real world EVs review

Daemon64

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Location
Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
TDI
2022 Polestar 2 BEV - Current, 2021 Q5 55e PHEV - Retired, 2015 Q5 3.0 TDI - Retired, 2013 Golf TDI - Retired
Yep, my mom was stubborn, too. Now she's in a box in the ground. Good ol' cancer sticks!
Mine is 65 and been cancer sticking it up at around 1-2packs a day since she was 14, my grandmother passed at 67 from cancer... I'm unfortunately waiting for that shoe to drop... its sad, but she's a stubborn lady and cannot be moved from her position once she's on it...
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
Now how is the trend of building on-the-highway non-Tesla chargers in the remaining 47 continental US states?

Is it also trending upwards exponentially or even close?
I've stopped at a few Bucky's this summer and noticed that they have about 2-3 dozen Tesla chargers and maybe 6 non-tesla chargers. Never see many of them in use but then again, would you really want to spend all that charging time inside Bucky's?
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The electric Minis are also gathering dust. Literally. The same one that was on the showroom floor when we ordered was still there three months later when we took delivery. Salesman quipped "Yeah, we cannot sell those... I'll make ya a good deal!" Heh, yeah, no you won't.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
They may sell better somewhere else, but certainly not here. The dealer was lamenting the fact that they had to barf up nearly a quarter million dollars to put charging stations in that sit vacant 99% of the time. Same reason why all the MB dealers in the area ditched the Smart franchises when they announced they were going to be EV only. I'm not sure if any of those are even anywhere on the road here.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
I drove by a nearby Hyundai dealer today and noticed a new charger sitting by itself in the corner of the lot. Wonder how much use that will get.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The row of them at a local mall usually has a semi parked in front of it, with the driver asleep in the cab. I think one of them backed into them, too, as the last three in the row were missing for a while. I've never once seen a car actually parked there using one.
 

gmenounos

Vendor
Joined
Jun 26, 2003
Location
Watertown, MA, USA
TDI
'99.5 Golf GLS, '01 Jetta GLX Wagon (TDI conversion)
They may sell better somewhere else, but certainly not here. The dealer was lamenting the fact that they had to barf up nearly a quarter million dollars to put charging stations in that sit vacant 99% of the time. Same reason why all the MB dealers in the area ditched the Smart franchises when they announced they were going to be EV only. I'm not sure if any of those are even anywhere on the road here.
The gas ones don't sell either. 14,869 in the first half of 2023 for the entire MINI brand. Chevy sold more Bolts (33,659) than that.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Yep, Americans don't buy small cars... and a brand that literally is named after something small certainly won't ever be a big seller here. Which is why I'm glad we got ours when we did, 3rd pedal and all.

Now I just wish I could buy a GTI before those, too, are gone.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
If VW cleans up some of its botched haptic controls for '24 I may be tempted.
 

gulfcoastguy

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2012
Location
MS Gulfcoast
TDI
TDI sold, Mazda 3 purchased
I used the Buc-cees in Leads AL. The non Tesla chargers were all 350 kW ones and charged fast . For 20 minutes I just stayed with the charger. It was in BFE and they charged handsomely if you didn’t unplug promptly after charging was complete. I was down to less than 18 miles range so it was there or tow truck.
I've stopped at a few Bucky's this summer and noticed that they have about 2-3 dozen Tesla chargers and maybe 6 non-tesla chargers. Never see many of them in use but then again, would you really want to spend all that charging time inside Bucky's?
 

gearheadgrrrl

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2002
Location
Buffalo Ridge (southwest Minnesota)
TDI
'15 Golf DSG, '13 JSW DSG surrendered to VW, '03 Golf 2 door manual
If VW cleans up some of its botched haptic controls for '24 I may be tempted.
Couple weeks back VW Group previewed their future product plan, focusing on Golf 9. Supposed to be electric only and come out in 2025, so looks like we got at least a couple years to get our last VW. TDI warranty on my 2015 doesn't run to 'til 2028, but if VWoA as usual decides we want an electric Golf if a Golf at all I may have to buy sooner. On the truck side, they featured Scania but not International so that may be the kiss of death for the International brand...
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
So maybe '24 is the year for a GTI. My '15 GSW only has 18K on it, but still...

Other than my brief Miata ownership experience a few years ago I haven't owned a gasoline powered car since 2007.
 

