PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - Are VW TDI Engines as tough as Mercedes W123 Diesels?

pawoSD · #28 03-19-2008, 01:21 AM

My lovely wants a bug/golf/jetta tdi for the high mpgs....but I insist she go with a 190d 2.2 or 2.5 diesel instead, as it will be everlastingly easier to work on and would probably break faaar less often. No timing belt! She vastly prefers automatics to manuals, and it seems auto-tdi's are hard to find/super expensive anyways. Her current Rav4, while a reliable car (currently, though its had about 5 weird issues in the 3 months she's driven it) is a death trap on wheels. I don't want to get a call someday about an accident where the car's safety let her down. In a 190d she'd be far safer. If the $$ is sufficient someday I will probably get her like a 1998 C220 or something, as she likes those also. Heck you can get a fairly low miles C220 for less than a tdi VW costs! I'll take the MB!

The Rav4's timing belt is no easier to replace than the caravan, maybe slightly, but not by much....I've got the haynes manual, and it looks like a major PITA. Shop to do it is about $750-800, So thats a no-way....especially since my wish would be to have it disappear by the end of summer....maybe it will break before then. Its a manual trans, and the manual isn't perfect anymore either at 143k, the syncros don't mesh as well, and it is finicky about shifting sometimes, especially in the cold. (has brand new M1 Syn gear oil in it...so thats not the issue) It also has the Engine light on now for a failing/failed O2 sensor....and it doesn't like getting wet (struggled to hold idle after car wash) and randomly doesn't idle properly in general (stalls) due to a faulty idle control valve, which is $200...no thanks. Its mileage is poor-to very poor for a car of its size....it only weighs 2300lbs with a 2.0 4cyl, and gets 18-21mpg. Thats it...with a manual, driven gently!!! It has no sound insulation, unless you count the dash itself and the floor mats! And it rev's to 3200 at 70mph on the freeway. Can you say "loud whiny gasser engine"...because thats what it sounds like. Though its dulled by the ROAR of the road....its 2-3x as loud as my car at the same speed, and mine has a straight pipe!

Ok, done with Rav4 rant.