VW Golf TDI Shifting Issues

[Nick1994]

A friend of my aunt's is selling a 1999.5 Golf TDI 5 speed. 249k miles, new turbo & injector pump rebuilt. Runs good and he bought a brand new Jetta TDI. Is selling for $4500 but will sell to us for $3000. Only issue is "1st gear synchro is shot and you just shift down from 2nd"

I don't know anymore about it other than he gets 45-50 mpg in it. What does it mean if the synchro is shot? How long can it last? There isn't really any TDIs in all of Phoenix under $5000 or $5500. I know they're reliable because my aunt has 2 of them. What do you guys think? Good little economy car or?? Thanks

 

[Rand]

lets see
strikes against it

VW (rarely seen one over 10 years without electrical problems)

over 14 years old
250000 miles
MT is shot.

PASS.

 

[NHGUY]

Dont even entertain the idea...

 

[antiqueshell]

Too much!

That 1st gear synchro failed means that shifting into first or out of it into second could fail at any moment. Which will result in grinding, if it fails you might not be able to get it into first at all at a stop so you'll have to start off from 2nd.

Which trim line GLS 4dr or GL 2dr?

What is the condition of the rest of the car, do they have the maintenance records?

To replace it the transaxle will be fairly expensive or it could be rebuilt but that too will be somewhat expensive.

They are asking too much for it.

I'd offer them 1750.
.

 

[Duffman77]

A shot first gear syncro in itself doesn’t mean that the car is a bad car but that is way too much money for that age and mileage with a significant problem as well.

 

[JC1]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
A friend of my aunt's is selling a 1999.5 Golf TDI 5 speed. 249k miles, new turbo & injector pump rebuilt. Runs good and he bought a brand new Jetta TDI. Is selling for $4500 but will sell to us for $3000. Only issue is "1st gear synchro is shot and you just shift down from 2nd"

I don't know anymore about it other than he gets 45-50 mpg in it. What does it mean if the synchro is shot? How long can it last? There isn't really any TDIs in all of Phoenix under $5000 or $5500. I know they're reliable because my aunt has 2 of them. What do you guys think? Good little economy car or?? Thanks


After you buy that car, he won't be a friend anymore once you start dumping money into it.

Regards, JC.

 

[gregk24]

VW at that mileage??? RUN!!!

 

[WeenieHutJr]

I wouldnt pay $100 for an old VW with that kind of mileage. Everything will break and leak.

 

[71Chevyguy]

They are very good cars and will run many more miles if it has been maintained properly. With that said, most people do not maintain them properly so unless you know that everything has been done on time and correctly, I would stay away from it. Buying a car like that with that many miles means you need to know how to fix it yourself and keep up on everything it needs done if you want it to go further. A TDI of that vintage will give you amazing fuel economy and is very pleasant to drive. On the other hand if the incorrect oils have been used and others things were not done on time it will be the worst car you have ever owned. I think that may be a bit expensive if it needs a transmission, because I don't think you will be able to get into another transmission for just a few hundred bucks even if you could do it yourself. If you plan to buy a TDI and have it serviced by shops then there is no point. It will kill you with repair costs.

 

[heynow]

Originally Posted By: 71Chevyguy
They are very good cars and will run many more miles if it has been maintained properly. With that said, most people do not maintain them properly so unless you know that everything has been done on time and correctly, I would stay away from it. Buying a car like that with that many miles means you need to know how to fix it yourself and keep up on everything it needs done if you want it to go further. A TDI of that vintage will give you amazing fuel economy and is very pleasant to drive. On the other hand if the incorrect oils have been used and others things were not done on time it will be the worst car you have ever owned. I think that may be a bit expensive if it needs a transmission, because I don't think you will be able to get into another transmission for just a few hundred bucks even if you could do it yourself. If you plan to buy a TDI and have it serviced by shops then there is no point. It will kill you with repair costs.


I agree.
Don't listen to all the other comments from people who do not own a VW

 

[shDK]

VW cars if that era are well known for weak MT's. However the engine is strong. And a food mechanic can replace the synchro at a good days work in all.

 

[Garak]

They are very good cars and will run many more miles if it has been maintained properly. With that said, most people do not maintain them properly so unless you know that everything has been done on time and correctly, I would stay away from it. Buying a car like that with that many miles means you need to know how to fix it yourself and keep up on everything it needs done if you want it to go further.[/quote
This is exactly correct. If you have a shop do everything for you, you will have problems. If you know how to find quality parts at a good price and do the bulk of the work yourself, it won't be so bad. The transmission is the biggest question mark, of course.

 

[Kiwi_ME]

Awesome cars and certainly around here the last diesels available with minimal smog controls, no DPF. And since it has a conventional old-fashioned injector pump you can "up" the power simply by changing the injector nozzles.

 

[supton]

Transmission should be cheap to replace, if the syncro is bad I'd wait for it to finish dying. Change the fluid sure; might even shed light (if the oil coming out looks full of metal, maybe shop now for a transmission). That said: 1st syncro has to work hard, I've had few vehicles which could go into 1st if I was moving at all.

249k, new turbo, new pump, you'd think it was good to go. Depends upon how well they did the timing belt. If they replaced all the bits, and replaced all the stretch bolts, then I'd think about replacing the injectors if they are original (probably have been by now). That would leave the clutch as the next week spot.

Pretty durable car. My former mechanic has over 500k on his; '03 IIRC. But they are no Toyota; they are not gas (fuel) and go, at least not once the miles start racking up.

 

[Thermo1223]

I will echo what has already been said by saying go into knowing you will be maintaining the car yourself because most mechanics don't have a clue about TDIs. Listen to the advice of the few members who have the knowledge.

Don't buy into the fear, people fear what they don't understand.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
A friend of my aunt's is selling a 1999.5 Golf TDI 5 speed. 249k miles, new turbo & injector pump rebuilt. Runs good and he bought a brand new Jetta TDI. Is selling for $4500 but will sell to us for $3000. Only issue is "1st gear synchro is shot and you just shift down from 2nd"

I don't know anymore about it other than he gets 45-50 mpg in it. What does it mean if the synchro is shot? How long can it last? There isn't really any TDIs in all of Phoenix under $5000 or $5500. I know they're reliable because my aunt has 2 of them. What do you guys think? Good little economy car or?? Thanks

Give the trans a try, on some cars its very hard to get into 1st right from N at a standstill(especially when cold), but if you go to another gear first, say 2nd, then quickly to 1st, it slips right in.
I think this is what your friend is describing. I've never known of anyones trans actually failing beyond this point, but maybe it happens.
Anyways, do you do enough miles to make the diesel pay off? If you just run around town, $3k gets you a normal economy car with half the miles, and almost the same fuel cost.

 

[supton]

Forgot to mention: TDi's ran different trans than the gassers; swapping in a 2.slow trans will result in high rev's on the highway. It will bolt in, but the gassers used a lower final drive.