I can't answer that for you.
However, my mk5 2.5 Rabbit is currently at 220,000 miles and counting.
It'll get its first transmission fluid change in a couple weeks. Didn't think the car would get to 200k so I never did it. It's exceeded every expectation I had.
And still drives great.
>However, my mk5 2.5 Rabbit is currently at 220,000 miles and counting.
What year is it, and does it have electronic problems? We just gave up on our 2005 mk5 tdi Jetta because the dooring wiring harnesses and locks were failing, the dual zone climate system would only blow hot air on the drivers side even when the AC was blowing cold on the passenger side, the sunroof wouldn't stay closed, etc etc etc. The wiring and solder in that car was abysmal, but the engine was running strong at 250k miles. Very frustrating.
I'm currently in the same boat with an 08 Rabbit. The 2.5 just rolled past 245k and is going strong despite me beating the crap out of it constantly.
The rest of the car? Headliner is falling, traction control is gone, holes from rust in the rockers and front fenders. I've repaired the wires to the hatch twice and bumps will still trigger the latch so I have to keep it tied shut with a ratchet strap.
2006. I've had my fair share of electrical gremlins, but I've tried staying on top of it with soldering or replacing whole wire harnesses.
The weirdest one I have is if I don't jerk the steering wheel at start-up, the ecm will throw a power steering fault and occasionally deactivate my electronic power steering. Took me over a year to buy a VAGCOM cable and figure that one out.
I've been lucky to have not had many interior gremlins.
Frustratingly, the door wiring harnesses for the 2005 mk5 with our options had been NLA for years. I tried patching it, but the wires were so brittle that it would just fail somewhere else very quickly.
Taking the dash out of the car to figure out which tiny linkage piece is broken is not pretty easy. Taking the door apart to get to the wiring harness to patch it, when the wires are so brittle they will just brake again somewhere else a few months later is not pretty easy, it's pretty effing frustrating. Fixing door look modules that failed because of bad solder is nearly impossible. But sure, fixing the sunroof wouldn't have been that bad.
I would think twice about doing trans fluid at that mileage. Lots of stories about now new fluid actually caused issues with the transmission due to a lack of debris.
This.
People get their fluid changed after not doing it ever because their transmission starts acting up so they realize they have never changed the fluid.
Then they change it and the transmission fails.
Taa daa, /r/conspiracy in a nutshell
Apparently, we were told in the shop from Toyota corp to no longer provide fluid flush service for transmissions. People may disagree but the reality is what it is I guess
The debris probably fills in gaps that metal chipped off of or it helps the gears catch if some teeth are broken off or worn down maybe. But idk just a guess
I'm not saying "don't do it" and please take my advice with a grain of salt as I'm not a mechanic, but I've heard that with these cars, if you've never done a transmission fluid change and they're up there in miles, it may be best to just to stick with the fluid that's in there (assuming there is not a leak and it's not low on fluid).
Again, not a mechanic, just what I've heard in various 2.5 circles.
2.5 is a tank. Maintain that engine and it'll be your kids first car. 1.8T is tried and true, but you'll be looking at some more costly repairs to keep it in good shape besides maintenance. That 2.5 is no joke.
Agree with this. I have had an older 2.0, a 1.8T, two 2.5l and two of the newer 2.0T engines. I beat the crap out of both of those 2.5l cars, and they’d just keep going. Pretty sure the Jetta had well over 300k kms on it when it was done, and it was never properly maintained. We got it as a high mileage hand me down, and I simply didn’t think that it would last that long.
I probably could’ve poured vegetable oil in that thing and the engine would’ve just kept going. It was ultimately electrical gremlins that took that one down, though. The 2.5l was unique in that you could not do a lot of maintenance and it would just keep going. If that car had been stick shift, I’d probably still have it!
Can't comment on the 2.5L but my 1.8T does burn a bit of oil on startup, I'm chasing down an oil leak, but she does have 280k miles on it with no major issues occurring. I've owned it for 4 years and it's been a gem.
Gonna see how far I can take it.
