Diesel Cars

[Tough Luck]

Are the VW Jetta front wheel drive/ I was in Germany in Sept and we tried to rent a Diesal car but could only get gas. The gas one we got was new with only 8 KM on it and it got 45 miles toa gal. I was real supprized to see most cars and van over being diesal. I saw my first VW bug in diesal. I think the oil companys in bed with whoever has a lot to do with not bring the engines over here.

Yes, the Jetta is front wheel drive.

The europeans have had high gas prices alot longer than us here. They have embraced the fuel efficient vehicle. We, on the other hand, have regulated ourselves (EPA) beyond common sense.

 

[homeputter]

Do you have a source on this? They ran the old 190's like this back in the 80s. They have the car at the MB memseum in Germany.

The issue with Mercedes is the daily driver beating that the cars take. Potholes, etc. And the wear and tear and the years go by.

My old man has had four 77 diesel, 87 gas, 97 gas, 08 gas. Every year they got less reliable. Its really sad.

I think it was in Popular Science Magazine. The article was probably about 5 years ago. If I find it, I will post it.

 

[Sutol]

Any vehicle running constantly will do megga miles as once everything is warmed up it doesn't wear as much.
So it isn't a fair test in my opinion

 

[downslope]

Trucks (semi's and big 'uns) have had diesel all along. "Small cars" in America that were built by AMERICAN companies (GM or General Mismanagement) and had diesels were not that small - My BIL had a full sized luxury diesel Caddilac which he swapped the engine on, it also leaked a can of freon about every 100 miles.

From the Wicki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile_Diesel_V6_engine):



It was a grand idea to get around emmission regulations and a knee-jerk response to a gas crisis but it didn't work.

During the same time period (1979-1983) I and several of my coworkers bought VW Rabbit diesels which were EXCELLENT, ran well and got 50 MILES PER GALLON routinely around town. This is when the gas version Rabbit got 30 mpg WHEN driving. However for those that were there it was also when one may idle in long lines just to get gasoline, effectively getting ZERO miles per gallon.

Only us old f@rts remember the long lines for gas and the rationing of the '70's. It was truly a pleasure for me to drive by a long line of cars waiting to fuel up while I went to the diesel pump with NO line and no worries.

GM's sudden response with a diesel engine for a passenger car was first seen as similar to America's response to the Russians in the space race. However it was a dismal failure. By 1985 almost anyone I talked to about diesel cars thought they were totally unreliable, while it was actually only another example of GM's mis-management. The average "American public" herd mentality broadened that to ALL diesel CARS, not being smart enough to realize that there were a lot of small diesel trucks. This did not apply to the rest of the WORLD.

When I said "small" diesel cars and trucks I wasn't meaning the GM V-8 and V-6 diesels.

Every manufacturer at that time was trying to jump on the small diesel bandwagon. I remember small diesels in Toyota, Datsuns, Mazda/Ford Rangers with Perkins and Mitsubishi, Dodge Ram50 with Mitsubishi, Isuzu cars and P'Ups, and probably others. All failed in the marketplace. I owned a Rabbit diesel around the same time as you. I remember it as being OK, not excellent. The only thing that was excellent was the mileage. I also had an Isuzu diesel pickup after that, also excellent mileage, but otherwise a rust bucket, glow plugs always failing, hard to start in Vermont winters. The Rabbit vibrated so much it broke the alternator bracket until they redesigned it, same problems with glow plugs, New England winters, etc.

So we'll see how they do this time around, will the mileage be as good as in the past and that much better than gas, reliable, equivalent maintenance and fuel costs as gas and most important, will the American public buy them? We shall see.

 

[ultrarunner]

We have a '06.5 Jetta TDI and it has been an great vehicle. 120k+ miles and still running great.

I think there has been a misconception that diesels are expensive to own, poor performance, smoke and sound loud. This was my impression before we bought a Jetta.

I don't consider the maintenance to be any more than a gas engine. I have allways replaced a timing belt on my Jap and German gas cars at 100k miles. The oil change for the Jetta is a little more expensive, but it lasts twice as long (10,000 vs. 5000 miles).

When I lived in Austria, the majority of cars were Diesel... it was just hard to sell a gasser.

I was able to buy a BMW over there for shipment to California when I was through... all of my colleagues asked why I would buy a BMW with a gasoline motor... they thought it crazy for a 3 series to have anything but a Diesel...

 

[WH401]

I bought a 11' VW Golf back in July and so far have been thrilled with it. Reliability has been good so far, the only thing I have done is change the oil at 10k and fill it with diesel. I have an 80 mile daily round trip to work and driving my duallie regularly wasn't making sense. The fuel in my truck per month covered the payment, insurance, and fuel in the Golf. I have about 13.7k miles right now and have averaged around 43.3 mpg for the course of that. I got as high as 46 at 70 - 75 mph going to Florida over the summer, and I've only had 1 tank below 40. The power on this thing is great, very responsive and definitely not your typical gutless economy car tuned for mileage. Interior materials are very high quality and the ride/ handling is on par with a premium luxury car. I was worried somewhat about the HPFP failures that the TDI's seem to be experiencing, but I've concluded that most of those have been due to either miss-fuels with gasoline or the lack of lubricity in ULSD. Since the beginning I've run power service through every tank and I haven't looked back. I would definitely by another VW TDI.

 

[Sutol]

I bought a 11' VW Golf back in July and so far have been thrilled with it. Reliability has been good so far, the only thing I have done is change the oil at 10k and fill it with diesel. I have an 80 mile daily round trip to work and driving my duallie regularly wasn't making sense. The fuel in my truck per month covered the payment, insurance, and fuel in the Golf. I have about 13.7k miles right now and have averaged around 43.3 mpg for the course of that. I got as high as 46 at 70 - 75 mph going to Florida over the summer, and I've only had 1 tank below 40. The power on this thing is great, very responsive and definitely not your typical gutless economy car tuned for mileage. Interior materials are very high quality and the ride/ handling is on par with a premium luxury car. I was worried somewhat about the HPFP failures that the TDI's seem to be experiencing, but I've concluded that most of those have been due to either miss-fuels with gasoline or the lack of lubricity in ULSD. Since the beginning I've run power service through every tank and I haven't looked back. I would definitely by another VW TDI.

Use good oil and change it regularly, I change mine at least twice a year along with the filter, this will preserve the turbo bearings and the engine will last forever.
I put some petrol in mine every now and then to clear the injectors as I use old sump oil and kerosene mixed with diesel to run it.
Yours will be too new for that but look after the engine and it will serve you well.

 

[TimberXX]

I heard that they are making Urea in diesel cars mandatory in 2014, lame

 

[newbury]

I heard that they are making Urea in diesel cars mandatory in 2014, lame

Now if someone could just figure out how I could use my own body made bio-urea in my home made bio-diesel. It would make it easy for guys to refill the urea tank, gals might have another problem

 

[DIRTROAD]

I bought a new 2011 VW Jetta TDI back in July

I bought a brand new 2011 Jetta TDI last Dec. 31.

Best Auto purchase I have ever made.