Calling VW TDI owners

[BarryG]

I am seriously considering a Golf TDI my honda fit just got totaled by hail damage. In any case the 15 model is an all new engine and while not a real fan of first year models I am still considering it hard. My real question is how does the rest of the VW vehicle hold up? Any common problems?

I have my short list down to the VW TDI golf or another honda fit though it is also a new redesign with a new engine but have had Hondas in the past and have never been disappointed in reliability.

Any insight into the VW world would be appreciated as I have no personal experience with the brand

 

[Ozymandias]

Which MY of the Golf you are looking for, used or new?

 

[DAN V]

VW Passat

I had a 2012 VW Passat TDI for about a year before I got my Chrysler 300. I loved the mileage I was getting with it. I was averaging 48 mpg. The only complaint I have is they are a small car and the cost to do the transmission service at 40k is $700. I felt cramped driving it so I got rid of it. The seats are not the best for padding also, but what new car is going to have more than 2" of foam for a seat bottom? I had to sit on a 4" piece of foam to be able to drive the Passat.

 

[GCroyle]

Barry,

I have no info on the new stuff, but this forum http://forums.tdiclub.com/ is really active, all VW TDI stuff.

Gary

 

[mwilson]

X2 on the cramped.

But it all depends on what you do with the car. I say cramped because I drive 125 miles a day. If I only drove 10 miles a day I would have sucked it up and kept running the TDI.

Right now if you figure the difference in price of the two fuels, , the transmission service, etc. the cost per mile of the Honda may be less depending on your annual mileage.

 

[Jim W]

Hi, we own a Jetta TDI bought new in 2011 it is my wife's car and I drive the car around town for errands when needed. The car fits me great and the seat is more comfortable then the seat in my Ram truck for driving. My older son Eric who is a diesel nut more than I am owns 4 diesel vehicles for his own use, + two gas vehicles. One of his vehicles is a 2013 Golf TDI which he drives back and forth to the job site; he works as a pipefitter in Chicago right now. He bought the Golf to replace a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee after driving my wife’s car a couple of times. He has stated that the Golf has more front leg room and head room than the Jeep did. He and his work partner trade off driving to Chicago and he too has commented that the front of the cabin is adequate for a commuter vehicle.

Now neither of them are small guys to speak of my son Eric is 6’4” and about 250 LBS, Ben the other pipefitter is 6’6” or so and close to 275LBS. He bought the car used in June of this year with 13,000 miles or so on the OD and has put on nearly 10,000 miles so far on the Golf. He said that it is a lot friendlier on the wallet to put $50 or so in fuel than the $90 or so in gas for the Jeep each week. His commute is about 120 miles a day or so.

Jim W.

 

[jhenderson]

In my experience a VW is a great vehicle while under warranty. After that parts and labor get very expensive. It's particularly noticeable if you are a do it yourself kind of guy. Special tools and factory only parts add up fast in VW land.

 

[BarryG]

I am looking at the 2015 model just coming out. It has a new engine design with 150hp and 250ish tq as well as some other design changes throughout the vehicle. I only had a few minutes to stop by and take a quick look opened the door sat in it seemed fine. I am currently driving a Honda Fit as my commuter and while it is small, underpowered (109hp, 114tq), more road noise than I care for it, it gets consistently 38 mpg and has had nothing go wrong with it at all in the 120k miles well until the golf ball size hail thought it was a hail magnet. The power while low is not really an issue as a commuter car. My man card was almost revoked after purchasing it and the family refers to it as the clown car. I also am considering a new Fit it also has a new engine 130hp as well as other redesign items throughout the car. I know what I am getting in regards to the Honda if I go that route. I have never owned a VW and know nothing about them as far as reliability, part costs, etc. I realize that all oem parts are expensive but some seem way more than others. We used to have an Audi wagon years ago and every freaking part that ever broke and there seemed to be a lot of them were well above outrageous in price.
I guess I am just trying to get a handle on how the rest of the vehicle will hold up in reliability and longevity.

 

[Brian Sullivan]

I own a 2011 jetta tdi that we just love. 50 mpg is easy to get mine has the 6 speed manual. The part about the new engine if I remember correctly it uses the same emissions equipment as europe just different software. The 15 jetta will use def.

 

[seafish]

2013 Jetta Sportwagen with 30k on it....super comfortable and runs great (knock wood). Do need to be aware of the potential HPFP problems that may or may not be resolved yet, with a potential $7k cost if it happens outside of warranty. The Bosch fuel injection systems in these cars run close to 35k psi and so are even more prone to fuel contaminats and lack of lubricity then the Bosch CR in our trucks. All that being said, they drive and handle excellently!!! Totally suggest joining one of the tdi forums for up to date feedback and info.

 

[Simplysmn]

Well here s the short n sweet version if you want to whole story or atleast what I can say PM me . but VW is the Only Car Maker that I have Ever seen do this .our 12 had 42,000 made 1 call because of a Bad Dealer screwed up our car .VW put us into a 14 no cost and we have 2 yr's Left on contract. Trust me If I Ever go get another car it will be a VW TDI they as a Company are AWESOME . they paid for Reg, and even paid to re tint the window's . I don't know of any car maker that will do that with 1 Call .And We love the 14 even better then the 12 .

 

[BarryG]

Well its done. new 2015 Golf tdi sel 6speed manual sitting in the driveway. Way quieter and nicer than my Fit. After driving the Golf I didn't even go look at the new Fit. Got a very good price on it. Hopefully I stay happy with it for the next 10 years or so. I reset everything before I left the dealer and the ride home was 40 miles of freeway. The lie-o-meter was showing 55+mpg by the time I got home. If it is fairly accurate the tdi forums seem to think it is within 8-9% based on posts I saw there that means 50ish mpg. I guess I will see over the next couple of tanks.