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OK, guys! I need advice from our resident water cooled V-Dub gurus. My beloved GMC Safari van was viciously attacked by a run-a-way whitetail deer yesterday, and I fear she's terminal. The van that is. The deer was D.O.A.! So while awaiting the prognosis from the Doc (insurance adjuster) I've begun perusing the used car sites. Found a 2001 VW Beetle with the TDI engine, and 5-spd tranny. Car has over 200K miles on it, but appears well kept, with a straight body and clean interior. Asking price is $3800. Any Thoughts?

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Mike - Read my story at http://twinlakesseven.blogspot.com/

A friend of mine just replaced his 2001 TDI Golf hatchback with a 2005 TDI Golf wagon, mainly because the hatchback had half a million km (300,000 miles of so) and the wagon had only half that. He used the hatchback for iceboating trips towing a trailer, and it was reliable and economical. This past winter I went on two iceboating trips totalling about 8,000km (abt 5000 miles) with one of the newer TDI wagons (the one with the illegal 'beat the emission rules' chip) and I came back enthusiastic for their economy and pulling power. There may be maintenance issues that you would discover on the TDI forums, but from what I have seen they are a good vehicle. The owner of the 500,000 km Golf did tell me though, that there have been issues with automatic transmissions that suffered a bit under the TDI's torque.

Edit: My friend paid something like $3000CAD for the 2005 TDI wagon. I got the impression that was a good price. The dealer just gave me $2000 CAD for my 2001 Dakota, which was a POS compared to the 2005 Golf Wagon.

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Warren
Isuzu Pickup/SR20DE, +401 COLD frame
Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11601

Thanks, Warren!

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Mike - Read my story at http://twinlakesseven.blogspot.com/

I think you wont be disappointed with the powertrain of the little beetle.. but I think you'll be let down by the rest of the car. from all my time fixing cars, beetles were always much more frustrating than golfs/jettas/passats. on top of that, everything is crammed together - making somewhat normal pain free tasks on larger cars an absolute PITA on the beetle. The VAG engineering is a different animal all together. Just a different way of thinking, different way of doing things. lots of head scratching stuff if you're used to American cars.

I would +1000 the manual trans if you're looking at a TDI. The automatic is like a limping gorilla compared to the manual.

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Tucker

My personal experience with all things VW has not been good. Electrical gremlins and everything plastic breaking regularly.

Your window regulators seem to be one of the main culprits with replacement being almost a monthly chore. My son just got rid of a 2014 CC and he had all the same troubles. The AC would go in and out and VW couldn't figure out what was wrong. They told him it was just a VW thing and he should learn to live with it.

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mobilito ergo sum
I drive therefore I am

I can explain it to you,
but I can't understand it for you.

Also, the interiors all smell like melted crayons.

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Tucker

Reeeeally.....
I know a company looking for a couple of fuel sipper station wagons, seen any Jetta or Passat TDI wagons?

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"There are times when a broken tool is better than a sound one, or a twisted personality more useful than a whole one.
For instance, a whole beer bottle isn't half the weapon that half a beer bottle is ..." Randall Garrett

Well, just heard from AAA. The van's a "TOTAL"! Gotta start lookin' for a new (to me) car!

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Mike - Read my story at http://twinlakesseven.blogspot.com/

The deal is done. Just became the proud new owner of a 2007 Ford Focus 4-door sedan. With a manual tranny, this thing's a ball to drive and should give us about double the fuel mileage of the old van!

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Mike - Read my story at http://twinlakesseven.blogspot.com/

As a side benefit, if this too gets viciously attacked by a white-tail...It would make for a good engine donor.

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-Justin

"Orville Wright did not have a pilots license." - Gordon MacKenzie

Don't let on to SWMBO, but that has already been mulled over a few times in my twisted little mind!

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Mike - Read my story at http://twinlakesseven.blogspot.com/

Congrats! My wife's car is a Fusion with a 3.0 Duratech V6. Not entirely by accident either. Unfortunately it's an automatic, the V6 wasn't available with a manual transmission. Hopefully she doesn't crash it, it's a pretty decent family car. The Haldex based awd even sends enough power to the rear wheels that I can have fun in the snow.
Kristian

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V6 in a book frame build. Now registered.
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=7587
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=18172

We picked up a 2007 Focus hatch for The Boy about 2 months ago. What a great little car. Fun to drive and cheap on both insurance and gas.

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Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

Our son had a new 2005 ZX-5 SES when we first moved to the Ozarks, and that thing was an absolute ball to drive on these twisty roads. When Erik enlisted in the Marines, the focus became my second car while he was in boot camp, SOI, and artillery school. Almost hated to give it back to him.

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Mike - Read my story at http://twinlakesseven.blogspot.com/