Considering a â€œnewâ€ VW with diesel (Need your input)

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sat Aug 07, 2010 2:08 am

I’m applying for a job transfer that’s 45 miles away. Daily travel would be 90 miles per day with a total of 450 miles per week. My job is a 10 month contract (minus 3 weeks off for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Spring Break), so that would be approximately 18,000 miles per year. Currently, my most fuel efficient vehicle is my Dodge Truck (22 mpg). My two other Jeeps average about 19 mpg. The commute would involve a 55 mph drive in hilly terrain at an elevation between 6,500 feet and 7,000 feet.

I really don’t like cars, but I would consider owning a fuel efficient diesel. The new VW cars with the diesel seem to achieve good fuel economy. I wouldn’t do anything with this car except commute to and from work, and maybe an occasional road trip.

I’m thinking that the monthly fuel savings from the VW might actually take care of the monthly payments. Therefore, I don‘t think the cost of the new vehicle would significantly impact my current monthly budget.

I need some input from you guys/girls to help me decide whether or not you think it’s worth buying a VW diesel. I really don't want to put unnecessary work miles on my two Jeeps and Dodge Truck. I'm open to other fuel efficient vehicle suggestions that you think I should consider. And finally, I’m a little concerned of the snow that we get during the winter months. We occasionally get bombed with snow, but I’m assuming that the VW can handle driving through 3-4 inches of snow.

Here's the new 2011 Jetta:
200 HP turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, 6-speed automatic

flman · **Posted:** Sat Aug 07, 2010 5:51 am

Nice, go for it, I have owned a couple of TDI's myself. Believe me once you start driving this "Car" you are going to like a "Car" again, the torque, the off the line performance, the sight in your rear view mirrors of all the low torque spark ignition cars you passed going up that hill on the interstate :goink:

I live in the north, and the TDI will pull through the snow with ease. Front wheel drive is almost as good as 4 wheel in the snow.

SCOTT'S-05CRD · **Posted:** Sat Aug 07, 2010 7:00 am

I believe you will find the Diesel "V-Dub" a very good choice. My Dad owns two of them, a 1997 Jetta with over 300K Miles, and 2005 Jetta Wagon with over 150K Miles. Very few problems. Just make sure you stick with the Maintenance Schedule (Timing Belts and Idler).

mikey1273 · **Posted:** Sat Aug 07, 2010 7:41 am

I hear many people say that they are good cars. They also carry a premium price as used cars around me. That and they are hard to find used hence the higher price than the spark ignition models. It seems owners don't let them go much once they have them..... I'm thinking there is a reason for this

The sedan looks like a very atractive car, I would certenly drive one. I think the wagon looks a bit dorky and would not buy that unless a wagon was needed.

You should be OK with front wheel drive in snow. I live in Pennsylvania and we get snow here... sometimes quite a bit too and I was fine with it for years before I got an all-wheel drive. If you think its too much you would still have the option of taking one of the Jeeps for a day.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Sat Aug 07, 2010 10:22 am

Go for the wagon, more room when you need it. Some of the VWs come in all wheel drive, but I don't know if the Jetta TDI wagon does.

Since the 2011 has common rail injection, you won't need to put up with the problems the PD TDIs have/had.
The one thing I dislike about the PD is VWs using the not so tough camshaft to power the unit injectors and requiring an expensive exotic oil to make up for it. My Wife's ALH TDI does not have that problem so I can use the same synthetic oil in both my CRD and her TDI, could not do that if she had the PD with out doing a bunch of research.

BVCRD · **Posted:** Sat Aug 07, 2010 11:13 am

Prius? A friend of mine just drove from Washington State to Iowa and back and got 58 mpg.

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Sat Aug 07, 2010 11:30 am

A Prius is more "enchanting" so your neighbors might like you more.

OldSkull · **Posted:** Sat Aug 07, 2010 11:54 am

VW are amezing! If you never drive one , you don't know what's fun driving, you will notice how well they stick to the road, I drive mine in the worst road condition "Canadian snow storm" Yea the one you see only about 5 feets in front of you! Just put 4 snow tires (I use cheap Kumho with deap tread) and go play outside!:D I can tell you my old TD was the best car I ever owne! Just to bad they don't produce a Diesel truck with the towing capacity of our CRD for a "Normal" price....

