manual or a 6sp (Aisin) automatic. 170hp, they push the Beetle around just fine, and are capable of getting low 30s MPG on the highway, and are one of very few VAG gassers that specifically do NOT require premium gasoline. If she's dead set on a Beetle, and you don't want something "too old", I'd shop for one of those.

Thanks for that great info. I was really set on the TDI because of the fuel economy and torque.

I owned several TDI over the years the last of which being the 15 Golf TDI with the EA288. I did not own the CJAA? TDI used from 11-14. I did have an ALH, a PD, I had a 12 Passat which I think was CKRA?

Anyway why not go with a TDI?

 

[oilhammer]

They just cost a lot more to purchase and cost more to keep on the road long term (the newer ones).

Personally, I wouldn't dare put a teenager in anything like that anyway. I'd probably put them in some beat up Altima from Craigslist and let them rock that for a year first, see how they do. And I'd make them pay for it. But that's just how I was raised. My first car was a 1973 Beetle I bought for $700 with my own money, and spent a solid month fixing it up with my Dad's help in our garage. I earned that car.

 

[no-blue-screen]

They just cost a lot more to purchase and cost more to keep on the road long term (the newer ones).

Personally, I wouldn't dare put a teenager in anything like that anyway. I'd probably put them in some beat up Altima from Craigslist and let them rock that for a year first, see how they do. And I'd make them pay for it. But that's just how I was raised. My first car was a 1973 Beetle I bought for $700 with my own money, and spent a solid month fixing it up with my Dad's help in our garage. I earned that car.

Totally understand. My first car was a 1978 Mustang II v-6. I paid $150 for that car. Me and my brother rebuilt the carb, put new plugs and belts, but a new battery in it (it didn't have one). It was a 4 speed. Oh and I needed to get a new gas tank for it from the junkyard. Someone left the gas cap off and it was sitting outside gas tank full of rust. All that and a little bit of bondo or wait a lot of Bondo.

Anyway, totally understand. I really appreciate all the knowledge here on the TDI club forums.

 

[jmodge]

They just cost a lot more to purchase and cost more to keep on the road long term (the newer ones).

Personally, I wouldn't dare put a teenager in anything like that anyway. I'd probably put them in some beat up Altima from Craigslist and let them rock that for a year first, see how they do. And I'd make them pay for it. But that's just how I was raised. My first car was a 1973 Beetle I bought for $700 with my own money, and spent a solid month fixing it up with my Dad's help in our garage. I earned that car.

That's advice makes sense except for the part where you try to MAKE a 17 year old daughter do anything. Works on boys a lot better.

To the OP, no car advice, other than they may be the least of your struggles. Hang on for a potentionally bumpy ride. Take advantage of every moment to give patient and well delivered life lessons coated with love. It will be worth it. Mine is 25 and life is soooo much easier now. I only had one daughter but it feels like I had three. Birth to the day she turned 13, from there to early twenties, and now. If she has red hair, may God's grace be with you

 

[jmodge]

They just cost a lot more to purchase and cost more to keep on the road long term (the newer ones).

Personally, I wouldn't dare put a teenager in anything like that anyway. I'd probably put them in some beat up Altima from Craigslist and let them rock that for a year first, see how they do. And I'd make them pay for it. But that's just how I was raised. My first car was a 1973 Beetle I bought for $700 with my own money, and spent a solid month fixing it up with my Dad's help in our garage. I earned that car.

But I do definitely agree with you in principle

 

[hskrdu]

While watching for 2015 Beetle TDIs over the last few years for a family member, they have been quite pricey when they pop up, and some low-mileage or clean examples are hovering near original dealer prices. That's a lot of cash for a car that might be daily driven by a teenager.

Of note, the Beetle convertible was also available as a TDI (some with a stick) which I think was the only drop-top diesel offered during those years in the U.S., but OH could say for sure.

 

[oilhammer]

Not sure what years they were (are?) available, but you could get a Jeep Wrangler with a diesel, and those are all by default "convertibles" although many (especially the long 4 doors) with the optional hard top never get configured as such. But technically....

 

[hskrdu]

And the Jeep prolly came with a stick, which means we can't claim something entirely unique for the Beetle TDI. There was a 2015 blue Beetle with tan top listed in FL last week, 6M and TDI, but it was $$$. Not exactly practical enough for my style, but a cool combo.

 

[oilhammer]

No, the diesel option in the Wrangler means you get the ZF slushbox as your only transmission, unfortunately. The gasser Pentofail Wrangler gets the MB 6sp manual option.

