City garbage truck left it's pickup arm out and hit a VW Golf TDI a couple of streets over. Damaged front fender, back fender, both doors and bent two rims. Guessing it will be totaled given the number of panels damaged. Was thinking of talking to the young female owner and telling her I'd be interested in it as an insurance buy back if it gets totaled. What's the skinny on these VW TDI's? Worth the effort or not? I was thinking it probably has good fuel economy. I'd probably be happy swapping in two new doors and painting over the other damage.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Sure- they have great fuel economy ( low 50s) but get increasingly complex as they get newer.

This is a place I hang out (but on the IDI section for the older stuff). You might ask the question there (once you know more about it like year, engine, gearbox)

http://www.vwdiesel.net/forum/index.php?board=5.0

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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 (??)

Check out TDIClub.com

Is it an auto or manual?

-J

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

It's a manual. Don't know the year. Not real new, which is why I think it might be totaled.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Check out www.honestjohn.co.uk for all (well most) of the faults and problems with them.

Early ones never seem to have working tail lights where I live.

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

See if you can find an image of a Golf with the same bodystyle on the internet and post it here, to at least give us an idea of which generation you are dealing with.

like this

Attached Thumbnails

 

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Mk4. They're the slowest of the Golfs, donno if that matters.

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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)

95 96 TD unfortunately only aval in Canada

Why would you ever pick the IDI motor over the TDI The TDI has more power, better emissions, and better fuel economy.

If that Golf is an early model (99-early01) it was probably made in Germany. If you can get it really cheap and it's not too screwed up otherwise I say go for it.

-J

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

The OP isn't, and assuming you are directing the question to me, it's only really because I have a 20 year collection of parts, I don't drive over 55 mph in my daily commute, I am cheap and I don't want to learn about any technology that isn't purely mechanical. If I were to buy something new (which I am not), I would certainly love to have a TDI, however, since VW is the only freaking TDI game in the US and has no competition, I don't feel like having to bend over.

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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 (??)

I've got a guy doing some painting on one of my rental properties on that street. He talked to her. Apparently city will only pay for the damage if she sues. Her own insurance company wants to total it. Adjuster hasn't seen it yet. Says value is $6k. Its a 2004. She doesn't even know how the change a tire on it so can't drive it. My guy gave my number telling her I'd pay more than salvage if she goes for the total. We'll see what happens. I'm going out of town for a couple of weeks so timing may be off.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

MK4 taillight problems are over here in the usa too...

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1981 300TD 4 speed manual
Euro bumpers, zender valance and skirts, H&R springs, billy HD's, leveled sls, real AMG Pentas 16x8 et11, vdo boost/egt gauges intergrated into ash tray, eurolights, led 3rd brake light

I had '06 tdi and I will tell you that they are little gems in performance and economy. Plenty of aftermarket support. Ditto on TDIClub.com, post a question there about weak spots and maintenance, you should get good response regarding that. Dealerships are largely inept and incompetent regarding the maintenance and knowledge. MKIV are less complicated than MKV's or latest ones. Excellent, and I mean excellent suspension, you only have to get used to firmness. Expect mpg in very high 40-ies too

Too bad their FWD.