Diesel VW Jetta....opinions?
- Thread starter MotorSeven
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hayden
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- Kubota L5740 cab + FEL, KX121, KX080, Deere 6120M
I've got a 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon. It's get s dependable 45 MPG no matter where/how I drive, and that's with an automatic. So far dependability has been very good, though I have heard many many horror stories about VW reliability, and about their service in particular. They had a very bad repution in the early 2000 time frame with a rash of problems like windows falling into the doors, and VW refused to belly up to the problem. Finally, a year or so ago they admited there was an issue with the window mounts and offered to fix them and extend warranty coverage for them.
Anyway, mine has been good. I had one defective switch that was fixed under warranty. Since then I have done oil changes only, and in the last month did the timing belt, brakes and shocks front and rear, and sway bar bushings. All of these were done pro-actively at my request, but they were clearly coming due. At 93k miles, I consider this normal wear and tear maintenance. I've also recently had two temp sensors go. One is the fluid level indicator, and the other is the engine temp sensor. Each was less that $30 and a 15 minute swap out.
Besides the reliability dimension, I love the car. It fits me well, and at 6' 3" I can't say that about many cars, especially a small one like the Jetta. Its also a blast to drive - tight, nimble, and quick, especially for a diesel. It always starts flawlessly even in extreme cold (below zero F), and runs great. The only downside in the cold is that it takes a long time to warm up since it's so darn efficient. I can be 20 minutes into my commute to work before I reach full operating temp.
Anyway, mine has been good. I had one defective switch that was fixed under warranty. Since then I have done oil changes only, and in the last month did the timing belt, brakes and shocks front and rear, and sway bar bushings. All of these were done pro-actively at my request, but they were clearly coming due. At 93k miles, I consider this normal wear and tear maintenance. I've also recently had two temp sensors go. One is the fluid level indicator, and the other is the engine temp sensor. Each was less that $30 and a 15 minute swap out.
Besides the reliability dimension, I love the car. It fits me well, and at 6' 3" I can't say that about many cars, especially a small one like the Jetta. Its also a blast to drive - tight, nimble, and quick, especially for a diesel. It always starts flawlessly even in extreme cold (below zero F), and runs great. The only downside in the cold is that it takes a long time to warm up since it's so darn efficient. I can be 20 minutes into my commute to work before I reach full operating temp.
IH3444
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SkyPup
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MotorSeven said:
Five timing belts later we are pushing 325,000 trouble free turbodiesel miles on our daily VW TDI drivers. Just add fuel, oil every 10-15,000 miles, lots of new tires, and a couple of batteries.
jim_n_nh
Silver Member
One alternative is a honda civic. In April I bought a bank repo 2006 honda civic ex sedan with 6K miles. 10K miles later I get 35mpg plus. If I stick to the highway and keep it at 65mph I see 40-41mpg. It is not like my bmw or volvo's of past but it is a great commuter car.... You cannot beat the resale either..
Jim
Jim
Wesdor
Gold Member
We had a VW diesel back in the 80's and loved it. Ran it for more than 150,000 and then gave it to my brother's mother in law and she drove it for another 100,000 at least. Many times we wished we had kept it.
And yes, you need to have that timing belt changed as others have mentioned.
My understanding is that VW will bring the diesel back to America in January - can anyone confirm that? A large percentage of cars in Europe are diesel and I've driven the BMW 300 series diesel. We drove it at about 140 mph whenever we had the chance, and still got about 35 mpg. Although we haven't driven the VW, I have heard good reports from friends in Germany.
We looked at the Mercedes online and found that you can't get the C class in diesel. Instead, you have to go with a much higher quality and their price starts in the upper $40,000. I just don't see putting that kind of money into a car, so that option is out. I'm unhappy that the options in other parts of the world are not available to us in America.
I just looked up a Jetta online and in the gasoline version the base price is about $16,000. Any ideas what the Diesel will cost?
And yes, you need to have that timing belt changed as others have mentioned.
My understanding is that VW will bring the diesel back to America in January - can anyone confirm that? A large percentage of cars in Europe are diesel and I've driven the BMW 300 series diesel. We drove it at about 140 mph whenever we had the chance, and still got about 35 mpg. Although we haven't driven the VW, I have heard good reports from friends in Germany.
We looked at the Mercedes online and found that you can't get the C class in diesel. Instead, you have to go with a much higher quality and their price starts in the upper $40,000. I just don't see putting that kind of money into a car, so that option is out. I'm unhappy that the options in other parts of the world are not available to us in America.
