[Vwdiesel] Basic questions from diesel owner wannabe

[Andrew Buc]

What with tightening oil supplies and the fact that my employer is 
moving (and lengthening my commute) in mid-2006, I'm starting to take a 
look at diesels. I've had an '87 Audi 4000 quattro and belonged to the 
quattro list at www.audifans.com, so finding my way to this list was 
pretty simple. In perusing the archives, I recognized (so far) one 
person I know from the  quattro list, Doyt Echelberger.

I'd love to have a new TDI, but barring my winning the lotto, I think 
an early-90s Golf or Jetta ECODiesel would fit my budget--preferably a 
Jetta for the larger trunk. Are these cars fairly troublefree? (I've 
never owned a rice burner in my life, and I'm asking for reasonable 
reliability, not Toyota reliability.) Any particularly good or bad 
years, or problem areas to look for? I'm sure I won't get the 
performance of my 4kq, but can they get out of their own way? How easy 
will it be to pry one loose? I have the 4kq in the meantime and am 
prepared to wait for a good diesel Golf/Jetta to come up. Yes, I know 
they sold only 47 '92 Jetta ECODiesels in the States, and if I can find 
one, well and good, but I don't plan to hold out for one! :) I'm in the 
Seattle area, BTW.

Thanks for your thoughts.