What to do...buy CDI or not... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

rrgrassi · #1 09-09-2021, 12:05 AM

My wife's 06 VW Jetta TDI decided to go no more after 300,000 miles. It lost the cam, followers, flywheel, and it is time for the timing belt and DSG transmission service. Cost is about $5,000 for repairs. I can buy another 2006 VW Jetta TDI with 130,000 miles. 5 speed, and all services done, including a tune and EGR delete. Cost $7500.

Or, I can buy a 2005 CDI with 270,000 miles on it with new timing chain and guides, and injector seals replaced. There is not black death. Cost $7200.

This is for the Wife. She wants the Jetta, but is open to the CDI. She did test drive it and liked the power.

So, what would you guys do?

dieselbenz1 · #2 09-09-2021, 12:08 AM

05 CDI

Skid Row Joe · #3 09-09-2021, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrgrassi

My wife's 06 VW Jetta TDI decided to go no more after 300,000 miles. It lost the cam, followers, flywheel, and it is time for the timing belt and DSG transmission service. Cost is about $5,000 for repairs. I can buy another 2006 VW Jetta TDI with 130,000 miles. 5 speed, and all services done, including a tune and EGR delete. Cost $7500.

Or, I can buy a 2005 CDI with 270,000 miles on it with new timing chain and guides, and injector seals replaced. There is not black death. Cost $7200.

This is for the Wife. She wants the Jetta, but is open to the CDI. She did test drive it and liked the power.

So, what would you guys do?

Smart money says; buy neither. They're BOTH going to be money pits.

If you're interested in not spending money on repairs, buy a Toyota Camry. You'll save a fortune in repair costs, parts and labor.

My 06 E320 CDI with low, low mileage could have bought two very nice preowned Toyota Camrys, for what I've spent on the CDI in purchase price AND out of pocket in parts and labor. Actually, forget the labor - parts alone on the CDI!

I don't neglect any parts that are worn and need replacement, whereas many do let several things go on theirs.

If your object is to have good, cheap transportation - that's my best advice.

Between the two choices? I'd keep looking.

rrgrassi · #4 09-09-2021, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

Smart money says; buy neither. They're BOTH going to be money pits.

If you're interested in not spending money on repairs, buy a Toyota Camry. You'll save a fortune in repair costs, parts and labor.

My 06 E320 CDI with low, low mileage could have bought two very nice preowned Toyota Camrys, for what I've spent on the CDI in purchase price AND out of pocket in parts and labor. Actually, forget the labor - parts alone on the CDI!

I don't neglect any parts that are worn and need replacement, whereas many do let several things go on theirs.

If your object is to have good, cheap transportation - that's my best advice.

Between the two choices? I'd keep looking.

Good advice. However, we both like the diesels. She drives 100 miles round trip to work and back, so that is why we bought the TDI back in 2006. Awesome fuel mileage. Also, since they stay on the highways for the most part, have not given us trouble, until now. Timing belts, fluids and filters, and oil all done on time, with the proper spec oil, too. So, a gasoline car is not for us. I wish VW gave a mileage timetable on things like cam and followers.

shertex · #5 09-09-2021, 07:36 AM

Price on the CDI seems very high for that many miles.

Volvo Diesel · #6 09-09-2021, 07:53 AM

Although mine is not a diesel, as the owner of a 2006 E350 station wagon from 2008 until present day (20,000 miles to ~150,000 miles), my advice would be to not purchase a higher mileage W211 unless you enjoy spending money on car repair. My vehicle’s safety and general reliability has been matched only by the relatively high cost to keep it in good working order and its comparatively blah driving characteristics. I should note that the vast majority of the repairs necessary on mine have been to components other than the motor, so it’s unclear to me how I would have come out better if mine were a diesel…

barry12345 · #7 09-09-2021, 09:29 AM

Other than the price seeming high I would choose the 2006 jetta of the pair. The camshaft is a wild card but has dropped in price if a replacement becomes needed.

A local gentleman insists he services many of them. If they stay on his oil change frequency he is not seeing cam failures. He states the factory recommended oil change is just too long. His service shop is always full of the odd ball label cars and they have a full machine shop on their site for rebuilding engines.

I am pretty biased as we have one. Your wives 100 mile trip per day should be easy on the dual mass clutch. Timing belt change every 80 to 100K is a bit of a pain though.

Two hundred and seventy thousand on the Mercedes. There will be issues. Also if it snows there the rear wheel drive might present a safety issue if your wife is not familiar with them. At the same time I tend to agree with the other gentleman.

