Bought a TDI

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
I'll be happy if I can get into the 700 mile club with my 14.5 gallon tank. I learned something this morning: Diesel fuel nozzles come in two sizes and the big ones for semi trucks won't fit in my tank, which has a special guard that keeps you from putting gasoline in the thing. A lot of head scratching on that first fill.
On our 98 beetle right inside the fuel filler to the left was a little vent button, if pushed in with the fuel nozzle it allowed you to top off the tank a little more, found that on the TDI forums, plus it made filling it nicer. Not sure on what you have on the new model Eric. Would have been nice with 20 gallon tanks eh!
 
Diesel fuel nozzles come in two sizes and the big ones for semi trucks won't fit in my tank

I believe they do that because the pumps are higher volume and there's some potential for fuel foam spraying back out the filler neck on a small car/pickup tank.
 
43mpg sounds about right. With cold temps and winter fuel the mileage will be a bit lower, something to keep in mind.

I generally fill my car at around 1/4 tank, have been stuck in traffic before and been thankful I wasn't trying to nurse the last drop out of the tank!
 
I'm getting better at driving it. It really is more efficient at higher RPMs than I'd usually run. I generally don't get into 6th gear. My commute is 60 miles uphill (about 2,000 feet of elevation gain). I'm getting about 47 on the way up and 53 on the way home. Of course, I know the road very well, so that helps. Better fuel probably helps. The additive may help a bit. But that's an average of 50 mpg on my commute, which is all I ever wanted or expected. Yep, if it ever gets cold, I'm sure I'll take a hit. It still equals more beer money. Anyway, I'm hooked. I'm going to buy a little computer that plugs into the car's monitoring system and spits out all kinds of neat measurements. I didn't realize that I was buying another hobby instead of just another car.
 
I'm warning you, don't get too wrapped up in all the stuff the people at tdiclub.com are doing. It'll cost you a fortune before you're through. A start: http://ross-tech.com/vag-com/index.html . Also I wouldn't necessarily believe the trip computer until I verified it. Also all German cars' odometers seem to run 4 mph high, but it doesn't affect the miles driven. Also, you gotta use that diesel torque. Don't forget to get the anti gel especially if there's a cold snap coming.
 
I'm warning you, don't get too wrapped up in all the stuff the people at tdiclub.com are doing. It'll cost you a fortune before you're through.

I know, man.

My first fill pretty well matched the mpg on the meter for that tank, so it's in the ballpark, I think.

I like how the fuel supply to the engine cuts off when you're coasting. Totally alters my driving style. I've been gunning it up the hills then coasting back to cruising speed on the way back down the other side. The meter likes that. It's also fun to wind it up, which is not something I usually do with a gas engine.
 
Winding it up with a load on, of course. WOT in tdiforum lingo.
 
The diesel torque curve is flat. A wonderful thing that means you can rev it up and get the same torque the whole way. All that happens is the HP goes up and up as the rpms climb. HP on all engines, at a given torque, is directly related to RPM. Torque is great but top end on a turbo diesel will blow you away. Spool'er up.
 
FYI, on my A4 Golf something like 90% of the torque was at idle. For the fun of it I used to take off on a flat and shift through all the gears and never touch the accelerator.

It's interesting that you are getting such good mileage with your car. Everything thing I had heard about the new TDIs is they sacrificed mileage for HP and that 40/45MPG was the new mark.

My A4 will do 50MPG day in and day out on the highway as long has I don't go over 75MPH. That's with over 200,000 miles on it. I'm quickly closing in on the quarter of a million mile club. :)

Oddly enough I'm not sure I would buy another. If the MPG is what I hear then it's really not saving much. Diesel fuel in Maine is pretty expensive compared to gas (road tax). Combine that with the initial cost and cost of maintenance it just isn't that great of a pay off anymore when you can find gas cars that are with in a stones throw of 40MPG.

That being said enjoy yours, my Golf is almost like an old friend at this point. It's not going to be easy when I move on as silly as that sounds.

K
 
I put a Nissan SD-22 diesel into a Ford Ranger. Gets me about 35 - 40 MPG highway.
 
  • Like
Reactions: charly
Sorry to dust off such an old thread.

I just purchased and took delivery of a new 2014 Jetta TDI with the manual six speed.

How is the OP liking his TDI
 
Eric hasn't logged in since March. Probably out driving.
 
The 2004 (Jetta Wagon) and 2006 (Jetta Sedan) both 5-spd manual TDI's that grace my driveway continue to suit our needs. Years ago, I tried to convince my wife that she would be well suited to the Jetta Wagon TDI. She would have nothing of it and preferred "anything but a wagon". When we bought her 2006 new, we didn't have a new wagon option, although we looked at a few used Passat Wagons (gassers). We got her the TDI sedan, and she was instantly in love with 40+mpg, especially coming from a 17mpg V6 SUV. In recent months, we swapped vehicles and she actually seems to have fallen in love with the extra space and the ease of loading and unloading her toys out of the wagon.

At 187k on the 2004, and 112k on the 2006, they are not without their flaws. I received a box of parts from my buddies at Auburn VW today for a tidy $361. However, I won't be going back to gasoline any time soon. We regularly road trip the 2006 from Florida to Maine. What I spent on parts this week, I will make up on fuel costs over the long haul. I can do 47mpg highway in the 2006 without trying, and 50+mpg if I'm running 55mph 2-lane back country roads through the mountains of VT, NH and Western Maine. The sedan really shines on back country twisty mountain roads where torque and handling are key.

Enjoy your new ride.

P.S. Hope you got the rubber floor mats. (white exterior usually has tan interior. Tan carpet begs for the upgraded rubber floor mats). If there was one thing I wish I could change in my wife's White sedan, it would have black carpet like my wagon.
 
We had 2 TDI's.

Mine a 03 just sold this winter with 213k, I still miss it.

Wife's 06 with 235K sold in feb 2014.

Great cars, great mileage but the 06 was a auto with the mechatronic transmission, not good.

gg
 
Anyone looking for a loaded clean wagon 2004 with leather and 195K pm me, My dad is selling his.

gg
 
Status
Not open for further replies.