Newbie with bad bad mileage...

<font color="blue"> </font> So I've been lurking here a bit since before I got my TDI last year (end of Sept) - it's got about 7500 miles on it - and continues to get crappy city mileage - it's got the auto tranny but my foot's not made entirely of lead. Majority of driving is done in the city (DC area, so there is traffic) - I'd say probably almost 90% city. When I've done trips @ the holidays up north - about a 500 mile drive - the mileage is better, but still not that great: averages about 28-30 city (closer to 28) and 40-ish highway (keeping it around 75 when I can). This isn't really what I should be expecting is it? (Please no!! )

I don't do any of the additives, etc....mostly because I'm wary of voiding the warranty/screwing up the lease set-up...(it's a 4 yr lease...so I'm stuck for a little while...)

Thoughts? Suggestions? I'm really starting to wonder if I made the wrong decision about this car...

Thanks for the help!

Sorry about possibly sounding whiney on my first post! I'm a bit frustrated with the mileage - diesel prices vs. not as good as hoped for mileage doesn't make for the happiest owner (though I still love my car!)

1. Tire pressure?
2. use some Stanadyne Performance fuel additive. (get it from your VW dealer?)
hth

Take a look at some of the posts in this forum over the past month. There have been many similar posts.

I'm not sure adding additives will void your warranty. Plus it would be pretty hard to prove that you had added them. Additives aren't necessary if you are putting in a good fuel.

Check your tire pressure. This is usually the first place to start. Put them up to 40psi. Try to get to a Get Together and have some other members take a look at your car.

Adding additive will not void the warranty as long as it is the correct additive. Use fuel injection cleaner like how it is on a gasser will.

What you need to do is find someone in your area, click on the link on the top, VAG-Com list, and meet up with that person to check your timing. I was getting the same thing when I got my car. But I was patient enough to ride it out until my timing belt change. I am sure your timing is right at the bottom of the range as mine was. Before I never saw 43 mpg. Now I do when I make a trip to my mom's. The best I got before the adjustment was 38.

Also fuel does make a difference. Get crappy fuel = crappy mileage = dirty intake. Start looking for good fuel. I know it can be misleading as there are three kinds of gasoline at any fuel station while there is one kind of diesel. Don't assume that all diesel is the same. I am sure many of us did back them. (I did.)

(snip) Also fuel does make a difference. Get crappy fuel = crappy mileage = dirty intake. Start looking for good fuel. (snip)

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__. Good advice, OG. My experience has been that the Hess on Rt. 7 (between Bailey's X Roads and I-395) and the Texaco at Shirlington, just off I-395 across from Carlyle Grand Cafe, both have good fuel -- pricey, though.

__. Also, the right additive (Stanadyne, as VW recommends, or "Power Service" in the silver bottle) is good for your engine. The fuel injection pumps on these engines run incredibly high pressures (thousands of psi) and the fit of the metal pieces must be VERY precise. The additives help by adding lubrication to the fuel and this extra lube helps to seal these clearances in the pump and stops the pump from wearing out. (Diesel fuel is a pretty good lubricator in itself -- unlike gasoline which washes lubrication off metal -- but, ironically, the newer blends of diesel fuel which are made to reduce air pollution just happen to have less of this lubricating effect. Since you never know just how much lubrication is built into your diesel fuel, it's a good idea to add an additive TO BE SURE there's enough lubrication in your fuel pump.)

__ P.S. The fuel pumps cost thousands of $$$ if you have to replace them.
Bruce, NC etc

Be patient with the mileage. Diesel engines including the TDI engine take a LONNNGGGGGG time to break in. Those TDIers that drive them HARD have found that they take around 60,000 miles to fully break in. There is an initial break-in that occurs over the first 1000 miles or so, followed by a much longer and slower break-in process that occurs over the next 50-60k miles. Your mileage and performance should slowly but steadily improve while you have the car.

I drive a 5-speed 2002 Golf TDI and I didn't see my mileage improve until I had about 20k miles on it. The performance has also been steadily improving too. My TDI is now just slightly over a year old and I've already got 56k (aggressive highway driving) miles on it. I had to buy my TDI because leasing will not work for me because of the miles I drive--one of the main reasons why I bought a TDI in the first place.

