New Passat TDI confirmed for U.S.

ecarnell

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Location
South Western Ontario
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TDI GLS, 2004, Mettalic Blue
With today's info technology and modern manufacturing methods, there should be no reason for options to be so strangely clumped together. If vw wants to sell a bunch of cars, they need to adapt their manufacturing lines to what the customers want.
.
Even ford can do it - I was able to custom order my 2010 black ford Escape with a 4cyld, 5spd manual AND leather and sunroof. May be only One they made like that?
Every other small suv on the market made you jump to and automatic if you wanted leather (and don't offer a manual in the 6'cyld).
 
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bhtooefr

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I wonder, though, how VW was able to make a car like my '99.5 Golf (or yours, bhtooefr), or my '02 wagon and make a profit. Maybe they didn't. Both are devoid of options. My wagon was stickered at $19,450 with the TDI in '02.

I'd love what would essentially be a bare-bones Rabbit with a TDI engine. I'd even pay 2K or more for the TDI option if it allowed me to leave the rest of the car bare.
Actually, I have heard rumors that VW loses money on every TDI sold in the US, and they only sell them so that they don't get CAFE fines for Touaregs...

But, the TDI option back then wasn't THAT much more cost to VW. A little more engine block material, more expensive pistons, a little more expensive injectors, an injection pump, and a fairly cheap turbo, but no ignition system. Simpler head, though, IIRC, and also less sensors.

Nowadays, it's a LOT more expensive.

I suspect that a base model Golf TDI - that is, starting with a base Golf 2.5, which is $17,965 - would be about $21-22k.
 
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IndigoBlueWagon

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'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Good point. You're probably right. I actually like the way they've set up the base Golf for '12. I'm probably going to get one with zero options, which will work for me. It's a lot of hardware for the money.
 

Derrel H Green

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Location
Murrieta, California
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An '05 MBZ E-320 CDI (W-211) replaced the '10 TDI JSW
Ski in NC: The problem is, if they don't wrap the car with the other profitable options, they either have to price the options at nearly free to make it sell at prices where people who want those options will buy the car, or, the other way, a loaded Jetta TDI would be pushing $40k, [?] if the options were priced the same, and the base model Jetta TDI were an actual base model, but priced based on its actual cost.
(And the base model would probably be $1k less than the current base model, too.)
I guess the other option would be to price a base model Jetta TDI BELOW cost, but that's
also attracting cheapskate customers like us that wouldn't use dealer service and such.
:)

I disagree!

How is it that almost every other popular margue can and will sell you what you want without
'packing' the vehicle with stuff that you do not want
and would not have even if it were free?

My '10 JSW came with most everything I wanted, but nothing I did not want.
I was indeed able to get a DSG without a maditory S/R which is a $1300 option.
Had they been required, I'd have bought something else for sure.
Perhaps a Golf TDI with DSG, Xenons and added leather to it myself later.

:D

D
 

tscottt

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Location
Guam
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sold: 1998 NB TDI 5-spd
:)

I disagree!

How is it that almost every other popular margue can and will sell you what you want without
'packing' the vehicle with stuff that you do not want
and would not have even if it were free?
I'm not sure which other popular marques you're talking about because these option packages or rapid spec combinations are what every automaker is doing. The Camry, Fusion, and Sonata can be had with an manual only in the lowest trim lowest powered I-4, not on the uprated engines. The Accord does allow for a higher trim manual transmission but only the I-4. Check out the Buick Regal Turbo--seven options groups with the only other options being transmission and dealer installed stuff. In the past, American manufacturers in particular did allow for a nearly a la carte system within the confines of a handful of trim levels. This is just not happening in the volume segments under $35k or so in today's market.