Daemon64

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Location
Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
TDI
2022 Polestar 2 BEV - Current, 2021 Q5 55e PHEV - Retired, 2015 Q5 3.0 TDI - Retired, 2013 Golf TDI - Retired
So maybe '24 is the year for a GTI. My '15 GSW only has 18K on it, but still...

Other than my brief Miata ownership experience a few years ago I haven't owned a gasoline powered car since 2007.
I can tell you that the 23 anniversary edition R is really nice in a manual.. and that these motors love low rev shifting....
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Not an AWD fan. And the 18" wheels on the GTI are already too big in my opinion. I'd rather not spend the $10K+ upcharge for the R, even though it is appealing in some ways.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
After driving the cheapest trim Golfs for the last 45 years my investment account balances tell me I can finally afford the top Golf, cash.
Nice! Daemon seems well pleased with his Golf R. I'm surprised you'd opt for the 7sp auto, though. Had you pegged for a manual kind of gal.
 

Daemon64

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Location
Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
TDI
2022 Polestar 2 BEV - Current, 2021 Q5 55e PHEV - Retired, 2015 Q5 3.0 TDI - Retired, 2013 Golf TDI - Retired
Not an AWD fan. And the 18" wheels on the GTI are already too big in my opinion. I'd rather not spend the $10K+ upcharge for the R, even though it is appealing in some ways.
Oh i wasn't trying to push you off the GTI, get it good. It was more so to let you know that these motors love to drive like my MK6 Golf TDI, low RPM shifting all day and it is happy as heck... So it wouldn't be much of a stretch, it also has decent low end torque, so I think you'd really like it was my point as it feels in many ways similar to my MK6 6spd--> The car is buttery smooth shifting at 1800rpm which is the power band of my mk6
 

Daemon64

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Location
Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
TDI
2022 Polestar 2 BEV - Current, 2021 Q5 55e PHEV - Retired, 2015 Q5 3.0 TDI - Retired, 2013 Golf TDI - Retired
After driving the cheapest trim Golfs for the last 45 years my investment account balances tell me I can finally afford the top Golf, cash.
You will not regret it. Wife absolutely loves it. And 23/24 is the last year you can get the manual, and likely last gasser, after that theyre talking of going electric
 

gearheadgrrrl

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2002
Location
Buffalo Ridge (southwest Minnesota)
TDI
'15 Golf DSG, '13 JSW DSG surrendered to VW, '03 Golf 2 door manual
Nice! Daemon seems well pleased with his Golf R. I'm surprised you'd opt for the 7sp auto, though. Had you pegged for a manual kind of gal.
My heart's with the manuals, but my gimpy legs suggest DSG would be a safer bet.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Fewer and fewer manuals available every day it seems. :( I hope I don't live long enough to lose the use of my legs to prohibit me driving one.
 

gearheadgrrrl

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2002
Location
Buffalo Ridge (southwest Minnesota)
TDI
'15 Golf DSG, '13 JSW DSG surrendered to VW, '03 Golf 2 door manual
At 73 after 36 years of Multiple Sclerosis I can still drive a manual TDI, not so sure about gassers... Damn things want to die on me unless I push the right pedal at the same time as I let up on the left pedal.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
Much less downshifting required with the diesels generally, too.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Really depends on the car. Some are worse than others. My F250 you can darn near dump the clutch and it won't stall. But the effort it takes to push the clutch down is not easy.

Also, the newer cars with DBW throttle and hill holders and such also make them somewhat easier.
 

Daemon64

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Location
Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
TDI
2022 Polestar 2 BEV - Current, 2021 Q5 55e PHEV - Retired, 2015 Q5 3.0 TDI - Retired, 2013 Golf TDI - Retired
At 73 after 36 years of Multiple Sclerosis I can still drive a manual TDI, not so sure about gassers... Damn things want to die on me unless I push the right pedal at the same time as I let up on the left pedal.
So the 2023 R is happy to idle and pull itself along at 5mph, my guess is GTI drives similar. But my point from earlier is that thing i cannot speak for the GTI loves low rev driving, literally 1300rpm, no problem, as i said it drives VERY similar to my 2013 Golf TDI 6spd. Its weird for a gasser how much it feels like the diesel in that aspect.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Much of the newer DI turbo gas engines feel like that. It is shocking to me how much bottom end oomph the little 1.5L 3 cyl in the Mini has. And it is happy to loaf along at 1300 RPM and pull a hill. It's really strange. Still can't match the diesel for fuel economy, though. Not even close.
 
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