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VW Jetta TDI

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Comments

  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    The range during break in miles has been between 39 to 45 mpg. When the GPS has been on it says the car hasn't gone over 90 mph. :blush:
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    2009 VW Tdi SprtWagon with Manual transmission: average MPG 30 with A/C full blast 95% of the time. Total miles: 5372
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    How are you liking it so far?
  • rrollntdirrollntdi Member Posts: 52
    We went on a 525 mile each way trip in March when my car had about 9,200 miles on it. Averaging 42.5 mpg at about 68 mph, 2 adults, loaded with luggage, no A/C using cruise. It now has about 18,500 miles. The last three tanks I got between 42.2 and 44.7 mpg, using the air sparingly and averaging about 35 mph on my 24 mile each way commute. Things that affect the mpgs are A/C use, number of passengers, stop in traffic, speeds over 55 mph. It has shown over 50 mpg on the MFD when I get off the X-way on my going home leg (with the wind and no construction traffic), but it always drops about 2 mpg by the time I get it into the garage. We'll be taking another trip to Niagra next week in the Summer heat (using A/C for the wife), so I'll let you know if you're still interested.

    I love the car and the fuel economy. The seats are a little hard and the wife complains a little about the stiffer suspension.
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    So far so good but there are several issues that I have with 2009 Tdi Wagon.

    1. Suspension is too soft. I keep hitting the bottom of the trailer hitch on speed bumps in parking lots so equipped. Hitch was installed as an after market option.

    2. The interior of the car is too hot with panoramic sun roof. If I would have a second chance I would get the car without the panoramic sunroof. Definitely not a good choice for Florida climate.

    3. A/C is very good but actually too good - with full blast it fogs windows from the outside in this humid FL climate. I know you could run a heater while A/C is on but then the car does not cool down quickly enough after being parked on the sun.

    4. The manual transmission (6 speed) is excellent - I love it!

    5. Seats are firm and well shaped but I am thinking (again) putting sheep skins on front seating areas that keep seats cool in summer and warm in winter. (I had those on my previous car - Subaru Forester). Actually, my fellow passenger always thinks that the seat heater is on although it is not.

    6. Displays and on-board computer are simple and functional, once you get used to them. One has to read the user's manual (on-board computer) and practice (while parked) so that you get most out of it.

    7. Cruise controls are simple and finctional and work well.

    8. Radio/CD player/changer and Sirius (prepaid by VW for 6 months) are good although I admit I don't use those that often.

    9. Fit and finish is OK.

    10. Mileage is average but I hope it will get better although I am not sure that I will keep the car that long (to get the right compression ratio that comes at 30 or 60K from what I read on these pages).

    Overall it is OK but, as mentioned earlier, once Subaru Forester comes out with their diesel I will trade this one in.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    What's the desire for a Subie in Florida? They're about as common there as a convertible in Maine.
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    Monsoon rains (rains heavy daily here) /hurricanes, and such and 3 or more annual trips to Colorado and Canada for skiing.... 2 trips already planned - Whistler/Black Comb, BC during Christmas 2009 and Winter Olympics in Vancouver and environs in Feb 2010 - those are the desires....
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I guess it makes sense if you're coming up north so often. I was interested in the Tiquan TDI but so far no sign of it. Of course really if it wasn't for the 7 miles of rural driving I do out unplowed roads, I'm perfectly content with snow tires and FWD and not take the fuel hit. AWD just kills mpg the 95% of the miles you don't need it. Not sure why VW won't put it in their TDI cars though, there's def a market for it.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Subarus are good in heavy rain, mud, etc and generally have better ground clearance than normal crossovers or wagons.
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    I saw one here in Pensacola, FL (Tiguan Tdi) not long ago at Pete Moore VW...
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    Yep - the ground clearance is the feature that I miss most....
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    The new Jettas seem to sit a lot higher than the older ones. My '00 was very low but I had the steel skid plate so I could pretty much take out anything.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I saw one here in Pensacola, FL (Tiguan Tdi) not long ago at Pete Moore VW...

