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What's Holding Diesel Back in the U.S.?


This is what most people associate with diesel vehicles, but it is no longer the case. | May 18, 2010 | Dr Keats/Creative Commons
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EVEN SO, my 45 mpg Jetta still won in overall costs against an "average" gas car getting 24 mpg because the gasser would have been 1.6 times as expensive at the pump (and that's assuming diesel is always 15% more expensive than gas). Of course, we don't know if the gasser would have held out for 226k miles ... diesel cars have very long life expectancies.
So last year I compared a 2010 Honda Fit (est. 33 mpg) with a 2010 VW Golf TDI. The (1) better mileage of the Fit, (2) its lower MSRP, and (3) Honda's great reputation for low maintenance costs made the Fit look like a worthy competitor for the TDI. If we assume the Golf will be as pricey as the Jetta was for maintenance, the Honda Fit will indeed win in overall costs by about $3600 over 9 years and 226k miles (again - assuming the Honda Fit lasts that long).
So if the overall cost of driving your car is the only thing that matters, you probably can beat a TDI. Then again, if other things matter - e.g. safety, winter driving, stability at high speeds, handling, a quiet ride, fit & finish, and the amazing torque of the TDI - I'll take the TDI any day. The Golf TDI is a really sweet car - you get spoiled fast. So even if that means I have a car that's in the shop a lot, I've got to say I'm very happy with the TDI and I would recommend it to anyone who does a lot of driving. (And my VW dealer does give me a loaner car when I need one).
BTW - those EPA estimates on the TDI's are always low because they are based on new cars that haven't been broken in yet. I've got 23k on my 1-year-old 2010 Golf TDI now, and it's been averaging 40-45 mpg depending on the time of year (winter mpg runs lower than summer mpg). That's a good deal higher than the EPA estimates they show on the sticker.
or twice the cost of having it done at a discount at some oil changing garage. Does the higher costs of fuel and oil changes make up the difference? Do your own math.....and don't forget the premium cost associated with the TDI purchase price vs. gas powered. BY the way, I got 38 to 40 mpg around town and 43 mpg hwy with the cruise control set between 75 and 80 mph. I would not buy another diesel.