Thinking about a TDI

[AHarris]

That's disappointing news but news that I need to read. I have a serious lust for a VW TDI.



The reliability and longevity of the old MB diesel engine used in large, heavy MB sedans for years was legendary. Wasn't it a Bosch fuel system also?



A few months ago when I drove and considered a new Golf TDI I decided I just could not justify buying a new one to sit in my barn alongside my rarely driven Dodge while I ride a motorcycle but told the salesman I'd like to be notified if he got a nice used one in as a trade. Well, a day or two before I was scheduled to leave home on my long planned motorcycle adventure to New England he called. He had a very clean '05 Jetta TDI w/113k miles they had just traded for. I stopped by and looked at it and later called and made an offer but I was home packing for my trip and had too much on my mind to look carefully at the car and buy it the afternoon before I left. I would like to have it and have some regret that I didn't buy it. The VW dealer GM called me back with a counter offer that wasn't bad but they claimed to have the service history on the car and I didn't have time to drive back to Lubbock to read it to determine the real history of the car. I may have passed on a very nice one owner car.

The good news is that VW stood behind their product and cheerfully covered everything under warranty, gave us a free rental car for 2 weeks, and covered towing and hotel bills. Now that we have it back, we're giving it and VW another chance.



According to the dealership who replaced my fuel system, he said they've only seen 4 of these go out out of the 100s of TDIs they've sold. And in all 4 of the cases, VW covered it all under warranty.



The HPFP problems were mainly found in 2009 and later TDis with the "clean diesel" technology. The 2005s had none of the emissions BS and were far less complicated and less prone to break down.

 

[HBarlow]

Thanks for the followup. Perhaps the '09s had a few bugs that VW has improved or eliminated entirely. A little like some of our early '07. 5 Rams with ISB6. 7?

I really do like those cars!

 

[24V-DSL]

I just spent a week and ~500 miles driving a 2012 Jetta Sportwagon. Basic model auto with a MSRP of $27,600? Loaned to me by a friend.



Averaged 41 mpg, overall.



Quiet, torquey (sp) engine. Fun to drive.



Good road handling.



That's about all I liked.



This car had terrible road noise for it's price range.



transmission down shifts were very noticeable coming down slight hills to a stop.



Cheap interior trim. Climate control markings so small you need a magnifying glass to read. Very detailed owners manual so you can figure out W. T. H. this car is all about , because I didn't think it was intuitive, at all.



Seats had good, firm support, but after an hour in them my butt got tired. Good interior seating room, but think the rear storage/trunk is smaller than my wife's 04 Subaru Forester.



Did I mention high road noise?



IMO, this car is $5K over priced for what you get.

 

[HBarlow]

That too is disappointing. I despise cars with high road noise on rough surface highways.

 

[Regcabguy]

That too is disappointing. I despise cars with high road noise on rough surface highways.

Our 2005 Honda Pilot was downgraded by Consumer Reports and Car and Driver etc. for poor sound suppression and that's accurate. I'm running Michelin Latitudes to get the quietest ride possible.



I do like the handling of the Honda products over the Toyota offerings though.



I almost bought a 2005 Jetta TDI,but the wife didn't want another diesel. I thought it was a solid car.

Drove a 2011 and liked that one better yet. The German cars seem to use a heavier gauge metal. Those seat pumps suck though.

 

[HBarlow]

Our 2005 Honda Pilot was downgraded by Consumer Reports and Car and Driver etc. for poor sound suppression and that's accurate. I'm running Michelin Latitudes to get the quietest ride possible.

I do like the handling of the Honda products over the Toyota offerings though.

I almost bought a 2005 Jetta TDI,but the wife didn't want another diesel. I thought it was a solid car.
Drove a 2011 and liked that one better yet. The German cars seem to use a heavier gauge metal. Those seat pumps suck though.

Yeah, German cars definitely have a different - meaning better sound and feel than American cars although some American cars are beginning to try to compare.

I like Honda products a lot but sadly they do transmit a lot of road noise. My wife had a great little '05 Honda CR-V. It was perfect as a commuter car and grocery getter around town but after we bought the farmhouse 50 miles out from Lubbock on a chip sealed Texas highway we soon grew tired of the CR-V. It sounded like a tin can on the chip seal. She has a new 2011 Honda Pilot now. It is improved but not silent. A Nissan Murano was quieter and, I think, so are similar Toyotas. Nobody makes better, more reliable cars, vans, or SUVs than Honda until you get into the top of the line Lexus, Mercedes, etc. but Honda doesn't seem to understand or care enough about road noise.