    Don't think so. They bagged the plans to release the TDI Tiguan in the states. Must have been a Touareg which is a boat anchor in my book.
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    Come to think of it - you are right - it was a Touareg.....looked like a Porsche Cayenne ... I think they are on the same platform or Touareg is re-badged Cayenne or vice versa.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    For me, at around 75 - 80 MPH I can see around 42 - 43 MPG. If I stay around the speed limit, it is closer to the mid-upper 40s. Most of my driving is in the state of PA through the hills.

    My personal best on a tank was 53.6, but that was a week of torture with slow driving and no airconditioning. I highly do not recommend that. I can't speak too much on city driving, I don't do that very often. What limited city I have done around Brooklyn/Queens I have seen around 29 - 30 MPG.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    Does anyone have any additional info regarding the recall that was posted today regarding the DSG? According to VW's website it states vehicles built between Sept 08 and Aug 09, not sure if that is all vehicles or certain ones.

    http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=155529
    http://media.vw.com/index.php?s=43&item=488
  • Path_TechPath_Tech Member Posts: 4
    Here's what I copied from the article....

    The vehicles covered are the Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, GTI, and Eos built between September 2008 and August 2009.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    I guess my car is ok then since it was built in August...

    I'd imagine any vehicle is prone to having issues regardless of make/model, hopefully all works out for everyone affected.
  • barryob5barryob5 Member Posts: 6
    I was under the impression that Ultra Low Sulpher Diesel was just about universally available now. But in the past 2 weeks, I've come across 2 Mobil stations here in Massachusetts that just have low sulpher diesel. I filled up once before I read the sticker. Is anyone else having this issue?
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    While the powers that be that administer this, want to give you that impression, the fact of the matter is it continues to be a phase in type of situation. You might want to google your state's ULSD phase in procedure, as you probably could care less what has happened out in... CA for example.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    While I do see LSD at a few stations, it is not difficult to find ULSD here in PA.

    Supposedly by Dec 1st 2010 all stations will be required to sell ULSD. We shall see what happens next year as we get closer to that date.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    I beleive that only ULSD is available from the refineries for road-going vehicles.

    It is said that just ONE LOAD of the LSD in a truck can contaminate the next 5 truckloads of ULSD in that same truck. That is why the trucks were "purged" somtime last year and no LSD has been in the trucks since then.... HOWEVER: The underground tanks at some of the stations may still be undergoing the "purge" process.

    Keep in mind that even if ULSD is being put into the underground tanks at the station... they cannot automatically label the pumps as ULSD. It may take months of fill/drain cycles before the stuff coming from the pump can be labelled as ULSD.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    I was reading my owner's manual today and saw a section regarding Launch Control. Do all Jetta's with DSG have this functionality? If not, how would you be able to determine if your car has this capability (without attempting to use it)?
  • fho2008fho2008 Member Posts: 393
    As far as I know, its on every DSG. Could be wrong, to use it put trans in "S"-Sport, right foot on gas, left on brake, when youre ready, take your foot off the brake.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    It seems like a goofy feature, unless it is adaptive for say ice and snow. Page 240 in the owners manual describes and how to function it, but its utility does NOT jump out at me.
  • cosmocosmo Member Posts: 203
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Woo Hoo !!! I wonder if it will match the 4 second 0-60 mph Z06 Corvette with the VW Launch Control option ?? Or do I need big HP stickers and a wing?... "Danger Zone" from "TOP GUN" blasting on the CD player? ;) :shades:
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    On a more technical note, I think we are talking about a 8.2/9.5 second 0-60 with a DSG.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    10 year/100,000 miles warranty for the DSG. Volkswagen Group of America Announces Customer Service Program
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    Good PR for VW and should put to rest the concerns of everyone who paid the extra $1000.00+ for a faulty DSG that could kill you.

    If you read the statement from VW it would seem that only the affected 07 to 09, 43,000 Volkswagens and 10,300 Audis with the problems would be getting this warranty and not all.

    Hopefully the 2010's will be fault free.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    I also think VW has more at stake and can (probably) spread some of the downside risk to its DSG supplier.

