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VW Jetta TDI

4744 messages,  Last post on Apr 25, 2013 at 10:12 AM

You are in the Volkswagen Jetta Forum.

What is this discussion about? Volkswagen Jetta, Biodiesel, Diesel, Sedan

Messages Page 462 of 476

#4602 of 4744 Re: Advice on Tires for a 2009 VW Jetta TDI Wagon [barryob5] by longo2

Oct 19, 2011 (9:07 pm)

Replying to: barryob5 (Oct 19, 2011 5:56 pm)
I can say that the TireRack sould be part of any tire buying decision, the website is full of excellent info and reviews even down to owners specific vehicles. This way you don't have to read reviews about how some tire works great in the winter and then find out that the owner has them on an AWD vehicle.
But the one thing that TireRAck has that a lot of shops don't, is the Hunter Roadforce ballancing system for tires that you get shipped on rims (best bet, you never get a bad tire this way)
When you get your order they are well packaged mounted, ballanced and include a complete new set of wheel bolts.
 
I drive in horrible winter conditions for months every year (live in Canada, we know snow) but my 2006 Jetta with 4 General Altimax Arctics on 15" steel rims will bulldoze a lot of snow and hang on to snow packed roads very well. It's just very deep powder that causes things to go bad.
 
The VW Jetta TDI's are not the best winter vehicle out there that's for sure, ( too little clearance underneath the oil pan and kind of cold blooded)
 
I have used TireRAck for 3 different sets of 4 mounted winter tires on steel wheels, all General Altimax Arctics.

#4603 of 4744 Re: Advice on Tires for a 2009 VW Jetta TDI Wagon [longo2] by gagrice

Oct 19, 2011 (9:26 pm)

Replying to: longo2 (Oct 19, 2011 9:07 pm)
Longo, what was the name of that outfit you got the risers for your Jetta? I am thinking of retiring the Lexus to a family member and buying a Golf or Beetle TDI. I would love to get it an inch or so higher.
 
PS
The Tire rack is the best source of information on tires.

#4604 of 4744 Re: Advice on Tires for a 2009 VW Jetta TDI Wagon [kooler] by chuckycheese

Oct 20, 2011 (3:07 pm)

Replying to: kooler (Oct 19, 2011 5:45 pm)
I have had Bridgestone Blizzaks (4) on my 2000 TDI, '06 TDI, & my wife's '03 Volvo S60 (FWD). Tire Rack is an excellent choice to review your options. There is no substitute for 4 winter tires (my opinion). I live in PA.

#4605 of 4744 Re: Advice on Tires for a 2009 VW Jetta TDI Wagon [gagrice] by longo2

Oct 20, 2011 (4:51 pm)

Replying to: gagrice (Oct 19, 2011 9:26 pm)
Hi gagrice, here's the phone number to order those "Mr. Gasket" spacers for the Jetta front springs...1-800-345-4545 they were $5.95 a couple of years ago but $7.95 now...'price creep'....so what else is new?
 
BTW, you still have the link to order that really nice front hood deflector for the Jetta?
 
Thanks for checking...

#4606 of 4744 hairstyle of drivers who raise the suspension / to TDI or not to TDI by elias

Oct 22, 2011 (5:09 am)

before I traded my 4th VW TDI (120k miles), I considered upgrading/replacing the suspension, probably with some aftermarket/slight-drop & properly tuned/variable-rate-spring aftermarket setup.
  
Raising a suspension does not fit the definition of 'upgrade' in my dictionary but it does fit the definition of 'mullet'. Don't do it, gagrice!
 
imho raising the suspension is a downgrade and i'd like to reiterate my recommendation to leave the cars center of gravity where it is , or lower it, but don't raise it.
 
If one needs ground clearance that badly maybe better choices are a VW Tig sans mullet,
 or a pickup-truck avec mullet.
 
VW diesels are nice but compromising other aspects of driving just to continue with diesel was not worth it to me. the failure rate on the new TDI fuel systems seems also not worth it to me.

