TDI fest 2019-2020

tomo366

TDI Lifer, Member #68
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
Location
Kensington, Maryland USA
TDI
2015 Jetta SEL TDI
The people that managed those things are all now pretty much no longer around and Fred doesn't post.....I will not say anymore as I don't want to be labeled Negative..... which has happened in the Past I know that the Auction of donated items raised lots of Money
 

MichaelB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2014 Passat SE DSG
I know that the Auction of donated items raised lots of Money
If that's the case lets have an online auction. That is a lot easier to manage than a TDI Fest, isn't it?

BTW Fred personally thanked me for the purchase of a new license plate holder and a TDI cap. My old one just faded away so....I purchased a new one.
 

tomo366

TDI Lifer, Member #68
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
Location
Kensington, Maryland USA
TDI
2015 Jetta SEL TDI
Much easier said than done.....NOTHING like being in a full Banquet room and bidding against a bunch of folks......I know I usually dropped 2-300 at the Auction! And there were guys that spent a lot more than me
 

MichaelB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2014 Passat SE DSG
Much easier said than done.....NOTHING like being in a full Banquet room and bidding against a bunch of folks......I know I usually dropped 2-300 at the Auction! And there were guys that spent a lot more than me
OK, then I guess there is nothing we here can do. Maybe you could just drop 2-300 bucks into the forums coffers then.
 

tomo366

TDI Lifer, Member #68
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
Location
Kensington, Maryland USA
TDI
2015 Jetta SEL TDI
Not these days.......I was one of the very early members and I have more than paid my dues and while I still own a TDI it is no longer a priority in my life I have been here since 1997 and I am now 22 years older than at the beginning....
 

MichaelB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2014 Passat SE DSG
Not these days.......I was one of the very early members and I have more than paid my dues and while I still own a TDI it is no longer a priority in my life I have been here since 1997 and I am now 22 years older than at the beginning....
Then as I said there is nothing we can do besides get old and die just like the forums. My TDI never was or will be a priority in my life it's just a car. That being said many good posts are still made here every day, it's a shame the old guys need a TDI Fest to keep it going.
 
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aja8888

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Location
Texas..RETIRED 12/31/17
TDI
Out of TDI's
This place (the site) kind of reminds me of the old Saturn Forums that, I believe, still exists. I was a member of that froum in the early 1990's and it was quite active and had a great tech forum. Plus, it was moderated quite well. Although the Saturn guys and gals didn't hold fests, they sure were helpful and a lot of members were around for quite a long time. However, that forum is about dead, although I get an email from them every so often.

Fred's site has been a great place and the GTG's and Fests were special due to the efforts of the long timers and club ownership. This is sorely missed but I believe, like others here, it is over.

I still come here to chat with a few old friends, but it's not the same as it was before Dieselgate.
 

rotarykid

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 27, 2003
Location
Piedmont of N.C. & the plains of Colorado
TDI
1997 Passat TDI White,99.5 Blue Jetta TDI
this really captures it for me.....

I think membership and activity on this site is on the rise, after hitting a post-dieselgate low a couple years ago. The bought back cars are bringing in a lot of new members.

However, the new cars aren't nearly as mod-friendly as the older TDIs. And they're harder to owner maintain because of the need for different tools and technology, and because they're more complex. So a lot of the posts here are more about fuel economy, what's covered under the emissions warranty, common issues with the newer cars, and (still) posts about tunes. Not as exciting as 15 years ago.

But this site is still far, far better than any other auto enthusiast sites I visit. I applaud Fred for keeping this ad-free: just go to a competitor site to see how annoying ads can be.
I believe there are many like me with multiple TDIs(two Passats, two Jettas with one still running around on eco-diesel power) we own and still drive.....

I always wanted there to be a national gtg in the rocky mountain region to show off the beauty and how well these cars handle driving up here....a fest ride over trail ridge road would be a drive no one would ever forget....or to the top of pikes peak....or a ride to the great sand dunes national park....a ride down to the garden of the gods....hell, just a trip of a group of us up to see the buffulo then on to lookout mountain,,...

I have recently taken a drive around to local metro area vw dealers to see if diesel offerings still fill their lots. Now we all know there have been no new current model year offerings sold since 15, but after the still new 15s pre-sale TDIs went on sale, suddenly every lot I have visited recently has had a variety of this re-sale CPO warranty offered cars. ....

They range from Jetta, Golf, Passat. Newest Beetle(even a few convertibles) manual & DSG TDI. And talking to people I personally know at one of these dealers the current re-sale CPO's are selling pretty well and will continue to arrive for sale for at least the next year or longer for as long as the buy-back supply lasts. There are also more than a few of the audi TDI cars & suvs still out there driving around, I was in a trip across town the other day and saw two audi TDI sedans in snowy traffic. With the snow piling up I could not tell which cars they were but I clearly read TDI on the rear deck lid.....