    Most folks (probably) would not know this, but the Jetta line does not offer the "slush box" automatic transmission. (huge hit in mpg over manual transmission)

    The Jetta line does offer the 6 spd DSG OPTION (wet clutch) (and soon to be,rumored 7 spd & dry clutch DSG) and the STANDARD: 6 spd manual. One of the DSG marketing points: close to and in some applications better than manual transmission MPG.
  • oli1oli1 Member Posts: 33
    I heard on the radio that someone from Edmunds had said in 2 to 3 months he expected the prices of automobiles to fall of the cliff. Had anyone else heard this?
    I expect to buy my Jetta TDI in a few months so that just might be perfect timing.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    One of the side effects of the C4C program is going to be a dramatic lull in the purchasing of a lot of new cars.

    There will be some very empty showrooms for a while, and "2 to 3 months" sounds about right for the car dealers to get real lonesome & come up with some serious incentives to get some traffic back on the lots.

    3 complementary oil changes and free corn on the cob aren't going to 'git er done'.

    Dropping the prices always brings out the bargain hunters.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    I do not think VW (2009 TDI included) has ever been immune from the market at large. To wit, some examples:

    1. first three 10,000 mile service intervals included in the price
    2. $500 owner loyalty
    3. TDI eligibility for $4,500 cash for clunkers program.
    4. $1,300 IRS tax credit (50 state clean diesel)
    5. Connecticut state tax on 50 state legal diesel car exemption

    Some folks have even purchased below dealer cost.

    So if you are able at that time in the future to string as many as the incentives as offered, you can really make out. All the best.
  • oli1oli1 Member Posts: 33
    I kinda like the '09 front end, a little more aggressive, than the up and coming 2010. And if you paint it black you can personalize it to look more like a GTI or Audi
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Personally I like the direction the new VW line is taking. It is more in line with the older Audi vehicles without the big mouth look. This is my all time favorite. If Audi were to offer this vehicle with the new 2.0L TDI I would jump on it in a second. Sadly they were only offered here in premium gas guzzler configuration. If I could raise the Jetta Sportwagen TDI 2 inches without messing up the handling dynamics I would buy one. Living in CA you need the clearance for the sub standard roads that are getting worse by the day.

    image
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    WOW, that is one great looking car!

    You are right about the Jetta clearance, it bottoms out at 4" beneath a fragile cast aluminum oil pan.

    Check out the photos on the "Panzer Plate" site of a pile of shattered TDI oil pans that are waiting for the garbage truck. Around here there are lots of 5" chunks of ice on the road in the winter just waiting be run over.
    The chunks fall off the undercarriage of transport trucks and trailers when they slam over bumps.

    I have seen someone on a Jetta Forum that installed a set of 2" spacers under the front end components of his Jetta Wagon to get it up out of harms way.
    The car looked much better too, not going down the road like the front springs are shot.

    Perhaps the 2011 (Americanized) Jettas will have better clearance.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I am not sure why cars are built for a totally flat world. I have to hit most driveways with our LS400 Lexus at a 45 degree angle so that the front air dam does not scrape the ground. Our 2005 Passat Wagon was wonderful to drive. Yet it had no decent clearance for any variation in the road surface. Four inches of clearance is not enough for my kind of driving. I drive on dirt roads with rocks on a regular basis. I can see that Panzer Plate would be the ticket to protect the oil pan. I would still rather be high enough that I don't drag bottom.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    It is oxymoronic that the so called "off road" vehicles are really the ticket for the MOST urban of cities !!! I also have been lucky (probably more than lucky) as I have never scraped the bottom on anything (122,000 miles). I have a skid plate ready to be installed, but again oxymoronically, it will make the clearance that much lower.

