Why The Volkswagen TDI is a Used Car Bargain! 2015 VW Golf TDI Used Car Review and Buyers Guide
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- Опубликовано: 3 янв 2020
- Welcome to my Scroggs Commuter-Car Review of this 2015 Volkswagen Golf TDI S 4-Door hatchback, including detailed information and specifications, full test drive, a timeline history of VW diesels in the US, important “Dieselgate” details, and my overall Used-Car Review SCoRe. Please subscribe for more Car Review videos including used-cars, competition-cars, classic-cars, SUVs, cheap-cars and more!
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I'll tell you guys.....I bought mine new and I will NEVER EVER sell this car. I since put a tune on it. It has amazing performance, amazing gas mileage and its by far the funnest daily driver I ever owned. 1000km to a tank . 200hp and and 300+ torque (tuned). 155,000 km later I've had 0 problems. Nothing just oil changes. If you have a long commute to work. I highly recommend this car
Whats your opinion on a 2012? Theres one at my local vw dealer for 9k~
@@eggsalts4243 I had a 2012....great car to me. I know people were having high pressure fuel pump problems and that ends in catastrophic engine damage....seems to be a US specific problem though...poorer diesel quality apparently. I'm in canada and that's not an issue here. If you are in us just use a good quality fuel additive that adds lubricity to the fuel to help the pump and you should be good. I say go for it. For me anyway once you go diesel its hard to go back. The torque is addicting. Makes a long commute fun ! ALSO the manual & auto transmissions are great. I'm a manual guy but that dsg auto is a fantastic option
@@swingbag12 I have a 2011 TDI golf with the auto transmission. Have you experienced about a 1-1.5 second throttle response time lag when trying to accelerate from a full stop? I love the car but its my only gripe. Could a custom tune reduce the lagged throttle response time? I also had the VW mechanic tell me that if I custom tune it that the extended factory warranty on the emission system will be void. One of the parts in the emission system is the fuel pump that Scroggs says are known to blow out.
@@brischultz The lag is programmed to reduce wear on the clutch pack. As it was explained to me, best practice is one foot driving, only accelerate after completely releasing brakes and avoid rolling with brakes depressed. kermatdi.com/ has the transmission pkg to eliminate the lag and an engine tuning pkg to boost hp/torque and dramatically reduce 0-60 times.
Mine has 3 yrs left on the VW warranty they added to all fixed TDIs so I'm waiting until that expires for any tuning, safe-side. Might get the Polar FIS advanced dashboard display...adds a lot more hidden diagnostics to your stock diplay.
200 hp??? you did a stage 3 with a turbo replacement? that doesnt even hit 200 whp. I think you need to check those numbers bubba.
I bought my 2015 Passat TDI in March (2020) at a great price and it is awesome. I run around 48 MPG and love it.
May I ask how many miles and what you paid?
Good info on the VW's. Like the transitions between the corner PIP.
Great review, very thorough!
It’s a sub man! What you said about this one is extremely similar to my feelings, especially since mine is also 2015 TDI (it’s an SE).
Torque, steering, so much fun... and the looks, too! Thanks for this review, makes me even more proud to own this Car
Mine's a 6 speed manual with Bluemotion tech, so you get start - stop and gear change indicator on the display, the car has a full service history, never been abused, all components such as cambelt and water pump and mass flywheel replaced as required, to date 185k miles, engine runs like a Swiss watch. Equipment level is SE with winter pack, so heated seats plus headlight washers, Dynaudio premium audio.
I have loved every single one of my VW cars. I will not deter from them. Just bought a 2014 1.6 tdi low mileage and it drives like mint. I have owned two vw passats, a beetle, a golf tdi 2.0 estate 6 gears, a 2006 1.9 I bought cheap and cost me money. but it drove so many miles for me. And now my newer model 2014 1.6 bluemotion diesel tdi , it is heaven on a plate. I will never ever go away from VW x They are worth every penny that I pay and every single thing that needs sorting out for them. I am a female driver.
I agree. I’m 80, and drive a 2019 GTI s. Best car I’ve ever owned. I’m a male driver ! 😂
I know I’m 4 years late but your wagon is CLEAN. I have a 14 6 speed sportwagen TDI and I love it.
