2011 Jetta TDI or Chevy Cruze ECO

This is my first post to the forums but I have already read through many articles and posts. I am currently in the market for a new vehicle and have narrowed it down to a 2011 Jetta TDI manual or a 2011 Chevy Cruze ECO manual. If I were to go with the TDI it would be my first diesel vehicle but not my first Jetta.

I was wondering about the long term ownership costs of owning a TDI vs. Cruze. I always hear about the longevity of the TDI and was wondering if you guys could lend a hand.

I have a family with an almost 3 year old son. Many of you might say the older TDI's are better but in my instance I could use the extra room the newer ones provide so getting a used older one is out of the question. I live less than 1 mile from where I work so I'm not concerned with gas mileage during my daily "commute". I am concerned that during the break-in period it may not be in the cars best interest to only travel 1 mile before being shutdown for 9 hours only to be started and driven another 1 mile before being parked in the garage over night.

I do take several trips that range around 200 round trip miles on the highway but there would be periods where that wouldn't always occur. I typically drive anywhere from 8,000-10,000 miles a year so I'm hoping the TDI would last a long time. Is it a concern that during the break-in period it would get so few miles? I mean I could take it out on joy rides but wouldn't do that everyday.

I also live in Iowa where a good 5 months of the year can be pretty cold. I do have an attached garage which it is not heated but does stay around 50 degrees F in the winter.

I also didn't know until this forum that there are different kinds of diesel that can be used. Another concern I have is that I live in a small town and the only place to get diesel in town is at Casey's General Store, which if you're not from Iowa you probably have never heard of.

You all know the MPG ratings of the TDI but if you're unfamiliar with the Chevy Cruze ECO it gets 28 CITY and 42 HWY as welll as costs around $4000 less than the TDI. I realize this is TDI forum but would appreciate anyone willing to lend an honest 2 cents. Thank you!

Dave

Buy the Cruz. With a young child you have much better and more fun things to do than try and learn how to change a DPF, timing belt, or worry about HPFP failures.

And with a 1 mile commute, walking would take only about 20 minutes. Why not ride a bike when you can?

What is it you are driving now? Maybe you don't need to buy a new car, and should rather get a savings program in place for the college education coming up in what, 15 years? It will fly by way too fast.

I have a Chevy Silverado extended cab 4X4 right now. I can get $4,000 more for it than I owe on it. That's why I'm in the market for a new vehicle....either vehicle will be a cheaper monthly payment, gas and insurance compared to what I have now. Walking isn't really an option because I also need to take my son to day care in the mornings, which I guess would bring my driving to 2 miles one way. We already commit a portion of our monthly income to a high interest college savings fund

I'd ignore both cars- both the 2011 TDI and the 1.8 Cruze have timing belts.
I'd go with a Nissan- timing chain. Literally the only thing a nissan needs is regular oil/filter changes. Plus, the oil change literally takes 10 minutes( including 8 minutes to wait for the oil to drain)- The engineering was done with reliability, minimal maintenence, and ease of repair. I have a couple of them in my driveway(one with over 280,000 miles on it) - if you want to own a reliable car, get a nissan w manual transmission.

I've been working on cars for 40 years, and there is nothing else out there that is as reliable. Plus, they will go about 350,000 miles easily if you just follow factory maintence.

Thanks for the input, Tom! I have several friends with Nissans as well.

One correction is that the Cruze ECO actually has a 1.4 turbo...but I'm sure that has a timing belt as well.

How soon do you have to make this decision? If you wait another year (or at least a while), you may find (a) an answer to the HPFP issue and (b) more robust reliability info about both cars.

FWIW, I, too, tried to cross-shop both vehicles. At the time (Feb. 2011), several Chevy dealers told me they had a Cruze eco in available for a test drive. In all cases, it wound up being the 1.8L, normally aspirated LS w/MT they were talking about. Needlless to say I wasn't enamored of their bait and switch (or, if charitable, just plain dumb) approach. So I went with the Golf, where the sales people were knowledgeable and respectful (can't say that about the service departments, unfortunately). I really wish I had had the opportunity to test drive both, even just for the experience. Not sure about this, but I think the Cruze may have a little more space, and I'm pretty sure the TDi has better performance figures. For mileage they may be similar; for fuel economy, the Cruze probably wins, thanks to the diesel price premium here in the states (and, to my knowledge, nowhere else).

