VW TDI Post Diesel Gate

[KS-Ryan]

I'm sure there's a few of you out there, but I would like to hear from anyone who's purchased a post-diesel gate VW TDI. I'm specifically interested in the Sport Wagon 6 speed. I'm seeing many for sale with 30k miles for $15k. What has been your experience with your TDI and have you had any high dollar repairs? I know the particulate filter has to be replaced and that is pretty pricey. Anyone done one yet?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Nick1994]

Price sounds high.

My aunt had a 13' Beetle TDI that was sold back to VW in April 2017, had 54k miles. Had lots of A/C problems the dealer couldn't solve. They replaced the compressor, the dial switches, a temperature sensor, some sort of control valve, etc.
Then the small gauge cluster on the dash had to be replaced which was around $1k. Then they replaced the center console for a faulty latch. Battery died after 18 months. Alternator pulley had to be replaced, sway bar bushings which required the subframe to be dropped. That extended warranty came in handy.

 

[Andrew1972]

I'm sure there's a few of you out there, but I would like to hear from anyone who's purchased a post-diesel gate VW TDI. I'm specifically interested in the Sport Wagon 6 speed. I'm seeing many for sale with 30k miles for $15k. What has been your experience with your TDI and have you had any high dollar repairs? I know the particulate filter has to be replaced and that is pretty pricey. Anyone done one yet?

Thanks in advance.

my brother in law has a 2016 Golf tdi with 110k and trouble free. He drives it as commuter about 35k/year. He is beyond happy with car except heat is really slow in extreme cold temps of Western MA.

 

[sloinker]

I have two 2015's, one is a hatchback and the other a station wagon. Both are DSG's. I bought them both as new models in 5/17. The hatchback which I drive now has 33k miles and the daughter's wagon has 18k. My car went back to the dealer once for a recall concerning the shift lock and an error message. They have been otherwise trouble free. Knock on wood. The 12 year 162k mile extensive post dieselgate warranty has never been used. The wagon and my car had phase one of the "Fix software" completed prior to ownership. Phase two of three, sensor, was completed on my car when I had the recall done. Phase three which includes basically a whole new emission system wont be performed until the mileage exceeds 60k. Being diesels they are not going to get warm quick in winter compared to gasoline cars. Canadian cars and Passat diesels have an auxilliary electric heater. I would stick to a '15 model year with the lowest mileage if it was me. I would opt for the DSG over the manual as those transmissions will deliver over 200k with proper service. The dual mass flywheel on the manuals can be problematic it seems.

 

[Food Scientist]

My buddy owns two of the diesel gate cars, 2016 year model, both manuals, one Passat and the other is a Golf. He bought them last year and other than changing the timing belt on one of them, he hasn't done any work other than normal maintenance from what I've heard.

I'd go over to the TDI Forums and see what people are saying.

 

[Huie83]

I purchased a 2013 Golf TDI with 69K on it 18 months ago. It came certified pre owned with the 2 year unlimited mile warranty and the extended emissions warranty that covers basically all the emissions stuff, turbo etc for another 48K miles I believe. Paid something like $9K for it.

I've put near 20K miles on it in that time. Only issues I've had were an oxygen sensor code when I first got it, fixed under warranty. In the past few months my sunroof started leaking and one of my hatch lamps has a wiring issue somewhere. I'll bring it in for warranty before the 2 year mark.

Other than that it's been fun to maintain. Oil changes every 10K. I did the 80K service myself which was oil change, diesel filter and DSG fluid change and air filters. Wasn't bad at all.

TDI's are a pleasure to drive and I like how they are a different beast. I believe if you maintain them per the manual/schedule using the correct fluids they are reliable.

I've heard they do very well DPF deleted and tuned.

 

[sloinker]

Stay away from the sunroof cars. The leaks are actually un-repairable according to many.

 

[Jack Watts]

Stay away from the sunroof cars. The leaks are actually un-repairable according to many.

it's really the pano roof in the wagon that are the problem, not the one in the Golf.

they CAN be repaired. I had one, and it was 100% fixed after the repair, living in a rainy climate. But, the dealer has to know they're doing.

this is a real issue, not an internet amplification thing. About half of the pano roofs in the wagons will leak.

I think the dieselgate cars are interesting--but the fuel economy on the the golf sportwagen isn't really that far behind-particularly the 3 pedal version.

 

[RooflessVW]

I bought a '12 Touareg TDI Sport and put some 31" tires on it.

22k miles since I bought it last October and zero complaints.

 

[Huie83]

it's really the pano roof in the wagon that are the problem, not the one in the Golf.

they CAN be repaired. I had one, and it was 100% fixed after the repair, living in a rainy climate. But, the dealer has to know they're doing.

this is a real issue, not an internet amplification thing. About half of the pano roofs in the wagons will leak.

