Possible Future CRD Owner Question

Keasbey · **Joined:** Wed May 04, 2016 4:35 pm **Posts:** 8

Hello, I am currently an owner of a 2010 A3 TDI and now that they are most likely buying it back, i am trying to find a replacement vehicle that fits my needs. I stumbled upon this forum/Vehicle and love (Conceptually) the 2005/6 CRD, but the forums seem a bit doom and gloomy about them. Im not opposed to car work, ive had to replace head gaskets on my 95 v6 mustang i used to own (twice) ive done the timing belt change on the A3. and have done all the supporting mods to my 97 cobra to get its supercharger working properly (upper intake, fuel injectors, spark plugs, exhaust, supercharger install etc) i havent torn into an engine, but the idea doesnt scare me.

From what ive read, there are certain things these vehicles MUST HAVE DONE in order to have longevity. With that said, would you still own one or advise someone to get a 10year old vehicle (assuming i could find one with sub 100k miles)? the only other vehicle looks attractive is the ever expensive mercedez GLK 250 BlueTec, and im not thrill about its price tag, even used. or the expense of owning a european vehicle.

Any advice/guidance would be appreciated.

mass-hole · **Posted:** Wed May 04, 2016 5:09 pm

Keasbey wrote:

Hello, I am currently an owner of a 2010 A3 TDI and now that they are most likely buying it back, i am trying to find a replacement vehicle that fits my needs. I stumbled upon this forum/Vehicle and love (Conceptually) the 2005/6 CRD, but the forums seem a bit doom and gloomy about them. Im not opposed to car work, ive had to replace head gaskets on my 95 v6 mustang i used to own (twice) ive done the timing belt change on the A3. and have done all the supporting mods to my 97 cobra to get its supercharger working properly (upper intake, fuel injectors, spark plugs, exhaust, supercharger install etc) i havent torn into an engine, but the idea doesnt scare me.

From what ive read, there are certain things these vehicles MUST HAVE DONE in order to have longevity. With that said, would you still own one or advise someone to get a 10year old vehicle (assuming i could find one with sub 100k miles)? the only other vehicle looks attractive is the ever expensive mercedez GLK 250 BlueTec, and im not thrill about its price tag, even used. or the expense of owning a european vehicle.

Any advice/guidance would be appreciated.

I do love mine, but as you have gathered, you must spend more time working on it just to get it running right than any normal human would want to commit to. It's one thing to spend time working on your car to improve your cars performance(IE your supercharger), its different spending so much time just to get it to run and not worry about it leaving your wife/girlfriend stranded somewhere. Take the lift pump for example. No one here installs the lift pump in the fuel tank because they need more fuel for power, they do it because if you dont, you get air in the fuel system and the jeep doesnt start or idles like crap. You have to love it for what it is.

You can certainly find some with sub-100k miles for sure. I bought mine with 42k in 2013 and it has 87k now. I have seen other post about low mileage ones recently.

barley00 · **Posted:** Wed May 04, 2016 7:36 pm

Keep in mind that people post when they have problems... It's easy to think these things are horribly problematic when you get on this forum because people are only asking for help with problems and when you see all the posts in one place it may seem daunting. My 05 is my second diesel, my first was a Golf TDI. The TDI was a nightmare, constant problems not only with the engine but with the whole car. My CRD is much less problematic, other than normal wear and tear issues I have really not had any problems with it. Sounds like you are pretty handy, if you don't mind tinkering I'd say go for it. Do the recommended mods if not done already, put a nice 2" lift in it so it looks decent and hit the road!

rankom · **Posted:** Wed May 04, 2016 8:22 pm

well go get one as we see you can play with wrenches , yes you will meet a lot of people online , this thing will teach you another language too , so if you have time to play ,,,, this is the toy . ! but keep your daily car as well , remember this CRD think is not a daily car and don't go too far with it . also lot of guys got it and spend too much money in and at the and ,, for no reason this thing just doesn't like the new owner and wants more money to be spent on repairs ,and this new ownership usually doesn't last , a lot of people realize its costly and itsnt for them. be aware of this problem PLEASE .

papaindigo · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2016 8:46 am

Other than routine maintenance neither my 05 our my son's 06 have had any CRD specific problems. We have of course been proactive on a few things (ex better CAC hoses) before they became problems. Forums are where problems are discussed not not problems

