Need your opinions on alh mods

HightechRedneck

HightechRedneck

New member
Well I just put a down payment on this.

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It's a 2000 VW Jetta Tdi 5 speed with 180k miles

In the last 3k miles the injection pump, timing belt kit etc with the tensioner and water pump were all changed. It's bone stock and has only minor surface on the passenger door. The passenger fender was recently replaced cause of the typical rust through hole from the back side.

Plans are to fix the paint blemishes and rust before starting to drive it. Now with the refund check coming I want to do an exhaust either 2.5 or 3" turbo back, an AFE dry flow intake with the old man intake tubing and some sort of tuning.

I was looking at the q downloader from kerma just for the unlimited updates and being I can change tunes without sending an ECM out. Has anyone had any real life feedback on it?

Then what would you guys use for tuning if not that one. Remember I want flexible tuning not just one tune. This way I can go pure mileage one week to more of a fun tune to cruise around. I'm not wanting a smokey tune either. I understand that there will be some smoke.

More pics - new hub cap is ordered already and I'm looking for wheels

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Rust
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What y'all think its worth too?
 
Why would you go with Malone? I'm doing research on tdi club but I'm askin here till I get the car. Then I will prob join there.
 
Malone, they work with you unlike others
Kerma 3" stainless exhaust is nice.. Expensive but very nice...
I'd invest in vagcom and check cam timing and injection timing, I've gained 6 mpg by doing so and it is an amazing diagnostic tool
Take care of it and it'll run forever
 
Watch out for knock offs on vag
Some don't work
I paid for new but I it came from vag they're like $200-$250
I have kerma for tuning and regret it
It's like pulling teeth to get a tune
 
Ok, so basically communication sucks? Does anyone know how much each tune from Malone is ? I see their downloader is 190 bit then they say you pay for every tune. Wish they said what that cost was.
 
Yes kerma communication sucks.. Unless you buy parts from them the tunes aren't free... I heard nothing good about Malone. And considering switching still
 
What tuner do you have then? I was looking at an exhaust through them but hell I might find one on eBay. I'm fine with cuttin and welding.
 
On Vag-Com, what you pay for with them is the cable, the software is free. Some folks have had good luck buying the $12 cables from ebay and making them work just fine, others have not had such good luck. I believe a lot of it is rather hit and miss. If you have found a genuine Ross Tech cable that will work (Can+Bus IIRC) I would buy it and be done with it. It is a wonderful tool that you will need to work on the car with.

Upgrade to the euro spec headlights or some HID's, I did the regular H4 bulb with euro spec housings to keep it simple, nice little upgrade to the lighting. Valair sells a good clutch, so does South Bend, you will need one for anything over stock and spirited driving. Plan on a clutch sooner rather than later, the dual mass units in these cars don't care for life under stock power.

EGR delete and intake cleaning, nice little afternoon project, pick up two 6.0 powerstroke block off pucks, perfect size to make your own plates using the pieces already there.
 
Not to derail but I was tossing around the idea of picking one of these up . I commute 90 miles a day round trip. How would you consider the reliability of one with say 200k on it ? I understand maintenance and upkeep is important but could I count on the car ? You just can't beat the mileage .
 
Mine has 210k on it now and I bought it with 190k. I've had one hiccup with it and it was with the fuel system. All the bs on top of the fuel filter. I freaking love this car. Its a 2001 5spd Jetta GLS BTW.
 
I believe the 1999-03 is the most sought after in power/reliability. Newer years are easier to get power out of with a more advanced computerized system. In turn the older ones are more reliable being older and more mechanically controlled. The ALH (1999-03) is kind of a mixture of the two.
 
I bought mine with 165k on it, since then I have put almost 100k more on it. I swapped mine from auto to a stick and caught the maintenance up on it. Since then I have had a few things go wrong. Injection pump main body o ring started leaking, lost prime and would not regain it. Flasher relay died, 10 minute fix to install a new one. Starter got weak, most likely due to the previous owner putting a much smaller battery than required in. Don't buy Orielly starters, it needs to be swapped again.

Car is an 02 Jetta.
 
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