New to TDI, how do they drive?

door

Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2003
I just relocated, and face a 100 mile commute each way daily. Understandably, I am looking for high milage, low cost vehicle that rides comfortably on the interstate for 3 hours per day... When the planets align, maybe I will find something...

A friend suggested I look at a TDI, but have some questions. What is the best option for me? Jetta, or Beetle? What is the real mileage they get on the interstate, especially travelling at 80mph average (trafic moves around here...). how do they drive/handle on the interstate? Are they loud? A lot of vibration, bounce around a lot, or smooth? Finally, are they safe, Beetle vs. Jetta?

Thanks for the input, this is a great site.
 

lord_snot

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2002
Location
Deland, FL
TDI
2000 Golf, 1999 Beetle
I've been making a similar commute for the past 3 years (103 miles each way and yes I am crazy). I started doing it in a Honda Civic. I love Hondas, but compared to the A4 VW's (I'm in a 2K Golf GLS TDI) that Civic was like riding in a roller skate. The Golf has been great. I now have 132K miles on it. The only problems have been the window regulators (both fronts failed and I drove the car for a year like that before VW finally fixed it under warranty at 103K miles) and my MAF has just gone out (currently running in limp mode). My Golf has been the best car I have ever owned. It feels solid. Road noise is minimal (with the 15" tires). I average around 45 - 46 MPG driving 80 - 85 MPH. Another big plus for this car vs others is the larger fuel tank. I can safely go 3 days before needing to fill up again. With my Honda (averaged around 42 MPG) the tank was smaller and I found myself stopping for gas every 2 days (really gets to be a pain in the a**). As for bounce, I haven't really noticed any. I do notice alot of body roll in turns though. Oh yeah, the brakes are great. I would suggest going with a Golf. They are simply more practical and you can haggle a better deal because everybody else wants the Jetta and Bug. One other thing, making such a long commute your car will get chips in the paint everywhere (mine has). I would suggest looking into that clear protective film that 3M puts out. I didn't, but really wish i had.
 

lojasmo

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2002
Location
Rochester, Minnesota
TDI
'12 JSW
Smooth, quiet, solid feeling, and competent. i'm getting 45 mph mixed driving, spirited city/65-80 mph highway (fourth and fifth gears) A very fun, frugal, safe, and capable ride. Downsides: a little bouncy. Not so tight in lateral moves (sway bar/upper strut tower reportedly helps alot). Your mileage will suffer at 80 mph as discussed exhaustively in other forums. As to jetta v. beetle: the beetle has a hatch, jetta, trunk. Jetta is somewhat more slippery, so mileage may be a little better. Beetle only has 4 seatbelts, both very safe. I love my golf.
Enjoy.
 

P-car

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2002
Location
MA
TDI
2000 Jetta
We have an 02 Jetta wagon TDI. Great car. Comforatable, fairly peppy and a good value. We get an average of 46 mpg with 5 speed. I like the Jetta better than the Bettle because for me it has more room. Go to a dealer for a test drive and see how nice they drive.
 

jackbombay

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 12, 2002
Location
Diesel knows best
TDI
A4 Jetta
Driving in the MOUNTAINS from Idaho to Colorado at 65 to 80 got me 46 MPG. Seems like most tdi's get about 45-48 MPG at 80 MPH. I love driving this car. Suspension is a little soft though. I think the car is vibrationless and quiet, but I haven't been in many new cars for comparisson.

-Jack
 

MileageDude

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2003

click image for info

The TDi's are expensive to buy initially, about $2k - $4k over a similar sized sedan. Could you get 200,000 miles out of a Honda Civic, or an Accord DX 2dr, or a Chevrolet Cavalier.

The answer is, yes if you maintain those cars mechanically you could.

The question is then, "Will those small size sedans beat the living life out of me during my 200 mile commute each day?"

The answer is, yes.

I'll give you something to ponder upon. Image driving a car for 60,000 miles and the motor is finally broken in. That's a good feeling, one found while owning a Volkswagen TDi and even a more satisfying feeling witnessing better fuel economy while passing that barrier. I have 27,000 now and my mileage has improved since 20,000. I've had the car 6 months. Keeping in mind you must maintain the first 60,000 miles of that motor's life. Oil changes at 10,000 mile intervals and various maintenance procedures [air filters, etc] -you know the story. Following that rule of thumb that TDi will go 300,000 plus miles and still tic like it was meant to tic when new.