Cars like Toyota can give you the lowest overall cost per mile of ownership with some decent residual value.

Do repair costs surpass fuel savings with diesels is the main question? I will keep our 2006 till it is finished. Or becomes unreliable. They will really take a beating in an accident as well and keep the passenger compartment intact.

Japanese cars are more reliable as mentioned but ours seem to be less able in the event of an accident. They seem thin in comparison. VW do not mention their cars are really tough. The just are. As the saying goes safety does not sell.

I am careful of what cars I put the wife into. Currently she is in a Passat diesel. It is the Audi a4 platform I believe basically with the diesel engine.

Spectacular car in some ways. Yet when the 10 year extended warranty is gone so is the car. The potential repair costs are insane. The potential they will be needed is there too. The power that car has is amazing. I just do not think it is practical after the warranty.

For the size of it and those wide tires it does well on fuel. Really huge inside in comparison to the 2006 as well. To me an amazing car that can have huge costs to keep on the road long term. To me the best internal engine cars have been built. For lowest cost per mile over the road.

Our last Toyota is pretty trouble free but they have cut corners in quality. We are all pretty much the same. We like good fuel millage. As buying fuel is in our face all the time.

The true cost per mile overall of ownership is the information you need. Without good planning it can be very high. For some it does not mater obviously. I still do not want money pits if I can avoid them. I guess we can afford them yet I just see no point.

Sounds like you have not owned a diesel car year with the exotic pollution control system. That mercedes has a pretty exotic automatic transmission as well. Exotic equals big dollars and 270 thousand miles is questionable.

A person of course does what they want. Of the two the Volkswagon with the manual transmission Trumps. Not the best year of Volkswagon diesels.

Still all things considered. Ours has been cheap to maintain over the years to what many experience. It too is the five speed as their automatic transmissions suck to me. At 79 I still do most maintanence on our cars.The Passat besides brakes and oil changes types of things. Dealer only on most the power train.

At my age I have considered keeping it to the end. As it is the last of the diesels. I still might as the saying goes you cannot take the money with you. Plus i am a diesel car addict I suppose. An average of five thousand a year repairs after warranty is still cheaper than a new car.

Fair market value in this region of Canada for a 2006 loaded Jetta diesel standard transmission car. With 130 thousand miles on the odometer. Would be no higher than 3K American.

American car dealers are up here in Canada buying car carrier loads of cars at the car auctions. Not the older cars. Between the favorable dollar exchange rate and out softer car market pricewise. They are making a killing on our cars back home. .Even though used car prices are at an all time high here and the American buying is so heavy there is currently a serious shortage of used cars.

WaarrEagle · #8 09-09-2021, 02:34 PM

+1 on the Camry. No brainer, regardless of miles driven per day. Maybe a Highlander or Rav4 instead.

I have my high mileage W211 Bluetec because of the challenge, not because it is a good use of my time or money, and certainly not because of reliability.

Skid Row Joe · #9 09-09-2021, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WaarrEagle

+1 on the Camry. No brainer, regardless of miles driven per day. Maybe a Highlander or Rav4 instead.

I have my high mileage W211 Bluetec because of the challenge, not because it is a good use of my time or money, and certainly not because of reliability.

Absolutely! My friend's bought NEW 2004 Toyota Camry has over 80K miles on it now of CITY driving, NO highway. It's cost less than $300.00 in repair, outside of TBAs.

Incredible, but true nonetheless!

Our family started buying NEW Mercedes-Benz diesel passenger cars in the 1960s. Diesel fuel was half the price of Regular. My Dad's 220D got 2X+ the mpg of a 1968 Pontiac sedan with a 389 or 400 cu. inch engine. Back then, and up through the 240Ds, they made sense, not anymore. Especially when diesel fuel is X amount MORE than unleaded regular.

Their once legendary economy, reliability, durabilty, and convenience have ALL been eclipsed by almost every single car and SUV manufacturer. By the late '80s, polled Mercedes-Benz diesel car owners in America, named the Honda Accord as their next favorite automobile. Based on the economics of personal auto/SUV transportation has changed dramatically to favor other brands.

Hogweed · #10 09-09-2021, 05:01 PM

you can buy both of my 2005 CDI's for that price!

Volvo Diesel · #11 09-09-2021, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

My friend's bought NEW 2004 Toyota Camry has over 80K miles on it now of CITY driving, NO highway. It's cost less than $300.00 in repair, outside of TBAs. Incredible, but true nonetheless!

