Consumer Reports review of 2015 Golf

TDI2000Zim

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VW hat meinen '14 Passat TDiSE getötet.
As far as the gasser version:
To improve emissions and fuel economy, the new gas engine has an integrated exhaust manifold, with its own cooling system inside the cylinder head. Given Volkswagen’s reputation for reliability and cost of ownership among subscribers in our annual survey, that strikes us as an expensive risk in the long run. Time will tell.
But, Consumer Reports did leave a CONSOLATION PRIZE:
For added appeal, VW diesels continue to have among the best resale value of any cars available.
 
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Diesl

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The people designing the Yahoo auto website are idiots. This article is almost unreadable on my tablet, due to the giant floating ad that takes up half the screen (using chrome; haven't tried Firefox with adblock). I'll make sure to not go back there again.

The people who wrote the article seem a close second. Are they really making money with this blather?
 

TDI2000Zim

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VW hat meinen '14 Passat TDiSE getötet.
Now that you mention it, I do find it odd that Consumer Reports always makes HONDA the best car maker, for the past 25 years...
 

Votblindub

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Unlike the current TDI, for the U.S, the new engine will feature diesel exhaust fluid injection to clean up emissions, which means it has a urea tank that needs to be refilled with every oil change. Bummer.
I wonder how practical or impractical this is rather than the 15,000 mile top up on other cars. Maybe it's due to size of the car and to save weight, maybe for performance? I wonder what the cost of ownership would be on this car. The power seems quite nice for a stock motor, very promising. Then again, at the same time with a billion new computers and emissions things integrated into these new cars, it probably doesn't leave all that much room for people to modify them and stay road legal at the same time.
 

DubFamily

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Oil changes are every 10,000 miles so it isn't that big a drop; my guess the difference is simply for size/space availability in the smaller body.
 

kjclow

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I wonder how practical or impractical this is rather than the 15,000 mile top up on other cars. Maybe it's due to size of the car and to save weight, maybe for performance?
I assume that most Passat owners are only filling up during oil changes, so this is probably just a blather statement. Maybe the tank is slightly smaller but is a refill every 10,000 miles instead of 15,000 a deal killer?
 

Ski in NC

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What shallow blather. 1. Adding DEF is no more troublesome than adding washer fluid, and is probably needed less often. 2. How is an integrated exhaust manifold creating a risk to reliability? 3. How 'bout drive the car far enough to actually measure MPG??

Nothing here but click-bait.
 

truman

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What shallow blather. 1. Adding DEF is no more troublesome than adding washer fluid, and is probably needed less often. 2. How is an integrated exhaust manifold creating a risk to reliability? 3. How 'bout drive the car far enough to actually measure MPG??

Nothing here but click-bait.
I think the exhaust manifold comment relates to VW's habit of field testing new product.
 

RabbitGTI

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Why would anyone read articles from those Toaster Testers? WGAF what they think. To their credit it only took them 10 years to catch onto the fact that Yoda and Lexus quality has gone in the tank.
 

Votblindub

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Adding DEF is no more troublesome than adding washer fluid, and is probably needed less often.
That's what I'm wondering about. It might be more prudent to add smaller amounts more often vs one large addition. *shrug* I simply don't know, because I've never had a newer diesel car that requires this, so I'm just asking for opinions. I'd rather listen to a bunch of people who have owned diesels for decades, worked on them, know the ins and outs versus somebody who had it for a week and only spotted the superficial.
Would it be a serious issue if that fluid spilled out after an accident? It is urea, after all.
 

kjclow

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The urea itself is in such a low concentration that you could probably drink it. It's the minute stuff in there that will probably kill you though. If you get in an accident, there may be some slight spillage but clean up shouldn't bee too bad. Although as protected as those tanks seem to be, if it ruptured in an accident, I don't think you'll have to worry about clean up.

Edit: Just looked it up and the solution is 32.5% urea and 67.5% deionized water. The MSDS lists a health rating of 1, which menas that it is as hazardous as water. If you don't sleep with your face in it, it probably won't hurt you.
 
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DubFamily

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Would it be a serious issue if that fluid spilled out after an accident? It is urea, after all.
Fun fact: Urea is not only contained in urine; it is also in sweat and Cerebrospinal fluid (2-6%), ie the brain is "floating" in urea. ;)

It is also vital to proper waste processing and water/electrolyte retention in most species, and used as a nitrogen conveyor in fertilizers.

So no; a urea spill will not harm, well, anything. The oil dripping from a 10 year old car is more dangerous than a 5 gallon spill of urea ;)
 

LarBear

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I've come to view Consumer Reports car tests the same as I would a test of 16" naval rifles by Boy Scouts. They seem to look at some makes of vehicle as "bad" and some as "wonderful". I remember reading their "tests" of the Datsun 510 and the equivalent Toyota in 1970 and their opinion that the Toyota was pure wonderfulness while the Datsun was a lump of crap. Drove both and bought a 510 two door based on performance and handling. They seem to dislike VW and Chrysler vehicles now, and their report on the '13 TDI Jetta made it seem one of the nastiest vehicles available while praising the Subie Imprezas. No comparison, the Jetta TDI is a far superior road vehicle IMO.
 

tadawson

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You appear to have overlooked the positive review, rating, and recommendation of the 2013 Passat, TDI included . . .

- Tim
 

LarBear

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So the new TDI's in Golf's, Jetta's, Beetles (I guess) are better except that every time the oil is changed some inexpensive urea solution has to be added. Sort of like complaining about the new car uses windshield washers that need washer fluid added every so often. Yup the urea solution is terrible, allows more hp, cleaner exhaust, and better mileage. Got to wonder about the intelligence of the writer/editors.
 

kjclow

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Since they never really measured the mileage, is it any surprise that they make a mountain out of urea?
 

BadMonKey

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The link had the #1 rated sedan listed as a Buck Verano, so after i wiped the vomit off my chin i quickly closed the page before reading anymore :eek:


 

Lensdude_com

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If Consumer Reports had returned the rental car with a full tank of fuel then it would have been easy to post their 'tested' fuel economy numbers. :)
 

ezshift5

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FWIW department...........

CU automotive information - at least for this sailor - provides a single source among the many available within the car purchase exercise.

The multiple solid red dots (Annual Auto Issue) were much in evidence for the 2012 JSW TDI.

Again, just a component - very positive in this case.............

ez
 
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