I guess coming to a TDi Forum and asking about a TDi will bring nothing but bias responses. It's normal, we don't talk Fords here. You just have to ask yourself a real question, one that you alone can answer. You are going to spend 3 to 4 hours inside a car each and every day. Wouldn't you appreciate a car that would take 60,000 miles to finally break in, also keeping up or passing more sporty cars on the highways and an interior that won't buckle, fade or fold with all the hours your butt is planted behind the wheel. I won't mention 700-800 miles on a fill-up. I won't even mention that for $900 you can get a suspension that will out handle mostly anything in its class. I won't even mention the tuning boxes or chips or injectors you can add creating enough dependable power it would make a 1.8T or VR6 stand still but obtaining 2-3 times the mpg. And again I won't go into such trival details as how great and informative Fred's forum actually is for both a new and old owner of TD/TDi's.

I have a 2002 Golf TDi. It's great. I try not to spread the word how great it is keeping that a secret. If everyone knew how great these car are there would be a 2 year waiting lists to order one.

Good luck on your decision making,

M.D.
 

Jared B.

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2002
Location
Oshkosh, WI, USA
TDI
2000 VW Jetta TDI Green
One question of his nobody commented on was the noise..

The TDI has a quiet rumble when it is idling. Have a dealer start one for you, and you'll know what I mean. You will NOT experience this noise while the car is moving. From my experience, my TDI is quieter while driving than any of my previous gasoline cars.

It is incredibly comfortable. There's no other car I'd rather have a long commute in!
 

concours

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2001
Location
Kensington, NH
TDI
2006.6 Jetta GLS 5 speed 125,000 miles, 2001.5 Jetta GLS 5-speed, Tornado Red, Monsoon w/CD changer
The TDI is quieter at highway speeds than all of the other VW gas engines, as tested with sound equipment. I regularly roll 80-85 mph and it loves it. The real brakes are nice as well, compared to previous domestic stuff. It's a pleasure to spend 20-25 hours a week in my "office". The GM's I ran before would torture my lower back. Test drive one first. One new poster claimed he couldn't stand the suspension, too soft. That does appear to be a rare exception, though.
 

highhilltdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2002
Location
O-HI-O
TDI
'00 Jetta GLS
I've done a lot of commuting over the years and you're right, when the planets align....

In the past I've always chucked the cheap part. Most of my commuting was in V6 Camrys. Comfortable, reliable, powerful, quiet, boring....

I'd never commute in a small tin-can type econ-box, but the Jetta is different. It feels substantial, has nice features, plenty of leg/head room, excellent safety rating, and feels just as powerful (drag-racing excluded). It's not as quiet as the Camrys were on the highway and doesn't ride quite as soft, but overall it's a great commuter. The best part is you get all that, plus it's cheap to operate!
 

mailman

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Location
USA - CT
TDI
99.5 Black Jetta TDI
Wow, I don't feel so bad any more with my 85 mile round trip daily commute.


Fact is, as long as the MAF holds out
, engine has plenty of power available to make for a comfortable and pleasurable commute. And while cruising on the highway, the engine is very quiet and you'd be hard pressed to even know you are driving a diesel ... until of course you realize that you are only stopping for fuel 1/2 as often!
 

cage

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 25, 1999
Location
lakewood, ohio
I have a Beetle which is great for curvy crazy driving but if I were commuting I would go with the Golf or Jetta due to the fact that the Beetle is more prone to being blown around on the highway (which ads to fatigue) due to it's bulbus shape an fender flares. It is not the weight of the car (2,900lbs.) my friends Civic is only 2,500 lbs and isn't phased.
 

tedluck

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 18, 2003
Location
Spartanburg, SC, USA
TDI
1998 Jetta, White; 1998 Jetta, White; 2001 NB, White
I have to speak to another question that hasn't been answered yet: are they safe? YES. I was T-boned by a Ford Explorer on the driver's side (he ran a stop sign). My 4-door Golf hit the ditch and flipped, sliding on the roof for 150 feet. My seatbelt held me firm. I rolled down (up?) the driver's side window to crawl out even though the door was mangled. The passenger cabin was not compromised at all -- the roof held the weight of the car. I took the insurance money from that and bought another Golf. This was ten years ago. I'm in a Jetta now and feel just as safe as I did in the three Golfs I've owned.

The VW dealership had a sticker on their window for a couple of years bragging that the Golf was number one on the list for fewest deaths per 100,000 accidents -- better than Toyota, Volvo, etc. Jetta was number two.

Lastly, I've been driving 650 miles a week for nearly 5 years now on my '98 Tdi Jetta with No Problems, same mileage as indicated above, and now that I'm increasing torque the car is literally a blast to drive!
 

