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VW Jetta TDI

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  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    edited March 2010
    You are quite right, of course.
    I tried to simplify the figures and calculations in laymen terms for ordinary folks that are not too familiar with all details.
    There is problem, as you mentioned, now more than ever with Toyota "residuals" for example.... these cars will have much lower values at the end of the lease than originally projected. That will cost (whoever carries these leases) a lot of money as the lease/lien holders will have a tough time to re-sell these cars.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    I'll have to check into the additives. I'm not too concerned about the mileage (I'd ease up on the right foot a bit, but where's the fun in that??) but will look into the additives. I plan on keeping the car until it can no longer move on its own power, provided that it doesn't nickel and dime me along the way. As for the filter changes, I am sticking with the manual's every 10K service intervals, so I should be ok there.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    Thanks for the info. I did purchase the anti-gel for the winter, however I haven't had the need to use it so far. Out of curiosity, what is the best way to pour this in the tank? I bought a turkey baster for this, but I can imagine there is an easier way to do this.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    In regards to your question about how to measure additive into the fuel tank... Please see my recient append #3923

    At Costco, I purchased a big bag of 600 8oz paper cups (NOT waxed) I carry about 20 cups in the trunk with the additive bottle. I form a 'spout' on a paper cup and approxamate 6oz of additive. Pour in tank and toss cup.... no mess, no smell. (that additive is stinky stuff)

    I figure 600 paper cups at over 650 miles per tank .... that means I wont have to purchase any more cups till 390K miles on the odemeter. 8-)
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Our local dealer Drew VW has 4 on the lot. The new one looks like the Golf front end. Much better than the 2009 . Very comfortable drivers seat and position for me. I have to get my wife in one for a test drive. I may just pop for one... Very tempting.
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    I recommend adding zero ounces of additive for each gallon of diesel fuel, and understand this is consistent with the VW recommendation.
    IMHO the fuel additives are all superfluous!
    FWIW, with my 2003 TDI, I did find that powerservice white-bottle made for quieter & less-smoky very-cold-starts & quieter very-cold-morning-warmup (20F or below). so basically the additive seemed superfluous in that case too.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    So you are saying that you would rather have the a noisy cold engine and smoky start ups?

    VW does endorse the use of 'Stanadyne' additive in the TDI's they sell it at their parts counter.

    But on the up side, you did get to use "superfflous" twice in one post..
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    You're right, it's shouldn't be needed in most instance. Assuming you're consistently getting a quality fuel there shouldn't be much need. However, the fact that diesel fuel doesn't have the best reputation for being the best quality....it's pretty good insurance. I typically ran BP Diesel Supreme which I trusted and ran without additives. However, I always had some PowerService in the trunk for filling up at unknown stations.
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    "Almost yes" to your question about why Stanadyne/etc is extraneous:
    Indeed I did not care about my 03 TDI engine being loud & smoky on startup.
    I agree that VW does endorse the use of their Stanadyne additive and they mention very-cold-weather. But I don't think they recommend or require it. As I recall the gist in the owners manual for all 4 of my TDIs, additives are considered extraneous.
    However some TDI owners are very lugubrious with their engines and so they always use additive!
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    edited March 2010
    Elias - you are incorrect on several points.

    1) VW does infact suggest and recommend use of diesel-fuel additives.
    2) VW TDI is engineered to burn European diesel fuel which is FAR better than any
    North American diesel fuel.
    3) The MPG gain from bringing the cetane up to the minimum level which the engine is designed has MEASURABLE improvments in MPG
    4) Increased lubricity of the additives helps the close-tolerance of the expensive high-pressure fuelpump. (Mack Trucks do not need this kind of fuel-lubrication)

    Perhaps you are thinking of gasoline additives which are, indeed, mostly a waste of money... except perhaps if one is trying to prevent frozen gaslines in the winter.

    I can tell you that I have a MEASURED overall average MPG of 50. (and peak of 57MPG) This is over 110,000 miles of measuring every drop of fuel. Folks who do NOT use additives religiously, have not been able to show the same numbers.

