I'm sure this topic may have been posted elsewhere, but it did not show up when I did a search. Apologies if it's a repost.
I am giving some semi-serious thought to replacing the Saturn we currently have with a Jetta TDI. That's especially true if my favorite uncle is still willing to give me a tax rebate for it. However, before I buy one, I'd like some opinions as to whether it's a wise move or I'd be best off looking at something else.
I'm assuming you're talking about a new Jetta TDI.
I spent three months and 7,000 miles with one last year. I liked it a lot. Mileage was mid-40s and I wasn't soft-pedaling it. Power was certainly acceptable and torque was great. Highway passing was good, much better than you would expect from 140 HP. It was very quiet and comfortable, even after thirteen-hour drives. Handling was very acceptable for a stock FWD sedan. Brakes were strong for stock. Blue gauges rock. 450+ miles cruising range is nice. Overall judgement of the TDI engine is I love the torque when I need acceleration and I love the mileage the rest of the time.
I'd like the Sportwagen even better. And I would prefer a manual six-speed to a DSG. The DSG wasn't bad, just not as good as I can drive myself. Biggest issue with the DSG was occasionally it would hesitate at take-off, which is a little scary when turning left across traffic. 
I tried to convince my folks to replace their Audi with a Sportwagen TDI. 'Nuff said.
David
DWNSHFT wrote: I'm assuming you're talking about a new Jetta TDI.
You are correct. Thanks for your recommendation!
Well, My dad just bought one tonight. pretty peppy.
My parents just bought one. Very, very nice.
Replaced their '97 Jetta bought new. Wow what a difference
I own an '05 Golf TDI and man do I love it. I'm trying to talk the wifey into a Jetta TDI. It's comfortable, it eats miles without issues, gets 40+ mpg without trying, and is pretty practical. I'd say yes to the Jetta, but I'd recommend checking out the Golf too!
In reply to Drewsifer:
We've had a couple of them and love them. Don't forget that they are also eminently tunable, both by hardware and software. Check the Forums like Fred's http://www.tdiclub.com/ some guys are putting up HUGE numbers with those cars.
I love, love TDI Volkswagens. I had a B5 Passat TDI when I lived in Germany. It was fast enough, got incredible fuel economy and never broke.
Great topic: I go back and forth on buying a TDI (a reasonably low mile used one). On the one hand, I'd save ~150-200 a month in fuel.
On the other, it's a VW..... and I'm terrified of VW reliability based on what I've heard here and elsewhere....
Nathan
njansenv wrote: On the other, it's a VW..... and I'm terrified of VW reliability based on what I've heard here and elsewhere....
I had my Golf for about a year, in which time I probably did 30-40k. And right now my father-in-law is using it, and has treatened to not give it back. Not a single issue. Don't believe the hype.
I'm gonna be the black sheep here... as someone who runs a repair shop I can safely say that we would go bankrupt if you took away our VWs. The TDI engines are great, but the cheap plastic proprietary (expensive) hoses and tubing under the hood lasts about 40k miles, then it has to be replaced with VW parts-counter pieces that cost anwhere from $50 to $180. Secondary air injection faults aren't just common, they're expected. ABS modules fail constantly and you have the option of buying a new one for $1500 or sending it away for a week to be rebuilt for $300. The weirdest problems seem to crop up. We had one that lost oil pressure and found massive quantities of rust clogging the oil pickup screen. Maintenance at our shop is very reasonable, but costs for VW are still higher. Parts cost a bit more, but labor times are considerably more. Not to mention they make it nearly impossible to complete the simplest of maintenance issues. Doing a timing belt means removing the motor mount and the mount bracket; which means snaking a convoluted piece of 6" wide cast aluminum through a space that is only about 3/4" wide. They also do such a poor job of engineering those type of maintenance parts. The timing belt on most of them can't be installed normally. The tensioner doesn't adjust far enough out of the way to get it on. You have to remove the tensioner, take it to a vice or shop press, compress it, put a pin in it to hold it, remove the tensioner pulley AND cam pulley, hold the cam retarded a few degrees and then re-assemble it all using two hands in that same 3/4" space. Then once you get the tensioner piston back in and pull the pin you have to measure how far it pops out (if it didn't self destruct when you compressed it) and if it pops out too far or not far enough, you have to start over. To compound the problem, if the injection pump moves the slightest, there is a very good chance it will need to be retimed which is something you can't do at home.
MAF sensors on TDIs like to crap out at about 80k. Don't even think about a K&N or other oil-type filter or that number drops to about 20-30k.
I personally would rather push a tricycle than own a VW any newer than an A2.
Drewsifer wrote: I'd recommend checking out the Golf too!
I would look into the Golf, but this potential purchase comes with the stipulation that the car must be brand-new. VW apparently doesn't sell TDI Golfs here anymore. And I think a Jetta's back-seat would be a bit dog-friendlier.
curtis73 wrote: I'm gonna be the black sheep here... as someone who runs a repair shop I can safely say that we would go bankrupt if you took away our VWs. Parts cost a bit more, but labor times are considerably more.
Good thing I'm a decent mechanic. At worst, I might need to buy a house (and a lift) before buying the Jetta.
We've had all kinds of import cars in our family (Subaru, Toyota, BMW, etc) and I don't really find the Dubs all that different in terms of annoying problems. The T belts are a big job, but after you do a few they're not that bad. The thing is, for a combination of performance and economy, there simply is nothing else sold here that can compare.
The one thing I would say is that if you get one you must get a Vag-Com interface for your laptop. That way you're not prisoner in the dealer everything they pitch a code at you.
In my experience, the German-built VWs are generally trouble free. The Mexican-built ones, however, are a royal PITA and shed parts with reguarity.
I base this on four modern VWs I've owned
My 85 Jetta and my 99 Passat were completely trouble-free, whereas my 92 Jetta and the wife's Cabrio constantly shed small, annoying parts (door handles, lock cylinders, headlight switches, seat recliner knobs, etc).
Oddly the 92 and 02 seem to shed the same kinds of parts. The worst, though, is the overly-sensitive Check Engine light in the 02 Cabrio.
I don't know why the German-built ones are so much better than the Mexican-built ones, but here's how to tell them apart:
First digit of VIN = W, car was built in Germany
First digit of VIN = 3, car was built in Mexico
We bought an '05(old jetta). At 8K it needed a new clutch, which was replaced because it was defective. At 30K it was exhibiting the same symptoms. I'm glad I dumped it and bought a Mazda3. Mrs.Mini loved the Jetta, I never could get comfortable in it. I'd try a diesel, but can't justify the premium.
Umm... curtis... that is a rather... unorthodox method for changing a TDI timing belt... I've changed the timing belt in my TDI twice now... I bought the aftermarket Metalnerd tools which makes the job pretty straight forward. Yes, the bracket is a bit annoying to work around but not the end of the world... the tensioner must be replaced with each TB. and the idler pulleys are a good idea as well. Fortunately, complete parts kits are readily available... but of course, you know that... right?
Regardless... 6 1/2 years... 202K miles... and I've done little to the car other than regular maintenance and wear items... no plastic pipes... no ABS modules... original clutch, even... most reliable car I've ever owned...
The simple fact is that those who work on cars tend to see the worst of them... but for every car that seems to be a problem child, there are many more that run fine for years...
I bought a TDI with the assumption I would be working on it myself. TDI's (at least the 97-03 versions) are actually one of the best DIY cars out there. Tools are available through the aftermarket, VAG-COM provides nearly dealer-level diagnostic capabilities, and TDIclub.com provides the best online resource for a specific mark anywhere.
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