SwimmerDave

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2002
Location
Decatur, GA
TDI
2014 JSW 6MT
If I'm hearing your correctly, your requirements for a vehicle are:

1) high mileage
2) low cost
3) comfortable ride

I honestly know of no other vehicle that meets these requirements better than a TDI. Do yourself a HUGE favor and take one for a test drive. You will be amazed at how quiet and smooth they are on the highway. They are actually louder at idle than at speed. Quieter than most gassers on the highway, actually. No vibration. No bounce. Very safe.

If you're looking for optimal mileage, go with the Jetta or the Golf. The Beetle has its shape going against it - though I love my Beetle TDI.
 

paramedick

TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor
Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Location
Versailles, Kentucky
TDI
2015 Audi Q5 TDI
I have been driving my 97 Jetta TDI for a little over a year now. Had a 98 Civic which my wife now drives. Jetta went to the body shop yesterday for a hood repaint due to massive chipping. Borrowed my wife's Civic for a few days for my 70 mile daily drive. I now find that a car I enjoyed before is intolerable now. Cannot believe how hard I have to push the go pedal to merge on the Interstate! Seats are terrible, and the shifter is terrible. Interior noise is incredible. The only good part of this is the Jetta comes home tomorrow!

Get the TDI. You won't regret it. Especially when it is paid off, and you are not contemplating having to replace a car.
 

door

Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2003
Thanks for all the input. I realize that a TDi forum may be biased, but y'all are the ones to know and have analyzed the situation to every detail. I seem to be directed to the Jetta or Golf. My concern is that the Golf may be just too small to compete with the trucks on the interstate.
 

Wingnut

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 10, 2002
Location
Toronto & Whitby
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta Wagon
The Golf only looks small. It is actually the same interior size as the Jetta. Actually there is more volume inside the golf because of the hatch. They are the same width. The only difference is the Golf is a bit shorter. Looks like about 8" or so. The Golf is even 1kg heavier than the Jetta.

2003 Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI
2003 Volkswagen Golf GLS TDI
Exterior length (mm)
4,376
4,189

Exterior body width (mm)
1,735
1,735

Exterior height (mm)
1,440
1,439

Front track (mm)
1,513
1,513

Rear track (mm)
1,494
1,494

Turning radius (m)
5
5

Ground clearance (mm)
131
129

Legroom (front, mm)
1,055
1,055

Legroom (rear, mm)
851
851

Headroom (front, mm)
980
980


949
950

Headroom (rear, mm)
938
949


927
927

Shoulder room (front, mm)
1,365
1,365

Shoulder room (rear, mm)
1,333
1,333

Passenger volume (L)
2,464
2,500


2,407
2,407

Interior cargo volume (L)
368
500

Maximum interior cargo volume (L)
368
1,180

Curb weight (kg)
1,349
1,350
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The Golf is rock-solid on the highway...you cannot tell any difference while driving. They are the same car mechanically, just a different shaped butt. The Golf is much more useful...I have owned three, and would much rather have the usefulness of the hatchback over the two Jettas currently in my garage (but no diesels were available in '91 and '98 in a Golf, just the Jetta). They are very quiet on the highway, mainly because the awesome torque of the engine means they turn fewer RPM. Highways are really where the TDI shines!
 

door

Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2003
How about reliability? I have owned a Nissan and a Dodge, the 2 extremes of reliability, guess which is which... I have read here a lot about blown MAF's, what is a MAF?
 

cattlerepairman

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2003
Location
Ottawa
TDI
none
MAF (mass air flow meter) measures the amount of air the engine sucks in. That is critical for computing the right amount of fuel to inject.
If you check out the "TDI FAQ" you will be able to read all that - and then some!

As for ride quality..I have a Beetle (same chassis as Jetta or Golf) and the comfort level is very good.

As for trucks on the interstate..well....I mostly see them in my rear view mirror...hehehehe.

As for a 100 mile commute...GET A DIESEL!!!!!!
 

MrMetal

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2002
Location
Seattle, WA
TDI
None
... I seem to be directed to the Jetta or Golf. My concern is that the Golf may be just too small to compete with the trucks on the interstate.
Well, the trucks won't be able to keep up with your Golf first of all... 2nd of all, just pull up in line right between them at the diesel stops. They'll look at you like you're crazy, but soon enough you'll earn your respect
 

MileageDude

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2003
...My concern is that the Golf may be just too small to compete with the trucks on the interstate...
The Jetta and the Golf are identicle in wheel base and seating area. The only difference is the Jetta has a trunk and the Golf has a Hatchback. There is actually a lot of benefit for a Golf because you can lay down the seats and have all that rear squared off area for storage, where a Jetta has a lowered back end with a real trunk.

The Golf is the number one seller in Europe and Europe has speed limits between 130-150 kph competing with the big boys on those autoroutes. Both the Jetta and Golf handle pretty much the same. I have first hand experience in the US.