    I like that you were able to get "superfluous" and "lugubrious" into contiguous posts. 8-)
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    edited March 2010
    Peebs, maybe there is different wording for different TDI years in the VW manuals, but it all translates to "Stanadyne is optional" as I recall. I'll type the 06 manual's wording soon...

    The USA diesel fuel is all I can get - somehow I keep running dry when I drive to Europe to refuel. I could make it to Canada to refuel and to pay import-duty on malt-beverages. Hmm...

    Gas engine manuals are often correctly alarmist and prohibitive about additives. Hey, did I mention the amazing additive that you can distribute for me? It re-magnetizes the ionic pentameter of the gasoline molecules, increasing mpg 46%! Just private-message me your bank account number and i'll set you up.

    My first TDI got 48 mpg tank after tank and the current/4th one started at 44 mpg is approaching 48 at 100k miles. I am endeavoring to be a very cheap very old coot but it's not worth *any* PITA for 3% more (placebo) mpg on a base mpg of ~45, all from your "so-called" additives. :shades:

    Us salutatious semi-literate TDI guys smell bad enough without adding the stench from driving with half-empty bottles of fuel additive. It's better for society aromatically if we shun the stanadyne/power-service.

    ps - if I've harmed the TDI engines by avoiding additives, don't buy a used TDI from me! zero fuel pumps consumed so far, zero engine problems, ~400k TDI miles and counting...
  • musgrovemusgrove Member Posts: 6
    I know this post is coming out of the blue. I had read the first 1,000 posts about the TDI Jetta and was very excited about what I was reading. I went down to the VW dealership yesterday and sat in a 2006 TDI. I am too wide to fit comfortably in the driver’s seat!! I do not know what the sides of the seat bottom is called that go up at an angle from the seat bottom but at least in the 2006 model they are pretty steep. My hips sit on that angled part of the seat. I’ll bet they would be very comfortable for a person that is not as wide as me. I have tinkered with the idea of talking with an upholstery shop to see if the seats could be modified to reduce that angle.

    I would love to have the diesel TDI and the car looks and sounds very good. Unfortunately, comfort is the number one item on my auto list. My main car is an old 2001 Intrepid with 155k miles on it. I refer to the seats as a lazy boy on wheels. I am going to be replacing it with whatever I buy. My wife has a 2001 Impala which has those angled sides on the seats but they are soft enough I just squish them down and can make due. I sat in one of the new beetles at the dealership and those seats are more comfortable for me. I see that the new beetle came in a TDI up to 2006 so may explore that possibility.

    Charlie D.
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    Most European and many Japanese/Korean cars (current and previous models) have firmer seats than any of the US cars because they use more dense foam in their seats.

    Not sure if an upholstery shop can replace the foam because many seats have seat heaters in the foam so it would not be an easy job to do.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I would think a cushion made to fit in between those sides would be better. You would get a bit more height and a more comfortable seat. I love the seats in the GTI. Not yet available in the 2010 Jetta TDI. I liked the 2010 sportwagen TDI seats. That is the next generation. The Jetta sedan will not be upgraded till 2011.
  • dwpcdwpc Member Posts: 159
    Can anyone tell me what the AAA discount is in CA for a TDI/DSG Sportswagen? The AAA-approved VW dealer is 50 miles away and (understandably) won't disclose the AAA discount unless I blow most of a Saturday to go see him in person. I live half a mile from a local non-AAA VW dealer, who would service any car I buy. If the discount is substantial, its a deal. If its peanuts, I'd rather buy from the local dealer and gain a bit of good will for service.
  • musgrovemusgrove Member Posts: 6
    Thank you, gagrice. I had not thought of a foam wedge to fit between the sides. A good piece of memory or memory & latex layered foam. If it does not raise the height too much it could be a doable solution. The seat heaters may be effected also but that can be determined later.