Good luck with your decision--you'll likely be happy either way. (Oh, and I recently had a rental Nissan Sentra--I forget the trim level, but it was a CVT auto; mileage was pretty sucko in the city but rivaled the TDi on the highway--and they are good and reliable if not the most exciting cars--so I second the other poster's recommendation to take a look there as well).

~T

I have had the opposite situation going on here. The VW dealer acts like they don't have time for me and takes several days to respond to voice messages and e-mails while the Chevy dealer has been great. I'm not worried about a bait and switch because if that happened I would just walk. I know they are having difficulty finding the exact Cruze ECO that I want because they are selling so fast right now.

This years Jetta actually has a little more space than the Cruze in the backseat. I do like the Nissan Juke but there just isn't enough space in the backseat for our needs...which will eventually include another kid.

Stick to the Chevy. I don't think you do enough miles to justify the cost of a diesel.

Let alone that first time you let your family borrow the car and they put gas into it....

Leaf, plug it in once a week.

If you can turn a profit by selling the Silverado, do so, and buy a used Honda or Toyota and call it a day. I agree that with 4-5 miles driven per day, a TDI is not your best choice.

If you can wait a little longer you can get a cruze with a diesel option.

CEO confirms Chevy to sell diesel Cruze in U.S.


http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2011-07-22-diesels_n.htm

imho
#8 and #10.
You don't drive enough miles per trip nor miles per year to reap the returns.
Given the depreciation on any new car, best bet is to look for a late model used car, something with easy maintenance like the other responder(s) mentioned above. I would also look for (as mentioned above) something that doesn't have a timing belt, just to eliminate that as a future maintenance cost item. Toyota corolla or camry (are they beltless?), or nissan (though I'm not a fan of nissans. I haven't driven one on past few years, but I drove an altima few years ago, and frankly it felt like a golf cart.)

Tom W. said:

I'd ignore both cars- both the 2011 TDI and the 1.8 Cruze have timing belts.
I'd go with a Nissan- timing chain. Literally the only thing a nissan needs is regular oil/filter changes. Plus, the oil change literally takes 10 minutes( including 8 minutes to wait for the oil to drain)- The engineering was done with reliability, minimal maintenence, and ease of repair. I have a couple of them in my driveway(one with over 280,000 miles on it) - if you want to own a reliable car, get a nissan w manual transmission.

I've been working on cars for 40 years, and there is nothing else out there that is as reliable. Plus, they will go about 350,000 miles easily if you just follow factory maintence.

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The Versa is not that reliable. Trust me. Plus its a tinny POS. Sentra? = ugly.

Also they do not hold up that well to short tripping and then there is the salt issue. Poof.....Where did the car go?

Where you are the cruze would be a good choice. Gas turbo cars warm up quickly and it can be fixed by a large support network. The TDI won't get very good mileage in your situation. With start/warmup, idle while dropping the kid in winter/summer for the heat/AC you'd be lucky to get 28-31mpg in a TDI on YOUR commute.

hoopster3 said:

I have had the opposite situation going on here. The VW dealer acts like they don't have time for me and takes several days to respond to voice messages and e-mails while the Chevy dealer has been great. I'm not worried about a bait and switch because if that happened I would just walk. I know they are having difficulty finding the exact Cruze ECO that I want because they are selling so fast right now.

This years Jetta actually has a little more space than the Cruze in the backseat. I do like the Nissan Juke but there just isn't enough space in the backseat for our needs...which will eventually include another kid.

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You dealing with screwjacks in the quad cities or the just as bad dealer in Iowa City? I get a lot of train wreck cars from the Iowa dealers. $1400 for a timing belt?!?!?! $700 for a DSG service!?!?!?

