http://www.niot.net/niot_570/vw jetta modifiye niot.net 1.jpg 1.8t VR6 TDI Which would you say is the best engine in term of reliability and longevity.
def not the 1.8t... i'd assume the TDI would be the most reliable.. not to mention fuel efficiency. i'd personally go with the VR6 though... easy choice for me =)
1.8T - a little slower and less torque than VR6, very easy to mod. faster than VR6 after GIACx chip or any aftermaket chip that ups the boost, probly most expensive to maintain TDi- reliable, 40-50 MGP !!!, slow, but torque monster, 2.0- slow and not really modable, decent gas milage, idk if i can think of anything else good VR6- most stock horsepower and torque, makes car slightly front-heavy, harder to mod. for better performance, less parts than 1.8t easier maintence
TDI is the clear winner here. The 1.8t will get carbon build up in the intake mani, cause major headaches. VR6 the only good one of those was the 12v, the 24v sucks so I hear, and I work at vw dealership so I hear it all day long from the service guys. Anything diesel will far out last gas motors, by 100k your diesel is probably sittin on it's mid life point.
I have a 1.8 in a Passat wagon and the wife drives a Beatle with the TDI. I'd go with the TDI hands down. She has a 5 speed and if it isn't fast enough for you there is all kinds of stuff you can do to it, but stock it is suprisingly spirited, no race car of course but other than real cold mornings you'd never know it was diesel...well that and only fueling up every three weeks....
what do you want? do you want good gas mileage, or do you want torque, or do you want longevity? do you want diesel or gas? you cant say that any one of those motors is without a doubt better than another, they are all great motors for different reasons.
agree they are all great engines in their own regard. I wanted performance and easiness to mod so I went with a 1.8t in my gti and love it.
I wanted a VR6 from the get go, and I love my 24v. I work at a dealership as well, and have for about 4 years now, never really seen many problems with them. but they don't leave you much room to do any work, so that may be why you've heard service guys complain about them. My ex's dad had a 2002 TDI, last I knew he had about 400,000 miles, original drivetrain. 1.8T's are definitely easier to mod, and 'cheaper' even though there is alot more to them. My cams for my engine cost me about $1100. I did the install myself, otherwise that would've brought it closer to $1800 with labor. For that kind of money you could do alot to a 1.8T to get it faster than the VR no problem. That just means theres more to break though. The older TDIs especially you could do quite a bit to for what it was, and get some pretty decent power. Super reliable. My vote would still go to the VR6 though, matainence costs are much less than with either of those timing-belt driven engines, just takes some time to really show. I've already done 90,000 miles in three years, which would be time for a timing belt on a 1.8T, and halfway through my second on a TDI. I just make sure my tensioner is still good regularly, and I don't have to worry about my chains at all.
VR6 is pretty bullet proof. ive had the 2.8 vr6 and it was amazing at 114k. now I have a 3.2 VR6 and i love it...04 R32 with about 60k. ive also had 2 4cyl 2.0 and they were tough too. the tdi also has a good rep. ignition coils are notorious no mtter which you get lol
If you want to race, do not get any of the VW engines, people always say "My VR6 is so fast" and all this shit. If you are actually whipping, you get a V8 or larger. 6 cylinders are nice cruising cars, enough power for most people, but anyone racing and knows any thing about cars knows that you need a higher displacement. I would personally get the TDI. Diesel engines will outlast gas engines almost every time. I was looking at getting a used diesel, and I had minimal worries when seeing the mileage at 200K. Yea a gas engine is dead long before 200K, but diesels can live for a long time. @HeavyToker : You have a V6, it doesn't accelerate fast at all. If you have anywhere near the HP or TQ I want, that engine wont last more than 10K miles. Good luck with that.