    Charlie D.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Be careful about putting anything on the seat like that. I've read warnings about not placing anything on top of the heated seat except your body. I'd just check it out before I bought a car. Or if you don't care about the heated seat, you may be able to have it disconnected it the cushion would cause a problem.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    If you plan/need the dealer to maintain/service your car, I would gladly pay whatever the extra cost is to buy from them. The only negative in my book when it comes to VW's is the dealers. An honest dealer would have told you the discount over the phone anyway so I wouldn't deal with them either way. I've done a lot of car deals over the phone and I can usually size up a dealer pretty quickly.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    I'm really impressed with the milage you're getting out of your thesaurus! ;)
  • rrollntdirrollntdi Member Posts: 52
    I have about 28,600 miles on my '09 TDI sedan that I purchased in November of 2008. I've started to notice a slight problem with the steering :confuse: . If I'm going straight on the road, it seems like the steering gets stuck, just slightly, or catches and won't move freely :mad: . It does move and the wheel turns, it requires a little extra effort, but isn't a safety issue yet. It's more noticeable at highway speeds when making little adjustments to stay in my lane, but I can feel it at lower speeds as well. I was just wondering if anyone else has this issue :lemon: before I take it in for it the 30K mile service.
  • rodneyh1rodneyh1 Member Posts: 2
    Sounds like a tire wear issue to me. I'd have that looked at first.
  • dwpcdwpc Member Posts: 159
    I've just learned about the $400-500 service that's required on the DSG trans at 40k miles. I'm assuming normal brake renewal will be on me too. If that's the extent of it, I'm not deterred from the Sportwagen. Is there any other maintenance of significance lurking that will occur during the supposed "No Worry" 36K included maintenance period or shortly after? I understand the timing belt is good for 80k miles.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    edited March 2010
    There are not many folks with experience with the new-fangled "electric" power steering. It may be tires... or could be signs of other impending issues.

    I would assume with nearly 30K miles that you have had the tires rotated several times by now. If not, then you may have some goofy wear-patterns in your tires which are now perminant.
  • rrollntdirrollntdi Member Posts: 52
    Thank you bpeebles and rodneyh1 for your replies. I had the tires and rims replaced at about 23K miles, to there are less than 6K miles on them. I went from the 17" to 16" rims and tires. I had a sidewall issue with the 17s and it would have cost about $200 to replace the one tire. I got a great deal from the dealership and replaced the whole set for about $400. The roads in Michigan aren't the smoothest and I just didn't want to deal with replacing a tire or rim every 20K miles or so. I had a 1980 T-Bird :lemon: that had to have the rack & pinion steering replaced (lots of aluminum shavings in the fluid) at about 80K miles and this feels a little like that. If this continues, I'll have the dealer look at it during the final free service visit.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    On the minus side, for future reference, 16" tires are getting harder to find, in terms of a wide selection and good pricing, and I expect this trend to continue.
  • rrollntdirrollntdi Member Posts: 52
    I think the TB is good til 120K miles 2009 and newer. The DSG maitenance is every 40K miles, so the 120K service is a very expensive one with the TB and the DSG.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I hope you are wrong about the 16 inch tires. I did not like the 17" on our 2005 Passat. If we were to buy the VW Sportwagen TDI it would be with the standard 16" tires and wheels. After talking to my investment broker with his new BMW, I would never buy a vehicle with Run flat tires. He got a puncture and had to replace a tire. $383 was his cost. He still loves his little 128i.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    edited March 2010
    When I bought my 4 winter tires I found that the Tirerack had a 15" rim option for a 195 65 15 snow tire. They were (General Altimax Arctic's) sent to my front door in 3 days installed, Road Force ballanced,new rims, all new wheel bolts, no sales tax and well packaged for the same as the local tire shop wanted for just the tires and intallation...

    So now that it's time to take them off I decided to order another set of 4 new 15" summer tires (General Altimax HP's) with steel rims as well. I personally think the factory rims on my 2006 Jetta look downright ugly, and the tires were rags anyway.

    For some strange reason, I have a fondness for the chrome 'wire wheel look' and think the Jetta looks great with those style wheel covers, mind you I also have a taste for thin gold pinstriping, chrome exhaust tips, vent visors and wood grain dash trim.....
    (I know,.... to each his own)

    On a more practical note tho', a 15" tire is on average at least $30 or more less than an OEM 205 55 16's of the same brand, are available everywhere and feel just the same or better, for me.

