Road Trip

[Georges TDI]

Well, here's what I've been waiting for. My first road trip in my 2000 Jetta/Silver Arrow/GlS. I've got 1900 miles on it. Topped it off yesterday in preparation. First time since New Years Eve. Took 8.5 gal for about 450 miles. Do the math. Around 55 MPG. Going to go in to a colder climate in Northern Pa. About a thousand mile trip 70% on interstate 81. Speed limit mostly 65 sometimes 70. That cruise control is going to be great! So I'll have a little over 3k when I return. Bought the car on Dec. 3rd. Maybe I'll see a fellow TDI'r out there. Honk if your passing (or following)by. You might find me at a truck stop on 81 on the way back. Get some good fresh fuel with the big guys. Have fun wherever your driving this weekend in your TDI. Always be careful. Share the road with cyclists.

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George

 

[TDI Believer]

George,

You can't accurately measure your mileage unless you "mickey-fill" your tank (venting it). Diesel fuel foams when you fill the tank, therefore you can never tell for sure if it is really full unless you do the fuel vent thing.

- Rich

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Rich in Northern VA
2000 Jetta GLS TDI Manual
Canyon Red/Beige
w/Lux/Cold/6CD

 

[Georges TDI]

Well this is a great test run. It is 9 degrees here in Northern Pa this A.M. Chill factor well below zero. I couldn't wait to see how the car would do. After chipping it out of the ice I turned the key. The glowplug indicator was on for about 12 seconds or so and I gave it a shot. The engine came to life with no problem at all. It took slightly more turns on the starter. I have the 45 cetane from Virginia in there with no additive. To come up here on slightly more than a half a tank is incredible to me! 500 miles one way.
Ya gotta love 'em.

Heading back to the sunny south tomorrow with even more confidence that this is truly a great car.
At some point romorrow I will refuel using the venting technique. Also I picked up the VW rubber mats just in time to get into this snow. They are real nice and look good too.

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George

 

[SteveS]

So tell us who live in the one season world, what the winter is like outside that beautiful car. Snow? Ice? Rivers with ice flow? Sounds intriguing!

BTW, The venting trick is a neat "insiders" bit of man-machine interaction, and I usually do it, but a person could get accurate mileage accounting without ever doing this, in theory anyway, if they measured at the same level everytime. You would then be measuring the fuel used -the previous level being the constant- against a mileage figure... providing...and this is a big "IF"...the fuel level is always from the same starting point....now in the real world...


[This message has been edited by SteveS (edited January 14, 2000).]

 

[Georges TDI]

It's intriguing alright. (29?) Palms California sound interesting to me at this point. I topped off at 720 miles after the fuel light came on. Did some of the venting.
Filled with Amoco but don't know the Cetane. Came out to just over 50 MPG which is probably about right. If you measure a half gallon to a gallon +/- it's going to make a huge difference in MPG. 49 MPG is what VW says on the window. Is there any real reason to think this can be improved all that much?
I love to brag on mileage but I want it to be real. My 50 sounds real. I last reported 55 on a partial fill. May or may not be accurate. I'll just keep a running record and try to refil the same way each time. Of course I probably would get better mileage in California but that is a 4 tank trip over to the left coast.

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George

 

[SteveS]

Come on out to the left coast! I did it. Thanks to the dictators at VWoA, we left-coasters must go out of state to purchase a TDI.I called all over the USA to find the perfect car, then flew to Houston, bought the right TDI, and started west. Three days later I was home, and had the best road trip of my life. Spontaneity is great!

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00TDI NB/Auto/HOT red
TVA Pipes
TDI script/center-bottom/rear window