Every auto forum I read has people complaining about the inability to not order a car just as they wish (me included), but it's not that X manufacturer is evil because the others allow it. Instead, it's the entire industry. Maybe a conversation with VW and opening up your checkbook in significant amounts above the MSRP could get your wish--or a fleet order. We care far more about our vehicles than most, yet without spending a lot more, we have to settle for playing the same game as the focus group average buyer.
 

thebigarniedog

Master of the Obvious
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Location
Fail Command (Central Ohio)
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1998 Jetta tdi
Well for the most part you no longer have "Dealer installed options". Manufacturers have decided it is more profitable for them to "junk" up a car (ie upgraded stuff you otherwise have to check off) then to allow (ie trust) a dealership to do so.

Think of it this way: if the manufacturer designed a car with a standard wiring harness that allowed the addition of add ons by a dealership (to add upgraded radios, navigation, bluetooth, xenon headlights, foglights etc), it would seem far cheaper to build all cars with or without sunroofs and the mix of engine/tranny choices then to build them like they currently are building them.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
VW goes back and forth on this stuff. The early A5s had Packages (0, 1, and 2) and the options selection was limited to what came in the package. They went to stand-alone options in '09, now back to combined options.

I always find cars have more stuff than I want anyway. I don't want ESP, but I have to get it. Don't want TPMS. I've been pretty successful at keeping tires inflated on my own. I don't particularly want ABS or airbags. Don't care about the quality of the stereo, rarely use it. Don't want HIDs. Don't like leather. In fact, I'd rather buy a car with steel wheels and add my own aftermarket alloys.
 

bhtooefr

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If you want to get a new vehicle without ESP, TPMS, or airbags, though, your options are motorcycles, as of MY2012.

(TPMS was 2009, IIRC, and airbags were 1996 or so?)

Then again, I'm planning a way to abuse the motorcycle laws...
 

Oberkanone

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 16, 2001
Location
NW Indiana
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13 Jetta TDI Premium manual "gone"
In Canada manual transmission is optional

Manual transmission is optional in Canada on all trims of Passat TDI.
Simplifying build combinations is clearly not the reason VWoA is offering fewer options to U.S.A.
Wonder if there will be a niche market for Canadian to U.S. import of Passat?

Canadian Passat MSRP

Trendline+
2.5 5MT: $24,875
2.5 6AT: $26,275
TDI 6MT: $27,475
TDI 6AT: $28,875
Comfortline
2.5 5MT: $27,975
2.5 6AT: $29,375
TDI 6MT: $30,575
TDI DSG: $31,975
V6 DSG: $33,575
Highline
2.5 5MT: $31,475
2.5 6AT: $33,150
TDI 6MT: $33,775
TDI DSG: $35,400
V6 DSG: $37,475
 

bhtooefr

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Yeah, but it'll cost more than just swapping seats around, if you want different seats.
 

German_1er_diesel

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Ratzeburg
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BMW 118d
Won't a good upholsterer make you a factory quality leather interior for about the same cost as the option? I know one in my area who uses the same leather as on OEM seats. Wanted about 1000€ for a complete 1-series interior.
 

bhtooefr

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93% is probably for the 2.5, and I believe the 2.5 engines are hecho en Mexico.

The TDI engines are most likely shipped in from Hungary.
 

Ski in NC

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Location
Wilmington, NC USA
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2001 Jetta ALH 5sp stock
Lots of ways to calc that %NA content. For example:

Engine might count as one unit.

Each nut, bolt, screw, tire, light bulb might count as one unit each.
 

thebigarniedog

Master of the Obvious
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Location
Fail Command (Central Ohio)
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1998 Jetta tdi
VW goes back and forth on this stuff. The early A5s had Packages (0, 1, and 2) and the options selection was limited to what came in the package. They went to stand-alone options in '09, now back to combined options.

I always find cars have more stuff than I want anyway. I don't want ESP, but I have to get it. Don't want TPMS. I've been pretty successful at keeping tires inflated on my own. I don't particularly want ABS or airbags. Don't care about the quality of the stereo, rarely use it. Don't want HIDs. Don't like leather. In fact, I'd rather buy a car with steel wheels and add my own aftermarket alloys.

