What's been up with your TDI?? I have a genuine Ross Tech VCDS cable if you need to borrow one for some diagnostics or "customizing".
The ALH TDI in the MklV are the only ones I've owned (and probably will, since I will never be able to afford a newer one). After the 2003 got rear ended last fall I bought a couple (actually four total) 1.8T MklV's. The '03 Jetta wagon I'm using now for the daily driver/commuter and a real nice $600 2003 Jetta Sedan with a broken TB will be the recipient of the wrecked TDI engine/transaxle at some point, hopefully this summer. It will be a real project when it comes into getting the ECU and immobilizer issues sorted out.
The original "jettawreck" (Silver One-2001 salvage project) has been idled mostly due to excess available vehicles and it developed and severely cracked windshield and rear spring for no real reason. Time to get the diesels back on the road. Oddly enough, regular gas and diesel prices are very close to equal here right now.
I've had a couple ALH cars, but the current project is a one-owner 03 Golf diesel I picked up a couple months ago. Car only has 168k miles on it, but had the usual issues...no power...intake plugged almost solid, timing out of range (retarded), check engine light on for glow plugs, VNT stuck, and fuel filter 10 years old with 140k miles on it...LOL. However, there were enough good points I decided it was worth the trouble. Four new Michelin summer tires on rims, and four new Michelin winters on rims. New exhaust down pipe, new struts, and no rust to speak of. Anyway, I just fired her up 30 mins ago and she's runnin' like a champ. Timing set properly, new MAF, new turbo, new vacuum lines, new filters, and a shiny clean intake. Glow plugs and harness will be next...then timing belt. Every one of my knuckles is bleeding...lol.
Up until this week, diesel has been anywhere between 10% and 20% more than regular gas. They are currently almost the same...within a few pennies per gallon. Today, just about $4 Canadian per US gallon...converted, I guess that would be around $3.25 US/gallon.
What makes me crazy and annoyed? So-called "German Engineering"...LOL. Buggers...some days I could beat them with a tire iron...lol.
However, getting 60mpg doesn't annoy me.
You know what else makes me crazy and annoyed? People that don't maintain their stuff...lol. And I'm not referring to running around and fixing every little squeak and "clunk". I mean people that don't change their timing belts. I just talked to a guy yesterday with an 09 gas VW...timing belt snapped while just leaving town for March break with the kids. I had just told him a few months ago that he really needed to have the belt changed. I guess he didn't. He gave the car to the dealer for $800 and bought another one.
As the world turns;)
Rem