An '04 may or may not have the Pumpe-Düse. It doesn't have an injection pump, but a auxillary pump in the tank and unit injectors. So no pump to worry about but the injectors are much more expensive. The PD engines are also prone to cam wear even with using the right oil. I have an 04 Jetta TDI wagon with the PD. Haven't had any pump or cam issues yet at 130k miles. The PD engine suffer slightly in mileage, maybe a few mpg.

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All the Mercedes CDI/BlueTec engines are direct-injected, and I don't think you can buy one in the US without a turbo.
The BMW M57/N57 in the 330d/335d is turbocharged and direct-injected.
Cummins has been making direct-injected turbodiesels since forever—manufactured in the US, to boot.

If you meant specifically the VW TDI engine, then yes, VW is the only game EVERYWHERE.

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RIP:
2011 E350 BlueTEC, Schwartz 81k (totaled by uninsured drunk driver)
1964 Unimog 404.1 (wrongfully towed by the city)
1994 E320, Brilliantsilber 208k (transmission shuffled off after sudden catastrophic fluid loss)
1982 300D, Silberblau under a blue repaint 256k (sold for parts)
1995 E320 Polarweiss, 131k (sold for parts)
1995 E300D Polarweiss, 287k (totaled by drunk driver)

Nothing wrong with FWD

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1993 Mercedes 300D 2.5

1987 Mercedes 300D 3.0

2000 Volkswagen JETTA TDI diesel 5 speed

2002 Lexus ES300

2006 Lexus GS430

What I meant was every European carmaker makes a comparable small inexpensive diesel with similar performance and economy.

Citroen, Peugeot, Renault, Fiat, Skoda etc.

Where are they? Not here...

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

Nothing wrong with FWD

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1993 Mercedes 300D 2.5

1987 Mercedes 300D 3.0

2000 Volkswagen JETTA TDI diesel 5 speed

2002 Lexus ES300

2006 Lexus GS430

Unless you like cornering and accelerating in turns. On a small enough car it is tolerable, but an old Mini will beat the hell out of any equivalent P/W ratio FWD hatchback on anything but a straightaway. And probably even then. ^_^

__________________
RIP:
2011 E350 BlueTEC, Schwartz 81k (totaled by uninsured drunk driver)
1964 Unimog 404.1 (wrongfully towed by the city)
1994 E320, Brilliantsilber 208k (transmission shuffled off after sudden catastrophic fluid loss)
1982 300D, Silberblau under a blue repaint 256k (sold for parts)
1995 E320 Polarweiss, 131k (sold for parts)
1995 E300D Polarweiss, 287k (totaled by drunk driver)

Fair enough. I'd love to see the diesel Polo come to the US, but VWUSA says it will undercut GTI sales. *cough*likehellitwill*cough*

I think most of that is due to the American perception that diesels are loud, smelly, and noisy, and the ridiculous think-of-the-children love of SUVs

__________________
RIP:
2011 E350 BlueTEC, Schwartz 81k (totaled by uninsured drunk driver)
1964 Unimog 404.1 (wrongfully towed by the city)
1994 E320, Brilliantsilber 208k (transmission shuffled off after sudden catastrophic fluid loss)
1982 300D, Silberblau under a blue repaint 256k (sold for parts)
1995 E320 Polarweiss, 131k (sold for parts)
1995 E300D Polarweiss, 287k (totaled by drunk driver)