For real, good video! I have a 2015 sportwagen TDI n love it!
Going 79 mph = 49 mpg 😁
GREAT review!!!
And now they’ve shot back up in price. I bought a 2015 Mk7 SEL with a 6-speed and 48k miles a year and a half ago for $10,400. Kbb is telling me that it’s worth 14k with 70k miles rn, and that’s not even taking into account that manuals usually go for more than the autos because of their rarity here in the States. Crazy to thing that a car would be an appreciating asset haha
I love my Jetta TDI 2003 1.9 it's second hand but I have put love to this beauty.
Love the 15 a3 tdi. Awesome fuel economy and luxury
Bought a 2015 TDI Golf SE in Feb 2019. Had only 20k on it and apparently sat in a lot somewhere for a year and a half. Carfax verified that. The car was like new and the best part was it had the rare 6 speed manual. Couldn't believe the price from a dealer, 14300. Sadly my commute changed due to Covid and I hardly use it but when I do it's real nice. Only has 30k now and occasionally I'll get someone asking if I'm interested in selling it probably due to the red exterior and white interior. It's a very cool look. This thing is getting a little over 50mpg overall on my computer over the last 2200 miles. Oh and that Fender 400 watt sound system, yeah baby!
Will you take 20k for it?
i got 22.5k for it
Looking to buy a 2015 TDI Golf. 97k miles. I'm guessing mileage isn't issue same with most diesels? They want 10k for it. No accidents etc. Was super fun to drive!
Thank you. Any thoughts of a 2011 Audi a3 TDI? Thanks again
Love this car but my mk6 has a mechatroic and clutch change for 2000£. Do I repair or buy newer model? Its 2011 model 97k mileage I'm worried it's the start of many issues to come! If I buy a new car it'll be tsi, so will be changing to petrol and worried it'll be worse
I've been thinking of getting one. How's the reliability on that engine? What are somethings I should look into?
My 2015 Golf S TDI stereo system has issues. The station changes when you stop and start the car like going shopping or whatever. It usually goes to 92.9 which is the last programmed station i have set. Or.... It will go to 87.7 which is a random static station. The other thing the stereo does...
If the heater is on for a bit or the stereo is on for a while with the sound up..... It is like it gets hot and then the volume goes way down and then will not turn back up. I always just turn off the stereo and turn on the AC for a bit and then.... Bam.... I have volume again.
I do not know if I can get an aftermarket stereo due to all the car programming stuff this stereo has.
Is there any way to confirm if the TDI model has been fixed when buying a used car?
All around, i think it is a great car. Sadly, in Canada at least , they price diesel more than gas. That takes some of the economy away. So now i drive the Jetta with an 1.8 turbo, TSI. It also gives me good tourck, (sorry), and gets 5.7 to 6.7 liters per 100k.
I had the SE version but sold it back to VW. I thought it was a great little car. I called it my little Mac Truck because of the engine thrum. I had it with a manual clutch and it was great. A lot of torque and acceleration and mileage was phenomenal.
Are these low on maintenance costs?
TDI parts & service is known to be more expensive then its petrol equivalent. and they get more expensive at higher mileage when things start to go. However if properly maintained, I've heard they can last 300,000+ miles. Mine only had 36,000 miles when I sold it back so it was still purring like a kitten and didn't need anything fixed
@@timothygermann780 very helpful. Thank you
@@SIIKAP1 im serioulsy thinking about selling my highlander for one of these. ive always loved the wagons.
@@scotthayesproductions5715 u won't regret it...
I just bought a 2014 TDI golf hatchback waggon 2 L turbo diesel 106,000 km the thing we’ll smoke the tires nice little car never thought I’d have a Volkswagen
I picked up a 12 Jetta TDI Premium for $4300 at auction back in May
Jesus.... That's a steal
@@CapFlipGaming yeah but I am probably into it now for $8000 with everything that I’ve done 😂
i bought my 15 Golf TDI in May of 2021 with 53k miles for $16.5k. ten months and 20k miles later, it’s been a fantastic car! i’ve only had one issue, which was a DEF line that burst…VW fixed it under warranty (speaking of warranty…it’s good for 162k miles through 2026).
i would gladly buy another VW TDI…it’s just a shame we cant get new ones anymore due to the dieselgate scandal
I’m looking to check out a ‘15 tdi sel this week if it isn’t snatched up yet. How did you get a longer warranty?
