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Comments
Jetta Wagon = Wolfsburg Germany
Golf and GTI = Curitaba Brazil
Jetta Sedan, New Beetle Sedan and Convertible = Puebla Mexico
It's too bad you can't get one that shows diesel.
http://www.texasgasprices.com/retail_price_chart.asp
The Jetta had the back seats flipped down and packed full of stuff and 2 adults in the front seats.
Best price for diesel I found during the trip was in Maine at $1.79/Gal (USD).
Whilst in Canada, I only purchased about 6 gallons of diesel ($20 Canadian dollars worth converted from Liters)
Since filling with diesel is not easy to reproduce each time due to foaming, and all diesel I could find in Canada was "full service" where the attendant would have no idea how to use the purge valve, I opted to calculate the MPG over several fuel-stops. This tends to average-out any errors due to different filling-tecneques.
I need to change the rear brake pads on my Jetta for the first time (85k miles, fronts are still 50%), and have decided to change the rotors as well. I called two dealers for prices as I thought I would swap them last weekend. Both wanted $275 plus tax (I'm assuming list price??). This is just parts, keep in mind.
I went to www.vwparts.com and purchased the exact same OEM parts for $136 delivered. The only downside is I don't get to stand around in the smelly parts department of my nearest dealer and beg someone to sell me some parts. If VW dealers had a clue, they might actually sell some cars here!
Northgate VW, Cincinnatti - GLS TDI sedan, silver;
Century VW, Loveland - GLS TDI sedan, blue silver;
White-Allen VW, Dayton - GLS TDI wagon (no color shown).
I suggest you call the dealers to see if these cars are still available.
I'm same with you, planning to get a 05 Jetta TDI Wagon. Believe me, this is a much better car than corolla! It'll worth the money!
What you need to do is drive them both and see if you lean towards one or the other. However, reliability is not in VW's favor at the moment. Both JD Power and Consumer Reports don't offer good news. All European brands have gone downhill in quality in the past couple of years. It's an alarming trend.
Good luck.
Another for example, I have said quite openly that I would not have gotten a VW Jetta/Beetle/Golf if it were not for the fact a TDI option were offered. I also said I was completely underwhelmed by the engine offerings 2.0 and 1.8T.
Asking TDI owners their experiences makes sense. I've owned several TDI including Golf and Jetta. I've had window regulators fail in my first Golf, window trim replaced in my first Golf, radio replaced in my 04 Jetta due to poor AM reception, and a window washer nozzle that required adjustment and that is about it.
If I had a lot of problems I would report them. TDI is a fantastic vehicle. Downside is that there are some really pathetic VW dealers and the TDI requires more knowledge to properly maintain even if you are not doing the maintenance. It really is important to understand what maint. is required and what parts satisfy those requirements. Otherwise you are likely to overspend on maint. or have a problem due to lack of maint..
I don't understand why VW would not make it available to TDI buyers to help monitor fuel consumption.
I wonder if it's just a matter of hooking up the specialized control stalk shown in the owner's manual, or if you have to replace the entire instrument cluster.
It's not all that difficult. Requires a new qauge cluster, a control stalk (to access menus), and some wiring. Figure about $500 for parts if you're doing it yourself. Need access to VAG-COM to program display. Email me in my profile and I'll get you some links to how to do this.
Your email is coming up "private", maybe you could post
those links/part nos. here?
I'm fairly handy with tools but don't like working on finicky little electrical stuff.
Should a dealership be willing to do this? How much labor time?
By the way, I have the TDI wagon, manual tranny. Don't know if that makes a difference in ordering.
I avoid the dealers like the plague. I wouldn't let them touch it and I doubt they'd do this modification. The price I gave you was based on getting the MFA from a source that imports them from Europe. The dealer would likely want $1,000 just for the parts. Model shouldn't matter, I've seen MFA's added to wagons, golfs, etc.
It has been in the shop, an independent foreign car repair, they own several generations of VW diesels, for over a week and I am renting a horrid Chevy Malibu. Can anyone help me help the guys to diagnose the problem? We are trying to avoid replacing the turbo.
HELP!
The Turbo really should not be the problem, however they seem to be popular replacements by shops that have less than stellar diagnostic skills.
Where are you located? I or someone here might be able to recommend a reputable shop or local that can assist. Also, if you email me I can get you a list of TDI owners and known repair facilities. I can't post it here as the link will be deleted by the mods.
There are 2 'secrets'
1) ALWAYS!! Use a diesel fuel additive year round. Use anti-gell in the winter and a lube-cetane booster in the summer.
2) Install a tdi heater ( http://www.tdiheater.com ) and have it plugged into a timer anytime below 0F
NOTE: The TDI will start just fine without the heater, but the engine is so durn efficent, you will not get any heat unless you drive at least 10 miles.
The electric seat heaters are a MUST for cold-winter running with the TDI.
I measure the additive using an 8oz paper cup. I first shape the cup to create a 'spout' on it so it will pour into the tank opening easilly. I then fill it about 2/3s full with additive. This way, I can toss the smelly cup when I am done measuring. (no muss - no fuss)
A bag of 200 8oz paper cups is inexpensive and may last the life of your TDI. I keep about 5 cups with the additive container in the trunk inside a 'tupperware-like' sealed container. This stores easilly behind the webbing on the right side of the trunk space. The rest of the cups store easilly along side the spare tire.
