Car Talk Guys BLAST VW Tdi!

GANZGUT

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2001
Location
Montana
On a Car Talk show I heard last weekend, Tom and Ray gave the following three reasons to a woman from Mt. Clemens Michigan as to why she should NOT buy a VW Tdi, after she expressed interest in doing so. They claimed that the Tdi was:

1. Pokey.

2. Smelly.

3. Hard to Find Fuel For.


Someone should really educate these bozos! I think they'd rather see us driving those insipid hybrids.

(Or better yet, send them TONS of negative e-mail.)
 

dutchman

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2001
Location
Marysville, WA USA
TDI
99.5 Bora
I will email them but what show is this? what station? what email address?

I think if everybody in the forum sends them and email they might talk about it again, and tell this lady a TDI is not so bad. Maybe somebody in the same city as these guys can give them a test drive.
 

Craig

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 8, 1999
Location
Kitchener, Ont., Canada
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by GANZGUT:
On a Car Talk show I heard last weekend, Tom and Ray gave the following three reasons to a woman from Mt. Clemens Michigan as to why she should NOT buy a VW Tdi, after she expressed interest in doing so. They claimed that the Tdi was:

1. Pokey.

2. Smelly.

3. Hard to Find Fuel For.


Someone should really educate these bozos! I think they'd rather see us driving those insipid hybrids.

(Or better yet, send them TONS of negative e-mail.)
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It always amazes me when people will say I am thinking of buying a TDI and a reply comes that it is pokey, smelly, etc. Don't people go down to the local VW dealer and take a test drive and find out for themselves?
 

BlueBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2000
Location
Chancellor,Alabama,USA
TDI
NB, 2000, Bright Blue & Yellow, Things & Wings rolling advertisement
I e-mailed, but I didn't rant. Just let them know how things have changed. I think that they have a 80's mindset. Their experience probably goes back to a bunch of old non turbo indirect injection Rabbit diesels that they may have actually worked on. I doubt that they have looked under the hood, much less driven or thrown a wrench on a modern TDI.

Lets give them some more input.

-Tim
 

golfstream

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 10, 2001
Location
Balmer, Hon
TDI
Golf, 2000, Black
I just remembered, wasn't MPT's Motorweek going to do a piece on the TDI? Maybe it's already run. I remember someone in MD saying that the lead person (forget his name) from the show was driving one, liked it, and was going to do a positive piece on the TDI.

Anyway, if this is true and Motorweek is (or has) done this piece, perhaps we could mail a taped copy of the show to Messrs Click & Clack.

-Mel
 

Old Navy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 15, 2001
Location
Ozark Hill's in Missouri, USA
TDI
None now, .
Just sent a rant email to the show. Gave my experience with my TDI and told them they should not be giving advice to people if they didn't know what they are talking about.
 

EnviroMan

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2001
Location
The Woodlands, TX, USA
These guys love sarcasm. I took the following approach, designed to give them fodder for air time.

Dear Tom & Ray:

I have enjoyed listening to your show for many years on KUHF in Houston. I usually find your commentary quite humorous and enjoyable. I would like to thank you for helping the VW TDI engine stay a well-kept secret. I work for an oil company. I like to see everyone driving big SUVs!!! You see, the VW TDI engine (available in Jetta, Golf, or New Beetle) is technological marvel capable of a consistent combined average 50 mpg! I have heard that there are versions of this engine available in Europe that get 79 mpg. Now that is scary. I would never want this to make it to the U.S. I'm worried because VW sells over 40% of its vehicles in Europe as TDIs. I am also worried because Consumer Reports likes it and it has received a number of good reviews, and the dealers can't keep any in stock. What makes it worse, is that its not a hybrid and it does not smoke or smell at all and is quite peppy. If this engine caught on, I would loose thousands in stock options. So thanks for the negative reviews, I appreciate it!
 

NYTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2001
Location
Mid - Hudson
TDI
1999.5 Golf TDI AUTOMATIC trans. GLS w/PLX package silver/black cloth
Was this a rebroadcast? They were bashing the TDI a few months (4-6?) ago and I emailed them then.

Nice going Enviro, just the thing that will catch their eyes.

I told them (this time) that next year I was going to give to NPR during the gardening show since the gardener probably knows more about TDI's than they do & at least I can get advice on growing my biodiesel crop.
 