@@oh_look_bananas hey! sorry i just saw your comment. the warranty was provided by VW when they resold it after the dieselgate “fix”. i bought mine from Carvana and it came with all of the warranty information in the owners manual folder.
Be careful when buying these as lots of accesories are "borrowed" either at the dealer or when it was parked for 2 years. We bought one and all the floormats were gone and the window shade was gone and the dealer had to replace the spare tire package. Just look at what it came with on the showroom floor new and check if it's there
I will second your remark. Bought a 2014 back in January and I looked car over really well prior to signing the paperwork. The trunk was missing the spare tire and the tool kit. Took almost a month for dealer to get me a spare and a kit (probably didn’t wanna pay the $400 and figured I would give up). If anything is missing get it in writing prior to leaving a deposit like I did.
I liked this, but the mk3s in the US did come with a 1.9 tdi making 90hp and 149 ft lbs of torque
I had that version in Europe from 2000 to 2006. It was like a "camel". I did 1080 km on one tank once. Listening to the turbo singing while driving on small mountain roads was a pleasure to my ears :)
96 -to mid year 99 I owned a 99 Great Car!
I own a Sportwagen 2015 TDI 6-gear manual. It's very reactive. When shopping for the car, I also tried the DSG and I felt it sleepy, not answering as fast as the manual when pressing the right-foot pedal.
would love to know more about your ownership of the car. I'm looking at buying one but am a bit hesistant. How reliable has your Sportwagen been? What problems if any are common with the 2015+ model?
@@sportturismo_4s I received my car in August 2015, just 2 weeks before the TDI-emission scandal broke out. Since that day, I drove only 37k km. I bought this car for pleasure of owning a TDI, to remind me of the Golf 3 1.9 TDI 90hp I used to drive in Europe from 2000 to 2006. The feeling of the engine is the same, with more horses under the hood. You get the kick of the turbo just before 2000rpm. I love it. With the small distances I drive, I visit the dealer once a year only. The 2 mandatory corrections needed to comply with emissions are done and I did not feel any difference of power or fuel consumption. This car is like a camel. Check this out. Living in Montreal, I drove to Boston, did a short trip to York (ME) and back to Boston, then I only filled the tank halfway in NH on my way back to Montreal, and the AC was running all the time. Another time, I drove from MTL to NY in Brooklyn, experienced lots of traffic around NY, and filled the tank on my way back in Poughkeepsie (wanted to go scenic).
@@sportturismo_4s The only issue I’ve experienced was with extreme cold temperature outside with 3 days in a row at -20°C. My car sleeps on the street with no way of plugging the block-heater. I needed to call CAA (AAA equivalent) to boost it. Otherwise, I’ve never experienced any issue.
I just recently bought the 2015 TDi Sportwagen with the 6 speed manual. I love it. I'm getting insane fuel economy (60 mpg on my way to work - mostly downhill, and 53 to 55 mpg on the way home). It sticks to the road like a proper Golf and puts you in your seat when you need to step on the accelerator. My only fear is this will be the car my youngest learns to drive on - he's a bit of a speed demon and fearless.
Update on owning my car. I drove more long distances with the car full, with a rooftop box and bikes behind the trunk, and the consumption figures were still enjoyable. I even towed a small trailer-tent or u-haul 5x8 and did feel just a slight downgrade of performances.
Great review! I’ve been thinking of buying a TDI for some time now. Still not quite haven’t made up my mind just yet.
One question though, why do people insist on saying that this is a good car IF you only drive long distances? I know how diesels like to run and I’m more familiar with diesels like the 8V71 in buses, etc. I’m seeing prices in the 10K -$12K for them all under 100,000 miles.
I knew people had these cars when VW gate hit and refused to sell them back to the dealers.
