Reliable!
1.9/2.0 Tdi (Pd) Vw group engines
1: acumalate oil in the Air intake pipes and then leak onto the floor from the intercooler pipes.
2: Air intake pipes are "snap" fit and the vibration from the engine wears the alloy fingers which cause the pipes to come unattached.
3:The strain on the camshaft from opening those four high pressure pump/injectors can result in the camshaft being worn out in less than 40,000 miles (extreme case)
4:The wiring for the pump/injectors is [glow=red,2,300]Inside[/glow] the engine and goes very brittle as they age.
5: The "dual mass" flywheels have a habit of wareing out long before the clutch, and if left unchecked will rub into the gearbox housing, The gearbox is a magnessium alloy and will then catch fire taking the rest of the car with it! Big VW recall to deal with this going on now.
6: The clutch slave cylinder has a habit of leaking on the 6 speed models and is part of the release bearing, which means the gearbox has to come out to fix it.
7:The Alternator pully is a free wheel (like the back of a bike) that smooths the undulations of the engine to keep the charge smooth to the Alternator. They sieze and can make the belts jump off or shread.
8: I've said it before, If you ever put petrol in by mistake DO NOT drive anywhere even if it's only a small amount, It'll cost somewhere between £6,000 - £8,000 to put right if the engine goes. These engines will run on an almost 100% petrol mix but the detonation and extreme internal heat will cause a huge meltdown
And thats just off the top of my head. Did anyone ever wonder why VW stopped using the "if only everything was as reliable as a VW" tagline?
Use it for 3 years and get another, it's the only way too do it
(I'm too tight for that though
)
On a positive note........nice Audi ;D