The maintenance service is a bit hard on your wallet $$$ like all German car.... :furious:

Hey you best bet for economy is a Smart! You can save on golf-cart rent every weekend! :mrgreen:

CIMARRON13 · **Posted:** Sat Aug 07, 2010 12:01 pm

I had a auto 09 Jetta TDI sedan and traded up to the '10 wagon TDI with 6 speed. Go for the wagon and the manual. Didn't have any complaints on the auto but I like manuals more.

geordi · **Posted:** Sat Aug 07, 2010 6:36 pm

The wagon is (or was) made in Germany exclusively. The sedan is made in Mexico. I had a sedan, the engine was great, the interior had a few fit-and-finish issues but was overall very solid. The car SCREAMED through 150k miles before I sold it, and the guy who bought it as a twin to what he already had wanted to know what was wrong with HIS! Amazing performance, and they love biodiesel.

To find out where it was built, look at the first few letters of the VIN. WVW is German-built, 3VW is Mexico.

barley00 · **Posted:** Sat Aug 07, 2010 6:39 pm

Here's another vote in favor of the TDI, (had a golf) great cars, stay away from hybrids, the premium doesn't pay back from what I've read and heard, especially when it comes time to replace the battery. Second choice would be an econobox gasser (Focus, Insight, etc.) not pretty but will get you from point A to B and back. Get some spare steel wheels and put snows on them and you'll be amazed at how well the little fwd VW rips through the snow.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sun Aug 08, 2010 2:48 am

We went to the VW dealership today in Albuquerque. I was hoping the new 2011’s would be out on the lot, but I was wrong. The dealership told me that there will not be a diesel offered in the 2011 Wagon for a year or two.

After looking at the different models, we like the wagon the best.

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Sun Aug 08, 2010 7:29 am

How long do you intend to keep it? If just for the ten months or maybe a year you'll take a big hit selling a one year old car of any brand. I've also owned a couple of TDI and they are very capable. My 99.5 jetta AVERAGED 49.6 MPG or over 100,000 miles :goink:

The 96 Passat Station wagon's average was about 45 for over 100,000 miles.

If it were me I would look for a clean pre PD (pump duch) jetta. Out west you should be able to find a clean jetta that will serve your needs and have a good return on your investment in a year or so. Unless your going to keep any car for a long time they are a money loosing proposition :banghead:

Check over on the TDI forum

jeepdaddy · **Posted:** Sun Aug 08, 2010 7:39 am

i had 08 tdi jetta , 54 mpg best i got ( stick shift) loved the car just to small for two car seats in the back

so we upped to a passat'09 2.0 .. best out of it was 38mpg but way roomier.. just wish it had the tdi offered.
as for 3-4" of snow ,, ya better get some chains. my driveway is about 500 ft long and almost flat. if we would get 3" of snow i'd have to make a full throttle attack out of the garage and hope i make to to the road :mrgreen:

, didn't make it everytime. those wide tires on it didn't help. be prepared to drive the jeep on snowy days

kingjeep · **Posted:** Sun Aug 08, 2010 7:53 am

my sister has an 03 vw and it is falling apart dont get it

flman · **Posted:** Sun Aug 08, 2010 8:00 am

kingjeep wrote:

my sister has an 03 vw and it is falling apart dont get it

I bought an 02 with 170,000 miles on it, and it still looked and felt like a car with very little wear on it.

Gerge · **Posted:** Sun Aug 08, 2010 8:21 am

Agood friend of mine has a TDI Beetle. Not sure if that configuration would work, but they can be had cheap. You can pick one up for less than 7 grand and the mileage is great. When you get it that cheap it's almost like the hybrid beating mileage is free!

Gerge · **Posted:** Sun Aug 08, 2010 8:21 am

Agood friend of mine has a TDI Beetle. Not sure if that configuration would work, but they can be had cheap. You can pick one up for less than 7 grand and the mileage is great. When you get it that cheap it's almost like the hybrid beating mileage is free!

mikey1273 · **Posted:** Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:54 am

well in response to them being cheap and falling apart. I have know a few people that had jettas most liked them and had few issues. My brother had an 02 with the 2.0 gas turbo engine and that was not so good. but when the car was running good it was fun to drive an handled well.

flman · **Posted:** Sun Aug 08, 2010 10:43 am

mikey1273 wrote:

well in response to them being cheap and falling apart. I have know a few people that had jettas most liked them and had few issues. My brother had an 02 with the 2.0 gas turbo engine and that was not so good. but when the car was running good it was fun to drive an handled well.

Mikey, I am sure they are not as well built as our Jeeps :-)r

Considering a â€œnewâ€ VW with diesel (Need your input)

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Considering a â€œnewâ€ VW with diesel (Need your input)