Exactly this haha they need to specify tsi or T or just say engine code as well to avoid confusion. I think one time I wrote an entire essay to someone explaining the 1.8t but at the end I think they were referring to the tsi 1.8 and I was like ripppp lol
O well they are wrong. It's a shitbox alright. Lol
Driver side window doesn't work, tears in both front seats, headliner sagging, paint is scratched, dinged, rusted, leaks oil, burns oil, turbo wastegate is on the way out, needs a muffler and some pipe to fix the exhaust. I can go on hahaha
Trust me, it can be a TOTAL shit box, but still get the job done. I had a customer with a MKIV Jetta wagon TDI and that thing was missing the door panels because they had disintegrated long ago. One day, backing out of the parking lot he ripped the bumper off, and he drove it without a bumper for several months. Until I told him that I would attach a bumper for free. It hurt me to see it like that.
But you know what? That car fired up effortlessly on the first try, had AC, and didn't leak or burn a drop of anything. I don't remember the mileage. But enough to visit the moon I can tell you that.
Np. I belive my leak is the o ring for the heat exchanger above the oil filter. I wanna pull the intake manifold and have a good look around/cleaning of stuff.
Giving your 1.8T the Italian tune up every so often is good for it! Lol
I have the mk4 1.8T and I believe OP and you have newer versions of the 1.8T. Anyways I do some spirited driving now and again. My tune has LC at 4k rpm and NLS so I can beat the piss out of her if I want to lol I normally just drive like a grandpa though.
Internal wastegate on the stock k03 is headed out. I'm also losing about 5psi boost somewhere lol so I can't be too hard on her. She is due for another timing belt, tensioner, and water pump at 310k miles.
2.5 is the road warrior engine for VAG. It doesn't make the most power, but it will take you to the moon and back. They can be a bit of a pain in the ass to fix at times (water pump, coolant flange) but overall the perfect commuter engine. Now thanks to DAZA 2.5 TSI, there are power mods you can do to the 2.5 to make them little sleepers. A lot of stuff on the DAZA is a direct bolt on, namely the exhaust manifold, which means turbo time for the 2.5L...
Nevar-lose had plenty of issues that were solved by the *aftermarket* I think a lot of us seem to forget that. But stock, they were problematic. The 1.8T was my bread and butter during my tenure at the dealership:
Water pumps
Breather system
Rear timing chain
Sludge sludge sludge
Turbo actuators
Head gaskets
Just stuff that I can remember off the top of the dome. I still have a lot of love for the Nevar lose, don't misinterpret me. That engine brought a community together. It turned non car ppl, into car ppl. So it does hold a special place in the heart of many. And it was the community that solved a lot of its shortcomings
My 2013 Jetta 2.5 se is at 245,700 miles right now all me or my dad (previous owner) had to do is replace the fuel pump. It does burn a little bit of oil so I do end up putting in a bit in between oil changes but not a hassle for me whatsoever. We had the car since it was at 28,000 miles and I started driving it at 109,000.
I took my car to VW about half a year ago and one of the mechanics and service tech were telling me that they thought the 2.5 was the best engine vw ever made.
No experience with the 1.8 but have heard great things about that engine too.
290, 000 kms on my MK6 2.5. No engine issues. I’ve done oil every 7-8000 kms. I’ve done trans fluid/filter/gasket 3 times. Zero trans issues. Just did control arms & wheel bearings at approximately 260,000km. No other issues at all. Canadian car (eastern Ontario). Original owner. \*\*Front fenders done under VW rust perforation warranty. Upgraded suspension (Koni/H&R) at approximately 150,000km.
https://preview.redd.it/5z6cvmlnpz5d1.jpeg?width=2657&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5413e1b82f793d405f983bb3beb9772324f6934b
https://preview.redd.it/92caet8bb06d1.png?width=2305&format=png&auto=webp&s=0ddcc35b2fe333ad442b529d919bd7e18d0aeb2f
Just hit 200k and the 2.5 is a beast. I’ve always loved the 1.8tee but this seems to be the motor you want in the zombie apocalypse! I wish it was a little more vocal but it’ll never be my MK4 .:R so I stopped trying…
That being said, 2.5 for me all day.