My point is, as has been said...as long as there are people out there looking to continue to buy these cars like I am seeing right now our board will continue to serve a real purpose. And I believe that in parts of the US & Canada there are still enough of us around that if we so chose could still put on a mighty fine party somewhere to celebrate the fact for at least the next few years to come they will still in at least parts of the US still exist in reasonable numbers to warrant continued site support.....

Who knows, once all of the buyback stock is back on the road vwag may even re-introduce a diesel option here again. I know they are currently building not for sale here Atlas TDI built in Tenn.....how hard could it be(under trump) to get this thing certified for sale here????....time will tell....
 

MichaelB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2014 Passat SE DSG
I believe there are many like me with multiple TDIs(two Passats, two Jettas with one still running around on eco-diesel power) we own and still drive.....

I always wanted there to be a national gtg in the rocky mountain region to show off the beauty and how well these cars handle driving up here....a fest ride over trail ridge road would be a drive no one would ever forget....or to the top of pikes peak....or a ride to the great sand dunes national park....a ride down to the garden of the gods....hell, just a trip of a group of us up to see the buffulo then on to lookout mountain,,...

I have recently taken a drive around to local metro area vw dealers to see if diesel offerings still fill their lots. Now we all know there have been no new current model year offerings sold since 15, but after the still new 15s pre-sale TDIs went on sale, suddenly every lot I have visited recently has had a variety of this re-sale CPO warranty offered cars. ....

They range from Jetta, Golf, Passat. Newest Beetle(even a few convertibles) manual & DSG TDI. And talking to people I personally know at one of these dealers the current re-sale CPO's are selling pretty well and will continue to arrive for sale for at least the next year or longer for as long as the buy-back supply lasts. There are also more than a few of the audi TDI cars & suvs still out there driving around, I was in a trip across town the other day and saw two audi TDI sedans in snowy traffic. With the snow piling up I could not tell which cars they were but I clearly read TDI on the rear deck lid.....

My point is, as has been said...as long as there are people out there looking to continue to buy these cars like I am seeing right now our board will continue to serve a real purpose. And I believe that in parts of the US & Canada there are still enough of us around that if we so chose could still put on a mighty fine party somewhere to celebrate the fact for at least the next few years to come they will still in at least parts of the US still exist in reasonable numbers to warrant continued site support.....

Who knows, once all of the buyback stock is back on the road vwag may even re-introduce a diesel option here again. I know they are currently building not for sale here Atlas TDI built in Tenn.....how hard could it be(under trump) to get this thing certified for sale here????....time will tell....
As it has been said before in this thread are you willing to do the work to have said TDI Fest in Colorado or are you just smokin' a pipe(Rocky Mountain High) and having a dream? Colorado colorful as it may be takes more than dream.
 
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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
Really? Not for me.

I don't want to paste the whole article here, but here's some.

WHAT IF YOU HAD A PARTY AND 28,000 SATURN OWNERS
SHOWED UP?
By Warren Brown
June 26, 1994
SPRING HILL, TENN., JUNE 25 -- It was a revival meeting, replete with prayers, tents and gospel music.
There were ministers aplenty, one of whom presided over an impromptu wedding. There were children
everywhere, running through fields and playing on bales of hay, while their parents huddled in groups and
talked about God, family, country -- and Saturn.
"It's unbelievable," said Richard "Skip" Lefauve, president of Saturn Corp., a small-car company that began as a
laughable idea 12 years ago but has blossomed into a full-scale religion.
"Who would've thought? All of these people -- my God! All of these people are our customers," said Lefauve,
looking at a crowd of 15,000 Saturn owners who had gathered here Friday for the first day of a "Saturn
homecoming celebration." It was the company's first such gathering.
By the end of tonight's ceremonies, 28,000 Saturn owners and their families had shown up, nearly triple the
population of this middle Tennessee town in which the automaker is located.
Some came from as far away as Taiwan, and others from as close as Nashville, about 30 miles north of Spring
Hill. In a parking lot transformed into a sea of Saturns were license plates from Arizona and Alaska.
Many said they made the trip for three reasons: to see the 2,400-acre Saturn factory site, to meet the people
who built their cars and to find out if the Saturn philosophy of "togetherness" and "teamwork" was hype or
truth.
"Put it this way -- I've owned lots of cars and heard lots of tales from people who just wanted to make a sale,"
said Kirk Noland, 38, a corrections officer from Fayetteville, N.C. "But this is the first time a car company has
invited me to come and see what they do. I had a few days off, so I took 'em up on it," said Noland, who made
the almost 600-mile journey with his 11-year-old daughter, Dorothy, in his 1992 Saturn SL1 sedan.
 

