05-31-2010, 10:27 PM
Craigslist FTW.
I looked at a bunch of slightly higher (80-100k) Jettas and GTi's before I bought my '03 GTi last year. There were a few problems (window tracks, coil packs, and a few others) on the VR6's that I looked at but it was relatively consistent and they seemed like mostly solid cars as long as they'd had regular maintenance. The thing that scared me off of the higher mileage VR6 was the potential for a timing chain+clutch job, and that was an expensive bill, but I'd own another VW. Just avoid VW Vortex. That place makes me want to punch a baby.
A higher mileage E36 (and now the E46's) will generally nickel and dime you no matter how well it was maintained if you try to keep up with it... or just keep driving it into the ground but it wont be much fun to drive that way.
I looked at a bunch of slightly higher (80-100k) Jettas and GTi's before I bought my '03 GTi last year. There were a few problems (window tracks, coil packs, and a few others) on the VR6's that I looked at but it was relatively consistent and they seemed like mostly solid cars as long as they'd had regular maintenance. The thing that scared me off of the higher mileage VR6 was the potential for a timing chain+clutch job, and that was an expensive bill, but I'd own another VW. Just avoid VW Vortex. That place makes me want to punch a baby.
A higher mileage E36 (and now the E46's) will generally nickel and dime you no matter how well it was maintained if you try to keep up with it... or just keep driving it into the ground but it wont be much fun to drive that way.