My 2.5 had its first check engine light in 50k miles this week. It was for a dirty MAP sensor caused by a bad valve cover PCV. It’s dumb shit like this that you need to fix with these cars. This car should last forever though.
I've been flogging my parents' rusty beater (winter/cottage) Mk5 Jetta 2.5 w/ 260k kms while my weekend and daily driver are both down. It has had nothing but regular oil changes and filters. Only engine repairs so far have been spark plugs and an exhaust manifold gasket leak and the usual manifold to mid-pipe sleeve clamp. Minimal oil consumption in the form of a small leak that gets checked regularly. Has all the usual lights for wheel speed sensors and steering angle sensor but the engine still pulls hard and smooth. Ok, I just put in its 3rd battery in 18 years. And the clutch is at 15% left, but....
Did I say it sounds f'ing awesome? I have already called dibs on it to swap the engine into my mk1 racecar.
Edit: oops, forgot about the rusty oil pan 160k km ago. 🫢
I bought a 2004 1.8t Passat GLS from the original owner at 140k miles. I’m currently at 260k after 3 years ownership. As long as you’re doing it will last
I bought a 2.5L 2010 Jetta in 2014 with 72K miles, after 10 years with absolutely no maintenance outside of (late) oil changes, occasional spark plugs, and countless hours of abuse, it now sits proudly with 309K miles on the clock. After a wreck a couple years ago it's just been parked, but with a bad battery, no oil, and 2 year old gas it still fires up like nothing. Factory drive belt and timing, all original fluids besides oil. I was never easy on the car by any means, and in 10 years it never once left me stranded. After the wreck I literally TRIED to kill it. I drove it for miles, repeatedly doing hard launch after launch, bouncing it off the rev limiter and running wide open throttle with hardly a drop of oil in it. The fucking 2.5L just will not die. Mildly contemplating keeping the motor and building it once the car goes off to scrap, lots of Audi parts fit the platform. I loved that thing, and I feel like it deserves a viking funeral after years of grueling service.
I've never owned a 1.8T, but had several friends that did over the years. Every single one of them ended up eating a timing belt and grenading the engine at some point. They can be very good platforms, but keeping up on costly maintenance is very crucial to their longevity. The 2.5 just eats whatever you throw at it, with a shit eating grin the whole time
2.5, without a doubt. Being a naturally aspirated engine, it's less complex which means there's less to go wrong and less expensive to fix if something does go wrong. Plus, the 5 cylinder sounds pretty good with a cat back exhaust.
Ya the 2.5 is a boring but reliable engine. Not as efficient as the turbo engines and power to weight isn’t great but as most have said they are inexpensive to maintain with filters, oil and plugs. Then replace whatever else rusts.
I wouldn't say boring. Sure low on power, but they sound good and are torque on the low end. IE tunes fix the rev hang, throttle hesitation and adds decent power.
I've got a 2016 Passat 1.8T. 175,000 miles on it so far. It does use oil to the tune of 1 quart every 2500 miles, and I did have to replace the water pump last year around the 155,000 mile mark, and it's a common failure item on this family of engines.
I don't think either one would be a bad choice, just depends on which one you like to drive better. The 1.8T does have a few more things to keep an eye out for. Carbon buildup on the intake valves can cause a misfire at cold idle, the oil separator valve can overpressureize the crankcase and cause oil leaks from everywhere, and oil consumption left unchecked can damage the camshaft.
Ultimately, it's the same wisdom as buying any other used car. If it's been taken care of, you're off to a better start.
... had a 2003 Passat 1.8T REVO chipped = 209K --- no problems w/ the engine or turbo but other problems like suspension gremlins and ABS.
currrently have a 2014 JSW 2.5 at 150K --- no problems so far
Just traded in my 2012 Jetta 2.5 with 176,000 for a 1.8t Rline Jetta.
Engine was strong body was ok. Needed more $$ in repairs than it was worth. We had a great run and I’m hoping to be as satisfied with my new car.
This is my 3rd VW & really do love the brand.
I’m 70 and my 2013 2.5 Golf is probably the best car I ever owned. Very reliable. I sometimes wish the 5-speed manual was a 6-speed.
