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VW Jetta TDI

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

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

Messages Page 467 of 475

#4661 of 4744 Thinking Jetta TDI after 30 yrs by edmund2460

May 19, 2012 (9:04 am)

My 82 Jetta Diesel with 278K still runs giving 48mpg. It's not much of a car in appearance or creature comforts but the engine hasn't been worked on, doesn't smoke, although it uses a little oil and still runs pretty close to what it used to do. I don't drive it much nowadays my main car being a Mazda Pro which has been 100% fault free over 102 K. Anyway, I'm thinking of going back to VW, get a little better mileage. But I hear that Mazda is coming out with a low compression diesel at the end of this year to add to their new SkyActiv line of re-engineered cars. Comments anyone on whether VW by virtue of it's long time involvement in making and selling diesels has a definite edge over new entrants. Also what about this low compression design (Mazda has the highest compression gas engine but the lowest compression Diesel).
 
My 82 of course has maintenance required (valves, timing) and the mechanics with the tools needed have all long since left the scene, which is another reason I'm thinking of selling it if I can and trading my 2011 Mazda Pro for a higher mileage vehicle, but what are the chances I would get a TDI to run fault free over 100K?
Thanks for any comments

#4662 of 4744 Re: Thinking Jetta TDI after 30 yrs [edmund2460] by ruking1

May 19, 2012 (10:48 am)

Replying to: edmund2460 (May 19, 2012 9:04 am)
UPSHOT: The first reaction is stay with what you have. You do not say what mpg you get with the Mazda Pro and your mpg expectations with the newer diesels. Without those figures/parameters, it is hard to say if the switch will make any sense, or if you will be happy.It is COMPLETELY unknown how the sky active diesel has done for real world consumers on the US markets.
 
I think I would only be saying the obvious, but the difference between 30+ MY diesels and the MY 2012/2013 is in some ways SOS/DD, but literally night and day differences.
 
Lower compression, albeit less than >/ 25 to 1 compression ratios are to remove the "marbles in a can" sounds. Having said that, the 2003 TDI has (as I recall ) 19/1 compression ratio and does not have those "MIAC" sounds. For a decade or more, modern diesels have been designed to run ULSD. Who knows what ppm sulfur diesel fuel the 1982 was designed to run?
 
The 2003 Jetta TDI is going on 177,000 miles. It has had the normal TSB's. Unscheduled maintenance has been (non diesel related) change of batteries, windshield, two burnt out brake light bulbs, early drivers side low beam burn out and a just recent 176,000 miles passenger side low beam burn out. New tires 112,300 miles Schedule maintenance has been TB/WP change at oem recommended interval of 100,000 miles. It has been on a steady 20,000 to 30,000 miles OCI's, aka oil changed out 6 to 8 times. Air filter has been changed out 2 times. It still gets between 48-52 mpg. (aka 50 mpg). Brake pads and rotors and suspension are oem. The 1.9T and it slightly larger 2.0 TDI's are pretty well tested. The 2.0 TDI with AdBlue right now is probably the best of the breed. EPA H of 43 mpg.

#4663 of 4744 Re: Thinking Jetta TDI after 30 yrs [ruking1] by edmund2460

May 25, 2012 (7:55 am)

Replying to: ruking1 (May 19, 2012 10:48 am)
ruking: thanks for the reply. My Mazda Pro gives me around 28 commuting to work (25 miles one way, about 8 miles of slow going when traffic is heavy). It is in excellent shape at 102K. The 82 Jetta is an occasional car but I wouldn't mind restoring it if I could only find mechanics to work on it . The problems with this car have always been hardware and electrical. Right now the brake lights don't work, it's not the bulbs or the fuse. There's a false oil pressure alarm that comes on intermittently. This has been going on for years. I wish VW had built it to last as long as the engine and transmission. But the car still rides well, it feels comfortable, better than my Pro, although of course it can't match it for handling. Slow as molasses though, I don't mind, if VW would make a simpler diesel without the turbo, just concentrating on the mpg, reliability and longevity I would go for it.

#4664 of 4744 Re: Strong Antifeeze Smell on Jetta TDI [depadder] by squatlow

May 25, 2012 (6:32 pm)

Replying to: depadder (Feb 25, 2010 7:43 pm)
I have the same problem did you ever find the cause or source.