Vanman

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2001
Location
Anaheim, CA USA
My reply to them:

Gentlemen,

While driving my diesel VW from Idaho to California Sunday I heard a portion of your show where a young lady wanted your opinion on the Golf TDI (diesel) and my ears perked up. I hoped I would hear all the good reasons to consider one of these cars. You told her to steer clear of this car for three reasons, and as I heard them I understood two things - 1) You must not have any recent experience with these fine engines, and 2) You have given advice contrary to the whole reason of existence of your show! The things you mentioned as diesel negatives might frighten someone who buys a car as an appliance - just show me where the steering wheel and gas pedal are, I don't want to know anything about the engine. But on Car Talk, supposedly by spreading knowledge about how engines work, you're encouraging people to educate themselves and overcome the usual hazards of ignorance, fear and superstition!

So, let's talk about diesel engines of the VW TDI - slow? nope. Great torque. Remember people buy horsepower, but they drive torque. This car has even more Fahrvergnugen than their gas models. Diesel fuel problems? Matter of perception. Let someone start getting 45-50 mpg, and diesel stations start appearing everywhere. This easily-learned skill of finding fuel (any truck stop and many other locations, well indicated by signage) will empower drivers. And smell? Mostly a thing of the past. Yes, the exhaust has an odor. So does gas exhaust, paint, etc etc. At least the exhaust contains very little carbon monoxide, and the black smoke you're used to seeing from school buses or large trucks just isn't there on these new engines.

If you keep any records about who calls and you still know the lady's name, please send her to our forum at www.tdiclub.com and there the truth will make her free!

Otherwise great show..

Pat Stevens
 

2000jetta TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 15, 2001
Location
Medicine hat, Alberta, Canada
this thread is hilarious!!!! i may email yet too!!! what i do when people look at me funny for driving a diesel VW, is simply take them for a quik little Upsolute enhanced tour. Most people like the nice blue and red lights, everyone wonders why there a$$ gets warm (he he he). i actually had a guy go and buy a tdi after riding in mine!!!!!should i get commission for that???
 

Tomkins

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2001
Location
Salt Lake City, UT
I listened to this this morning over the Internet and it disappointed me quite a bit.

Here is the link if anybody is interested. In RealPlayer, open this location:
http://cartalk.com/Radio/Show/Audio/200134/RA/s04.ram

Another area in which they talked down the diesel is that they are hard to start in the cold. The listener was from Michigan and said that temperatures get down below 0 degrees.

I am from Utah, where it gets pretty cold during the winters, and I have never had any problems. You TDI-ers in Michigan would know better.

I will be drafting my e-mail to Tom and Ray this evening.

P.S. If anybody knows when the Motorweek piece on TDIs will be broadcast, please let us know.

Thanks,
Tom
 

TDIMeister

Phd of TDIClub Enthusiast, Moderator at Large
Joined
May 1, 1999
Location
Canada
TDI
TDI
I listened to that show all about twice on NPR and I got fed-up with their drivel. Ironic that both occasions were on my drive to Michigan TDI GTGs


Most of their advice is pretty basic if not trivial, like:
Q: "I have a groaning sound coming from the wheels that varies to speed."
A: Well, I think your wheel bearings are shot. (DUH!)


or

Q: My car gets terrible MPG and seems to have difficulty warming up."
A: Hmmm, I think your thermostat is shot. (Double DUH!)


It's unfortunate that a fellow Michiganite (potential future member of the Michigan TDI contingency) got such bad advice that probably permanently turned her off from TDIs, but such is the attitude and ignorance in this land.
 

diesel#2

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2000
Location
Baltimore, MD, USA
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagen, 2004.5 Passat Variant (sold), 2000 Golf (still in family), 1998 jetta (RIP)
Anyone offering a prize if their letter is read on the air? My response e-mailed to click and clack is below.

Please guys, before you trash something give it a try. Last week you blasted the TDI from VW as being pokey and smelley and that it was hard to find diesel fuel. What bunk!!!

The transmission in the TDI is the same as used in VW's VR-6 and the TDI is actually faster off the line (though the VR-6 has a higher top-speed). There are modest modifications that can be done (air filter, diesel fuel additive, a new computer chip) that give renewed meaning the term pocket-rocket (a term originally coined by a Golf GTI).

The ECU controls the air/fuel mixture so efficiently that it is virtually impossible to make stock TDI's smoke (at least the current A4 technology).