 

[Regcabguy]

I got two Toyota Camry's as rentals while my Trooper was being fixed. Excellent sound suppression and bump absorption,but it handled like an older Buick. Lots of pitch and yaw.



My bud's co-owner of a VW/Subaru dealership here. I might just have a Subaru Outback in my future. We'll also see what VW is offering in two yrs also.



It's all expensive,too expensive.

 

[HBarlow]

Yep, that's precisely the description I would choose. Toyotas ride and handle like old coil spring Buicks.

I've never ridden in or driven a Suburu but apparently millions of people who live in snow country are fiercely loyal to them.

The price tags of new trucks are so shocking, so obscene, that I am unwilling to pay the price. I doubt I'll ever buy another new Ram. The one I have can easily outlast me. Diesel fuel is too expensive to pull my fiver anymore so both sit resting in my steel building.

 

[AHarris]

When we do replace the VW, I told my wife I won't let her do anything until she test drives a Subaru.

The service manager at VW told me the new HPFP they installed in our JSW had been redesigned by Bosch to address the weaknesses on the 2009 and early 2010 pumps.

Road noise was never bad on our JSW, but was noticeable on the OEM tires. When we replaced them with Bridgestone Potenzas, the road noise all but disappeared.

The worst road noise I ever experienced in a car was a couple years ago when I was on a business trip and rented a Dodge Caliber. What a POS! It was so bad I took the car back to Enterprise and exchanged it for a Dodge Charger!

 

[Simplysmn]

Our 2012 Jetta sport wagen rides nice and I have the seat setting on lowest setting so I can fit in it and this is the first Car I have driven that it dosn't hurt to drive it .

 

[Jim W]

I agree there is some road noise with the Jetta, but no more then what my 08 Mega Cab generates on concrete roads. Most of the road noise is generated on concrete road surfaces do to the tread design and the rubber compounds that are used in the Bridgestones tires that came standard with the car. When these tires wear out they will be replaced with Michelin tires and that should improve the ride and sound level in the car.

Jim W.

 

[Regcabguy]

I agree there is some road noise with the Jetta, but no more then what my 08 Mega Cab generates on concrete roads. Most of the road noise is generated on concrete road surfaces do to the tread design and the rubber compounds that are used in the Bridgestones tires that came standard with the car. When these tires wear out they will be replaced with Michelin tires and that should improve the ride and sound level in the car.

Jim W.

Same negative experience with the Bridgestone's on our Pilot when new. They would transmit every section joint on our weathered concrete freeways here in SoCal. I switched to Michelin's and that dissappeared.

 

[AHarris]

It's hard to beat Michelins. I have been happy with Bridgestone tires I've had. On my Jetta, the Bridgestones are a lot quieter than the OEM Continentals they replaced.

 

[mwilson]

TDI Fever

Am looking and shopping, can no longer justify driving the '97 to work everyday. Fuel is simply too high.



Looking at 2012 Jetta TDI 6-Speed manuals.



Have sent e-mails to the 5 largest VW dealers in the state today looking for the best deal, should be able to do well with the 2013 models coming out.



Will be stopping at the Bangor dealer tonight with the intention of taking one home and back (130 round trip) to see if I like it.



Mike.

 

[Simplysmn]

tell you what you will be Very Happy with the TDI I love our's it's a auto but you can put it into sport mode and shift it yourself just in town we are getting 30's and on freeway over 45 mpg

 

[mwilson]

Brought one home tonight for a test drive, showing 42mpg on the lie-o-meter after the first 60 miles.



Very nice little car... ... ...



Plenty of torque, hard to believe that it is only rated at 140 hp.



Mike.

 

[Simplysmn]

You get a stick or auto ? and From what I have seen the Lie O Meter is pretty darn close alot better then our truck's

Also on price they really don't come off asking price because they know they will get it on our's we got free Maint. n 6-60,000

 

[Regcabguy]

My friend's got a dealership in Carlsbad,Ca and is finding it very hard to get his hands on Sportswagens.

The autos are so popular,he doesn't order manuals unless a customer specifically asks for one.

 

[Simplysmn]

Yes We went to Vegas because they gave us the best Deal on everything the sportwagen's are very hard to get and even harder is the Blue that VW has almost Impossible to get 1 unless you special order it .

 

[Dl5treez]

Lovin' my 2009 Jetta 6spd.



Didn't get the Sportwagen. Wanted a Golf. Oh well.