VW Jetta TDI Diesel

[pmckeealaska]

We'll be getting the new 2009 VW Jetta TDI diesels here in Alaska in August and I'll be test driving an test vehicle at the end of this month. I'm curious as to whether anyone on here has seen or driven this car yet? I have heard good things about how clean the engine is and how good the gas mileage is.

[Airplay355]

I drove my uncles e320 CDI mercedes. It got 37 MPG! :)

[dkg999]

Have friend who had a diesel VW Rabbit, that car would not die! 40 mpg +, and I think he finally parked it with 400,000 + miles. He carried a small Honda generator in the back so on cold days he could run the block heater for about 30 to 45 min before he was ready to leave work.

An area farmer back in IA has two of these on order. He has a bio-desiel production facility on-farm and it cost him about $1.45/gal to produce bio-desiel.

[stereo_luver]

The TDI is a badass concept for the diesel powered euro cars. Want to see what they can do with these units? Look into the Audi racing team's progress with this engine. A diesel smoking the field of tested and proven winners.....till the TDI came along.

chuck

[avelanchefan]

Have not test drove the new ones. But my dealer called and said they had one in to test drive. Do not believe they hype about the 60mpg highway. I think they readjusted it to 38 mpg city and 44 mpg highway.

BUT from my understanding VW's TDI's were always underrated when it came to actual milage. So I would expect somewhere in the range of 40 city, and 48 highway. Gotta love the tourque though, 235 lb.-ft. of torque is damn good.

Also I think the tank size is 16 gallons so if you average 44mpg, it should get at least 700 miles to the tank.

[audiobliss]

Dad has a 2004 Jetta TDi. So I can't make any comments on the new one specifically, but only remark about ours and hope the gist of it will transfer to the new one.

We've really enjoyed owning it, and I certainly enjoy driving it every (rare) chance I get. However, we were adamant about getting the 5spd. We've heard really bad things about their automatic from several friends and mechanics. And as far as I know, there hasn't been a change in that, so I'd still recommend the manual. Plus, you get better fuel mileage that way, too.

Do not believe they hype about the 60mpg highway. I think they readjusted it to 38 mpg city and 44 mpg highway.
I'm not sure what to think about those MPG ratings. However, Dad's convinced they get severely lead-footed drivers to test them and come up with those figures. On our '04, we get 47-48mpg in the city, and 53mpg+ (hit 55mpg for one trip) on the highway.

Definitely respectable numbers, and I'd personally expect to see much the same in the new onse.

Let us know what you think of it if you manage to test drive one or even buy one!

[avelanchefan]

Audio,

How did you like the engine. Did it seem to have plenty of power? Or did you feel like it was sluggish. I have never driven a TDI before so I am curious with that

[audiobliss]

Keep in mind we just have the 2004, so I have no idea how different the new one will feel.

If you look at the stats for our 2004 Jetta TDi, though, it's PAINFULLY slow. 0-60 is somewhere around 11 or 13 seconds, I believe. And after seeing that I have no desire to find out the 1/4 mile time.

However, for some reason, that's not important. It doesn't FEEL that slow. It's a small car, the stick makes if fun, and it handles well. We have terrible tires on it, so it doesn't handle well now, but the steering's very responsive.

Also, top-gear acceleration on the highway is insane. At least considering how slow it is from a take-off. 50mph - 70mph in top (5th) gear only takes about 5 seconds or so.

So, no it's not fast. No it doesn't feel really powerful. But neither does it feel as sluggish as the numbers would indicate, and it's quite fun at highway speeds.

Certainly the most fun I imagine you can have on four wheels while achieving great fuel mileage.

[Gadabout]

Expect to get a MPG jump at about 25K - 35K miles. While I don't have the TDI, the diesels I have owned have always increased thier mileage after they break-in for a bit.

I'm seriously considering grabbing one of these next year after I get done paying for the Jeep.

[avelanchefan]

Keep in mind we just have the 2004, so I have no idea how different the new one will feel.

If you look at the stats for our 2004 Jetta TDi, though, it's PAINFULLY slow. 0-60 is somewhere around 11 or 13 seconds, I believe. And after seeing that I have no desire to find out the 1/4 mile time.

However, for some reason, that's not important. It doesn't FEEL that slow. It's a small car, the stick makes if fun, and it handles well. We have terrible tires on it, so it doesn't handle well now, but the steering's very responsive.

Also, top-gear acceleration on the highway is insane. At least considering how slow it is from a take-off. 50mph - 70mph in top (5th) gear only takes about 5 seconds or so.

So, no it's not fast. No it doesn't feel really powerful. But neither does it feel as sluggish as the numbers would indicate, and it's quite fun at highway speeds.

Certainly the most fun I imagine you can have on four wheels while achieving great fuel mileage.

Thanks AB. I am not looking to dyno it or anything, but I live in a part of Arizona where you really need to drive carefully but on the same hand you have to have some get-up-and-go otherwise you'll get run over by someone.