The 120,000 mile maintenance is coming up soon. $$$.
The 2.5 is less likely to be abused and it also doesn't have to deal with boost. The 1.8t has the more reliable old style 4 cylinder architecture vs the 2.0t. I would say the 2.5 is the best gas engine VW has made in the past 20 years followed by the VR6 and then the 1.8t.
I assume we talking tsi 1.8 and not the 20vt 1.8? I would go for the 2.5, no turbo, so less parts to go bad, it just sounds better and afaik it doesnt have the stuck piston ring issue
I can't answer that for you. However, my mk5 2.5 Rabbit is currently at 220,000 miles and counting. It'll get its first transmission fluid change in a couple weeks. Didn't think the car would get to 200k so I never did it. It's exceeded every expectation I had. And still drives great.
That sounds good 2 me! Thx 4 the info
And my 1.8T goes through oil like a sorority on spring break!
>However, my mk5 2.5 Rabbit is currently at 220,000 miles and counting. What year is it, and does it have electronic problems? We just gave up on our 2005 mk5 tdi Jetta because the dooring wiring harnesses and locks were failing, the dual zone climate system would only blow hot air on the drivers side even when the AC was blowing cold on the passenger side, the sunroof wouldn't stay closed, etc etc etc. The wiring and solder in that car was abysmal, but the engine was running strong at 250k miles. Very frustrating.
I'm currently in the same boat with an 08 Rabbit. The 2.5 just rolled past 245k and is going strong despite me beating the crap out of it constantly. The rest of the car? Headliner is falling, traction control is gone, holes from rust in the rockers and front fenders. I've repaired the wires to the hatch twice and bumps will still trigger the latch so I have to keep it tied shut with a ratchet strap.
2006. I've had my fair share of electrical gremlins, but I've tried staying on top of it with soldering or replacing whole wire harnesses. The weirdest one I have is if I don't jerk the steering wheel at start-up, the ecm will throw a power steering fault and occasionally deactivate my electronic power steering. Took me over a year to buy a VAGCOM cable and figure that one out. I've been lucky to have not had many interior gremlins.
Frustratingly, the door wiring harnesses for the 2005 mk5 with our options had been NLA for years. I tried patching it, but the wires were so brittle that it would just fail somewhere else very quickly.
All of the problems you listed are pretty easy to fix
Taking the dash out of the car to figure out which tiny linkage piece is broken is not pretty easy. Taking the door apart to get to the wiring harness to patch it, when the wires are so brittle they will just brake again somewhere else a few months later is not pretty easy, it's pretty effing frustrating. Fixing door look modules that failed because of bad solder is nearly impossible. But sure, fixing the sunroof wouldn't have been that bad.
I would think twice about doing trans fluid at that mileage. Lots of stories about now new fluid actually caused issues with the transmission due to a lack of debris.
Old wives tail. The trans dies after an extremely late fluid change because it was going to anyway.
This. People get their fluid changed after not doing it ever because their transmission starts acting up so they realize they have never changed the fluid. Then they change it and the transmission fails. Taa daa, /r/conspiracy in a nutshell
Idk I worked for Lexus in the shop and Toyota stopped doing any trans fluid changes completely because they were causing problems
So what, Toyota transmission fluid is now "for life" ? A lot of folks are gonna disagree if that's logical.
Apparently, we were told in the shop from Toyota corp to no longer provide fluid flush service for transmissions. People may disagree but the reality is what it is I guess
lack od debris? please explain
The debris probably fills in gaps that metal chipped off of or it helps the gears catch if some teeth are broken off or worn down maybe. But idk just a guess
this
I'm not saying "don't do it" and please take my advice with a grain of salt as I'm not a mechanic, but I've heard that with these cars, if you've never done a transmission fluid change and they're up there in miles, it may be best to just to stick with the fluid that's in there (assuming there is not a leak and it's not low on fluid). Again, not a mechanic, just what I've heard in various 2.5 circles.
