[yetibone]

The only issues I've run into on older TDI's are, of course, carbon fouled EGR valves, and intake manifolds, occasional failed glow plugs, and glow plug controllers, and the cursory timing belt/coolant pump replacements, which are pretty easy on the Jetta/Golf platform. Beetles are a little harder because of the engine placement in the body makes the right side mount hard to remove. The worst I'd heard of on those cars was one fellow that lost a cam, and lifter buckets because of oil condition (?). I'd venture a guess that it had to do with the different additive package in the current formula Rotella T, and too long of a service interval, but that's just a guess...

On an '05 Passat TDI with a PD injection system (think: DEEtroit Diesel 6-71, exhaust cam operated injectors), I had to replace a head gasket that failed due to a ruptured EGR cooler. It was a pretty straight-forward repair, but required an expensive gasket set, and EGR tube.

Good motors, but like a big Dodge with a Cummins 6BTA, the engines are more reliable than the cars themselves.