William J Toensing
Veteran Member
The Labor Day weekend is usually the best time to get a good deal on a new car. I had under consideration in addition to a new TDI, a Ford Focus, Toyota Prius, & Dodge Dart with a 6 speed manual. I started my research about 2 weeks before Labor Day, not expecting to buy a new car then. Then, almost as an afterthought, I stopped at a VW dealer for some literature, not expecting to take a test drive. What I really wanted was a manual transmission TDI Sportwagen but the price was to high. However, the salesman showed me a new 2014 "value edition" TDI blue sedan with the automatic manual 2 clutch transmission, sticker price aprox. $23,500, test drove it, & low balled a $20,000 offer with 72 month month financing @ 2% interest. The dealer didn't want to accept my offer. I then left & said I want to look some more. As I was getting into my Mercedes E300 diesel, they accepted my offer. Moral: Do some research ahead of time which I was planning to do. Although the TDI cost more, its extreemly low depreation rate, higher fuel economy, & better handling made me go for the TDI although I probably could have got a Prius for $2,000 less & a Focus for $5,000 to $6,000 less as I think the TDI will be a better value in the long run. I have only filled the TDI twice with the dealer providing a full tank at delivery & have driven it aprox. 1350 miles. The first fill up was 34 MPG, the second was 42 MPG & the third, 44 MPG. I don't know how accurate the instant & average MPG reading is but at 55 MPH on a level road, no AC on, the instant MPG reading is 53 MPG!
