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Also, I can attest that the "new" Jetta (Mark V) has much better rear occupant room than the Mark IV models. The Mark V also is significantly quieter both in roadNoise and engineNoise.
I am curious - which dealer in VT did you go to? I drive from the Burlington area past 2 VW dealerships to get to "Kinney Motors" in Rutland. Kinney is perhaps the best VW dealership in Vermont. (Both the sales and the service)
http://jalopnik.com/400052/honda-hyb...-named-insight
The Hybrid and MPG wars just got hotter - and consumers will benefit.
Here's the confirmation of Honda delivering vehicles by April of next year:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=130709
Do a search and you will see Honda has confirmed a sub-19k msrp AND Honda will not allow dealers to 'mark up' prices.
Competition is AWESOME!
I think plenty of drivers will be more than willing to trade high-rpm scream for enthusiastic low-rpm torque.
Sadly, many dealers are still overcharging on the 06TDI. They are selling for $26k in my area.... Hopefully when the 09's arrive, they'll drop into my price range!
-Cj
We did a few loops for rough mileage scenarios. One involved a highway out-and-back, run at 70-75 mph with a 2.5-mile leg on 7-percent grade descent and climb (where we accelerated to 85 mph in top gear) on the return. We finished the loop with the trip computer showing average speed of 72 mph and average economy of 40.7 mpg; at 90 miles the fuel gauge still read full. On a winding two-lane through rolling countryside, 50 mph average at 43.7 mpg. Driving like we stole it in city traffic still returned 23.1 mpg. That same day a 2.5 gas engine Jetta with five-speed manual over the same courses got between 15.4 and 28.1 mpg.
Obviously, the diesel engine doesn’t parallel the slap-happy enthusiasm of the GTI’s mill. Nor can it rev as high; the TDI redlines at 4500 rpm. But the oil burner's punch is smoother and more linear than its petrol-powered equivalent. There’s no slingshot effect. You just woooooosh from 30 to 60 mph without an indices of effort. Plowing through highway traffic, hammering around tight corners, and sprinting up a hill, it's a thoroughly willing powerplant. You get a fairly quick-revving mill you want– without sacrificing the surging power you like. At any speed.
Both transmission choices– the six-speed stick or the six-speed DSG (paddle shift flappy thingy with autobox mode)– are good to go. The DSG is perfectly matched to the oil burning engine, keeping you in the meat of the powerband at all times.
http://www.autotrader.com/research/article/33895/2009-volkswagen-jetta-tdi-.jsp
The test-drive confirmed that a TDI SportWagen would be a eminently livable choice for my next car, offering both outstanding fuel economy, as well as a fun-to-drive character missing in many similarly economical vehicles. Seeing that my purchase window is probably late calendar 2009, I'll let the early-adopter TDI groupies pay the above-sticker premiums, and deal with whatever quality issues there might be. By the time the 2010 models are out, I expect I'll be able to walk onto a VW lot and pay sticker, (or maybe a little less) and get a TDI off-the-lot. Here's hoping.
http://blogs.dieselpowermag.com/6267840/diesel-car-reviews/test-driving-the-2009- -vw-jetta-tdi/index.html
I think this has ALWAYS been a key issue. I think as more (gasser) folks experience the difference, they can make the choice that best suits them. I have had 109,000 miles (70,000 like miles side by side with a Honda Civic gasser) to compare. Looking back, I would have had all those choices be DIESELS.
Nor were they meant to: or even offered as proof.
One key to the DSG transmission ( in view of your disconnect comment): it IS a computer controlled MANUAL transmission. For some on the other hand, it would be lost TOTALLY. There are HUGE advantages. One is there can be a disconnect if one likes/needs that. Having said that, I look at it in terms of how well it will stand up to 200,000 to 500,000 miles.
As good and reliable as the Honda Civic (among others, aka Toyota, Mazda etc.) is, it is absolutely BORING compared to the Jetta TD I! Evidently boring sells and sells well. Now if VW can up their perceived (and real) reliability ratings, Honda/Toyota, etc. will have to almost exponentially increase their quality to compete.
I'm impressed that you were able to find a way to degrade having a smooth transmission. You are truly brilliant in your negative creativity.
That is a good idea, as you have been told more than once to do just that. Honda/Toyota were mentioned as you have consistently bad mouthed the VW's ( the very cars that you own) A logic question would then be why do you even own them? Indeed I have more Japanese nameplates than you do.
Impressions on the DSG transmission, I have stated in several posts. Go back over them if you are really interested.
So if one wants it "disconnected" put the DSG in drive and zone out. If one wants a more active scenario, then shift the DSG every step of the way. Does one want a combination? Do able also. Looks like a series of good options to me, especially if it passes the reliability/durability/economy tests.
Indeed both, glad you are finally acknowledging @ least half of what I said, after multiple indications.
..."I own VW RUG because is cheap to buy used one, versus buying a used honda."...
A VW TDI retains much higher resale value over the RUG model.
He expects the delivery during the last week of August or the first week of Sept.
I opted for the silver w/stick model...
While the Jetta felt nice, engine good and overall quality seemed fine, I'm very worried the Jetta will be too soft and under-powered for me to use as a daily driver. Further, FWD is tought to live with day in and day out (I have it in my Cooper S and FWD really saps the fun from cars).
