VW diesel advise needed

[neilw]

I'm in need of a new daily driving car. I currently drive 20,000 miles per year. However, my job is relocating and I will soon become a 30 to 35,000 mile/year driver.

The VW Golf TDI gets 50 mpg EPA. Only the new hybrid cars even approach that 50mpg.

Does anyone have any experience with TDI engines or the new hybrid systems?

 

[s1120]

Well, I work for a VW dealer. Drop me a line if you have any ?????????'s

 

[RonL]

Neil

I bought a Diesel bug three years ago. The vehicle got outstanding mileage ( 48 MPG ). However, I had constant quality control problems. The windows were repaired three times before the tracks were replaced. The air conditioner compressor failed. The injectors went while on vacation in New Hampshire. It was all covered under warranty but I reached the point where I was waiting for the next thing to go wrong. My understanding is that the Bugs and the Jetta are assembled in Mexico and the Golfs and Passats are imported from Germany. If I had it to do again I would have gotten the diesel Golf. I got the Beetle for nostalgic reasons, my first new car was a 1973 Super Beetle that I paid $2500. for and drove all over the Eastern United States.
The Bug was a fun car to drive. The turbo Diesel with standard transmission was surprisingly responsive and peppy. My wife was the one that usually drove the car and got a kick out of gas station clerks running out and yelling: " Hey, you're pumping Diesel into your car".
My original intention was to keep the Beetle and use it as a daily commuter until it disintegrated. However, when I brought it into the dealership to have the injectors replaced, I was looking at a Passat on the showroom floor. The sales manager approached and asked if I was interested in the car. I told him that I was having work done on my Bug. He asked if there was something wrong with it. I said:" Yes, its a *&%$*#* piece of *&*%". Long story short: they offered me a decent trade in on my Bug and a good deal on a new Passat wagon with 4Motion. My wife says that the car is outstanding in the snow but she hates having to fill the gas tank two or three times as often!
Outside of getting a lemon, most people on the VW Diesel site seem to be happy with their Diesels. Its nice filling the tank and then driving 700 miles. Again, if I had it to do over I would have gotten the Golf. One other thing to consider is that the timing belt on the diesel needs to be replaced at something like 40 or 60 thousand miles. This needs to be factored into the cost equation. On the other hand , barring a lemon, the Diesels seem to run for several hundred thousand miles.

RonL

 

[s1120]

Sorry Ron, Golfs are not made in Germany any more. US Golfs now come from Berzil.

AHH Window problems, huh? Power windows right? Yup seen it a few times. Hottest time of the year when they went, right?

 

[dmccarty]

neilw,

Try this site, <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tdiclub.com/>http://www.tdiclub.com/</A>. Its all
about VW diesels. I have also seen some discussions on other
brands but if you are looking for a new car with a diesel for
the US VW is your only choice.

In 2004 Jeep is supposed to release a Liberty with a diesel
engine. I don't know if that is a 2004 calender year or a
car year. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif If its a car year maybe the Liberty will be
available later in 2003. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

The TDI site is really good if you need info on VW oil burners!

Hope this helps...
Dan McCarty

 

[Wingnut]

not personal experience, but my brother-in-law up in Saskatchewan is on his second TDI Passat. Put 150k (kilometers) the first year on the first one ... had 4 speeding tickets and a couple of acidents ... traded up to the new one.
Loves it (obviously).
He drives it because of the high mileage ... and he thinks the Passat is extremely comfortable and fun to drive and dependable.
I tried to buy one here in the US but the local dealer wasn't sure if he would ever get them ... apparently he thinks Americans won't buy them. I'm sold on them after my experiences driving them in Europe when I'm over there. Of course, the crappy prices we pay here for diesel fuel probably makes it less desireable too ....

pete

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I have a 2000 Jetta TDI with 86,500 miles on it. I'm a 30K mile a year commuter and I love this car!. It is very comfortable and roomy for a compact ( I'm 6'1", 245lbs.), more so than I think the hybrids would be. The only problems I have had are the drivers side mirror does not defrost as well as it used too, and the heater fan whines a little when it is really cold. Since I'm too cheap to pay to fix it, I just live with it. One thing I would do differently is get the leather. I got the black cloth, and I think it manufactures lint! The leather is so much easier to keep clean.

I'm just getting ready to change the timing belt. VW reccomends checking it at 40K and changing by 60, but when I talked to the dealer he said I could go up to 100K (because of the power train warranty), once again the cheap [censored] mentality kicks in. I've gotten quotes from several dealers, and they all come in around $500.

It's been cold here lately, and I have had no problems with starting at all. Some mornings it has been at 0 or below.

The performance is amazing out of a 90hp diesel. I have a lead foot and typically cruise at 80mph and still manage 47-48mpg. The car gets up and goes at a respectable pace and drives very nicely on the highway. It also handles well in the turns. The 5 spd manual works well. You will get better mpg with the manual. Oh yeah, and right now the price of diesel is at or below the price of regular gasoline around here. About two and a half years ago it was $2 a gallon, but overall I think my fuel cost is well below the national average. I love having to only fill up once a week!

The car is a little pricey for the size, but I don't think you can get a better overall package with regard to size, fuel economy and performance. I bought at the peak of Jetta mania, so there may be better deals out their now. I also bought when there was only a 2/24 warranty. I believe that they now have a 4/48. I could have used that about a year ago to fix my mirror problem.

I would love to see a Passat diesel. With the family growing, the Jetta can get a little cramped when you add one of those monster car seats into the mix. I saw on the German VW site that they make a 6 cylinder TDI, that would be awesome.