rotarykid

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 27, 2003
Location
Piedmont of N.C. & the plains of Colorado
TDI
1997 Passat TDI White,99.5 Blue Jetta TDI
As it has been said before in this thread are you willing to do the work to have said TDI Fest in Colorado or are you just smokin' a pipe(Rocky Mountain High) and having a dream? Colorado colorful as it may be takes more than dream.
I number of years back I talked to active vw/audi clubs in the co springs & denver area who were at the time more than willing to work alongside tdiclub members in trying to put together a national meet here. Now I haven't asked these same groups since, but I believe there is more than enough enthusiasm still here if the right people would come forward to help I have no doubt this is more than a dream....Now I have no doubt that it is going to take other people in the region beyond just me to make this a reality, if anyone on here is interested I am more than willing to do my part to make this work in this beautiful place...
 

ranger pete

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2011
Location
connecticut
TDI
2011 JSW 6MT
I am in Ct. and a tdi newbie. Just bought an '11 Sportwagen.

I am seeing more and more around the last few months. If anyone wants to do a New England GTG, let me know.

Would like to talk to some TDI vets.
 

vwxyzero

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Los Angeles, CA
TDI
'96 Passat Sedan, '96 TDI Passat Wagon, & Jetta Sedan, '83 Turbodiesel (IDI)
I number of years back I talked to active vw/audi clubs in the co springs & denver area who were at the time more than willing to work alongside tdiclub members in trying to put together a national meet here. Now I haven't asked these same groups since, but I believe there is more than enough enthusiasm still here if the right people would come forward to help I have no doubt this is more than a dream....Now I have no doubt that it is going to take other people in the region beyond just me to make this a reality, if anyone on here is interested I am more than willing to do my part to make this work in this beautiful place...
If you decide to make this happen, I'll be more than willing to take one of my TDIs, or my Turbo IDI off blocks, put in a new timing belt, register it, insure it, and drive to a fest anywhere in Colorado.

Full disclosure; my daughter lives in Colorado, so Colorado would be a great excuse for me.

Photo: Rocky Mountain National Park, Forrest Canyon Lookout, at 9:23 PM at night, heading from Denver to Steamboat Springs on highway 34 - always breathtaking, day or night.


Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
 

vwxyzero

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Location
Los Angeles, CA
TDI
'96 Passat Sedan, '96 TDI Passat Wagon, & Jetta Sedan, '83 Turbodiesel (IDI)
I am in Ct. and a tdi newbie. Just bought an '11 Sportwagen.



I am seeing more and more around the last few months. If anyone wants to do a New England GTG, let me know.



Would like to talk to some TDI vets.
Local get-togethers are fairly easy to organize, it only takes a couple of committed people to make that happen. A national TDI Fest is an entirely different animal. Good luck with a local GTG!

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk
 

Lamchop

New member
Joined
May 16, 2019
Location
Dutchess County NY
TDI
2015 Golf 6spd
I am in Ct. and a tdi newbie. Just bought an '11 Sportwagen.
I am seeing more and more around the last few months. If anyone wants to do a New England GTG, let me know.
Would like to talk to some TDI vets.
YESSS let's do it man!! I live in NY and would be willing to drive to CT for a gtg. Last year I picked up a 15 golf that was a buy back and have been wanting to talk to some vets about performance products and diesel gate issues. I want to delete my emissions system for longetivity and performance reasons and wondering if anyone else has here. That VW warranty is tempting though. So it makes you think.
But I love my car and have always wanted one. So it would be nice to meet up with like minded people. Lets make this happen!
 

02TDI_sam

New member
Joined
Apr 20, 2019
Location
Monroe, NC
TDI
2002 TDI Golf
I am a new member here and just bought my first vw TDi 3 weeks ago. I am highly interested in a get together. even if it is a local gig. I live here in North Carolina. we have Charlotte NC close by and we also have Morrow Mountain state park that has a very nice spot on the peak for cook out and parking. It also has some good views. start small and local and make it grow.
 

AndyBees

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
I became a member in 2003. I wasn't very active during the first two or three years, but as time come and went I did get more involved. I retired in 2008 with the goal of installing a TDI engine in a Vanagon. During the following four years (mid-08 to mid-12) I completed my goal. It was a long rough time in my life. I'll not share the details here, but, we made it through. We (wife and I) attended the 2011, 12 and 13 fests..... enjoyed them immensely. As I recall, 14 was at the same place as 13 (Sunday River, Maine)... seems the St Louis Fest (15) fell thru due to regulations in that state relating to auctions. The 2016 fest was held at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. (Is your name on the 2016 attendee list?) We had completed a 12k plus mile road trip in 31 days to Alaska, otherwise, we would have made it to Sturgeon Bay... same with 2014, 33 day road trip to Alaska (both in the TDI Vanagon). Prior to 2011, our family reunion had be held on Labor Day weekend which presented a problem for us...