    So please don't laugh if you see my tarted up White Jetta parked outside the local A&W on Cruise Night. :shades:
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    It's quite amazing. My first car had 13" tires and my second car, a full size chevy biscayne, had 14". Those seemed quite large at the time. Personally, 16" is plenty for me and this quest for larger and larger tires is getting out of hand IMO. Are car companies getting rebates from the tire companies or what? ;)
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    If you want those braking and handling characteristics then a wide and somewhat rigid tire is what you get. Your TDI on poofy Buick tires from the 1980s would be an ugly thing.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    edited March 2010
    " poofy Buick tires from the 1980s would be an ugly thing."

    Where I drive the roads are heaved up by the winter frosts and form 2 to 4 " breaks across in the pavement every 20 to 30 feet for endless miles. It's like diving down the road on railroad cross tires,,,whap.... whap.... whap...for miles on end.

    A "wide, rigid tire" is just what I don't want. Been there on that one.

    The 15" "Poofy Buick tires" from the 1980's are much quieter and easier on the nerves.
    BTW the 195 65 15 is less "poofy" than the OEM 205 55 16..they are about 1" narrower and have a 1/2" more sidewall, and more air volume to ease out the "Whumps"...

    The only bad thing about my new 15"ers is, I couldn't get them in WHITEWALLS! :shades:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited March 2010
    Well it's all a compromise. You lean a car over in a hard turn on those poofy tires and that'll put the fear of God into you. You just can't balance the car.

    I have a MINI, a notoriously hard riding car, on 17". I drove one on 16" with run flats and they were way worse than the 17" go-flats I have on there now.

    The brand new Scion xA I bought had cheapo OEM poofy tires, 15", and they were terrible. That little car was all over the road. We took care of that with wider tires of lower profile, sway bars front and back, and strut tower braces.

    But if 95% of one's driving is just punching cruise control and driving in a straight line on smooth as glass highways, then sure, poofy tires, no problem.

    I never EVER want to go back to a sloppy handling car myself.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    " You lean a car over in a hard turn on those poofy tires and that'll put the fear of God into you."

    I have found in my 60 years of driving everything from Water Trucks, to Tractors to sports cars, that whenever I lean a speeding car over into a hard turn, on no matter what kind of tires, I had immediate second thoughts about my driving style.

    I have I learned a long time ago to slow down for 'hard turns'. and if I don't, there's a very loud voice in my ear telling me to do so...and her name is Barb',... our 51st anniversary this month. :D
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    It's not the turns you plan to do, it's the one you didn't plan that need the best tires.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    Damn poor reason to suffer endless rough rides for the other 99.9% of my driving duties.

    I can live with the Numerical chances of me Meeting my Maker due to nice quiet Poofy Tires. :D
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    So please don't laugh if you see my tarted up White Jetta parked outside the local A&W on Cruise Night.

    I hope you got wide white sidewalls, continental kit and fender skirts to make it a REAL cruiser.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    edited March 2010
    But if 95% of one's driving is just punching cruise control and driving in a straight line on smooth as glass highways, then sure, poofy tires, no problem.

    Sadly we live in the People's Socialist Republic of California. Where the roads are poorly maintained and 17" low profiles are not well adapted to 3" potholes every few hundred feet. I liked the handling of the Passat with the 17inchers. Only on smooth highways.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    adapted to 3" potholes

    Your lucky. Try IL and Mich and the 6-10" deep potholes. They not only blow the tire and crack your rim but can do some serious damage to the undercarriage as well. I have been on the expressway and seen over a dozen cars pulled over with flats all stemming from one pothole during rush hour.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    Wow, gagrice, that sounds cool!, or Heavy or what ever the hell the new rap crap calls it these days.

    But to hang a Continental kit on a Jetta you would also have to fit a rear bumper off a 56 Ford Thunderbird. Might not mount too good with no frame and all the plastic push pins that hold our new cars together.

    Last time I parked next to a 57 Chevy outside a Chineese resturant in Lake Havasue City, I got 3 people who wanted to know all about the TDI and a few thumbs up.

    Zero negative comments about my Poofy tires and wire wheels.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Where I live, poofy tires = DEATH, so I'm happy. You must drive Highway 17, the Road of Lost Souls, and come for our Upside Down SUV festival, held every weekend.