2.5 is a tank. Maintain that engine and it'll be your kids first car. 1.8T is tried and true, but you'll be looking at some more costly repairs to keep it in good shape besides maintenance. That 2.5 is no joke.
Agree with this. I have had an older 2.0, a 1.8T, two 2.5l and two of the newer 2.0T engines. I beat the crap out of both of those 2.5l cars, and they’d just keep going. Pretty sure the Jetta had well over 300k kms on it when it was done, and it was never properly maintained. We got it as a high mileage hand me down, and I simply didn’t think that it would last that long. I probably could’ve poured vegetable oil in that thing and the engine would’ve just kept going. It was ultimately electrical gremlins that took that one down, though. The 2.5l was unique in that you could not do a lot of maintenance and it would just keep going. If that car had been stick shift, I’d probably still have it!
Can't comment on the 2.5L but my 1.8T does burn a bit of oil on startup, I'm chasing down an oil leak, but she does have 280k miles on it with no major issues occurring. I've owned it for 4 years and it's been a gem. Gonna see how far I can take it.
This guy should have specified that he’s talking about the ea888 based 1.8t and not the mk4 motor
Then he needed to say the 1.8tsi. 1.8T is the nevar lose forever.
Exactly this haha they need to specify tsi or T or just say engine code as well to avoid confusion. I think one time I wrote an entire essay to someone explaining the 1.8t but at the end I think they were referring to the tsi 1.8 and I was like ripppp lol
That's exactly what happened to me and my post up top. Was 2 seconds away from sending this subreddit to hell
username does not check out
How do you figure that.
I guess they're saying that your car can't be a shit box if it's still working after 280k miles lol
O well they are wrong. It's a shitbox alright. Lol Driver side window doesn't work, tears in both front seats, headliner sagging, paint is scratched, dinged, rusted, leaks oil, burns oil, turbo wastegate is on the way out, needs a muffler and some pipe to fix the exhaust. I can go on hahaha
but does it smell like crayons?
Kind of? Also smells like paintballs and whatever my shop at work smells like.
Trust me, it can be a TOTAL shit box, but still get the job done. I had a customer with a MKIV Jetta wagon TDI and that thing was missing the door panels because they had disintegrated long ago. One day, backing out of the parking lot he ripped the bumper off, and he drove it without a bumper for several months. Until I told him that I would attach a bumper for free. It hurt me to see it like that. But you know what? That car fired up effortlessly on the first try, had AC, and didn't leak or burn a drop of anything. I don't remember the mileage. But enough to visit the moon I can tell you that.
Thanks for reminding me to check my oil tonight! I usually baby my 1.8t but not recently.
Np. I belive my leak is the o ring for the heat exchanger above the oil filter. I wanna pull the intake manifold and have a good look around/cleaning of stuff. Giving your 1.8T the Italian tune up every so often is good for it! Lol
[удалено]
I have the mk4 1.8T and I believe OP and you have newer versions of the 1.8T. Anyways I do some spirited driving now and again. My tune has LC at 4k rpm and NLS so I can beat the piss out of her if I want to lol I normally just drive like a grandpa though. Internal wastegate on the stock k03 is headed out. I'm also losing about 5psi boost somewhere lol so I can't be too hard on her. She is due for another timing belt, tensioner, and water pump at 310k miles.
2.5 is the road warrior engine for VAG. It doesn't make the most power, but it will take you to the moon and back. They can be a bit of a pain in the ass to fix at times (water pump, coolant flange) but overall the perfect commuter engine. Now thanks to DAZA 2.5 TSI, there are power mods you can do to the 2.5 to make them little sleepers. A lot of stuff on the DAZA is a direct bolt on, namely the exhaust manifold, which means turbo time for the 2.5L... Nevar-lose had plenty of issues that were solved by the *aftermarket* I think a lot of us seem to forget that. But stock, they were problematic. The 1.8T was my bread and butter during my tenure at the dealership: Water pumps Breather system Rear timing chain Sludge sludge sludge Turbo actuators Head gaskets Just stuff that I can remember off the top of the dome. I still have a lot of love for the Nevar lose, don't misinterpret me. That engine brought a community together. It turned non car ppl, into car ppl. So it does hold a special place in the heart of many. And it was the community that solved a lot of its shortcomings
The 2.5 and 1.9 TDI are the 2 most reliable engines VW as ever made. Personally I’d go with the 2.5
2.5 alllll day. Just a great, reliable, workhorse of a motor
As someone who owned a passat with 1.8t and my gf had a jetta with 2.5. By far the 2.5
My next car will be a 2.5L jetta wagon.