If you put average miles on a car per year, your TDI engine probably won't be finished breaking in at the end of the 4 year lease. The TDI's longevity is incredible compared to any gasser engine. There are forum members with more than 100k miles on their TDIs and their performance and mileage are STILL improving (how many gassers can do that?). If you're overall happy with the car, you may want to consider turning it into a buy at the end of the lease because it will still have plenty of life left in it.

Follow the tips given in the TDIFAQ about driving style, proper break-in, and maintenance, and you should do fine.

Use only the best diesel fuel that you can find in your area. Usually this will be at truck stops and gas stations that do a lot of Diesel business. The fuel will always be fresh because the fuel is constantly being replaced more often. Stay away from those hole-in-the-wall gas stations that seem to never have anybody use the Diesel pump. Buy your Diesel fuel where everybody else does.


Enjoy your TDI!


~ n1das

averages about 28-30 city (closer to 28) and 40-ish highway (keeping it around 75 when I can).

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This is bad? 28 in Washington D.C. is great! Washington traffic is a mess.

And 40-ish at 75 mph is also great. Remember: The EPA's 45mpg rating is at 55 mph. You're going 20 faster than that, so you're wasting a lot of energy fighting air resistance.

Hello Neighbor!
Ditto on the on the GTG's! We had one in Cockeysville last month and there were over 60 cars there!
I own a Passat TDI (stick) and a 2002 Jetta TDI (Auto) I am pretty much city also 2-3 miles on the Beltway. My Passat has gone as low as 33 MPG and usually averages 38-39 in town and 45-46 highway although I drive 65-75 most of the time on the highway.
My Jetta gets from 27-31 in town and 43-45 on the highway.
The automatic will keep the mileage down.

Holy cr@p tomo! You are getting less than 30 in town? Maybe it's that loose injector?

Checked the tire pressure last night - have to admit it's been a while (probably since the oil change a few k miles ago - but it's at 40...so I guess I'm just going to hope to find a new job where I'm not driving to work...and only driving on the highway! Will be looking out for some of the Stanadyne stuff @ the dealership when I'm near one again. Does it make that much of a difference? Or am I just being impatient again?

Below is the newest info from VW website.



Indeed, you seem to be below the mark for city driving. Highway, you seem to be in line with what's expected. Maybe more people w/autos that do primarily city driving need to report their mileage so you can get a feel for where you are at on the average. Keep in mind, for stop and go, bogged down driving, 28-30 is still not bad. If that's your WORST mileage, it compares quite well with most, if not all, gasser alternatives. Do you really want a Ford Fiesta or Prius, etc?? The alternative 'mileage' cars just don't have the panache of the NB.

P.S. I notice they report the 2.0L as 1.7 seconds faster from 0-60. I've driven my Mother's 2.0 NB and all I can say is... NOT!!

'Fly, I'm right there with you. I've driven my brother's 2.0 5-sp NB and yawn. My-my, how upsolutely spoiled some people can get!

Grl, you can probably pick up the Power Service in your local Pep Boys, AutoZone, WallyMart, or K-Mart. @ about $5 a bottle, it's worth the investment and in no way voids your warranty.

Get someone to check your timing too. Good luck.

Remember: The EPA's 45mpg rating is at 55 mph. You're going 20 faster than that, so you're wasting a lot of energy fighting air resistance.

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Actually, the EPA's highway test is at variable speeds averaging 48mph. However, the reported number on the window sticker is 22% less than the test number. So a 45mpg highway window sticker number means that the car got about 58mpg on the EPA highway test.

I purchased my 03 Jetta automatic right about the same time as you and I suffer through the DC/Arlington traffic and I still get better mileage than what you are getting. My overall average is about 42 MPG, but I do more highway(also 75MPH) travel than you. I think I'm closer to 35 for city driving(or stop and go I-395). You should be getting much better mileage than you are getting.
Do you always buy fuel at the same place? If so try a different place like other have mentioned.

There's a pretty good spread in the average mileage people report here. Personally, I have only gotten over 50 mpg once, and I attribute that to fueling error. Have a fellow VAG-COM bearing member check your timing to see if, by chance, you are in the lower part of the acceptable range. Many report increased mileage after adjusting their timing. Other's do not. Every car and driver are different. You're not the only one with this evasive problem...