# VW TDI (Green Diesel Technology)



## myzamboni (Apr 3, 2010)

Anyone own one?  I'm seriously considering.  Plenty of power, less emissions than a gas engine and 30/42 MPG claims.


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## webie (Apr 3, 2010)

I have a 2005 VW golf TDI  bought new now has 77000 miles on it . My life time milage is close to 48 MPG . I have kept track of every gallon that has gone in it . About my worse milage has been 45 to a high of 54 . Most of my driveing is rural 55 mph . It is very slow to warm up . Dont buy one unless it has the winter pkg on it so as to get heated seats . Not sure if you are looking at the jetta but they had a winter pkg on some that included an electric heater .  Power is decent I have had mine up to 140 MPH . When it is warmed up I dont baby it at all I beat it like a red headed step child . 
http://www.tdiclub.com/
This is a great forum by some very enthsiastic guys 

Any other questions just ask . I have had my share of recalls , I think six so far but the car has never left me down either .  No matter that it is a new diesel it still has all the diesel traits and the car much prefers longer drive times so as to get fully warmed up . I use to drive nearly 30 miles one way to work which was perfect Now I only drive 6 thats to short of a drive for the car it would be better suited for like 20 miles on up , at least 30 minutes of run time I would say .

Webie


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## EatenByLimestone (Apr 3, 2010)

I looked seriously at buying a jetta.  The standard transmission will get you above 50mpg.  The golf/rabbit should get you more.

Matt


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## Wallyworld (Apr 3, 2010)

myzamboni said:
			
		

> Anyone own one?  I'm seriously considering.  Plenty of power, less emissions than a gas engine and 30/42 MPG claims.


Less emissions than a gas engine? Can you buy a new one in California? I didn't think they met emission standards. We follow California standards in Maine and last I knew you couldn't buy a new one here, ok to buy a used one though?


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## rowerwet (Apr 4, 2010)

last I knew VW dealers were retitling the new TDIs as used so they could sell them up here in ME.


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## BucksCoBernie (Apr 4, 2010)

I was looking at them a few years ago. great on gas. I wish I still had my 82 Mercedes 300D turbo. That car got 30mpg and had a big tank.....I'd fill up every 550 miles or so.


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## northwinds (Apr 4, 2010)

I have a 2005 Golf TDI with 94K miles.  I've been mostly happy with it.  Service and parts are more expensive than 
similar gas vehicles that I've used.  But the car has excellent power and is fun to drive.  I even put a hitch on mine
and can pull a small trailer with firewood.  My neighbor kids me that I should have truck plates for all of the wood
I've moved.

Fuel is a bigger concern.  There are gas stations that I won't go to because of poor fuel reports.  I had a really nasty
problem with water in my fuel two years ago.  Froze up twice.  My local mechanic ended up replacing the fuel filter and
then on the second failure draining the fuel tank. They set the drained fuel out overnight, and it pretty much turned 
solid in zero temps.   No problems with fuel since, but my fuel pump did prematurely die. Timing belts on the Golf are a 
major expense.  Recommended replacement is at 80k miles.


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## myzamboni (Apr 4, 2010)

@webie:  I'm on TDI Club and have been doing my research.
@Wallyworld:  yes, 2010 are 50 state legal. 140hp/ 246 lb/ft torque.

I think I am gonna pull the trigger.


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## Wallyworld (Apr 4, 2010)

Cool, my dad had a Diesel Rabbit, 1984. That thing had some issues but it got a steady 50 MPG. I'd want a standard and not an automatic. It wasn't the fastest thing in the world but if you kept it in the right gear it was fine. It used to shake the alternator off, break the ears on the alteranator right off. Not really a big deal, a new alternator wasn't that much, think it happened twice in 150,000 miles. I'm sure the new ones are much nicer as far as noise and vibration are concerned.


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## webie (Apr 4, 2010)

Wallyworld said:
			
		

> myzamboni said:
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2009-2010 diesel VW's 50 state compliant if you can get one


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## webie (Apr 4, 2010)

myzamboni said:
			
		

> @webie:  I'm on TDI Club and have been doing my research.
> @Wallyworld:  yes, 2010 are 50 state legal. 140hp/ 246 lb/ft torque.
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> I think I am gonna pull the trigger.



I am sure you know about the tax credit 
 What are you looking at the golf or the Jetta , auto or stick ?
Oh and by the way I can usualy pull 800 miles + on a tank of fuel . Its great last long trip I had I live up here close to Green bay WI made it to Oaklahoma city before I had to stop for fuel .