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2016 10:12 am

As others stated, they are not for a vehicle for the majority of owners! If you want a vehicle that can be brought up to a superior level than when it was sold new and you do not mind spending many hours and monies modifying and installing upgraded parts, then the Jeep CRD could be a vehicle for you. It certainly is a aficionados vehicle from the standpoint it is so very unique, there is no other vehicle out there like it.
Once brought up to a superior level, it can be a fun, reliable, and economic vehicle to own and drive. I love my little Jeep CRD and had rather drive it than anything else I own including our new Pathfinder with all the newer modern gizmos.... :wink:

Keasbey · **Joined:** Wed May 04, 2016 4:35 pm **Posts:** 8

rankom wrote:

well go get one as we see you can play with wrenches , yes you will meet a lot of people online , this thing will teach you another language too , so if you have time to play ,,,, this is the toy . ! but keep your daily car as well , remember this CRD think is not a daily car and don't go too far with it . also lot of guys got it and spend too much money in and at the and ,, for no reason this thing just doesn't like the new owner and wants more money to be spent on repairs ,and this new ownership usually doesn't last , a lot of people realize its costly and itsnt for them. be aware of this problem PLEASE .

Thank you all for your input, the vehicle would become my daily vehicle and ideally something i could drive across country, does the idea of taking one for a 400mi+ one way trip seem like a scary idea for most of everyones CRD?

Jsamps1345 · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2016 10:19 am

I would not think twice about going for 400+ mile trip, i've taken numerous trips from mass to Maryland/Pennsylvania, approx 450 miles each way. Currently have the jeep apart for new timing belt and a couple of other things at the moment. But up until now it has been a great vehicle.

flash7210 · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2016 10:32 am

Keasbey wrote:

Thank you all for your input, the vehicle would become my daily vehicle and ideally something i could drive across country, does the idea of taking one for a 400mi+ one way trip seem like a scary idea for most of everyones CRD?

I drove mine from Jacksonville FL to Los Angeles CA and back. With my wife, daughter, and dog. Through mountains, deserts, and snow. Both on and off highway.
Had a few small problems but nothing I couldn't quickly fix.
The biggest problems I had were hard starting in freezing temperatures and a mysterious coolant leak.
The mysterious coolant leak turned out to be a cracked head. But the symptoms were there before I even started the trip. I just failed to recognize those symptoms.
Despite all that, we completed the adventure safely and on schedule.

Mountainman · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2016 11:10 am

I've towed 6500+ lbs for thousands of miles all over the country. I think once you fix the quirks, they are reliable, and just like any other newer vehicle that could stop running because of a bad crank sensor or whatever. I've never had so much as a sputter with my daily driver, but I was ahead of the game on the significant list of needed upgrades. A device to plug in and pull codes would be a nice thing to have for long trips. I go deep in the back-country with mine (a certain several day walk out), and I'm putting together a kit that includes most of the sensors that would strand me, a way to pull codes to locate the problem quickly, an extra battery, plus lots of other parts and tools.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2016 3:22 pm

My son's 06 has been from Tally, FL to Tempe, AZ without trailer; too many trips from Tempe to West Coast and Tempe to Flagstaff to count; from Tempe back to Tally fully loaded with both of us inside/kayak on roof/towing 5X8 loaded uHaul; from Tally to Kearney, NE with same load; etc. Excellent road car.

Infinite_Karma · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2016 4:41 pm

Hi Keasbey,

I echo a lot of what the lostjeeps folks have said already, and in my opinion, the KJ CRD is an amazingly versatile vehicle.

It can serve so many roles and so many different types of drivers.

I personally use it as my every-day vehicle for work (great mileage), family (perfect compact size and turning radius), weekend adventures (excellent snow / off-road capabilities and towing power), and as my long-term BOV (Bug Out Vehicle).

As I'm sure you've read, buying this unique vehicle is not for everyone since it requires some investment on the part of the owner to become familiar with the quirks and modifications. That being said, I have learned so much over the last few years, and I have really enjoyed connecting with this group and their amazing knowledge. I have also enjoyed the work I've done on my own KJ CRD, and it makes me a little more confident and proud.