Comparing the TDI to the GTI, Clubman S, Ralliart, WRX, used 3 series. So far as far as cost, fuel, resale the TDI is doing great - that $1300 tax CREDIT is a huge plus. On the fun-to-drive scale my wife's extremely worried I'll hate the car within 6 months. Haven't touched the Ralliart or 09 WRX yet. I know the e90 3 series well (got one via ED in 2006); don't love it but I miss RWD and it's one of the only 4 door RWD sedans that's decent to drive while getting fairly good gas mileage.
This statement is nonsense, the information was available to the general public. My brother bought a new 2006 TDI DSG and we knew the design of that DSG transmission before he made the purchase. We found information on the DSG in the fall of 2005 on the internet. This type of transmission has been aound a while in Europe.
Here is just one site explaing how the DGS works:
http://cars.about.com/od/thingsyouneedtoknow/a/ag_howDSGworks.htm
Needless to say I am waiting for the call from my dealer to come in and pick mine up.
Any other sightings?
Too bad I already purchased a new car. I'm wondering why these are not sold? According to all/most of the dealers they were all "pre sold". Are people backing out? Maybe they were not all pre sold and not going as fast as they thought they would. If so, serves them right. :P
I like the Taurus, I think. I haven't seen it thirteen days, but the wife tells me its great.
Any help or insight would be appreciated.
To anwer your question, the standard (6 speed manual) WILL probably get old. I truly like the 4/5/6 speed manuals, but do NOT like them much in stop and go bumper to bumper traffic. However much of the driving I have found myself doing has not been of that type. On recent cars, I have maybe 431,000 miles on stick shifts. On the flip side I have had ZERO issues with manual transmissions. On VW's specifically, the life expectancy is app 400,000 miles. The cost to replace the clutch (upgraded V6 model) currently is app 700-800 dollars vs upwards of 2,000 for an automatic transmission. I have an automatic transmission on a Honda Civic. I suspect and have planned (started to set aside repair monies) for the automatic transmission to go before the engine. So truly @ upwards of $ 2,000 for repairs, I hope I can dodge that huge bullet. It is most likely to go out @ app 225,000 to 250,000 miles.
Also, the manual requires less maintaince.... which is apparently one of your priorities. A TDI with a manual xmission is VERY easy to drive due to the truckloads of torque. You can enguage the clutch at idle and the car will pull away from a dead stop without problem. If you drive a TDI in this manner, the original clutch will last the life of the engine. (over 200K miles)
The new engine would scare me more then the DSG, that combined with the brand new exhaust system *shudders* But I guess the federal mandate for exhaust components kind of makes me not so worried, and hell here where I live we don't emission check anyway Can't wait over the next couple of years to see what kind of mods show up I would love to have an engine brake...
I have been present at a few clutch changings and a GTG buddy had done a series of mods on a GOLF (pp 520's, chipped, R32 suspension upgrade which led to another switch to Koni Reds, fine fine wheel and tire combinations) with 230,000 miles) I remember just before he decided to change the clutch (V6 SACHs upgrade) we had a long discussion. I in effect said not to and said my target was when it really started to slip or a min of 400,000 miles. I also asked him if when he got on his (mods) did he notice any slippage. He indicated no. So I asked the question why change now? Long story short due to a clutch change special he had it done. We all were curious beyond belief what a clutch with 230,000 miles would be like. Longer story short, it looked like it could have gone another 230,000 miles EASY. I am hoping for that on mine (460,000 miles)
I find this amazing. The Prius will have a market stealer to worry about. With a 10.5 gallon tank, this will yield a range of about 650 miles. That's a small tank, too!
Also, Honda has denied any allocation of these cars to dealers who add any fees or costs to MSRP. That's a good move!
By the way, I was reading the news this morning and I found this article in msnbc, about diesel fuel prices, I do not think that will bring anything new to some people because they already know these stuffs but for others that they never read about this subject this is a good to know. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26222711/page/2/
Either way, yawn at a small econo-box. I think most of us VW TDI folks are interested in a substantial vehicle that gets exceptional mpg. If you want to impress me, give me a 40-50mpg Accord sized vehicle. Or a 35mpg AWD cross-over.
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I spent a couple of decades in the auto repair business and can attest that manual transmissions do wear out and break with some regularity, and when the clutch and related components are included, are little, if any, more reliable than an automatic. Although not currently driving, I would never opt for a stick over an automatic as my experience in both owning and repairing sticks, the automatics can go 200K with only basic fluid changes while sticks will have long gone through clutches and related components, and possibly a complete transmission. This is further illustrated through drag racing where factory prepared automatics get consistently better average times, and don't self destruct in the process as compared to sticks.
To answer your question that this subject came out a long time ago during the Tokyo Auto show is the two links bellow.
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008/01/14/075036.html
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/car_shopping/latest_news_reviews/h- - onda_to_add_three_new_hybrids_2010_fit_cr_z_and_small_hatchback_car_news
the new headlines are bellow:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=130328
I don't have anything proving Honda is enforcing MSRP, but here are two links on price and EPA ratings.
I still like the TDI, and think with its torque it will be useful in vehicles not suited for hybrid drivetrains, and I think competition on economy is good for all consumers!
Here is a link on price of $18,500 MSRP and on Japanese claims of 71mpg (not confirmed by U.S. source):
http://www.leftlanenews.com/honda-insight.html
:surprise:
And the easiest/quickest way to steal a vehicle (without a key) is to hook it or flatbed it.