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## myzamboni (Apr 4, 2010)

webie said:
			
		

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Golf with the DSG (comes with the shft paddles behind the wheel).  $1700 tax crredit!!


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## velvetfoot (Apr 4, 2010)

I put 225,000 miles on a 2000 Beetle TDI.  It was great.
Mine had a distributor pump.  Then they went to unit pumps for a while.  Now they're common rail, I believe.
A Jetta wagon would be awesome.

BTW, I went to a bunch of TDIFests.


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## webie (Apr 5, 2010)

Yes you are correct they are now common rail . They had to to meet emissions . To bad they had to put the rest of the crap on the exhaust otherwise these guys would be pulling some really high MPG's. Mine actually has 6 pumps on it . One in the tank  the distribution pump and then one each on the cylinders


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## webie (Apr 5, 2010)

myzamboni said:
			
		

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You will like the golf . I call it my cargo bus . DSG must be a 6 speed . Whats the sticker at on something like this ?


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## Swamp Yankee (Apr 5, 2010)

I have both a 98 Jetta TDI and 96 passat TDI station wagon. They are great vehicles. Just keep up on maint. and watch out for rust. Rust will be the death of my Jetta.


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## rowerwet (Apr 5, 2010)

does the TDi also have the direct injection into the cylinder, this can cause oil dilution problems unless you stay on top of oil changes, the multiple pumps points that direction, as the fuel has to go in a very high pressure.


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## Hunderliggur (Apr 6, 2010)

My daughter (19) has a 2005 Diesel Jetta and gets about 45mpg.  She has had to relace the clutch twice.  Not sure about the quality of the first repair (she was on a road trip).  Second repair was from our trusted mechanic and should last a while.  Otherwise she is very satisfied with it.  She passed a Smart Car yesterday that had vanity plates 41MPG, 4mpg less than the Jetta and two less seats!


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## webie (Apr 6, 2010)

rowerwet said:
			
		

> does the TDi also have the direct injection into the cylinder, this can cause oil dilution problems unless you stay on top of oil changes, the multiple pumps points that direction, as the fuel has to go in a very high pressure.



Yeppers they do have direct injection  thats y they call them TDI   ( Turbo direct Injection )  oh yes they can dilute the oil thats how a lot of wanta bee's wrecked there fords chevies and dodges . They wanted to play with the big rig  boys and let there trucks run for hours out by the bar thinking it was doing a good thing in reality all it did was make them junk .  Dont let a new diesel idle at all for a prolong time  it will all be fine . the reason for fuel in the crankcase is it runs down the cylindar bores at idle when the engine is cooling for a long period of time .
 Ideal thing to do with a new diesel is warm it up a bit and then beat the snot out of it , give it a couple of minutes cool down and shut down ........ It will run a long time like this .


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## velvetfoot (Apr 6, 2010)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think this size VW TDI requires any urea canister changes like other green diesels.


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## webie (Apr 6, 2010)

velvetfoot said:
			
		

> Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think this size VW TDI requires any urea canister changes like other green diesels.



correct


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## myzamboni (Apr 6, 2010)

velvetfoot said:
			
		

> Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think this size VW TDI requires any urea canister changes like other green diesels.



It has a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) Regen. Every ~400 miles the soot in the filter is combusted without any human intervention.


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## Reggie Dunlap (Apr 7, 2010)

No TDI experience but I've had a few Duramax diesels and do not like the DPF exhaust that all diesels are now required to have. In my truck it robs around 3 MPG. I also don't like the thought of going into limp mode if the exhaust gases don't get hot enough to burn off the soot. That shouldn't be a problem for most people but with all the dirt roads here I don't get above 30 MPH for a few days sometimes.

If I were looking for a car I'd seriously consider a TDI, but I'd want a pre-DPF model.


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## myzamboni (Apr 7, 2010)

The VWs don't go into limp mode.  it can even do the regen while the car is stopped at a traffic light.  The idle will jump up a little but it will start the regen. process.


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## Burn-1 (Apr 7, 2010)

I've had three Passat TDIs, one 96 and two 97s. Those were great cars, plenty of room, and great mileage, ~42-44 mpg on winter fuel and close to 50 on summer fuel. I chipped and upgraded the clutch on my last 97 and it was fun to drive and still got close to 800 miles per tank. I would get another VW diesel in a heartbeat but we need the extra space for the kids and their friends and the Touareg TDI is still a bit out of my price range.