    Another issue (not just VW Jetta TDI) are the bumpers are not even marginally up to the task of dealing with parallel parking. It almost seems that if you LQQK at a bumper sideways you are looking at a $300 bill.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    When I was a kid here in San Diego the cops carried a stick with a 6 inch piece on the end. If any part of your car was lower than 6 inches you got an equipment violation. What happened to that law? A friend had a stock 61 Chevy two door and the muffler was lower than the 6 inches. He had to take an affidavit to court from the dealer stating that was the factory setup.
  • goldgary1goldgary1 Member Posts: 10
    I just took a trip from NH to Michigan over Labor Day weekend. Car started out with 16k on Odo. Ran 75-80 whole way with A/C running and 2 adults out, and 3 coming back, with luggage. Avg. was 44-45 mpg. We were out to make time, and not worry about mpg. Thats with pit stops and such. Thats according to GPS. Cars speedometer registers higher than what one is actually traveling. Car ran without a hitch. No problems at all.

    Gary
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    ..."We were out to make time, and not worry about mpg. "...

    Compared to a lot of other cars, your point continues to amaze me even after 133,000 miles with TDI's !!
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    I have read posts on this Jetta Forum from people who have taken VW to task for the speedo error.

    It creates a couple of problems for the owner, first of all, the error racks up more miles on the speedo, making your warranty run out faster, and it skews the mpg's higher on the info center, than what you are actually getting.
    Then there's your real ground speed thats off compared to others on the road,
    (your speedo tells you you are doing 75 when actually your just doing 71) That 5% error eventually builds up a lot of extra miles you never drove.

    I would believe your GPS, over the OEM system.

    VW seems to know about this and says a 5% + or - error is "within specs".
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    In addition , one has to remember all the oems have to meet the tolerances allowed by the US regulatory agencies. Fair and square weights and measures have been the hall mark in the US.

    As a practical matter, the literal explosion of tire/rim options make ZERO error an almost un -enforceable goal/ task.

    On one model Honda Civic, a US regulatory agency took Honda to task for a similar infraction and extended warranties for affected models by 5%(?)
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I wasn't aware of a 5% error....mine was about 1-2mph off at 70. Honda got pegged with a lawsuit and our Ody got an extended warranty by whatever the diffference was to the odo. i'm thinking it was around 5%.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    You are right, the OEM numbers can be all over the place, but I have found my Garmin Navigator is always dead on with speed and milage markers. :shades:
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    I understand the odometer is NOT affected by the intentional calibration of a vehicle speedo to read about 3% faster than actual vehicle speed.
    FWIW, in my pontiac vehicle, there is a mode that displays the actual speed which is indeed about 2% lower than the speedo-dial and big-speedo-numbers indicate. I asked the dealership to re-flash so the actual speed was displayed. They declined, stating that vehicle was operating within design specs. (Reportedly there's an aftermarket tune/program which can indeed eliminate that "intentional speedo over-read" at least on my Pontiac, fwiw.)
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    I just took a rather long road trip to Canada last week and my car's readings came out to be quite accurate actually.

    We put on 3827.7 miles according to the car's odometer. My GPS registered 3812.1 miles.

    On most of the way out we had a nasty wind to drive into, and a bit of rush hour traffic in Chicago and Minneapolis on the way out and back. Overall we averaged 40.1 MPG according to the car cumulative average, based on GPS mileage/diesel pump receipts it came out to 40.0.

    As Gary mentioned previously, we weren't concerned about mileage, but rather making great time :)
  • cosmocosmo Member Posts: 203
    You are correct that the odometer is not affected by the intentional calibration to inflate the speed shown on the speedometer. There is a VW technical bulletin that explains VW's rational. I have found that our '06 Jetta shows a 7% inflation of actual speed, and our '04 Passat shows a 4% inflation of actual speed. Doing the math in my head as I drive may postpone the onset of Alzheimer's and it definitely enhances my attention to driving, so I choose to believe that VW is looking out for my mental health as well as my physical safety, and I just enjoy the driving experience. If I want to complain about something, the other cars on the road give me plenty of material.
  • cobrazeracobrazera Member Posts: 352
    I read in C&D magazine a couple years ago about a German law ( I can't recall the specifics ) that results in severe penalties for speedos that read low. Hence, all German manufactured autos have speedos that are optimistic.
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