#4665 of 4744 Return to normal? by cosmo

Jun 07, 2012 (7:11 pm)

Diesel has been less expensive than regular gasoline for a month now. I hope this means that the rest of my world will also return to normal.

#4666 of 4744 Long commute with stop and go traffic by carteach

Jun 09, 2012 (3:22 pm)

I've tried searching this forum for answers to my specific situation, but can't find it. So...I'm hoping for some advice. I commute round trip 120 miles a day back and forth to New York City. Much of the trip is stop and go traffic but not all of it. Is TDI a smart choice?

#4667 of 4744 Re: Long commute with stop and go traffic [carteach] by zambaq

Jun 10, 2012 (4:00 am)

Replying to: carteach (Jun 09, 2012 3:22 pm)
It might be a smart choice -- depends on your priorities. What are you looking for in a car, and what other vehicles are you considering?
 
I live in the city, so I prefer to commute via public transportation, but I think my '09 Jetta TDI would make a great commuter car for someone who had to drive to work. The driver's seat is both comfortable and supportive, the interior is well-appointed and nicely finished, the car handles well with minimal road noise, and it's got lots of low-end torque (and of course, a turbo) for passing when needed. All of these attributes should make it a relatively pleasant means of dealing with a typically dreary commute. (Though from what I've read, my enthusiasm might be considerably curbed if I were stuck behind the wheel of a new, "Americanized" Jetta, unless I had to carry extra passengers in the back seat....)
 
If your first priority is fuel-efficiency, however, and if a good portion of your commute is, as you suggest, truly "stop'n'go", a Prius would likely be a better choice, albeit only if you could adapt to its idiosyncrasies and its decidedly "un-carlike" driving experience. The TDI is an mpg champ on the open road, but it drops back into the pack in city driving. In my area of Queens, where there's a stop sign or traffic light at nearly every intersection, I average only 20 to 25 mpg. The real joy of TDI ownership for me comes during my escapes from NYC, when the car usually gets 40 to 45 mpg, whether on the interstate or on back roads, where it's also quite fun to drive. So even though it wasn't the ideally frugal choice for someone living (and driving) as I do at the moment, I'm glad (so far, at least) that I bought it.
 
You just have to weigh all the factors relevant to you, and if a TDI (Jetta, Golf, Sportwagen or, soon, Beetle) is still on your short list, then by all means take one out for a good, long test drive!

#4668 of 4744 Re: Long commute with stop and go traffic [carteach] by rremer1

Jun 10, 2012 (5:50 am)

Replying to: carteach (Jun 09, 2012 3:22 pm)
I, too, do a lot of stop and go driving, punctuated by longer stretches of highway. I have adopted a style of driving of for the stop and go driving that maximizes my diesel use during. (I guess it's called hyper-miling.) Anyway, since you drive the route every day, you know when you're coming to a light and stops signs (especially stop signs you know others will be waiting at ahead of you). And you coast there. No point in depressing the peddle when you know you have to stop. The TDI coasts beautifully (some regular cars don't; they just practically stop). This has made a huge difference in my mpg. When I do this conscientiously, I can run 500 or more miles on a tank. If I get lazy and drive more aggressively, I'm filling up at 460 miles. The only hybrid I'd be tempted to buy is a diesel/TDI, which, of course, would do even better! PS: I drive a 2010 Sportwagen.

#4670 of 4744 Re: Strong Antifeeze Smell on Jetta TDI [squatlow] by elias

Jun 10, 2012 (7:31 am)

Replying to: squatlow (May 25, 2012 6:32 pm)
first consider replace thermostat and take careful measurements of coolant level when engine cold to see if there is measurable coolant loss and look for drips on floor under car after its run hot (put big white paper under there if you can to see exactly what it is leaking if anything). big coolant loss would probably indicate some kind head gasket leaking if not thermostat gasket . or water pump. has water pump been swapped as required at 100k? they can drip a bit when they are about to fail.)
another possibility is heater-core. (maybe does the smell lessen a bit if you turn the HVAC system *off*? not sure if it would in that case)
 
but also: there is a spherical coolant resevoir (white plastic i think). inspect it carefully, and all tubes, wires leading into/under it - unplug nearby wiring harnesses - and look for signs of corrosion inside the wiring plugs/harness/conduit. the reason is that resevoir or attachments it can crack and leak coolant *inside electrical wire bundle*, causing major damage.

Messages Page 467 of 475

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