It's definitely a great car for long distance commutes...great highway MPG and a super stable and comfortable ride. However they do still shine in short commutes too IMO, lots of punchy torque and still above average MPG...but the really good MPG numbers are definitely achieved on the highway.
In Europe TDIs are fitted with a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter)and this needs long hard drives to build up heat to regenerate to burn the soot collected inside the filter!
@@desmondobrien68 we have a dpf here in the states too. As long as you take it on the freeway a couple of times a month and let it run at 3k rpm for 20 min or so you should be fine
You don't get the best mpg if you don't drive long enough for the engine to fully warm up. If you are mainly driving short runs, you probably wouldn't get the best mpg's.
Since owning previously a 1997 B4S passat tdi, and now this 2015 Golf S TDI..... I have found the fuel mileage is better if you have at least a 50 mile commute each way. If you are only doing short trips it seems like the engine never really performs at its peak. Just my thoughts. Though I still like my golf.
Funny how people were so offended by that while driving 6l V8 with 15mpg.
hurr durr biggur engines are mure reliuble no mattur the empeegee. cause, biggur iz bettur, boi.
Very good car! I love mine
The only comparable features between a Prius and a Golf TDI is the fuel mileage
The Prius is a soulless , boring slug of a transportation appliance, insanely reliable and great mileage, but utterly soulless and boring, about as much fun as getting a root canal without Novocain
The Golf TDI is amazingly fun to drive, handles quite well, gets acceptable fuel mileage, but has a reputation of being a little more temperamental and fussy
I’ll take the slight uncertainty of the reliability to retain driving enjoyment, YMMV...
I'm very interested in a golf or jetta... Or even a sport wagen... But I can tell you my 81 and 85 VW rabbit truck and the 85 being a golf from France.... The 1.6 in both lacked no get up... The truck lacked top-end for sure... At 500k I sold the truck for 1k$ to an enthusiast outta Charlottesville... The golf had 350k and ran off grease.... Became a pain in my ass tward the end. But generally speaking, 52 mpg on reg diesel... 5 spd... I gave it to my nephew for a college get-a-round... He ruined it. Nontheless, those 1.6s never lacked wind, just top end. I loved them. I love diesels. My dodge 5.9 Cummins has a grease kit on it... But I'm damn sure lookin to buy a VW of sorts- as long as its a diesel. Need to learn more about tsi or wh th f they call that new diesel.
"Need to learn more about tsi or wh th f they call that new diesel."
TSI are gasoline engines
TDI are diesel engines
The naming scheme has not changed.
additive helps limp the cp4 pump along...........glad i still have a warranty.
Good stuff
Mk3 tdis were offered for the 97 and 98 model year for the Jetta
Back in 2017 after dieselgate was settled I bought a new 2015 Golf Sportwagen TDI because VW was offering ridiculous incentives to get rid of them. It is the same as the 2015 Golf TDI in this review but the station wagon model. Maybe this is due to me getting the manual transmission instead of the DSG automatic, but the EPA mileage estimates of "30 city/45 hwy=35 combined" are completely wrong. Over 50k miles I have averaged 47 mpg around town and 55 mpg when traveling at 75 mph. I track every drop of fuel and in over 5 years I have never had a tank that averaged less than 40 mpg. The range of its 13.2 gallon gas tank is 600 miles, 700 miles when traveling.
Nice! I have a 6mt golf wagon too, how much did you get yours for? I got mine for 14.5k in 2018 but it had like 17k miles on it
@@MrBasstothemax It was $19.6k. The incentives were $5k off list, 0% interest, 11yr/160k mile factory warranty. It had 87 miles on the odometer when I picked it up.
@drwisdom1 great deal!
VW 2.0 TDI = little v6 & 45+ highway mpg. Efficient + power, Prius has nothing going against it in term of power. VW TDI scandal is all political to me.. A 45+ mpg is somehow dirty.. Less efficient and less power is more clean? I owned a manual 2010 golf TDI for eight years 116k miles. Only major issue I had with it was water pump failure around 100K mile. Sold it back to VW in 2018 for around $16K. Turned around and got 2018 Alltrack. The Alltrack is nice, but I really miss the 45+mpg highway.
