Rock Crusher
Veteran Member
Just got back from a road trip from KC Mo to San Jose CA and after some (around 4000 miles) of
first hand experience driving my '02 Golf TDI 5-speed, I can tell you the car loses nothing in the
mountains.
I half expected over some of the higher passes I'd have to get out and push but the car motored
up what I-40 around Flagstaff AZ had to offer (around 7700 feet above sea level) and the
worst I-15 in SW Utah and I-70 across Utah and Colorado (in places around 10,000 feet
above sea level) with no problems.
Honestly, the TDI is great in the mountains. It maintained its speed (sometimes in the triple-digits)
with no problems and when called upon the accelerate for passing did so without complaint.
Had I been magically transported to the higher elevations without my knowing it, I could have not
been able to tell it from the car's behavior.
Mileage remained about the same, in the low 40mpg range, and I drove at the limit (or higher) when
ever road/traffic conditions permitted it.
I have to say that every day my impression of this car is raised to new levels.
I would only wish for a 6th gear to lower the engine RPMs for freeway cruising
and some stiffer/better handling which maybe just
a tire switch from the stock 15s to 16s or 17s would provide.
(In my dreams, I wish this car was available with say 120hp and 175ft/lbs of torque, a 6-speed manual,
and 4Motion and I'd buy one in a New York second.)
Oh, got the car into some snow in the mid-Mo area just before I left and it got around just fine
on its stock 15" tires with almost 30,000 miles on them.
Sincerely,
Rock Crusher (Oo.)
first hand experience driving my '02 Golf TDI 5-speed, I can tell you the car loses nothing in the
mountains.
I half expected over some of the higher passes I'd have to get out and push but the car motored
up what I-40 around Flagstaff AZ had to offer (around 7700 feet above sea level) and the
worst I-15 in SW Utah and I-70 across Utah and Colorado (in places around 10,000 feet
above sea level) with no problems.
Honestly, the TDI is great in the mountains. It maintained its speed (sometimes in the triple-digits)
with no problems and when called upon the accelerate for passing did so without complaint.
Had I been magically transported to the higher elevations without my knowing it, I could have not
been able to tell it from the car's behavior.
Mileage remained about the same, in the low 40mpg range, and I drove at the limit (or higher) when
ever road/traffic conditions permitted it.
I have to say that every day my impression of this car is raised to new levels.
I would only wish for a 6th gear to lower the engine RPMs for freeway cruising
and some stiffer/better handling which maybe just
a tire switch from the stock 15s to 16s or 17s would provide.
(In my dreams, I wish this car was available with say 120hp and 175ft/lbs of torque, a 6-speed manual,
and 4Motion and I'd buy one in a New York second.)
Oh, got the car into some snow in the mid-Mo area just before I left and it got around just fine
on its stock 15" tires with almost 30,000 miles on them.
Sincerely,
Rock Crusher (Oo.)