I just looked up a Jetta online and in the gasoline version the base price is about $16,000. Any ideas what the Diesel will cost?
Hogzillanator
New member
Mine is a 2006 Jetta TDI Pkg II 6 speed tiptronic Pre Nov. 2006 Clean Air Act vehicle. It is the last of the TDIs allowed to be sold in the US till 2008.
I'm pretty sure they won't perform as efficiently if you use the clean air act compliant class 8, vocational, big 3 pickup trucks or MB blue tech models as an indicator. Anybody ever wonder why Cummins, Powerstroke and Duramax had to increase displacement to maintain the same horsepower levels. They've got scrubbers on the exhaust system. Bottom line is the they run much hotter, produce less power (cubic inch for cubic inch) and consume much more fuel than their pre clean air act cousins but they are clean as a pin at the tail pipe. They are, however, perpetually choked down.
This has been a huge concern for me as I get ready to take delivery of a Kubota tractor with a tier III engine in it. At least as far as agricultural equipment goes, there seems to be a loop hole because aside from exhaust gas recirculation and common rail injection they're not having to force the exhaust thru a scrubber and in the case of my soon to arrive M108X, actually increased fuel efficiency 10% or so they claim. Jury's still out here. I guess I'll see.
I digress.
The Jetta:
At 80 mph it averages 42 - 44 mpg
At 70............about 45 - 47 mpg
At 65, with the cruise on, travelling on a relatively flat 150 mile stretch of I-10, I averaged 51.8 mpg going to Houston one day.
Absolute worst mileage, driving like Juan Pablo Montoya in the city is 34 - 38 mpg. These are averages not instant. Some of these I've calculated without the trip computer.
There is no internal combustion vehicle in the US, that gets even close to the fuel efficiency of the V-Dub TDIs or looks so darn good doing it.
Read the JD Powers fuel efficiency ratings for 2006. All Hybrids then all VW TDI's then the funky little sub compacts (Yaris, Fit etc.).
My Cummins 24 valve "rattler" with the chip, 5" exhaust and big turbo stays parked. Especially when it takes a Ben Franklin to fill it. It only gets cranked when something has to be hauled or I feel like annoying people in a drive thru somewhere.
I can put 12 gallons in my Jetta TDI and cruise 600 miles in pampered comfort, blow the doors off every hybrid in sight and laugh hysterically as I drive by the pump.
It is without a doubt the finest engineered, best looking, best driving vehicle I have ever owned.
The TDI mileage stats always tend to generate incredulous responses bordering on outrage in some but all I can say is it is what it is.
Environmental warm and fuzzies:
Diesels in general emit 35% less CO2 than their gasoline powered counter parts, are 20 to 35% more fuel efficient and particulates are largely reduced if not a thing of the past with 15ppm low sulfur fuel which is all you can get anymore anyhow. Factor bio diesel into this (I've run mine on Bio Willie B-20 just fine) and the carbon footprint of a TDI is miniscule even when compared to a hybrid which needs 1000 lbs. of batteries, the manufacture of which lay waste to natural resources and require a trip around the world in the enrichening and manufacturing process.
OH yah did I mention NHTS 5 star frontal and side impact crash rating.
Prious, Yaris, Fit?? I don't think so.
I'm pretty sure they won't perform as efficiently if you use the clean air act compliant class 8, vocational, big 3 pickup trucks or MB blue tech models as an indicator. Anybody ever wonder why Cummins, Powerstroke and Duramax had to increase displacement to maintain the same horsepower levels. They've got scrubbers on the exhaust system. Bottom line is the they run much hotter, produce less power (cubic inch for cubic inch) and consume much more fuel than their pre clean air act cousins but they are clean as a pin at the tail pipe. They are, however, perpetually choked down.
This has been a huge concern for me as I get ready to take delivery of a Kubota tractor with a tier III engine in it. At least as far as agricultural equipment goes, there seems to be a loop hole because aside from exhaust gas recirculation and common rail injection they're not having to force the exhaust thru a scrubber and in the case of my soon to arrive M108X, actually increased fuel efficiency 10% or so they claim. Jury's still out here. I guess I'll see.
I digress.
The Jetta:
At 80 mph it averages 42 - 44 mpg
At 70............about 45 - 47 mpg
At 65, with the cruise on, travelling on a relatively flat 150 mile stretch of I-10, I averaged 51.8 mpg going to Houston one day.
Absolute worst mileage, driving like Juan Pablo Montoya in the city is 34 - 38 mpg. These are averages not instant. Some of these I've calculated without the trip computer.