I love this vehicle and will keep it for as long as I can.

rankom · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2016 8:57 pm

ok as everybody agreed this is an amazing vehicle, welcome to the crd fever and good luck getting yours , remember we are here to help you with ideas and solutions , we have guys here that they prove their expertise and once you make the purchase we'll assist you , yes have some cash available for parts , you do the labor and we can help give you advice

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Fri May 06, 2016 11:40 am

To reiterate what rankom stated: I shudder to think where most of us Jeep CRD owners would be if it were not for this forum. Even though I have been a mechanic most of my life, this forum was a godsend to me early on when I first discovered its existence right after purchasing the highly unusual VM CRD with well over 100k miles on the clock. With their guidance and combined knowledge it has guided me through many learning experiences and great modifications to bring the Jeep CRD up to be a great little vehicle which I would drive across country tomorrow if need be. I now try and share that knowledge anytime I can...
So, if you can find a decent used one, buy it and look to this forum for any information and / or help needed...many are here willing and able to help :wink:

barley00 · **Posted:** Fri May 06, 2016 12:36 pm

Mine is a daily driver. Did an 800 mile roundtrip to VT a few weeks ago without a hitch. I wouldn't hesitate to jump in and do another roadtrip this weekend, despite the front end noises coming out of her! It's got 114K on it and stuff is wearing out, as it would on any vehicle.

Keasbey · **Joined:** Wed May 04, 2016 4:35 pm **Posts:** 8

Thanks again everyone i truely do appreciate it. i have dug through the forums and read over the noobs guide along with all of the specialty parts/kits you all have taken the time to make. regardless of if i get one or not, id say just reading through the forums, the community here is awesome. Depending on what i find and what i get for my TDI buy back, you may very likely see my name around again with talk of all the supporting mods needed to get it working properly.

Short and simple, awesome community here.

weeks101 · **Joined:** Mon Jul 30, 2012 3:29 pm **Posts:** 747

Keasbey wrote:

Short and simple, awesome community here.

It really is a great resource!

camo · **Posted:** Sat May 07, 2016 10:39 pm

Your mechanic skills sound just perfect match for our CRDs which are not more difficult than any other dual overhead twin cam diesel. Mine has been a daily driver for over 5 years and 50k + miles. Only moods GDE engine and tranny tunes. Never an issue beyond what you would expect from a vehicle for the age and mileage. I have also been to Atlanta and Miami which are 1000+ miles from Houston and it has not only been reliable but a boatload of fun to drive (love going to loose sand beaches). In my opinion all you need is a GDE engine tune and torque converter; everything else is more optional than anything.
You also count with the cumulative knowledge of this website which is for sure among the best of any used car of any brand. Just be mindful that there are few forum members making money out of the community and will try to lure you into their home made services or products which might be OK but far from necessary.
Don't be afraid of a well maintained 100k + CRD; it would probably be more desirable than others in the stock mode and if you buy online make sure you have a chance to look at it in person.
Good luck.

Rixram · **Posted:** Fri May 13, 2016 11:28 am

Keasbey wrote:

rankom wrote:

well go get one as we see you can play with wrenches , yes you will meet a lot of people online , this thing will teach you another language too , so if you have time to play ,,,, this is the toy . ! but keep your daily car as well , remember this CRD think is not a daily car and don't go too far with it . also lot of guys got it and spend too much money in and at the and ,, for no reason this thing just doesn't like the new owner and wants more money to be spent on repairs ,and this new ownership usually doesn't last , a lot of people realize its costly and itsnt for them. be aware of this problem PLEASE .

Thank you all for your input, the vehicle would become my daily vehicle and ideally something i could drive across country, does the idea of taking one for a 400mi+ one way trip seem like a scary idea for most of everyones CRD?

I live in New England, and took road trips to "further up North", South to South Carolina, West to Missouri. I used mine as my daily driver. I bought it at 84K miles and sold it at 171K miles. Worst issue I had was a failed crankshaft position sensor ($80 fix). I had the original head gasket, turbo, GPs and TTY bolts, and the darn thing ran great. That engine never gave me problems (CPS aside).

IMO, the single most important thing you can do (aside from getting the GDE ECO tune) with these KJ CRDs is always remember that they are a diesel, and need to be driven as such. Don't hop in and try to drive it like a gasser. Don't stomp on the accelerator, don't run it hard cold. Give it time to warm up, and run at idle for 30-60 seconds prior to shutdown for proper turbo cool-down and lubrication. Don't put off routine maintenance. Use the right oils and routine maintenance.

And don't forget to wash it routinely. That was my problem.... The New England Rust Demon started to take hold. The new owner is in Southern CA, so the demon has been exorcised. LOL

pjigar · **Posted:** Wed May 25, 2016 8:20 pm

My crd is a daily driver that sees 500 miles round trip every week for at least a year and many more to come. I have fixed all but few bugs which makes it reliable. See my signature.

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Possible Future CRD Owner Question

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