It's interesting that in January of 2020, you estimated the current market value of a 5 year old Golf TDI S at $10-15K, depending on condition. I came to this video because I just saw a 2015 Golf TDI S listed today, in May of 2022, for $21K+ and I was wondering if it was a good deal. It sure doesn't feel like it, but the used car market is absolutely bonkers right now.
I've always liked the TDI Volkswagens and I'm not opposed to buying any of them from a Golf to a Jetta or Passat, in any body style, with either DSG or manual. I'd even consider getting a CC, but whatever it is I want to feel like I am getting a good deal.
I have been looking for the past two weeks at a 2015 VW Golf TDI and the average retail price is 18k to 21k USD with around 80k miles. Specifically, I see one on C@rv@na with 54k miles on it for 23k USD! Simple supply and demand...and I bet the prices will continue to soar for the 2015 models. Happy hunting!
Unfortunately in the world of RUclips videos, sometimes the content only applies to the time it was produced. At the time I did that video (pre Covid) one thing you could always count on was vehicles being a depreciable asset, well that changed dramatically over the next couple of years. One thing I will say though, at the time I shot this video, the TDI was truly a bargain...I should have bought more of them then ;)
Also this is not a bargain for people who don't know cars because the repair bill for your entire emissions system post warranty is a money pit. Every time I go to the dealership, it's 4k+ repair estimate. Even your local German import specialist will quote 2k for this, 2k for that, and theyre not even ripping you off because of the cost of parts and labor involved. I've owned 3 brand new vws (04 gti, 11 jetti tdi, 12 golf r), and these are all fun and great cars until things start to wear out. After 130k, these cars become money pits if you don't known how to work on them yourselves. Reliability isn't just about the engine and tranny, it's about not having to shovel money out to keep your car running to 300-500k. I spent 6k on my 20111 jetta tdi in a single year, glow plugs, mass flow sensors, temperature sensors, dash trims, weather trim around driver's door, shift nob replacement and realignment, instrument cluster connectivity issues, egr valve, compressor fan, and I haven't even replacement the ripped driver pleather seat. I think the serpentine belt is due for replacement as well. Like Scott Kilmer says, "endless money pit, endless money pit, endless money pit."
1.delete all emissions, it will cost a pretty penny but will make maintenance on many things less needed(plus better mpg and hp) 2. Half the crap you listed does not need to be done. Just do the basics and these cars will last forever.
If you are thinking about getting a VW diesel you should read up on the problems the TDIs have with their high pressure fuel pumps.
The fuel pump is covered under the VW Extended Emissions Warranty for the “fixed” cars from the buyback program
Could you tell me how many miles I could expect out of this engine before it starts to die? 200,000? Thanks.
400,000
There is a 2014 with 165k on it for $6,000 CarFax shows regular maintenance. Is it worth it?
I mean 6k for 2014 is good if it runs well and no problems its worth it and with diesel cars milleage abovee 150 is fine
Yupp
Buy it you won't be sorry
guy in that bmw couldnt stay in his own lane to save his life.
Sounds about right
Got any recommendations for a tdi vw air intake
Sorry I don't, I've never really researched it. I do know that on the VW gas engines cold air intakes only provide marginal if any improvement in performance...the factory intakes are very well designed.
I’ve read that the factory one is fine enough, and that an aftermarket one is only good for “noise” mainly. And they’re like $200-300..
From what I’ve read on forums the stock intake provides more than enough air, and while a cold air intake will amplify the turbo noise, it can cause damage to the turbo and let in debris if not cleaned regularly
You're wasting your time the standard air intake is ample. You want to blank off or delete the EGR and straight pipe the car if your state allows. Also look into getting a stage 1 remap if you're doing a lot of motorway driving. The remap allows you to hold 70mph at a lower rpm thus giving better mpg. If you do this you will easily get 60mpg+.
I have owned 11 TDI’s since 1999, Love these cars! I bought my last one in 2015 Jetta SEL TDI Loaded 6 Speed Manual amazing car! VW Paid me over 7K to keep it.......plus a large Warranty! VW made a big mistake! I will never buy another unless it is a Diesel!