There is no internal combustion vehicle in the US, that gets even close to the fuel efficiency of the V-Dub TDIs or looks so darn good doing it.
Read the JD Powers fuel efficiency ratings for 2006. All Hybrids then all VW TDI's then the funky little sub compacts (Yaris, Fit etc.).
My Cummins 24 valve "rattler" with the chip, 5" exhaust and big turbo stays parked. Especially when it takes a Ben Franklin to fill it. It only gets cranked when something has to be hauled or I feel like annoying people in a drive thru somewhere.
I can put 12 gallons in my Jetta TDI and cruise 600 miles in pampered comfort, blow the doors off every hybrid in sight and laugh hysterically as I drive by the pump.
It is without a doubt the finest engineered, best looking, best driving vehicle I have ever owned.
The TDI mileage stats always tend to generate incredulous responses bordering on outrage in some but all I can say is it is what it is.
Environmental warm and fuzzies:
Diesels in general emit 35% less CO2 than their gasoline powered counter parts, are 20 to 35% more fuel efficient and particulates are largely reduced if not a thing of the past with 15ppm low sulfur fuel which is all you can get anymore anyhow. Factor bio diesel into this (I've run mine on Bio Willie B-20 just fine) and the carbon footprint of a TDI is miniscule even when compared to a hybrid which needs 1000 lbs. of batteries, the manufacture of which lay waste to natural resources and require a trip around the world in the enrichening and manufacturing process.
OH yah did I mention NHTS 5 star frontal and side impact crash rating.
Prious, Yaris, Fit?? I don't think so.
Steve_Miller
Veteran Member
We've had our 2006 TDI wagon since a year ago August. Average 55mpg (canadian gallon), 80,000kms, no problems yet. I told my wife up until then (when we bought the car) I would divorce her if she bought a VW, I carpooled with a guy for several years that owned a 85 jetta diesel and swore I'd never own a VW after that piece of junk. It was noisy,stinky, rattling, rough riding, unreliable, gutless, you name it. I've since been persauded that VW has improved dramatically with time, if not they would have probably gone under by now in North America.
Steve
Nova Scotia
Steve
Nova Scotia
IH3444
Veteran Member
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Yep, got of those also, although I named it spewy II.
(Sung to the tune of "Frosty the Snowman".)
Spewy the diesel, was a happy little car,
On a tank full of diesel fuel,
It could drive pretty darn far.....
Spewy the diesel, left a massive cloud of smoke,
When I drove pass the emmission station,
All the attendants did choke.
There must have been some magic in that little injection pump,
because when it came to simple technical mileage, it spanked the hybrids on the rump!
Spewy the diesel, got mileage from here to the moon,
When it came to refills at the fuel station,
I knew I wouldn't be back real soon.
It actually burns clean as a whistle.....and doesn't burn a drop of oil. 121,000 miles on the car, fresh rebuild on the diesel engine. New bore, pistons, all first harmonics recipercating masses balanced to exactly the same weight between componets. The feller before me blew the oil filter off on a cold morning. It developed a rod knock. He kept running it on kerosene, from the airport he worked at. Then kaputski. I bought it for $50. Just a commuter beater car. Tight though, all new brakes, shocks, rims, tires, headlights, installed GTI seats in it, but I'm installing now a set of Recaros out of my Porsche. Gota be comphy when driving......
(Sung to the tune of "Frosty the Snowman".)
Spewy the diesel, was a happy little car,
On a tank full of diesel fuel,
It could drive pretty darn far.....
Spewy the diesel, left a massive cloud of smoke,
When I drove pass the emmission station,
All the attendants did choke.
There must have been some magic in that little injection pump,
because when it came to simple technical mileage, it spanked the hybrids on the rump!
Spewy the diesel, got mileage from here to the moon,
When it came to refills at the fuel station,
I knew I wouldn't be back real soon.
It actually burns clean as a whistle.....and doesn't burn a drop of oil. 121,000 miles on the car, fresh rebuild on the diesel engine. New bore, pistons, all first harmonics recipercating masses balanced to exactly the same weight between componets. The feller before me blew the oil filter off on a cold morning. It developed a rod knock. He kept running it on kerosene, from the airport he worked at. Then kaputski. I bought it for $50. Just a commuter beater car. Tight though, all new brakes, shocks, rims, tires, headlights, installed GTI seats in it, but I'm installing now a set of Recaros out of my Porsche. Gota be comphy when driving......
