Who made their mk4 TDI their daily driver?

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
TDI
2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
I dunno if this is a stupid thread, but I'm kinda curious who else owns multiple TDIs/vehicles and made their mk4 their daily.

I originally bought my first mk4, a 2004 BEW Golf, in 2016, as a secondary car, for towing and ranch duties. Ended up racking up more miles on my mk4. Here I am, 3 Golfs later, and I consistently put 25-30K a year on my Golf, while my mk6 is about 20K or less. Sure, the mk6 has more modern amenities and is A LOT faster, but there's just something about my mk4 that makes it a real joy to drive.
 

STDOUBT

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Location
Portland, effing Oregon
TDI
dos jettas
Man, pk - you get around, boy!
I originally got my '03 in '06, had 42k miles on it, and was going to use it mainly for visiting Family out of state and long trips.
At the time we had my '03 and a precious '87 toyota p/u. Sadly, I neglected the toy, and the chain broke while Wifey was driving.
Stupidly I let it go..
Started putting more miles on the '03, and it became the Daily. That was around 2012 and in 2014 I had the Jetta's TB changed by Rich at Fix Um at 82k miles, and 11 years old - 1st TB change!
In December I changed the TB myself since 7ish years had passed, and I had to pull off the IP to replace the N108 anyway :sick:
Wifey informed me in 2018 she was getting herself a Jetta, she found the '01 on CL, on Whidbey Island WA. 232k miles on it.
I've done a LOT of work to it, and she loves it. It stays in the garage mostly, while my '03 does the daily....
I watch them like a hawk, and hope to keep 'em 'till I'm done :fingers crossed:
 

KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
Moved out from MT to WA, my DD was a 2004 Cummins with the handshaker NV5600. Knew I would need a commuter and picked up my Mk4 Golf at the end of 2013. It's been my DD since then. If I need 4WD, or to get out into the mountains, the bed space, or just drive it for fun, the truck gets the call. Everything else is my TDI. Now with a bunch of go fast goodies on the car, it's an entire new drive!

Wouldn't ever want to live without either love them both equally!
 

Vwkaferman

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2021
Location
Mesa, AZ
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon
My 2003 Wagon has become my daily. Currently at 142xxx miles, picked it up earlier in 2021.

My original intent was to daily an old Dodge neon coupe that I had picked up. It ran strong, but the tranny didn’t hold up (manual) and it sat for 6 months. So my “backup” vehicles were my ‘93 Dodge Cummins (manual of course) or my really clean ‘99 Dodge neon R/T that stays in the garage and is used sparingly.

The neon coupe that I got rid of (above) I had planned on throwing parts at it that I’ve stockpiled (original adjustable Koni struts that I found in Mexico, Mopar high rate springs, mopar header, etc) but the Jetta came along.

Loving it. I need to pull the trigger on suspension and quite a few more things but I smile everyday I drive it. The ‘99 R/T is fun too though, it’s got Koni yellows, Mopar XX rate springs, Iceman intake, Mopar ECU, Modern Performance UDP, Thermal R&D exhaust and hard to find mint “trunk kit” wheels on it.

James
 

benmarks

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2003
Location
Portland, OR
TDI
2004 Jetta GLS Sedan Platinum Gray
Except for a brief 2 year period after Jetta 2 was plowed into from behind and totaled, my daily driver has been a MK4 Jetta TDI sedan for the past 22 years. First, a brand new tornado red 2000 sedan that died on black ice in West Virginia on the last leg of an ill-fated cross country trip in 2007. Second, a 2004 reflex silver sedan that immediately replaced the first Jetta, but it died in the aforementioned rear-ending in 2013. And now, my current Jetta, another 2004 sedan but platinum gray, that was purchased with the recall money I got from the 2014 TDI Beetle I had for the 2 years between Jettas 2 and 3.

This is why I have put so much work into Jetta 3. Before, I never had the opportunities (or the salary) to mod Jettas 1 and 2 while I owned them, so Jetta 3 is my chance to finally do everything I always wanted to do to the first 2 cars.
 

irvingj

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Location
Etna,NH
TDI
2005 Jetta Wagon TDI (PD/BEW)
I bought a '72 Blazer in Nov of 1972, finally sold it in 2003 with about 275K on the odo. Bought my 2005 Mk4 TDI wagon (BEW) in early 2006. Will keep it at least as long....
 

JDSwan87

Black Swamp Thing
Joined
Feb 9, 2014
Location
Michigan near Toledo
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI, 5 speed Lagoon Blue Metallic(sold); 2005 Jetta TDI Wagon auto
Own 3 vehicles, 2015 Sierra, (soon to be) 2022 Odyssey and the 2005 Jetta. I daily the Jetta, truck stays in the garage. Wifey drives the truck while we wait for our ordered Odyssey to arrive.
 

