Potential New Owner Questions

Greetings,

I'm ready replace my 2005 Suburban (14 MPG sucks when you drive as much as I do), and think that I've settled on a 2012 Jetta Sportwagen.

I went for a test drive last night and was impressed, but after getting home I had a few questions that I hope you guys can help with.

1. Sunroof: The car I test drive had a sunroof. After the test drive, I was sitting in a non-sunroof JSW and noticed that above on the forward part of the ceiling there was a little "pod" with some buttons and a flip down sunglasses holder. I didn't notice it in the car I test drove, did I just miss it, or is that only on the cars w/o the sunroof.

2. iPhone MDI capability: I spent a little time playing with the stereo, including plugging in my iPhone to see how the integration worked. It looked like I can only display a list of songs on the head unit to go through and pick what I want to play, is that true? I have over 4500 songs on my iPhone, so that would be a real pain in the neck. Is there any way to select a playlist or an artist or and album?

3. Bluetooth: On a related note, is it possible to play music through bluetooth in the 2012? In hindsight, I should have paired my phone and explored that a little bit more.

4. Display on the dash: Is it possible to have it display your current MPG? I think that I cycled through all of the screens, but didn't see it.

5. Diesel question: I've read here that you should frequent stations with high turnover. How exactly do you figure out which are the "good" stations to go to? I'm sure that the counter jockey isn't going to be able to answer questions in any meaningful way.

6: 2013: Any word on when the 2013's will show up, or what features that they may have? I'd love to see fog lights and HIDs or projector (or both) as an option. I haven't found anything from searching, so I'm pretty sure the answer will be "nobody knows yet", but figured I would ask.

Thanks! I'm in the middle of refinancing my house, so I'm a few weeks away from pulling the trigger, but want to be ready to go when the time comes. I'm sure that many of these answers are in the owners manual, does there exist a PDF version of it online somewhere to read?

1) The pano sunroof motor goes where the sunglasses holder is. Therefore, sunroof equals no sunglasses holder
2) & 3) I don't have MDI or bluetooth, so I can't answer these questions.
4) Yes. There are several different mileage displays. Average MPG1 resets after car is off for 2 hours or more. Average MPG2 is usually reset at fuel-ups, so it gives you a tank average. There is also an instantaneous mileage display you can use to improve your hypermiling technique.
5) This can vary depending on where you live. Major brand names are more likely to have an adequate additive package. Beware of small out of the way no-name stations that don't get much traffic. Cheap fuel is not always the best way to go.
6) New models are usually introduced around August.

Have Fun!

Don

1. Not sure

2. If you play an audio in app on the phone, that'll play through the MDI. I have no problem getting audio out of e.g. my podcaster app. I'd assume you could play a playlist in the music app if you wanted to do that, should work. Using the file browsing on the head unit I think just treats the phone as basically a USB drive, so it's more limited. MOst of my music I just listen to satelite radio anyway, I don't have many mp3s on my phone so can't comment beyond that.

3. Sort of. It works, in theory, but there are currently BT playback issues with both iOS and Android phones. VW blames the phone makers, the phone makers blame VW. Primary issues that I've had are some volume issues (it uses the bluetooth phone volume, which I generally have to leave near max for phone call audibility, and currently it only streams mono, not stereo. MDI is definalty the better option.

The actual phone side of the bluetooth works flawlessly for me, no complaints at all.

4. Yep. It has two displays, actual. Cumulative mpg over either of the two trip computers (1 auto-resets whenever the car sits for more than a few hours, the other only resets manually), and a second that displays a near-instantaneous MPG, with updates at roughly 1 second intervals.

5. Look for stations that have other diesel vehicles. If they have a couple of truck islands (that aren't like totally cob-webbed over), that's usually a good sign. Just keep an eye out - see where the local contractors and ambulance drivers fill up. Mainly I'd say avoid any station that looks bad - like a little two pump hole-in-the-wall in the middle of nowhere with rust on the price sign.

regarding the iphone/ipod question, it's possible and very easy to access all of your playlists, podcasts, etc. using the MDI cable. I have had no problems at all using the bluetooth phone function. However, there is a problem with utilizing bluetooth (for phone) and using the MDI cable for music input. The short story is that it doesn't always work ... my work around is to use bluetooth streaming for my music. In that instance, it works perfectly.

***I went from a gas guzzling Jeep Wrangler to a 2012 JSW in February and I am loving it! Good luck with your decision!

My wife's tiguan has pano roof and a sunglasses holder in roof. My JSW has a pano roof and does not have the sunglasses holder. So the theory that the motor is in the way may not be true.

Other questions have been answered already.

I don't have any trouble with bluetooth music streaming. You get less control over playlists and such on the head unit (than you would with the MDI cable) but whatever audio would come out of your phone will come out of your car speakers. If you set (on the phone) the iPhone to randomize over a playlist then that will be what comes out over Bluetooth. If you want to do this using the head unit's controls then you need to use the MDI cable.

P.S. My Jetta Sportwagen is 2 weeks old and I love it so far.

Awesome, thanks to everyone for the excellent info.

This house can't close fast enough, I can't wait to get moving on this!

