Spoiler alert

Got the beetle fixed,  needs a little tlc and pass emission,  bought a 2005 passat tdi,  auto (not sure if they made a manual tdi passat) it's a wagon,  check engine light on,  no heat (heater core, probably) said it need a transmission but I drove it home,  anyone have a passat tdi transmission

Travis. No passats came w a standard trans. Here. I've put them in from a European Passat. Not too expensive. 950 euro for everything shipped to my door.

That's what I meant. No tdi manuals

I'd change the fluid and filter and see if that cures it. Could have been shifting hard... My 2004's trans fluid was NASTY after 128k miles. I changed all that stuff when my wife hit a rock and damaged the pan. I welded up the pan and all has been great for over a year now.
KC