Yes, I've noticed the down turn in member activity. I've noticed many of the old timers have not been on here in months, some much longer than a year. As you probably know, non-member lurkers cannot post. If those folks would step-up and join the club maybe the enthusiasm would return.

Yep, I went from driving about 40k miles per year (36k on my daily to and on the job) to less than a tank of fuel per month when I retired (my son has that 2000 Jetta which is pushing 372k miles). I now own my brother's 2003 which has the engine from his T-boned 2001. Point here is, at my age, I'll probably never own a TDI newer than an 03 but maybe an 04 with PD engine.

Yes, I'm rambling....

I think everyone I saw at the three fests we attended had a great time. We did contribute both thru registration, purchases and donations (guys, remember the shine?:D).

Oh, and BTW, the last time I looked, my Vanagon ALH TDI project (now in a Sticky), has had over 336,000 (337,819) hits since I started it, April, 2010. But, it does seem that the number of new conversions hitting the Conversion category is down.

This year, we have a road trip planned the week after Labor Day weekend. We're going with friends to the northeast and into Canada.... likely not driving anything VW/TDI. But, if there happens to be a TDI fest, we'll modify plans and attend..

Lastly, I do not see the TDI club tanking anytime soon ......

(notice my sig... welcome the new comers)
 
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pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
TDI
2013 JSW, 2 x 2002 Golf, 1995 F450 7.3L
A GTG would sure be nice. I wasn't able to go to previous TDIfests. I bought mine in 2010 and gave VW the middle finger in regards to the buyout. Looking back, I wished I sold mine back, as I bought the same car with a 6MT and 2013 model year. I also own 3 other TDIs and 2 motors shy of a dozen other diesels, so I definitely have a foot in the race, and am very interested in anything diesel.
 

aja8888

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Location
Texas..RETIRED 12/31/17
TDI
Out of TDI's
A GTG would sure be nice. I wasn't able to go to previous TDIfests. I bought mine in 2010 and gave VW the middle finger in regards to the buyout. Looking back, I wished I sold mine back, as I bought the same car with a 6MT and 2013 model year. I also own 3 other TDIs and 2 motors shy of a dozen other diesels, so I definitely have a foot in the race, and am very interested in anything diesel.
Organize one....:)
 

tomo366

TDI Lifer, Member #68
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
Location
Kensington, Maryland USA
TDI
2015 Jetta SEL TDI
Now 3 years since the last TDI Fest in Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin these were such a great time! Really miss my Friends! And sadly I guess those days are over I made all but the 2 that were held out west! Peter v Storey and Jonathon Bartlett and of course Fred made them all.....
 

USMCFieldMP

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Location
Fort Worth, TX
TDI
2014 Jetta TDI
However, I also think the time for get togethers and TDIFests may have passed: I don't think there's the core of enthusiast owners that there was 10-15 years ago.
Honestly, that just seems to be forums in general - especially for cars that aren't actively being built. The enthusiasts are out there... there's just a minimum of them on forums. I had the same experience with my Cobalt SS. The forums were rocking and national meetups were being had in the late 2000's/early 2010's. But in recent years, the forums seem to consist mostly of people that just got the car while the core group of knowledgeable people have left.
 

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
Honestly, that just seems to be forums in general - especially for cars that aren't actively being built. The enthusiasts are out there... there's just a minimum of them on forums.
I think Forums are dying, too. This one still gets along, but without the resurgence of CR TDIs coming back to market, I think we'd hear crickets. Most questions about the MKIV cars have been asked and answered, and A3/B4 cars are essentially gone.
 

tomo366

TDI Lifer, Member #68
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
Location
Kensington, Maryland USA
TDI
2015 Jetta SEL TDI
I think Forums are dying, too. This one still gets along, but without the resurgence of CR TDIs coming back to market, I think we'd hear crickets. Most questions about the MKIV cars have been asked and answered, and A3/B4 cars are essentially gone.
I belong to 3-4 BMW Forums and Posts are Few and far between....
 

USMCFieldMP

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Location
Fort Worth, TX
TDI
2014 Jetta TDI
I've even noticed quite the slow down on Vortex. The MK2 Parts For Sale section was daily chaos a decade ago; even 5 years ago, great parts would be gone in hours. Now it seems like the posts trickle in, and good parts can sit around for a while.
 

tomo366

TDI Lifer, Member #68
Joined
Jun 30, 1997
Location
Kensington, Maryland USA
TDI
2015 Jetta SEL TDI
I've even noticed quite the slow down on Vortex. The MK2 Parts For Sale section was daily chaos a decade ago; even 5 years ago, great parts would be gone in hours. Now it seems like the posts trickle in, and good parts can sit around for a while.
I havent been on VW Vortex forever
 
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