I think the dieselgate cars are interesting--but the fuel economy on the the golf sportwagen isn't really that far behind-particularly the 3 pedal version.

Fuel mileage is a good point, forgot to touch on that. Mine does pretty good on the highway, in the low-mid 40's cruising at 70. But in town I average in the high 20's. I think I'm at 27-30 MPG average overall. It's OK I guess but not great compared to a hybrid considering Diesel cost and the cost to maintain them.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Stay away from the sunroof cars. The leaks are actually un-repairable according to many.

That is sad because the VW Golf/Jetta wagon is the only 4-cylinder non-raised wagon with the big sunroof! Too bad we don't get the new Corolla wagon over here, which also has a big sunroof like that. The best wagon we get is the walking dead ToruX

 

[Huie83]

.

 

[97prizm]

I started my first sales job at a VW Dealership 3 weeks before the Dieselgate happened. CarandDriver have a comparison write-up about pre and post mods. The vehicles with the EA888 motor could be retrofitted to comply with epa emissions. I don't think the 09-12 cars could be made compliant.

 

[Huie83]

I started my first sales job at a VW Dealership 3 weeks before the Dieselgate happened. CarandDriver have a comparison write-up about pre and post mods. The vehicles with the EA888 motor could be retrofitted to comply with epa emissions. I don't think the 09-12 cars could be made compliant.

Isn't the EA888 VW's 1.8 and 2.0 turbo motor? The EA189 (2009-2014-15'ish) and EA288 (2015) can have the fix applied which is both parts and software, the EA189's fix being more involved as the EA288 is already cleaner due to urea injection in most I believe.

 

[Gipple]

Bought a 12 Jetta spring last year. 31k miles. Mechanically no problems. Early on a rear wheel speed sensor failed. Lots of dash lights. Fixed under warranty. Early this summer, the AC evaporator had a leak. Fixed under warranty. Kat week the airbag light came on. Fixed under warranty. I hope the last of the electronic gremlins have left the building.

 

[pezzy84]

The panoramic roofs were problematic even when new - throw them sitting out unused and rotting away in the sun and under snow for ~2 years and they are even worse. I had a dieselgate '12 Sportwagen that I bought in April 2019, ended up trading it in March 2020 because it had spent over a month in the shop for CPO repairs for the stupid roof - fortunately it was CPO but I think VWoA probably spent about $5k on repairs for that car all relating to the pano roof. First the sunshade was broken and they fixed, that was ~month #2 and was in the shop for ~3 days for that. Month #8 I got a flat tire and when pulling the spare found the spare tire well full of water - car was in the shop twice and a combined 6 weeks for to get that fixed - I traded it in for the e-Golf nearly immediately after getting it out of the shop after that repair (many reasons, not just the sunroof problems).

I would go CPO if you get one - the sitting out in storage did not do any favors for these cars. Make sure the a/c works well at idle, very common problem with the RCV valve that causes no cooling at idle but once you get moving a/c will cool nicely.

They are hit or miss after sitting idle, the '11 in my signature (also a CPO) has been problem free (knock on wood) despite also having a pano roof and sitting in storage for about 1.5 years. My '12 was a basket case in comparison.

 

[Gipple]

The panoramic roofs were problematic even when new - throw them sitting out unused and rotting away in the sun and under snow for ~2 years and they are even worse. I had a dieselgate '12 Sportwagen that I bought in April 2019, ended up trading it in March 2020 because it had spent over a month in the shop for CPO repairs for the stupid roof - fortunately it was CPO but I think VWoA probably spent about $5k on repairs for that car all relating to the pano roof. First the sunshade was broken and they fixed, that was ~month #2 and was in the shop for ~3 days for that. Month #8 I got a flat tire and when pulling the spare found the spare tire well full of water - car was in the shop twice and a combined 6 weeks for to get that fixed - I traded it in for the e-Golf nearly immediately after getting it out of the shop after that repair (many reasons, not just the sunroof problems).

I would go CPO if you get one - the sitting out in storage did not do any favors for these cars. Make sure the a/c works well at idle, very common problem with the RCV valve that causes no cooling at idle but once you get moving a/c will cool nicely.

They are hit or miss after sitting idle, the '11 in my signature (also a CPO) has been problem free (knock on wood) despite also having a pano roof and sitting in storage for about 1.5 years. My '12 was a basket case in comparison.

Got a new evaporator on our 12 CPO. No sunroof.

 

[Gene K]

I don't know a about those but the Diesel
Gate Model works very well when you buy it after they have bought it back but before they do the modifications and take it home and forget to take it back.