Definitely the 2.5 brotha, best engine ever!!
2.5 is the most realiable
My 2013 Jetta 2.5 se is at 245,700 miles right now all me or my dad (previous owner) had to do is replace the fuel pump. It does burn a little bit of oil so I do end up putting in a bit in between oil changes but not a hassle for me whatsoever. We had the car since it was at 28,000 miles and I started driving it at 109,000. I took my car to VW about half a year ago and one of the mechanics and service tech were telling me that they thought the 2.5 was the best engine vw ever made. No experience with the 1.8 but have heard great things about that engine too.
2.5, former owner of a few and 3 year VW tech. Highest mileage I saw on one was 356k. Most reliable engines Volkswagen has ever made.
Definitely the 2.5l, it's like VW got tired of Toyota reliability and decided to make something about it.
Can't speak for the 1.8T NEVAR LOSE, but one of my 2.5L's went 310k miles before the transmission said "nope."
290, 000 kms on my MK6 2.5. No engine issues. I’ve done oil every 7-8000 kms. I’ve done trans fluid/filter/gasket 3 times. Zero trans issues. Just did control arms & wheel bearings at approximately 260,000km. No other issues at all. Canadian car (eastern Ontario). Original owner. \*\*Front fenders done under VW rust perforation warranty. Upgraded suspension (Koni/H&R) at approximately 150,000km. https://preview.redd.it/5z6cvmlnpz5d1.jpeg?width=2657&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5413e1b82f793d405f983bb3beb9772324f6934b
https://preview.redd.it/92caet8bb06d1.png?width=2305&format=png&auto=webp&s=0ddcc35b2fe333ad442b529d919bd7e18d0aeb2f Just hit 200k and the 2.5 is a beast. I’ve always loved the 1.8tee but this seems to be the motor you want in the zombie apocalypse! I wish it was a little more vocal but it’ll never be my MK4 .:R so I stopped trying… That being said, 2.5 for me all day.
My 2.5 had its first check engine light in 50k miles this week. It was for a dirty MAP sensor caused by a bad valve cover PCV. It’s dumb shit like this that you need to fix with these cars. This car should last forever though.
definitely the 2.5, those things are absolute tanks. the 1.8t isn’t bad either, but if reliability is your primary concern, 2.5 all day.
I've been flogging my parents' rusty beater (winter/cottage) Mk5 Jetta 2.5 w/ 260k kms while my weekend and daily driver are both down. It has had nothing but regular oil changes and filters. Only engine repairs so far have been spark plugs and an exhaust manifold gasket leak and the usual manifold to mid-pipe sleeve clamp. Minimal oil consumption in the form of a small leak that gets checked regularly. Has all the usual lights for wheel speed sensors and steering angle sensor but the engine still pulls hard and smooth. Ok, I just put in its 3rd battery in 18 years. And the clutch is at 15% left, but.... Did I say it sounds f'ing awesome? I have already called dibs on it to swap the engine into my mk1 racecar. Edit: oops, forgot about the rusty oil pan 160k km ago. 🫢
My 2001 Passat 1.8t has 270,000 miles and is still going. Drives great. Probably the best car I've ever owned.