Come on guys, the OP drives 8000-10,000 a year and you're giving recomendations based on timing belt changes? Is the 1 belt change he'll do in the next 15 years really a big deal?

@ Dave
From what I've been reading the Cruze is a fine car. Both cars will serve you well. Think about your decision like this: Which do you value more - a spirited driving experience (TDI) or a little extra money in the wallet (Cruze)?

I'm a new VW owner but knew what I was getting into when I bought it. VW's are typically more expensive to maintain than American and Japanese cars. They are not the lowest cost ownership/mile. That would be something like a Cruze, Focus, Civic, or Elantra. I've driven everything from Honda, Volvo, Nissan, Ford, Chevy, Acura, I4, V6, V8 - the TDI is the most fun I've had behind the wheel in, well, ever. I have to fight my wife for the keys. The truth is, I'm gonna pay a little more to maintain this thing. And to me that's worth it.

6 year belt.

You try going 15 years and see what happens.

It's NOT about that though. It's lack of dealer network AND the fact a drive like that is BAD for the car.

My owners manual says to change at 120K. So I should change it at 60K, 6 years?

It's NOT about that though. It's lack of dealer network AND the fact a drive like that is BAD for the car.

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Those are certainly good points for the Cruze.

EDIT:

Dave, could your ride a bike the one mile to work?

Lack of dealer network is certainly a concern. Have you checked to trusted mechanics thread for any TDI gurus in your state?

Wow, 1 mile....I'd buy a scooter.

There was another Cruze v. TDI thread in the last month with lots of responses. But if your criteria is cost of ownership then just get the Cruze. 1 mile commute. I'm jealous.

The Cruze also has better warranty coverage.

Leaf would be fine for the daily commute but not for the 200 mile round trip. This is where electrics still fail: utility is too limited.

Honestly, for the amount and type of driving you do I'd get the vehicle that's best suited to your needs regardless of fuel economy (within limits). Cruze, Accord, Camry, or any number of small SUVs (if you want AWD for winter) would work fine. Your other vehicle expenses will far outweigh your fuel costs, even if you get a car that gets 20 MPG.

Thanks for the honest responses. I wasn't sure what I was going to be getting into here. I figured I get bombarded with responses stating everything great about a TDI and neglecting everything else. I'm leaning heavily on the Cruze now and have just gotten done working out some numbers with the Chevy dealer and gotten it to a price that is within my expectations. I'll probably take a few more days and think it over some more.

Absolute Diesel said:

Dave, could your ride a bike the one mile to work?

Lack of dealer network is certainly a concern. Have you checked to trusted mechanics thread for any TDI gurus in your state?

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I can't ride my bike to school because I take out son to day care 90% of the time.....and the pul behind child trailer might have us both shivering for 6 months of the year.

I did check the link for credible mechanics and unfortunately found that none were listed in Iowa.

IndigoBlueWagon said:

Leaf would be fine for the daily commute but not for the 200 mile round trip. This is where electrics still fail: utility is too limited.

Honestly, for the amount and type of driving you do I'd get the vehicle that's best suited to your needs regardless of fuel economy (within limits). Cruze, Accord, Camry, or any number of small SUVs (if you want AWD for winter) would work fine. Your other vehicle expenses will far outweigh your fuel costs, even if you get a car that gets 20 MPG.

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The only smaller crossover/SUV I would consider is the Nissan Juke but after looking at the rear seat legroom it wouldn't work out as we need space for the car seat and there are several inches more in Cruze backseat compared to the Juke. I would like AWD but my wife drives a Subaru and since I live so close to work we can make it work by having one AWD vehicle for Iowa winters.

