Search results

Considering that you can easily get 40 mpg HWY out of this vehicle, I'm not sure there is much that could be done to increase the fuel economy any further. It is the last MB diesel that didn't have the DPF, or any other emissions crap for that matter (with the exception of a catalyst), so the...

The 2008 model has completely different engine from the 2005/2006 models - yours is a V-6 engine, the 2005/2006 engines were straight 6 design. Also, 2006 was the last year when MB made non-DPF diesel engines, and these are the two most important reasons why these 2005/2006 are the favorites of...

When I did the original write-up years ago, I was endlessly pondering what could possibly be behind the fouling, and I came to the conclusion that it was some type of hydrocarbon (grease or oil) that somehow ended up on the brushes and commutator. The brushes and commutator must be completely...

Yes, I did, and it does looks pretty bad. However, what immediately popped in my mind was a question: when was the last time the filter was replaced? From what the picture shows, I'd guess the filter has been sitting there for years, and that suggests neglected maintenance. I have hard time...

I would like to share a similar experience from many, many moons ago. It was December of 1989, and my employer at that time (located in East Syracuse, N.Y.) sent me on a business trip to Worcester, MA. At that time, I was driving a 1986 Jetta diesel, which had the 1.6L in-line four banger with a...

After retiring the OEM Continentals at only 25k, which were horrible, I bought a set of Bridgestone Driveguards in 225/45RF17. These are run-flats, so the side wall is very stiff, producing slightly more than average noise. On the plus side, the handling and fuel economy were very good. I...

The sealing material on the filter is usually some type of polyurethane foam with closed cells. You can compress and release that seal until the cows come home without harming it, for as long as you don't apply force so high that you crush the material, i.e. as long as you don't pop the closed...

At first, I thought one of the plastic pieces was distorted, but then I blew the image up, and it appears the gap is there intentionally - if you look closer on the magnified image, there are clearly visible spacers that are located between the first and second, and then between the third and...

If you have enough water in the intercooler hose and the hose is exposed to freezing temperatures, it will completely choke off your air passage into the engine, and you will not be able to start the engine, whether or not the warm air hose is connected. The symptoms you described earlier...

That hose is there to bring warm air from behind the engine to the intake, and its purpose is to shorten the time it takes the engine to warm up in cold weather. Therefore, I seriously doubt it is the cause of the problems you are seeing.

Oh, I forgot - my lifetime calculated average was about 46 MPG, with 50/50 city/highway mix. In pure city traffic, it dropped to about 42, but on highway, it quickly cracked the 50 barrier, and on trips >50 miles, it wasn't unusual to get 60 MPG, especially in hot weather. I am, however, a very...

The extended emissions warranty is worthless piece of toilet paper. Just ask those unfortunate souls who have it, yet cannot drive their TDIs due to the simple fact that their DPF filter cracked, and the new ones have 4-6 months wait time. And, to add insult to injury, a few short months after...

And holy crap, only $6,500? When I sold my 2010 Jetta back to VW barely 18 months ago, the Blue Book value at that time was about $12,000, and that was before the mandatory $5,500 incentive was applied, so I walked away with almost $18k. My Jetta had 59k miles on the clock when I turned it in...

There is no such thing as 2020 Jetta TDI manual, not in this country, anyways. The last model year sold here was the 2016.

I just checked the part number from the 2014 invoice, and it says 000915105DGDSP. I paid $126.00 for the battery plus $10.40 tax. That same battery today lists for $147 plus tax, so the prices haven't gone up that much. It was a 380A, 72Ah unit and gave me almost 5 years of service counting from...

When I was shopping for a new battery back in 2014 for my 2010 Jetta, the local VW dealer had, by far, the best deal at $136 including local sales tax. The next best price was Sears, but that was almost $170, and came with the same warranty as the OEM VW battery, so at that time, it was a...

Maybe I am mistaken on this one, but didn't the Dieselgate Agreement with the US regulatory agencies bar VW from importing any more diesels to the US?

I totally agree with the above. The word "de-contented" is a very polite way to say that the 2011+ models were bastardized, cheaply-made knockoffs of the 2009/2010 models. I cannot offer any insight into the qualities of the after-dieselgate performance as I sold mine back to VW, but I can still...

Yes, it is. And, bargain hunters have been snapping them up for seven months now, but despite their best efforts, can't seem to find the appetite to gobble up those 1,000 (one thousand and 0/100) units, which Mazda set out as their total sales goal for this model. Just for comparison, in 2019...

When it comes to diesels, I have the same experience - the EPA ratings are grossly underestimating the true fuel economy one can achieve with the diesel. For example, my last diesel, the 2010 Jetta 6M returned a lifetime average of about 46 MPG (calculated) in 50/50 city/hwy driving mix. In pure...