As for the benifets of using a cetane booster. I notice less smoke when starting a cold engine and about 1-2 better MPG.
We are down to the injectors and the turbo. I am NOT amused. Guess all the $$ I saved on the diesel will go into a new turbo? Am not sure I would go for another VW. This one had a intermittent sensor problem which only happened in very dangerous situations: ie: about 20 feet into a tunnel on the PA Turnpike (no cell coverage, lots of semis trying to get into the other lane).....I did get it started again. It was still under warranty, threw no codes when they checked it out. The second time she quit, I was again on the PA turnpike, only this time on a two-lane bridge over a 200 ft. drop to a small river. Watching the semis try to avoid me was horrendous. I got out and walked to the other side of the bridge to wait for the arrow truck and the tow. That time my friends, the indies, found the sensor and replaced it. Now this.....not what I call reliable transportation.
I love the handling, loved the power, but have to find something made better. Does it exist under $50K?
Have you replaced a MAF in the past? If not, the fact that you've gone 120k miles without a MAF replacement is phenomenal if not borderline miraculous. Your symptoms are almost identical to every other TDI that needs a MAF, although 60-70k miles is where most folks notice the loss of power and by 100k miles the power loss is very obvious, much like yours. It's very simple to test if they have the VAGCOM software, you simply start the car, go to engine test block 003 and rev a warm motor to about 2500-3000rpms (coincidentally where your power loss begins!!). The car should be reporting an actual of 800mg/stroke, if it's not then your MAF is bad. Takes five minutes to test. Mine went south around 70k miles and was only getting about 650mg/stroke and the power loss not extremely noticeable, but I did have a bit of a flat spot about 2500rpms. I would guess yours is probably around 500mg/stroke, maybe worse. Make sure this is being tested PROPERLY (looking at the MAF and saying it looks good doesn't do squat, nor does just hooking up a micrometer to it).
I would put money down that if you replace your turbo, you'll still have the same problems.
Also, others were asking about centane boosters. In the winter, I put about 3 oz in per tank, and I actually use these big syringes that are made for feeding calfs or something; I get them at the local farm supply, and it's an easy, no mess way to measure and "inject" it into the tank when refilling.
Can't be that hard to find, there was a new Passat TDI at a local dealer a few weeks back. Had a very small window to purchase, but it was all mine for five minutes if I would have wanted it.
I apologize in advance if anyone has addressed this, but I'm simply curious. Is anyone currently using biodiesel as their fuel source for the VW TDI series? If so, did you have to make any modifications to your vehicle? I've been hearing a lot about it lately and I'd be interested to know who's using it, and if they're using B100 biodiesel...or a lower mix.
Thank you.
liguor60
However, VW is leery of owners using it. So they might void your warranty on parts with any problems directly attributable to biodiesel. Once there is more standardization of the bd formulas, maybe VW will lighten up.
Among those who do use it (and I probably would if it were sold nearby), B20 seems to be a popular blend. Try tdiclub.com for more info.
You are thinking of the "MAGNUSON MOSS WARRANTY ACT" as seen here
http://www.granatellimotorsports.com/magnusonmoss.htm
HOWEVER, VW is not specifying an oil that only they supply. Instead, VW is specifying a specific CRITERIA that the oil must meet.
In fact, VW DOES NOT MANUFACTURE OIL AT ALL. VW simply IMPORTS a CASTROL oil that meets the VW505.01 spec.
If you do some more research on the internet, you will find there is a pretty exhaustive list of what brands of oil meet the VW 505.01 specification.
With that said, $60USD for the 5K mile service is not unreasonable. If you look at your invoice and compare the prices of the individual VW part numbers to what you find on http://www.impexfap.com/ you can determine if you dealer is overcharging you or not.
I have done this on several occasions and have found that my dealer is within 5% of the prices found on http://www.impexfap.com/
Additionaly, I can bring in my own choice of oil (that meets the spec) and they are happy to use that instead of the CASTROL brand they import.
*)Timing belt (obviously)
*)New stretch-bolts on engine mount (A MUST!)
*)waterpump (recommended)
*)Tensioner pully with new bearing (recommended)
*)A tech. that KNOWS what they are doing (Recommended)
Not replacing some of the items to save a buck may be unwise. Consider what may happen if the waterpump is NOT changed but does not survive to the NEXT timing-belt change. With luck,you will be paying for the same labor and a timing belt all over again. Without luck, you may be paying for an engine. (The same can be said for a tensionor bearing that is not changed.)
There are some folks that re-used the special stretch-bolts on the engine-mount that must be removed to replace the belt. Some have reported that the re-used bolts came loose and the engine almost fell out the bottom of the car while driving!
There is no question that changing a timing belt is an expensive propasition. Since it is a PLANNED maintenance item, there are ways to make it less painfull to the pocketbook besides skimping on the important stuff.
*)Save up the $$ ahead of time over a year or so.
*)Get in touch with a fellow TDIer that can help you do it for less.
...etc
BTW, If done properly, no timing changes are needed. Certainly, it does not hurt to check the timing before and after the job.