But I like leather :(
 

abctdi

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Joined
Mar 31, 2004
Location
ABQ, NM, USA
TDI
2005 Passat GLS
I always find cars have more stuff than I want anyway. I don't want ESP, but I have to get it. Don't want TPMS. I've been pretty successful at keeping tires inflated on my own. I don't particularly want ABS or airbags. Don't care about the quality of the stereo, rarely use it. Don't want HIDs. Don't like leather. In fact, I'd rather buy a car with steel wheels and add my own aftermarket alloys.
Sounds like you want an 80s vintage car...
 

jas67

Active member
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Location
Harrisburg,PA
TDI
2012 TDI JSW on order.
:)

My '10 JSW came with most everything I wanted, but nothing I did not want.
I was indeed able to get a DSG without a maditory S/R which is a $1300 option.
Had they been required, I'd have bought something else for sure.
Perhaps a Golf TDI with DSG, Xenons and added leather to it myself later.

:D

D
I hate that the current JSW is unavailable with Xenons at any price :mad::mad::mad:, esp. when they're only $700 on the Golf. I would gladly pay $700 to get it on the JSW I have on order. Now, my only option to get proper self-adjusting Xenons is to buy about $2000 in parts, and then I still have to buy/borrow VACOM and figure out how to tell the car it has Xenons.
 

jas67

Active member
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Mar 8, 2008
Location
Harrisburg,PA
TDI
2012 TDI JSW on order.
Don't want TPMS. I've been pretty successful at keeping tires inflated on my own.
You can pretty much thank idiot drivers, and legislators that insist the rest of us pay for TPMS to help protect the idiots from themselves for this, as TPMS is a federal mandate.
 

TheLongshot

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Location
Burke, VA
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Jetta Wagon '03 Reflex Silver
You can pretty much thank idiot drivers, and legislators that insist the rest of us pay for TPMS to help protect the idiots from themselves for this, as TPMS is a federal mandate.
Actually, you have Firestone to blame, since it came on the heels of their problems with tire blowouts.
 

abctdi

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 31, 2004
Location
ABQ, NM, USA
TDI
2005 Passat GLS
Hpfp ?

So will these new passat tdi's be subject to the dreaded HPFP failures so infamous with the CR tdi's?
Or will this 93% local parts take into account 100% local fuel source?
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Those tire blowouts were due to owners' failures to check, or properly inflate their tires.
Not entirely. Ford and Firestone shared blame for specifying inflation pressures that favored ride quality over safety.
 

abctdi

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Location
ABQ, NM, USA
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2005 Passat GLS
Well at least everyone should now know that low tire pressures can lead to tire failures, whether incorrectly specified or not.
 

wanabe

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Location
Delray Beach,FL,USA
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2009 Jetta Sportwagen, Laser Blue, manual transmission
Not entirely. Ford and Firestone shared blame for specifying inflation pressures that favored ride quality over safety.
Actually, Ford lowered the tire pressure to reduce the chance of the Explorer rolling over. Here's a good reference for the history of these decisions:
http://www.fordexplorerrollover.com/history/Default.cfm
The Explorers were failing the Consumers Union rapid lane-change test that is now done by the NHTSA. Ford discovered that they could pass it by lowering the tire pressures without making any changes to the suspension. But then when the tires suffered tread separation because of under-inflation, guess what happened? The Explorers often rolled over.
 

abctdi

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Location
ABQ, NM, USA
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2005 Passat GLS
Really, no bites on this one?

So will these new passat tdi's be subject to the dreaded HPFP failures so infamous with the CR tdi's?
Or will this 93% local parts take into account 100% local fuel source?
I guess this subject is taboo in this thread.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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wanabe, that's an interesting history in the link you provided. It's funny to see the Bronco II references.

And abctdi, I don't think it's taboo at all. It's a concern for anyone buying a common rail TDI. In the front of my mind, you can be sure, along with intercooler icing issues. But I have some level of confidence that VW has addressed the HPFP issue. Note the word "some".
 
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