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Only the TDI inscription on the back gives away that this car is a diesel. (http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081015/OPINION03/810150318/1148/auto01)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2009_Jetta_TDI2.jpgScott Burgess – Detroit News – Oct. 15, 2008

The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI has no direct competition.

This diesel car burns up oily fuel a drop at a time, making the Jetta one of the best and most efficient vehicles available in America.

Yes, I like diesels. And if you want an affordable vehicle that can carry five people from Detroit to Atlanta on a single tank, you should too.

Now I've heard lots of arguments against diesels: there's the "premium" consumers have to pay for a diesel engine; the smoky exhaust and pollution. And then there are the dirty pumps, the fuel costs more, it smells awful and blah blah blah.

Look folks, here's a car that can get real world mileage in the 40s. It's a durable engine (which needs its oil changed every 10,000 miles). It's a spacious car. It looks nice and this car is still cheaper per mile than most vehicles on the road today. And when did gas start smelling good to anyone but huffers too cheap to buy spray paint?

Of course, if you're still a diesel hater, go ahead and e-mail me now with some inane ill-informed comment. The world lives on diesel -- and you should ask the federal government to subsidize diesel fuel instead of overtaxing it. Every American pays for diesel, even if you ride your bicycle to work every day. It harvests our crops, builds our homes, delivers our groceries. Diesel, not gas, makes Americans more spoiled than any other people in the world.

It's one of the reasons I love these compression-exploding, glow-plug-using little engines that Rudolf built. And the Jetta, which hails from the same land as its creator, is a great little machine that more people will embrace in the coming years.

Follow the fuel economy… http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081015/OPINION03/810150318/1148/auto01

I checked one out but wasn't thrilled in the end with the plain look and lack of navigation.

I think I might trade the civic in for the TSX if a diesel comes along in 2010. Of course thats only IF the CRZ doesn't turn out to be a hybrid sports car as rumors say.

The purchase price is still a bit steep in this credit crunched society, but I've wanted the TDI since the 90's. Back in the day they were a bit noisy and that noise carried into the cabin. Now they are much more quiet and with the improved exhaust and crazy urine injected catalytic converter, the smell (??) is gone.

Get one of the smaller diesel's in the US and my Yaris is history!

I have to say I am pretty excited about diesels coming here again. The first car my parents let me drive was a Rabbit diesel back in the 80s. My wife and I shared a second Rabbit when we first married back in the 90s. Having driven a lot in diesels around Europe I am impressed with how far they have come. When the Rabbit/Golf comes out this spring I plan to be in line. I am not one for trunks and have always preferred a hatch for the extra cargo room. The Jetta Sportwagen is appealing but too big and costly for me. I figure the Rabbit/Golf should be cheaper and maybe even lighter giving it an MPG advantage. Just have to wait and see.

Real world in the 40s?? The guy with the Jetta at the AMEC event
pulled north of 70, and kicked *my* butt.
.
_H*

Hi Yarisman:

___The 2.0L TDI's are not urea injected so no tinkling into a tank in the trunk is involved :D

___The new 09 TDI is not as efficient as some of the older ones unfortunately but with what Honda has heading our way, oh boy ;)

___Good Luck

___Wayne

FACT: 10,000 mile oil change REQUIRES special vw spec oil not commonly found other than at VW dealerships.

FACT: You WILL spend A LOT more money on maintenance than any Toyota or Honda gas engine equipped vehicle (clogged intake manifolds, clogged EGR valves, clogged turbo chargers, malfunctioning MAF sensors, malfunctioning glow plug harness, malfunctioning brake switch light, malfunctioning turn-signal relay, various relay problems (109) etc. -then look into the REALLY expensive catastrophic failures of the recent TDI line...(automatic transmission failures starting at ~80,000 miles, cam shaft failures, broken timing belts, etc)

Have you ever seen engine coolant in your BRAKE LIGHTS? Don't believe me?

www.tdiclub.com

It's all there. My 2001 VW Jetta TDI was the first new car I ever owned. It was the single biggest disappointing automobile experience I have had.

The new owner had big problems after me. (Sheared water pump shaft 2 weeks after I sold it.)

But hey, it got great mileage...

You have been warned.

Hi Andy:

___I will not mention any names but while speaking to one of the leads at TDIFest two + months ago, he said he would never purchase another VW TDI due to many of the reasons you posted above. He said the first Honda diesel that arrives in the US is where his $’s are headed and he wishes the iDTEC was here already.

___How has your 04 been wrt standard VW TDI problems?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I love the new TDIs but I wish they were as efficient as the 1999.5-2003 models. Those got about 5mpg better than the '04-05 and '09 ones. I really have no need for 140hp in a 3000 pound car. With the torque of a diesel, 90hp does just fine and accelerates just as quick as my gas Jetta.

I fear Andy may be right about the maintenance though. So far so mixed on mine. I have had a $2000 bill for a new injector pump so far, but it sure is fun to drive and sure gets great mileage. It's been harder to break 50mpg on highway drives than I expected (I did manage 62mpg at the Lacey FE challenge in May), but 38mpg in short-trip city driving and 48mpg on the highway is still not too shabby.