#4607 of 4744 Re: hairstyle of drivers who raise the suspension / to TDI or not to TDI [elias] by gagrice

Oct 22, 2011 (5:32 am)

Replying to: elias (Oct 22, 2011 5:09 am)
You are probably right on raising the Golf or Jetta. It is just to low for my tastes. The Tiguan is a good height for getting in and out of comfortably. Unfortunately it does not get good enough mileage to justify the price. I currently own a Nissan Frontier that I enjoy driving. A 22 year old LS400 that just will not break. I drive it just because it is there. And our Sequoia that we take on trips. None average over 17 MPG. I suppose an older diesel SUV that will run on just about anything would be better. I could import an older Land Cruiser diesel from Canada. I really cannot financially justify any vehicle purchase.
 
Is there any consensus on why the TDI fuel systems are failing. Are people getting low grade high sulfur diesel? Could it be the winter blends are causing the problems?

#4608 of 4744 Re: hairstyle of drivers who raise the suspension / to TDI or not to TDI [gagrice] by longo2

Oct 22, 2011 (8:11 am)

Replying to: gagrice (Oct 22, 2011 5:32 am)
What an odd analogy!
 
 If one's Jetta was considered totally bald, adding 1" spacers to the front springs would be more like a 'comb over' or at worst a crew cut!
 
My 2006 Jetta hangs so low in the front on the stock set up, it looks more like a vacuum cleaner going down the road.

#4609 of 4744 Re: hairstyle of drivers who raise the suspension / to TDI or not to TDI [longo2] by gagrice

Oct 22, 2011 (8:32 am)

Replying to: longo2 (Oct 22, 2011 8:11 am)
I think Elias was more concerned with the handling dynamics of raising the Jetta. If I lived someplace other than the people's republic of CA, where the roads are kept up, I may consider the Golf or Jetta. It is more my back getting in and out of low slung cars. That is why I don't like driving the Lexus. I will likely just save my money and keep what I have. We don't put a lot of miles a year on all three vehicles. For sure not enough to buy a new vehicle based on better mileage. I just enjoy the driving dynamics of a diesel vs gas engined vehicle. And the range you get on trips.

#4610 of 4744 raise the ride-height by bpeebles

Oct 22, 2011 (7:45 pm)

Replying to: gagrice (Oct 22, 2011 8:32 am)
You folks that *assume* that we all drive on perfectly-smooth roads are a bit out of touch.
 
Here in Vermont... many of the roads are not even paved. The paved ones are beat to death in the winter by salt and plowing every few hours. At least a bad dirt road can be graded... but potholes in a paved road are simply sharp-edges for the snowplow to grab and tear off more asphalt.
 
Also, the springs on vehicles tend to "sag" over time and miles. Many vehicles here in Vermont have at least one broken spring. (roadsalt and bunpy dirt roads can break the end off of a coil-spring and the driver may not even know it is broken)
 
 Replacing the springs to restore factory ride-height is not unheard of.
 
BOTTOM LINE: Adding an inch or so the ride-height may be a necessity for those that live where the roads are not baby-bottom smooth.

#4611 of 4744 green and other mountain states by elias

Oct 23, 2011 (5:43 am)

Sears replaced my vehicles springs while living in VT... 77 firebird 305 2bbl automatic.
It rode way too high for my tastes afterwards actually, but the factory springs were junk. leaf springs in back, coils in front. apparently, this was the closest i ever got to the mullet.
  
longo, thank you for extending the analogy with your spot-on point about comb-overs.
 
one reason i traded my 06 jetta at 120k miles was the long list of big-$ items it needed, shocks, springs, camshaft, tires, wiper blades, valve stem caps. :| zero sparkplugs required replacement, however.
 
gagrice, it sounds like you drive so few miles per year that you should just cave in and stick with gassers! I've cut back from 60k/year to merely 25k or 30k, and I've gone all gasser. If I drove as few miles as you , I'd probably be driving one of those planet-sized tractor-sized INTERNATIONAL pickup trucks that can tow full size loaded 30,000 lb trailer. i've seen one on the highway locally - it's hilarious - and awesome.

Messages Page 462 of 476

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