Shenandoah

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Location
Shenandoah Valley, VA
TDI
2005 Jetta Wagon; 2005 Beetle; 2004 Jetta; 2002 Golf (three of them); 2002 Jetta Wagon; 2000 Audi TT->TDI; 1999 Beetle
Daily drivers since 2007.....I mostly drive my Audi TT -> TDI conversion with 260K or the 2005 Jetta wagon with 438k. Oldest daughter drives a 2002 Golf with an 01m (original 01m lasted until 330k; swapped in another that only had 90k) with 380k. Youngest daughter drives a 2004 Jetta with the 02a that has 197k. Then there are all the "backup" mk4s I've collected over the years......

Eric
 

jmodge

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
We both have been dd’ing Mk4 Jettas with over 300k on them. Since June I have been dd’ing a Mk4 Toyota Tacoma. Back to the Jetta for winter
 

KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
We both have been dd’ing Mk4 Jettas with over 300k on them. Since June I have been dd’ing a Mk4 Toyota Tacoma. Back to the Jetta for winter
What's a "Mk4" Toyota Tacoma? I had a 99.5, last year they had manual locking hubs. Just haven't heard that term in all the years I was a part of the Tacoma crowd.
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
I’ve bought my first golf with 32,xxx miles from a Toyota dealer while my wife’s car was getting serviced ,was an auto that I converted to a manual at 122,xxx.
That car currently has 447,xxx miles , it’s survived 3 deer kills and is in the process of being put back together from latest kill…..in no rush as I have another TDI , a NB that I was gonna give my daughter for a graduation present to get her out of a gasser NB…had had more issues with engine than I thought so drove to West Virginia and bought a yellow TDI from fellow member Dwiesel….had all the options I wanted her to have.
Ive rebuilt the NB motor with serviceable pistons and rods from Franko6 and is currently 10,xxx miles since rebuild on motor with total milage at 310,xxx. This and my golf are gonna be my DD.

My sons golf just passed 400,xxx miles and got for him while in high school…..he’s now 28 and won’t part with that car….he’s also modded it after I’ve done some mods for him.

And my youngest just passing 300,xxx miles on her NB…..
All above are Alh’s , all are manuals , all have custom 2” lifts and all have ASR installed……none in the family will get rid of there cars……
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
I had a gasser 2001 I used as a DD until I gave it to my wife when I went to AZ for school, had a MKV DD when I got back, but wanted a TDI really badly but didn't want the aftertreatment. So I found a sedan MKIV GL and drove it for 6 months, then I found my wagon. My primary DD.

When weather gets snowy, I either drive my 88 samurai that's fuel injected swapped, or my 90 f350 crew cab idi. Otherwise they're typically parked.

Vw is my favorite, that's why I convinced my wife to get rid of her 00 passat wagon 4mo for her 14 NMS TDI. And it's great, she LOVES that car. I can't stand the touchy brakes on it though.
 

Zak99b5

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Location
Albany NY
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
I had a gasser 2001 I used as a DD until I gave it to my wife when I went to AZ for school, had a MKV DD when I got back, but wanted a TDI really badly but didn't want the aftertreatment. So I found a sedan MKIV GL and drove it for 6 months, then I found my wagon. My primary DD.

When weather gets snowy, I either drive my 88 samurai that's fuel injected swapped, or my 90 f350 crew cab idi. Otherwise they're typically parked.

Vw is my favorite, that's why I convinced my wife to get rid of her 00 passat wagon 4mo for her 14 NMS TDI. And it's great, she LOVES that car. I can't stand the touchy brakes on it though.
B5 4mo wagon is a nice car, if it’s a manual.
 

Rrusse11

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Location
PA Deutsch Country
TDI
2002 Golf, 5spd; 05 Jeep CRD
The newer cars are much more sophisticated suspensions, and have more "whistles and bells", but therein lies their
achilles heel. Complicated electronics and "better" supspensions are not nearly as serviceable/fixable. The very
rawness of the MkIV platform puts you in touch with the road, and demand a certain level of driver participation
that new lack. Keeping it simple here for as long as I can avoid accident, pretty much everything is fixable,
and thankfully mine is rust free. Cosmetically one of these days it could use a shot of clear coat, but my
original paint is still holding up very well. I suspect it was garaged for most of its life. One of these days
I'll have to do the heater core and pull the dash, and the AC doesn't work at all well, but that's why they
give you windows that roll up and down, :).
 

jmodge

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
What's a "Mk4" Toyota Tacoma? I had a 99.5, last year they had manual locking hubs. Just haven't heard that term in all the years I was a part of the Tacoma crowd.
It’s a 1996 xcab, 5spd, j shift w/lockouts powered by a Mk4 ALH
 

MarsBar

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Location
San Jose, CA
TDI
B4V#2 "Flash", 2000 Jetta GL, B4V#1 "PaTuDI" (2008-2018 RIP)
Bought the Jetta for hubby when we thought he was going to have a 35mi commute one way. That job fell through after a few months, but the Jetta's still his daily driver and what we use for road trips. Drove it round trip San Jose-Morro Bay, a/c on, in winds, and got 52.6mpg. Can't beat that!
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
B5 4mo wagon is a nice car, if it’s a manual.
Sadly, was a v6 auto. That version of the v6 had the worst crankcase breather system on it too, always blew out the valve cover gaskets.
 
Joined
May 29, 2019
Location
PEC-Ontario
TDI
Jetta GLS Mk4 2005 PD
Purchased a new 2002 Golf (manual), then traded 3yrs later for a new 2005 Jetta GLS-TDI. With only 300km it's still my daily driver. It runs and looks great.
 

Ovrhill

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2019
Location
Haltom City, Texas
TDI
'04 Jetta Wagon BEW, '06 Golf BEW, '15 Golf TDI(sold), '05 Golf TDI (wrecked)
Have an 06 Golf (hers) and an 04 Jetta wagon (mine). Both are our daily drivers along with a 2017 pickup in the fleet.

Cars still get the most use and enjoyment.
 

justin71105

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2014
Location
SC
TDI
2005 Jetta Wagon (BEW)
Sold my 2021 Accord in October of this past year to daily drive my MK4.

2005 MK4 Jetta wagon, 5 speed, 336k miles, did a major refurb on suspension/steering/brakes and changed all fluids when I got it back in October.
 

zipdoa

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2013
Location
Calgary
TDI
1HDT
Ran 2x B4V TDI's and an '06 TDI Wagon as daily drivers, just got a mint '03.5 ALH Wagon w/ 99k, hard to want to daily this one. Too clean!

The TDI allure has diminished somewhat after driving a new sportwagen. Similar fuel economy on the highway and way more car in every other sense. Something keeps me drawn to the diesels, though!
 

Tom_B

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Location
Central Oklahoma
TDI
15 Touareg, 14 A6
We got our 2004 Jetta back running well and I drove it daily for a few months, saving another newer TDI that's still well within settlement warranty in the garage. Then I realized I had it backwards, decided to shake out the bugs in the newer TDI before the time or mileage ran out. I plan to get back to the Jetta once that happens, it's still fun to drive and makes the trips well.
 

noob_tl

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2012
Location
Central Indiana
TDI
2003 NB
We got the '03 NB for our daughter in 2011 when she turned 16. It's the only car she's had and she won't give it up, putting about 140k miles on top of the 160k it had when we got it. She lived overseas for almost a year, and I made sure the car got plenty of use when she was gone since I was commuting 80-100 miles daily.
 

Stupendous60

Veteran Member
Joined
May 18, 2019
Location
.
TDI
.
I "rotate". Each gets driven once a week, then one gets driven again Friday, I never decide which one until the next morning. Then, on the weekend, if any, luck of the draw...
 

Diesel Fumes

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Location
Creston, bc
TDI
2003 alh tdi 5 speed
I put about 300km a day on my Jetta and it has like 460k km on it now. I have a newer car but I don't find it interesting so I barely drive it. My other car feels like a dull appliance. The tdi is actually fun despite being stock so I prefer it
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Right now my '02 Wagon and '99.5 Golf are in the attached garage. The Passat and BMW are in the second garage, and the '15 GSW is in the IDParts warehouse on a battery tender. I keep the MKIVs close because they are what I drive. IBW weekdays, the Golf weekends, mostly.

In May of this year IBW will have been my daily for 20 years. Guess I kind of like it.
 

Sword_of_the_Spirit

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2021
Location
Dusselheim
TDI
All Makes
Got rid of a brace of the in-demand GC Subie Legacy Wagon 5spd’s with the 2.2. Some of you may have had them before. 30mpg is attainable on an AWD platform! What a car! Anyway, replaced with an ‘06 Jetta 1.9 5spd and just picked up an ‘05 1.9 Golf 5AT for the Mrs. Daily for us besides a Leaf which will pass on once we move out of town. Also have an ‘00 Golf 1.9 5spd that will be used in commuting to grad school.

We have other fine German toy’s, but why mess with mid 5/6 figure vehicles on the daily when these are far more reliable and as safe.

Low mileage for the ‘05. ‘00 and ‘06 have about 300k. 15w-40 in all and neary an issue. God bless those that run the pre-DPF TDI, you’re saving the planet whether you know it not.

PS:notatreehuggerintheslightestjustamanwhoknowsthetruthandisntafraidtotell
 
Top