I've never had any problem with my TDI, and with my TD before that. But maybe I got lucky.

Soot clogging is mostly history with usld. A lot of people had electrical problems, but that's mostly annoying maintenance rather than expensive. VWs are known for their electro chewing critters. One model of auto trans was indeed prone to failure, but broken timing belts are totally avoidable if you follow the maintenance schedule and have them checked. TDIs can take a lot of abuse, but not neglect.

WriConsult, what blend of bio are you running? Was your pump taken apart to see what was wrong with it? If you run anything higher than b20 and lacquer was found in the pump then the bio you got probably is the problem.

I was looking at a 2001 Passat to replace my wifes SUV. Then I googled "2001 Passat Problems", which I should have done before I bought the suv, and I made up my mind right there. I thought, along with many other people, that VW was a good brand, I guess not.

www.myvwlemon.com

http://www.jdpower.com/autos/ratings/quality-ratings-by-brand/sortcolumn-1/ascending/page-1#page-anchor

Number 24 out of 36 (overall quality) isn't too bad is it? haha


But I guess it comes down to people doing what they want to make themselves feel good. Even if diesel was half the cost per mile then gas, it would still be a hard sell. Why would I want a car that uninformed people think is great, and people that know better know enough to avoid them? Peddling these pro-VW-TDI posts should be in the same catagory as other fuel-saving devices.

WriConsult, what blend of bio are you running? Was your pump taken apart to see what was wrong with it? If you run anything higher than b20 and lacquer was found in the pump then the bio you got probably is the problem.We've put almost nothing but ASTM-certified Sequential BioFuels Bio-D, B99 in summer and B50 in winter. Oregon has the highest quality biodiesel in the country, so I'd be surprised if that's the cause of the problem, because it's not a widespread problem around here. Also, I've only had the car for about 10k miles anyway. The previous owner (in Madison, WI) was burning B5. The car does have 155k on it.

Not that I'm complaining about my mpg, but it would be even better (by about 4mpg) if I were burning petrodiesel.

Jough96Accord, VWs are not "bad" cars, and not everyone who likes them is uninformed. They are a blast to drive, and as a longtime Honda loyalist (I have owned 5) I can assure you they're even more enjoyable to drive than Hondas. Also, the Jetta and Golf are Corolla/Civic-sized cars with the level of equipment, appointments, refinement, noise and features normally found in an Accord or Camry. That has a strong appeal too to people who want something small but nicer than your typical economy car, and now that I own two of them I can see why they're so popular. They're actually great cars. With serious reliability problems.

I love the new TDIs but I wish they were as efficient as the 1999.5-2003 models. Those got about 5mpg better than the '04-05 and '09 ones. I really have no need for 140hp in a 3000 pound car. With the torque of a diesel, 90hp does just fine and accelerates just as quick as my gas Jetta.

I fear Andy may be right about the maintenance though. So far so mixed on mine. I have had a $2000 bill for a new injector pump so far, but it sure is fun to drive and sure gets great mileage. It's been harder to break 50mpg on highway drives than I expected (I did manage 62mpg at the Lacey FE challenge in May), but 38mpg in short-trip city driving and 48mpg on the highway is still not too shabby.


Here is the new EPA MPG numbers for all the TDI's from 2000 to 2009.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/Jetta_TDI_MPG.jpg

I did a lot of research before I bought my TDI. I was on the tdiclub.com website for a few months before I made my purchase. I knew about the VW electrical system and some of the other issues. My car is far from perfect. I've had a few recall items (lift pump, brake light switch,...) and things that went wrong under warranty (Radio switch, 3rd Brake Light,...). I also had a bulb go bad, but I knew what I was getting myself into. I knew that if I had a problem I could get the answers at tdiclub.com. I bought the car for the high MPG and so I could run Biodiesel. It's also fun to drive.

I have a 2005 TDI 5spd. It was hard to break 50 MPG in my everyday commutes. I only did it a few times before I started hypermiling. Now that I hypermile I can do it on a consistent basis. I do about 40% city driving and have about 42K miles on my car.

Hi Andy:

___How has your 04 been wrt standard VW TDI problems?

___Good Luck

___Wayne


Believe it or not (and I'm probably going to KICK MYSELF after posting this) but my wife's 04 VW Jetta TDI has been ROCK SOLID RELIABLE. Absolutely none of the problems I had with my 01.

However, this car is a freakin' CRASH MAGNET. Rear ended 3 times (once only 2 days after getting it back from the autobody shop), and I just hit a deer with it this weekend.

But hey, it gets great mileage...

This car has the PD engine which may explain SOME of the difference. However, I had the chance 2 years ago to buy another new car and I chose the Toyota Camry. Although it isn't as "fun" to drive, it rides SO much nicer than the Jetta, is quieter, and gets 40 plus mpg without trying very hard.

I will not be buying another VW product EVER, and I've owned over 10 in my lifetime.

I just don't have the time/patience/interest in researching all the gremlins that crop up on VW's.

Toyota's and Honda's ROCK!!!! :Banane48: