How many miles should I look out for when searching to buy a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta TDI?

At what mileage should I not buy a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta TDI? I found one that has 182,000 miles. When are the miles just too much?|||If, big IF, its been cared for properly, $5k may be a steal for an 02 TDI with that kind of mileage. The only real issue with the '02s is that the automatic transmissions are absolute garbage.





At 180,000 miles, the car should be on its 3rd timing belt. If the full timing belt/water pump job hasn't been done recently, you might as well factor in about $800 to the purchase price to have it done by a TDI expert.





Go over to http://www.tdiclub.com and http://www.myturbodiesel.com and read read read read about these cars. They can be absolute gems, capable of returning 50mpg on the highway with ease, BUT, they can also be terrible money puts if they haven't been cared for properly.|||I LOVE THAT CAR... the newer one...





yeh thats a lot.... but not if your getting a good deal... :)|||It's not the miles that the problem with these cars, age is more of a problem. Check to see if the turbo and the Power Steering Rack has replaced on the car and the Back Axle Bushings.|||Its tough sometimes to find a low mileage car when you need one. volkswagon are known for headgasket problems and automatic transmission problems, Often times after 80,000 miles a head gasket can go, and later on past 120,000 miles a transmission and electrical problems are common, the best thing to do is be patient and pass on higher mileage cars, a website that has some good information on used cars is carcomplaints.com click on the manufacturers name in blue letters to the left of the home page, and scroll down to your make and model and see what consumers have to say, buying high mileage used cars can be a problem, at the very least besides a 40 minute to one hour test drive take the car to a good mechanic and get an engine and transmission diagnostic, this can help save you from expensive future problems. If you would like some free information about how to buy a used car, and what to look for and what to look out for, go to www.samarins.com there is also a section on used car reviews that may be helpful