Another question - can you set either (or both) of the outside mirrors to tip down when you shift into reverse? I've seen it mentioned here on the forum, but couldn't quite figure out what cars it was available on.

Slartibartfast said:

1. Sunroof: The car I test drive had a sunroof. After the test drive, I was sitting in a non-sunroof JSW and noticed that above on the forward part of the ceiling there was a little "pod" with some buttons and a flip down sunglasses holder. I didn't notice it in the car I test drove, did I just miss it, or is that only on the cars w/o the sunroof.

Click to expand...

(I would avoid the PANORAMIC sunroof..... looks like a future maintenance nightmare, leaks.... If you want a sun roof you can have good OEM like ones installed aftermarket for about $1000).

2. iPhone MDI capability: I spent a little time playing with the stereo, including plugging in my iPhone to see how the integration worked. It looked like I can only display a list of songs on the head unit to go through and pick what I want to play, is that true? I have over 4500 songs on my iPhone, so that would be a real pain in the neck. Is there any way to select a play list or an artist or and album?

Click to expand...

(Yes there is a way.... "select" bottom right, and then on upper left is a menu up button. It gets to the top level to select music by artist, genre, song....play list. I have never used an iPhone with the MDI connector, only an iPod Touch (which is an iPhone with out the phone part I understand). The down side is it is slow to load. However once going it is great. If you are always manually selecting songs it will be a pain. It is not perfect, but really love the sound system, AM, FM, CD, Satellite, SD card, iPod, Aux....)

3. Bluetooth: On a related note, is it possible to play music through bluetooth in the 2012? In hindsight, I should have paired my phone and explored that a little bit more.

Click to expand...

(Yes you can stream bluetooth stereo and it sounds great. I don't think you can control the device through the steering wheel controls with bluetooth yet, but I have a 2010 model. I stream Pandora from my android HGT Evo 4G phone all the time. With my model of radio I can't show the phone book on the MDI display.... there is a class action lawsuit about this. VW I gathered implied you could look at your phone book via the cars display. You can on later versions, but during 2010 there were many cars that did not get the feature. There is an interface module under the seat that needs to be exchanged. That is all that is needed to get the phone book functionality. For 2012 they all have it I am sure..... I filed my claim and have yet to hear back. I suppose VW of America will offer to upgrade the interface? Frankly I don't need it. I tend NOT to make calls and drive. However it is nice to get a call and just push a button and talk then hang up with the steering wheel controls. The down side is if your phone is in your pocket or not in view, you can't see who is calling. If listening to your iPod or Radio it will nicely fade it out and back in for the call.)

4. Display on the dash: Is it possible to have it display your current MPG? I think that I cycled through all of the screens, but didn't see it.

Click to expand...

(Yes you have trip meter (1) and (2). Current leg (1) and totalizer (2). You can clear either or. Leg (1) will self clear after an hour or two parked. The (2) totalizer will clear only when you clear it (or loss of electrical power I recall). Also (1) and (2) keep track of not only average MPG, but average MPH and total TIME. So you have two Avg MPG, two Avg MPH, and two total TIME, PLUS you have an odometer (which can't be cleared or deleted with loss of power). Last you have TRIP mileage on the dash, which can be cleared independent of (1) and (2). So you have three trip meters.)

5. Diesel question: I've read here that you should frequent stations with high turnover. How exactly do you figure out which are the "good" stations to go to? I'm sure that the counter jockey isn't going to be able to answer questions in any meaningful way.

Click to expand...

(Go to BP, Shell, Chevron..... name brands. Also if the place is dirty and disrepair, skip it. KEEP your receipts and at least know what diesel smells like, kerosene. I have some cheap disposable gloves in the car and put one or two on when I fuel. Diesel is oily and has a strong smell. It should leave an oily residue on the gloves if you get any diesel on it. Don't go to OLD stations or independent Joe's Mini Mart stations. In the former the tanks may be old and corroded (although EPA has pretty much put all those out of business). The latter case, you want the backing of a big corporation who will pay to repair your car if you get contaminated fuel. The HP or High Pressure pump works on diesel fuel lubrication. Gas will cause it to fail, along with contamination of the "after-treatment" (exhaust) particulate filters and NOX catalytic converters. They are all designed to treat exhaust products from LOW SULFUR No. 2 Diesel. Gasoline is not good for the TDI. Trace amounts I doubt is an issue. Most of the problems, most of the time, are operators (drivers) who top off their car with gasoline.)

6: 2013: Any word on when the 2013's will show up, or what features that they may have? I'd love to see fog lights and HIDs or projector (or both) as an option. I haven't found anything from searching, so I'm pretty sure the answer will be "nobody knows yet", but figured I would ask.

Click to expand...

(There is a fog light thread in these forums. something like "Fog lights on a budget." I put my own in, getting all the parts on eBay, VW Euro switch, harness, fog light kit and grills for less than $200. If the VW dealer did it, I know for a fact the parts are close to $800. So plan on way over a grand including labor. Personally you really don't NEED THEM..... really you don't. However they do look cool. The Golf comes with fog lights but not the USA spec JSW. As far as HID, please, the stock halogen lights are GOOD ENOUGH to safely see..... HID are very expensive. I am sure there is or will be some aftermarket HID kit.... I find the stock head lights, on the JSW to be very good.)