    The 17s aren't bad at all. I get more rough riding from a short wheelbase car than from the tires, and this is part of what all "small" cars experience to some extent.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    Hmmmm, an "Upside Down SUV festival" Sounds like all the Ford Explorer and Suzuki Samurai owners getting together to swap tire and suspension parts.

    No Road of Lost Souls where I live, just lost mufflers, plastic body parts, shock absorbers, oil pans, and wheel covers.

    And in the 5 months of winter here, the Upside Down SUV Festival is called Friday rush hour. :sick:
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    edited March 2010
    Typically, the best place to buy tires is at TireRack and have them locally installed. TireRack has a list of local approved installers in your city and you can have them ship to that installer. I have been buying tires (and rims) from them for many years now.
    They have a very good interactive website where you can dress up your car with their rims and tires and actually see, how they would look on your car.
  • tjburkejrtjburkejr Member Posts: 7
    For the fifth, that's right fifth, time the airbag fault light has come on without prior warning in my 2009 TDI. The last time it happened, the driver's door wiring harness was replaced and the problem went away for about six weeks. One time the "fix" lasted three days.

    Is there a maintenance bulletin out on this nagging and irritating electrical problem? If not, has anyone had the same problem and, if so, how has it been solved (if it ever has been)?
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    My guess is they are just resetting the computer which puts out the light for a while. I think you have a faulty air bag or sensor. We had the same problem with our Lexus.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I agree...they are treating the symptom, not the disease. Once the computer counts up a number of faults from say a bad sensor, it will throw the code once again.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    SALT LAKE CITY - A British pilot broke a land-speed record for driving with a diesel engine, racing across the Bonneville Salt Flats at more than 325 mph.
    Green drove a vehicle powered by two diesel engines that have a combined total of 1,500 horsepower. Each is a 4-cylinder, 4.4-liter engine used commercially as a backhoe .
    The tires on the car are designed to only go 350 mph, but Green's crew said the car is capable of going 400 mph.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    edited March 2010
    Hypothetically speaking, if one were to purchase a Laser Shifter, i.e, https://www.escortradar.com/store/laser-shifter-zr4.html , where would be the best place to mount this product on an 09 TDI Sedan? Would this be something one could do in a few hours, or would it be best left to a professional installer?
  • moeandmomoeandmo Member Posts: 11
    I have had my 2009 Jetta TDI back at the dealer's multiple times since I bought it last June. On the highway, on city streets, wherever, the car will appear to "shift" into neutral. All the transmission lights are blinking and a message appears that says "apply brakes." . I have, in the past, had to step on the brake to get the trans. to re-engage. But yesterday, it happened twice in a short time, and both times, I had to turn off the engine and re-start when the brakes didn't solve the problem. VW issued a recall for this issue back in August, but I am told that I already have the "fix." This is not a car that inspires confidence. Suppose I accelerate to pass a semi on the highway and it suddenly goes into neutral. Imagine the carnage if I have to brake or shut down the engine in front of that large truck going as fast as he can. The dealer claims they can't duplicate the problem. It might not do it for a month after it leaves the dealer, so that is understandable. The last time, they told me that when it did it, to drive to the dealer w/o shutting down the engine. But I couldn't do that yesterday. Not only was it Saturday afternoon, but I had to shut down the engine just to get the transmission to engage. I have been through 100 pages of posts on Edmunds and so far the only problem I have seen like this is on a post in 2006. Does anyone have any experience with this issue?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well the August "fix" (recall) is very specific about the symptoms, which are identical to what you describe, so I'd suggest that the "fix" be done again---a new temperature sensor and/or wiring harness to that sensor. Obviously, VW knows all about this problem, since their recall describes it perfectly. Have you explored the NHTSA site for further complaints on this problem?
  • rrollntdirrollntdi Member Posts: 52
    Hi moeandmo. I had this happen to me only once about a year ago. Mine got stuck in 1st. It required the engine be turned off and restarted to clear the error. It's pretty ridiculous of the dealer to expect you to bring it in in that condition and practically impossible, unless you had it towed in. Maybe a photo on your cell phone of the MFD would convince them? Just a suggestion. Thankfully VW extended the warranty to 100K miles on the DSG as part of the recall. Either way I can appreciate your frustration at the perilous situations this puts you in.
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