Short commute?
I'd go with the Cruz ECO over the TDI in your case.
I've read great things about the 1.4 turbo so far.

hoopster3 said:

I have a Chevy Silverado extended cab 4X4 right now. I can get $4,000 more for it than I owe on it. That's why I'm in the market for a new vehicle....either vehicle will be a cheaper monthly payment, gas and insurance compared to what I have now. Walking isn't really an option because I also need to take my son to day care in the mornings, which I guess would bring my driving to 2 miles one way. We already commit a portion of our monthly income to a high interest college savings fund

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Stop thinking monthly outlay unless you just want a new car because you're tired of your truck. Chances are you owe a whole lot less on your truck than you would on a Jetta/Cruze, and you won't have to pay another state extortion fee (err, sales tax). Plus, your truck can do a lot of things a Jetta/Cruze can't: better snow traction, bed for homeowner stuff, towing, hauling, etc.

In a couple of years or less (assumption, since your truck is worth more than owed), you won't have a car payment, and your 1 mile commute would never pay back the monthly outlay for the car.

If it's for environmental reasons, it takes a lot of energy to manufacture a vehicle, more than the difference in fuel mileage between a truck and car with a 1 mile commute for a reasonable time.

If I had your commute, I'd buy something a whole lot more fun than a TDI/Cruze if I wanted a family sedan. Something like a lightly used Pontiac G8 with a 6-speed manual.

Tom W. said:

I'd ignore both cars- both the 2011 TDI and the 1.8 Cruze have timing belts.
I'd go with a Nissan- timing chain. Literally the only thing a nissan needs is regular oil/filter changes. Plus, the oil change literally takes 10 minutes( including 8 minutes to wait for the oil to drain)- The engineering was done with reliability, minimal maintenence, and ease of repair. I have a couple of them in my driveway(one with over 280,000 miles on it) - if you want to own a reliable car, get a nissan w manual transmission.

I've been working on cars for 40 years, and there is nothing else out there that is as reliable. Plus, they will go about 350,000 miles easily if you just follow factory maintence.

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I come from the Nissan-enthusiast world, and I'm amazed at how difficult this VW is to work on. You can take a Nissan completely apart with 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm, 22mm, 24mm, 27mm, and 32mm wrenches and sockets, some extensions, and one set of pliers and screwdrivers. No need to spend money on a myriad of specialized tools, wobblers/universals/ball-end allen sockets to access poorly located fasteners -- none of which are one-time use only unless its inside the engine (and most of those are still within spec after one use). I used to think I had a decent tool set until I bought this car...

Other than the oily mess, it's no more difficult to change a timing chain on a FWD Nissan than the timing belt on a Jetta, and that chain was designed to last the life of the engine.

Another vehicle to consider might be a Hyundai. Their ratings have gone way up over the last few years and are actually building some nice vehicles. Most of them get pretty good mileage, even the cross-overs.

rockwood said:

Other than the oily mess, it's no more difficult to change a timing chain on a FWD Nissan than the timing belt on a Jetta, and that chain was designed to last the life of the engine.

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The 300zx used a timing belt and was a snap to change. The GA16DE in the late 90's Sentra uses two timing chains, the upper chain suffers from guide problems and I have seen more than a few that were valve to piston contact from guide failure at around 100k. The mid 90's Maxima also suffers from guide/tensioner issues and my mother-in-law's failed at 93k.

The Nissan procedure to replace timing chain involves removing the engine in the Sentra although there is a shortcut

The Maxima VQ30DEtiming chain is much more difficult to replace than the belt in the AHU, ALH, BHW, BEW, or BRM's TDI's.

Both of the aforementioned Nissan engines are interference engines, just like our TDI.

I wish folks would stop repeating the false notion that chain engines don't need timing chain replacement. It's as silly as VW saying that the 01m has lifetime fluid

The only Cruze diesel they sell in the UK is a 2.0 liter:
EU combined cycle 50.4 Miles per Imp. gal. is ~ 42 Miles per US gal.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...-hatchback-ltz-exec-pack-20-vcdi-2326787.html

I would keep the truck. Nothing you have mentioned justifies a car. Think you'll regret it first time you need to haul something.

I'd look at a KIA Optima EX. Best value around and you could even get it with a turbo, but the GDI (direct injection) model has the best MPG 24/34. The 5 year bumper to bumper warranty is great having owned a Hyundai before. Price is around the vehicle you considering.