Just to add to the anecdotal evidence, this is similar to the experience I've witnessed with the 2005 Camry I inherited from my aunt last year, which she purchased new in early 2005. It's going to be my daughter's first car. 87,500 miles and, outside of routine maintenance, my aunt spent about $1,100 in maintenance at the dealership from 2005-2020. That's it. Still looks presentable, drives well, and all the accessories work. The only fault I can find is that the headliner is letting go in the back. Although the headliner also recently started sagging in the 2006 E350 wagon so I guess it's just "that time."

Skid Row Joe · #12 09-09-2021, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Volvo Diesel

Just to add to the anecdotal evidence, this is similar to the experience I've witnessed with the 2005 Camry I inherited from my aunt last year, which she purchased new in early 2005. It's going to be my daughter's first car. 87,500 miles and, outside of routine maintenance, my aunt spent about $1,100 in maintenance at the dealership from 2005-2020. That's it. Still looks presentable, drives well, and all the accessories work. The only fault I can find is that the headliner is letting go in the back. Although the headliner also recently started sagging in the 2006 E350 wagon so I guess it's just "that time."

Yah, the mountain of automotive evidence mounts....it is what it is.....

My 06 CDI's headliner completely dropped in June 2021. That's another $350.00 out the window at a cut rate trim shop in Dallas. My CDI has been garaged since I bought it on 2013/14. Driven 20K miles. I've spent nearly 5K on it in 2.5 years. Driving it only 2K miles.

BTW, my friend's 2004 Camry is the base 4-cylinder model. Always garaged - if that makes a difference.

I'd have to say that I love my CDI, but man it's been costly. Wish I still had my '83 300SD sometimes. 👍

Volvo Diesel · #13 09-09-2021, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

My 06 CDI's headliner completely dropped in June 2021.

That's almost funny it's so similar. Late June or early July I drove her car to the gas station to fill it up and the headliner from the sunroof back to the rear hatch had dropped. The time before I had driven it, it was fine. Her car is always garaged at home and work; I assume your is parked indoors as well. I guess we know now that you can expect about 15 years out of a headliner under better than average conditions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

BTW, my friend's 2004 Camry is the base 4-cylinder model. Always garaged - if that makes a difference.

Sounds like we could be talking about the same car.

Skid Row Joe · #14 09-09-2021, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Volvo Diesel

That's almost funny it's so similar. Late June or early July I drove her car to the gas station to fill it up and the headliner from the sunroof back to the rear hatch had dropped. The time before I had driven it, it was fine. Her car is always garaged at home and work; I assume your is parked indoors as well. I guess we know now that you can expect about 15 years out of a headliner under better than average conditions.

Sounds like we could be talking about the same car.

I'll check with my friend about the Camry headliner.....

After my bought new '99 E300TD headliner dropped in 2013, also garaged, I thought it was a mastic or adhesive mistake choice Mercedes made. But when my 2006's headliner ALL dropped in one 1/2 hour drive in Dallas.... I figure it's widespread and inherent for them to drop. Inherent, is bothersome to me...

Funny, my 1983 300SD's headliner never dropped......I only owned it 16 years and 305K miles though! Ha!

My 2006 CDI shares the garage with my bought new 2017 Corvette. See my Public profile to see my manual transmission (7-speed) convertible. I may put the CDI up for sale. Only has 80K garaged miles on it. It won't be cheap though with those low miles on it.

ah-kay · #15 09-09-2021, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

I'll check with my friend about the Camry headliner.....

After my bought new '99 E300TD headliner dropped in 2013, also garaged, I thought it was a mastic or adhesive mistake choice Mercedes made. But when my 2006's headliner ALL dropped in one 1/2 hour drive in Dallas.... I figure it's widespread and inherent for them to drop. Inherent, is bothersome to me...

Funny, my 1983 300SD's headliner never dropped......I only owned it 16 years and 305K miles though! Ha!

My 2006 CDI shares the garage with my bought new 2017 Corvette. See my Public profile to see my manual transmission (7-speed) convertible. I may put the CDI up for sale. Only has 80K garaged miles on it. It won't be cheap though with those low miles on it.

Stop bragging or day dreaming about your Corvette. It is your imagination only. We are talking VW or CDI. I assume you gold plated the CDI parts? CDI is cheap to maintain based on my experience, my experience alone.