Trucks, traffic and tickets all look good from behind...

2002 Golf GTDI

M.D.
 

Leseid

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2003
Location
MN
TDI
2014 Toureg TDI
I commute 120 miles every day in my 2003 Golf GLS TDI. It takes me until 11:30A to get the smile off my face


She gets between 40 and 52 mpg (depending on how cold it is out.

I truly love diesels of any sort, so I'm not necessarily the guy to ask. I get all drooly at traffic lights when I turn down the radio and just listen the the happy little clatter under the hoooooooooooodd arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh! Getting.....carried...away.........agaaaaaaaaiiin.....
 

MrMetal

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2002
Location
Seattle, WA
TDI
None
I truly love diesels of any sort, so I'm not necessarily the guy to ask. I get all drooly at traffic lights when I turn down the radio and just listen the the happy little clatter under the hoooooooooooodd arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh! Getting.....carried...away.........agaaaaaaaaiiin.....
I'm there with you, man. I'm personally looking into ways of undoing VW's wonderfully engineered noise insulation. There has got to be a way to make an '02 Jetta TDI sound like an '86 Jetta diesel
 

ABS

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2003
Location
South Central Minnesota
TDI
2014 Passat SE TDI, 6MT
AWESOME!,

I just purchased my 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon in early March. I love this car! I drive about 85 miles one-way to work. The ride is very comfortable and very quiet. I am only on my sixth tank of Fuel, and have 3700 miles on the car! I was averaging about 43mpg initially driving at about 80. I decided to slow to 70, and my economy went to 48mpg. I think once the engine has broken in, I should be close to 50mpg at 70mph.

As far as others on the road, use defensive driving, don't tailgate, keep your anger under control, and enjoy the ride. By doing that, you don't need to worry about "competing" with trucks or other vehicles on the road. And Frankly, if you go head to head with a 180,000lb Tractor/Trailer rig, it's going right through you, even if you were driving my 7300lb Suburban.

If you don't like the Jetta sedan, take a look at the Jetta Wagon. It's a little longer in the body, unlike the golf, so you have room for a 70lb Weimeranier in the back
, or whatever you want to stash back there. I liked the ride of the wagon better also. It seems that the car handles better than the sedan, I assume it's due to the slightly different weight distrubution over the rear of the vehicle.

The great thing about VW's is that even at the base GL level, you get options that would cost anywhere from $1500 to $2000 in options with most other vehicles. I bought a Gl, because it had all the options I cared about. From here I only have two suggestions, seriously consider a 5-spd manual, and spend hours on this board to learn as much as you can. The board members are great at answering questions. Remember there are years of TDI ownership and experience here. You will learn things no sales person could tell you, and some things only the most experienced mechanics would know. I stop out here at least once a day, just to check in, and read about something new.

The TDI is a fantastic car, I doubt you would be disappointed. Good luck in your search, whatever you decide to buy.
 

Bonus

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2002
Location
Guelph, ON
The TDI is a great commuter car and a great car to take on extended trips. Fun to drive and pretty quiet. I've got a '02 Jetta now and my wife's tin can Civic is due for replacement. We plan to get a '04 Golf next winter after Christmas and the wife will take over the Jetta. She couldn't drive standard before but she found it easy with the TDI because of the torque. I want the 2004 Golf for the cargo versatility and the PD 100 engine
. The Golf (with the seats folded down) gives you an incredible amount of capacity.

Honestly, go take a TDI for a test drive on the highway. You will be glad you did. Then decide whether you want the Jetta, Jetta wagon, Golf or NB.
 

Leseid

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2003
Location
MN
TDI
2014 Toureg TDI
Sometimes, I take little Sarah along for the ride. She likes putting that nose against my clean glass


 

pierre

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2002
Location
Elizabethtown Pa.
TDI
2002 Golf gls
If in doubt buy it
enough said.
The pros will out weigh the cons, by far.
For a commute that far you NEED a diesel.
 

Captain_Chaos

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2002
Location
aa
TDI
aa
The amount you are gonna save on gas will be reason enough for someone like you who does alot of miles to buy a TDI.

I myself only do about 8000 miles a year, the reason I prefer diesels over petrol cars is because they simply drive much much better, the power is ALWAYS there when you need it. The servicing costs over in the UK are slightly higher, and the diesels tend to be more expensive new. The extra money you pay will soon be reclaimed from the amount you save on fuel, and even if it's not (like me) I think it's a VERY small price to pay for the amount of fun you can get from these cars.

Buy one, you'll like it.

But don't buy a new one right now if you're desperate to get one soon, wait for the PD models to get to the states.
 
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