 

[hskrdu]

So at least VW could claim the only (US/CAN) diesel convertible with a stick! Too bad we regulated ourselves out of that situation...

 

[oilhammer]

Oh we're especially good at legislating stupidity into our lives.

 

[BobnOH]

We have a lot of Safety and Emission regulations. Some are pretty poor, but overall they're a win.
Just one mans opinion. Clean Air, who needs it...............

 

[oilhammer]

My issue is with beating up on 45+ MPG cars over a red herring NOx issue, while the 12 MPG Suburbans and giant 8500+ GVWR 3/4 ton trucks sell like crazy and are used for daily driving one person around, and that's perfectly fine. That makes no sense...

 

[hskrdu]

We have a lot of Safety and Emission regulations. Some are pretty poor, but overall they're a win.
Just one mans opinion. Clean Air, who needs it...............

But the issue wasn't as simple as "who wants clean air," and the term "regulations" applies to just short of 1.37 million topics. The issue is whether our regulations regarding diesel passenger cars tilted the marketplace against a highly fuel efficient transportation alternative- and whether that's the proper role of government.

 

[drew_t]

Daughter refuses to drive an EV.

Invite her to walk, take the bus, or buy her own car - and to advise you if she reconsiders making use of the Dear Old Dad Electric Motor Pool.

 

[braddies]

This is fascinating, the concept of buying a working age child an automobile. At about my 13th birthday Mom and Dad made it clear they would allow me to purchase a car and get a license but the finances we're 100% my responsibility. Given 3 years of knowing that if I wanted a car I'd need to save for it I had plenty of time to work and save.
It was something like the concept of; if you're not responsible enough to think/plan ahead enough to afford car+insurance+maintenance then you're probably not mature/responsible enough to be trusted to safely pilot a 65mph 2000lb missile. Heaven forbid the child injures themselves, or worse, injures someone else

 

[watatrp]

My issue is with beating up on 45+ MPG cars over a red herring NOx issue, while the 12 MPG Suburbans and giant 8500+ GVWR 3/4 ton trucks sell like crazy and are used for daily driving one person around, and that's perfectly fine. That makes no sense...

VW diesel revenge-was in Chicago on Monday driving my diesel Passat when it was -7 degrees. Drove past the Tesla fast charging lot only to see a lot of people out pushing their Teslas around and a line of tow trucks trying to figure out how they were going to tow them all. Imagine the amount of energy wasted trying to save energy.

 

[John Wesley Hardin]

VW diesel revenge-was in Chicago on Monday driving my diesel Passat when it was -7 degrees. Drove past the Tesla fast charging lot only to see a lot of people out pushing their Teslas around and a line of tow trucks trying to figure out how they were going to tow them all. Imagine the amount of energy wasted trying to save energy.

Hahaha... I see some Teslas around here , not many , not in South Texas. The ones I do see , the drivers and their wives all look like Mark Zuckerberg and their cell phones are glued to their ears. You know Tesla is building a battery plant in Robstown Tx which is primarily all Hispanic.
Walmart had to pull out of Robstown and close their doors. The employees, their relatives and the shoppers stole so much merchandise it was no longer profitable for them to continue to operate there . So they closed down .
I just wonder if theres gonna be a new black market for Tesla batteries in South Texas. "Robstown Texas Home of the Cotton Pickers" Thats the name of the high school football team. Cotton is King in South Texas. Many Mexicans and their families I know who picked cotton by hand up till the early fifties.
Its really a source of pride and dignity to be called a Cotton Picker down South Texas way. In no way is it interpreted to be Racists not among the Locals Whites , Blacks and Hispanics all picked cotton and brought the whole family to the fields, and they were proud of it.

 

[John Wesley Hardin]

Totally understand. My first car was a 1978 Mustang II v-6. I paid $150 for that car. Me and my brother rebuilt the carb, put new plugs and belts, but a new battery in it (it didn't have one). It was a 4 speed. Oh and I needed to get a new gas tank for it from the junkyard. Someone left the gas cap off and it was sitting outside gas tank full of rust. All that and a little bit of bondo or wait a lot of Bondo.

Anyway, totally understand. I really appreciate all the knowledge here on the TDI club forums.

Get her something where her boyfriend cant fit in the back seat or you know those mats you put under office chairs that have spikes to hold them on the carpet, well throw that in the back seat spikes up. That should keep Thumper at bay !

 

[jmodge]

Get her something where her boyfriend cant fit in the back seat or you know those mats you put under office chairs that have spikes to hold them on the carpet, well throw that in the back seat spikes up. That should keep Thumper at bay !

You’re sick man, did you catch something at Walmart?