By the way VW Did Bring an A3 TDI I owned a 99 it was sold 96 to middle of 99 when the A4 came out!
How can i aske your opinion about a tdi i would like to buy?
Sure, ask away!
@@fastpaxSCR 2015 Golf TDI SEL with 70k, automatic, for $11,660 from a dealer. what do you think? no accidents, worth buying? what do you think of the price ?
Salam Hamdi pretty well priced
@@giannisantetokounmpo6234 i missed it, it was in another state, i didn't have time.
Salam Hamdi damn that sucks that was a really good deal
I cry a little every time I see a vw with dsg.
Tdi☻👍
9:24 "Getting on the freeway is actually pretty easy in this car" It's pretty easy in the vast majority of cars. Besides, you're not driving on an unrestricted section of the Autobahn or a racetrack ;)
3:07 isn’t that a bora not a Jetta ?
3:07? That is the cam cover on the latest TDI's, do you mean 3:04? If so, nope thats a US Jetta...that is a copy of the magazine advertisement from late 2003 for the new MK4 Jetta ;)
@@fastpaxSCR yeah in Ireland the mk4 is know as a bora
Had an idea to switch from 2008 Merc C-class to this Golf, till I had a test drive this morning. Tiny, litle car, not very comfortable. Did not like it.
Damn,yiu got a hand brake
Im in Europe and in my vw 2.0 is shity e brake
Just wait until your dual mass flywheel starts rattling
gotta love the people who always act like the only reliable cars are american brands.
don,t wait plan ahead, make sure you have funs in place save a little each month get a good breakdown policy, get a car repair breakdown reapair warranty, easy ways round that...
@@cc-iq2bs why just don't buy it at the first place? get something else more reliable.
@@Stormify5 japanese in my pov
DMF went on my mk5 golf last year. £220 (300USD?) for OEM Sachs DMF and clutch kit. Changed it myself using axel stands, plenty of videos on youtube showing you how to do it. If it worries you that much you can convert the DMF to a solid flywheel, however, you will have more engine vibration.
I have the same MK7 TDI, I am not impressed at all.
It gets 40mpg and it's a tiny car.. I used to have a Civic 1.5T that got 37mpg with regular gas, had much more interior room, bigger trunk, and it was much quicker, with cheaper maintenance.
The Civic was cheaper to own and more fun... can't wait to sell the Golf.
The 2015 Is the best and the worst TDI to buy, it was made for 1 year so finding parts for it is a nightmare.
Hello sir, can you get me one please?
The BMW couldn't lose you lol.
10-15k turned to 20-25k
The scandal hurt Volkswagen’s reputation, and also VW stopped making Diesel engines as a result.
No. They stopped selling them in the us
go canada and buy it
I opted to not buy a diesel gate TDI. Once that DPF goes out after the warranty, watch out. For a company that initially went out of their way to lie to the consumer, I don't trust them with their fix either. Lots of info online of folks complaining about their cars post fix. Now I test drove a few, fun cars to drive!! They just didn't have the miles on them yet to display the problems that will arise. Used car lots are filled with these things now. Most know zero maintenance history. My advice, stay clear. There priced low for a reason.
The obvious solution to an out of warranty DPF failure is a DPF Delete kit and tune, once my CPO Golf TDI goes our of warranty I plan to do a DPF/EGR delete, if you remove the problematic hardware and remap the ECU so it won’t throw error codes, problem solved, deleting the emissions restrictions also increases reliability and fuel mileage.
@@MacTechG4
True. I remove the dpf, and with egr I still don’t have problems, but I’m gonna discontented with computer on 300 000mph
For God's sake why make a 2015 car look like a 1999 Peugeot 307, including the rrims?
😷😷😷
Who fixed them,bullshit
These German Cars were made in Puebla Mexico. No thanks, they will break down. I'd rather buy a lame and reliable Corolla hybrid made in Japan that will get 54 mpg.
The Mk6 Golf models were the last US market TDI made in Germany, the SportWagens were made in the Puebla, Mx plant
Sergio Marron - snot, manufactured in Uitenhage South Africa