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## Mac-HD (Apr 7, 2010)

I have a 2002 Audi A4 with the 1,9 Liter TDI ( 130hp ) engine in it- I have approx. 60,000 miles on it- and get around 45-50 mpg regularly- doing some local, and some long distance. I have service done once a year according to manufacturer specs, and it just loves to run.  If I push it hard the mileage drops to around 40mpg- traffic permitting- 

It has been a great car thus far- and would buy another TDi in a heartbeat- they are a great alternative to Hybrids- hands down- 

good luck with yours!


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## webie (Apr 7, 2010)

Burn-1 said:
			
		

> I've had three Passat TDIs, one 96 and two 97s. Those were great cars, plenty of room, and great mileage, ~42-44 mpg on winter fuel and close to 50 on summer fuel. I chipped and upgraded the clutch on my last 97 and it was fun to drive and still got close to 800 miles per tank. I would get another VW diesel in a heartbeat but we need the extra space for the kids and their friends and the Touareg TDI is still a bit out of my price range.



have you looked into a Jetta wagon ?


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## begreen (Apr 7, 2010)

There's no backseat legroom in the Jetta wagon unless they have improved it in the new models. The Passat wagon was much better. Backseat legroom was one of the reasons we got a Prius. It's very good.


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## DriveByWire (Apr 7, 2010)

I've owned two VW diesels.  One was an 80 something Rabbit and I now have an '02 Jetta TDI.  Bought it in 04 with 23K miles.  It now has 159K miles.  I average 48-50 MPG year round no matter how I drive it with the lower numbers being in the winter.  I've never had a fuel problem with either water or gelling and have never used an additive however I make sure to buy from places that turn their fuel often.

I've only used the dealer for warranty work primarily because they're expensive but also because there's some opinion that the VW dealer network does not have a high skill set when it comes to diesels.  I've never had a problem starting it and the original battery lasted 7 years.  Timing belts are important on these things.  Since they are interference engines (valve / piston timing critical) it's important that someone who has experience with these motors work on them.  Not sure about the newer models but starting in 03-04, the type of oil used is critical.  The tdiclub is a great source of information.  The cost to operate it so far including fuel and maintenance averages out to about 9.7 cents per mile.  Auto transmissions have been problematic in the past after 100K miles.  Not sure about the DSG.

One of the best things about the car are the engine characteristics.  For a small engine they have a lot of torque which requires less shifting on the freeway in rush hour traffic.  The car has gotten more stiff as time goes on and my 57 year old bones are not as happy as they used to be .

All in all, I think you'll like it.  Good luck.


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## Flatbedford (Apr 8, 2010)

Too bad there aren't more of these little diesels available here in the US. I'd like a 3/4 ton truck with a 200 hp / 300 ft/lb or so diesel. It would still have plenty of power and probably get twice the mileage of the current fuel hungry, over powered diesel light trucks now offered.


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## flyingpig (Apr 8, 2010)

Got one here. Golf MK6 TDI DSG. I bought it because of the MPG, but now I love it because it's fun to drive. That BIG torque @ low rpm makes me feel like I'm on 4.0ltr V6 rather than 2.0ltr 4 cyl.

Due to the limited number of car in the U.S., not much choices/options you can choose. I ordered mine end of Nov 09, 3 months later my dealer told me they will refund deposit since they can't fulfill my order. But I want it anyway so at the end I've got different color/options instead.

BTW, VW diesel sales is expected to hit quota soon so the full tax rebate will end this June. Hurry up!!

Som.


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## myzamboni (Apr 14, 2010)

So I picked it up this weekend.  Holy crap does this thing have torque.  If you don't look at the tach needled dropping at low rpm to the next gear, you wouldn't know it was a diesel

440 mile drive home with a heavy foot and got 40 mpg on an engine with 10 miles on it at the start of the trip.

And BG, 6 footers can sit in  back behind 6 footers in front.


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## velvetfoot (Apr 14, 2010)

Congrats on the new car and don't forget to click on http://www.tdiclub.com


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## myzamboni (Apr 14, 2010)

velvetfoot said:
			
		

> Congrats on the new car and don't forget to click on http://www.tdiclub.com



already a member on there. :coolsmile:


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## flyingpig (Apr 15, 2010)

myzamboni said:
			
		

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Enjoy your new car. There is also a good advice on how to break-in the engine here too. http://www.myturbodiesel.com

Cheers.....Som


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