While it is true that diesel fuel is less common than regular gasoline, when you can go 600+ miles on a tank of gas this isn't really a big deal (some have reported to have broken the 800 mile per tank barrier). There is nowhere in the United States (and probably the entire North American continent) that big-rig trucks don't travel for lack of availability of diesel.

To the buyer who was interested in trading her Dodge Colt for a Golf TDI I have only three (rather emphatic) words to say "GO FOR IT!" If you want additional information check out Fred's TDI page at tdiclub.com. Fred doesn't even own a TDI but this website is an invaluable resource for a car that is loved by both the performance meister AND the tree hugger. 50 mpg in a car that rocks is just plain awesome!
 

Craig

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 8, 1999
Location
Kitchener, Ont., Canada
My e-mail:

I understand that Tom & Ray were recently advising a woman NOT to consider a VW TDI because it is:

1. Pokey
2. Smelly
3. Hard to find fuel for.

There is a link above titled "Our Lousy Radio Show." It is obvious why you consider your own show "lousy." It is because Tom & Ray are giving automotive advice on subjects they obviously know nothing about.

You could improve your image from "lousy" to "darn good" if you will take the time to educate yourselves on a subject before passing yourselves off as experts. Tens of thousands of North American car owners who are not experts, but have actual experience, totally disagree with your expert advice.

Here's to improving the quality of your show.

- Craig
 

Bizman

Member
Joined
May 20, 2000
Location
Olympia WA
Hey! Here's what I sent the "Car Talk" weenies. For "Automotive Professionals" you guys are BIG TIME mis-informed about current direct injection diesel technology. Have you driven a VW TDI recently?????? I bought one for my wife in 1998 and was so pleased I bought a second one for myself last year. These little pocket rockets are a well kept secret, and will continue to stay that way as long as so called "Pro's" like you tell ingnorant (naive) consumers that they're Smelly, Stinky, and Pokey. By the way, we average a bit over 50 MPG while zipping around town. In all honestly, you owe it to yourselves as well as your listening public to educate youselves on these vehicles. Take the time to visit a VW dealer and ask to test drive a MANUAL TDI. Your next review might have a slightly different flavor.

Vince in Olympia WA
 

Harvieux

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Aug 15, 1998
Location
Whittier,CA-USA
TDI
06 A5 Pkg.2 w/navi & ASEP
How's this?

Hello Gentleman,

I wish I had an eloquent way to put this, but you guys blew it! VW's TDI (turbocharged direct injection) engine won a very prestigous world engineering award for it's fabulous tecnology. I respectfully ask that you research this engine as well as take one for a test drive and then recant your outragous and uninformed remarks. As a matter of fact, I would be willing to bet that one of the members of the tdiclub that resides in your area would be more than happy to come by and display this one of a kind automobile to you. After you both pick your jaw up off the ground in awe, you could then put on a special broadcast telling the listening world that hey, we made a mistake, this car is............

Gentlemen, we will be waiting to see if you have the gonads to do the right thing.

Respectfully submitted,
Leonard (Harvieux)
 

20IndigoBlue02

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 22, 2001
Location
Was North NJ, now SoCal
TDI
2002 Golf TDI-- deceased
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mel Knott:
I just remembered, wasn't MPT's Motorweek going to do a piece on the TDI? Maybe it's already run. I remember someone in MD saying that the lead person (forget his name) from the show was driving one, liked it, and was going to do a positive piece on the TDI.

Anyway, if this is true and Motorweek is (or has) done this piece, perhaps we could mail a taped copy of the show to Messrs Click & Clack.

-Mel
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Pat Goss (Goss' Garage) drives a 2001 New Beetle TDI automatic. Having regretted since. His also new MB E-class collects dust while he drives the bug around.

tan
 

BeetleGo

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 21, 1998
Location
Cambridge, MA
TDI
5-door, 5-speed Golf GLS replaced BeetleGo.
Just sent the following:

Hi,

I would like to recommend that you actually DRIVE a TDI model before characterizing it as if nothing had changed since you formed your opinion of diesel passenger cars in the 70's.

If you actually do as I suggest, remember that the TORQUE (remember what that does?) is found between 1800 and 2500rpm, so don't go winding the thing out like a gasser thinking you'll find something in the higher rpm's. Naturally you won't, unless the car is chipped. Then this otherwise spritely performer gets serious.

Remember, 0-60 times of under 10 seconds were considered 'sporty' only a few years ago. Getting that kind of performance ought to still be considered perfectly acceptable, particularly in light of real-world mpg in the upper 40's.

I know. I drive one.

------------
 
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