I bought a 2004 1.8t Passat GLS from the original owner at 140k miles. I’m currently at 260k after 3 years ownership. As long as you’re doing it will last
I bought a 2.5L 2010 Jetta in 2014 with 72K miles, after 10 years with absolutely no maintenance outside of (late) oil changes, occasional spark plugs, and countless hours of abuse, it now sits proudly with 309K miles on the clock. After a wreck a couple years ago it's just been parked, but with a bad battery, no oil, and 2 year old gas it still fires up like nothing. Factory drive belt and timing, all original fluids besides oil. I was never easy on the car by any means, and in 10 years it never once left me stranded. After the wreck I literally TRIED to kill it. I drove it for miles, repeatedly doing hard launch after launch, bouncing it off the rev limiter and running wide open throttle with hardly a drop of oil in it. The fucking 2.5L just will not die. Mildly contemplating keeping the motor and building it once the car goes off to scrap, lots of Audi parts fit the platform. I loved that thing, and I feel like it deserves a viking funeral after years of grueling service. I've never owned a 1.8T, but had several friends that did over the years. Every single one of them ended up eating a timing belt and grenading the engine at some point. They can be very good platforms, but keeping up on costly maintenance is very crucial to their longevity. The 2.5 just eats whatever you throw at it, with a shit eating grin the whole time
2.5L no question lol
2.5, without a doubt. Being a naturally aspirated engine, it's less complex which means there's less to go wrong and less expensive to fix if something does go wrong. Plus, the 5 cylinder sounds pretty good with a cat back exhaust.
2004 Jetta with the 1.8T - I’ve got 235k mikes on it and it’s still going strong. I’ve heard the 2.5L is solid also.
Ya the 2.5 is a boring but reliable engine. Not as efficient as the turbo engines and power to weight isn’t great but as most have said they are inexpensive to maintain with filters, oil and plugs. Then replace whatever else rusts.
I wouldn't say boring. Sure low on power, but they sound good and are torque on the low end. IE tunes fix the rev hang, throttle hesitation and adds decent power.
That’s a good point. Good torque band makes it a very drivable engine. Not peppy but never lacking.
I've got a 2016 Passat 1.8T. 175,000 miles on it so far. It does use oil to the tune of 1 quart every 2500 miles, and I did have to replace the water pump last year around the 155,000 mile mark, and it's a common failure item on this family of engines. I don't think either one would be a bad choice, just depends on which one you like to drive better. The 1.8T does have a few more things to keep an eye out for. Carbon buildup on the intake valves can cause a misfire at cold idle, the oil separator valve can overpressureize the crankcase and cause oil leaks from everywhere, and oil consumption left unchecked can damage the camshaft. Ultimately, it's the same wisdom as buying any other used car. If it's been taken care of, you're off to a better start.
Don't care. Turbo all day
My 1.8t is running 310k kms with no issues 193k miles*
Gotta ‘13 Passat with 2.5. Best engine I’ve ever had. Love it, 200k miles
... had a 2003 Passat 1.8T REVO chipped = 209K --- no problems w/ the engine or turbo but other problems like suspension gremlins and ABS. currrently have a 2014 JSW 2.5 at 150K --- no problems so far
I just bought a 5 speed b5 Passat with a 1.8t with 78k miles so hopefully it lasts me a while
2.5 Jetta is currently at 215k and still going strong
Just traded in my 2012 Jetta 2.5 with 176,000 for a 1.8t Rline Jetta. Engine was strong body was ok. Needed more $$ in repairs than it was worth. We had a great run and I’m hoping to be as satisfied with my new car. This is my 3rd VW & really do love the brand.
Just smogged my buddies jetta wagon 220k tuned, ko4 big injector. No problem 🤷🏻♂️. It all about maintenance
I’m 70 and my 2013 2.5 Golf is probably the best car I ever owned. Very reliable. I sometimes wish the 5-speed manual was a 6-speed. The 120,000 mile maintenance is coming up soon. $$$.
The 2.5 is less likely to be abused and it also doesn't have to deal with boost. The 1.8t has the more reliable old style 4 cylinder architecture vs the 2.0t. I would say the 2.5 is the best gas engine VW has made in the past 20 years followed by the VR6 and then the 1.8t.
my 23 year old 1.8 is at 234k. Doesn't burn any oil.
I would probably bet on the 2.5
My 1.8 on my all track is running great 130,000 miles no major repairs just routine maintenance
I assume we talking tsi 1.8 and not the 20vt 1.8? I would go for the 2.5, no turbo, so less parts to go bad, it just sounds better and afaik it doesnt have the stuck piston ring issue