this TDI mileage is misleading

[rfortson]

So, the TDI gets 30-40 (or more) mpg? How come it's not saving me any money?

Oh, it must be because it's so fun to drive, I wind up going out of my way to drive further/longer! Seriously, I pass up a dozen places to eat lunch within a couple of blocks of my office, just to take the bypass around to the highway a couple of miles away. Just so I can accelerate, take the curves, go up and down the bridges and zip around traffic.

I just can't figure out why I'm not saving money on fuel.

Loving the 2012 JSW. I've pretty much added all my accessories for now. Just need to find a place to take some decent photos.

 

[stuckinneutral]

TDIs are highway kings. I'm really glad I got this car, not because I like taking long routes, but I'm **** with directions so I end up taking long routes lol.

 

[Fordcougar]

My wife and I replaced our Tahoe with the TDI we take weekly trips 120 miles RT sometimes twice a week to hit the hospital and Dr visits. Had we kept driving the tahoe(more comfortable than my cougar) we'd have paid more than double our JSW car payments a month. So we're saving money and got a new car in the mix... yes I agree the throttle can be addictive.. now all I need is some 60mph Highways and 50mpg would be easily attainable...(I hit around 38mpg at 70-75)

 

[Bluerabbit0886]

I was going to yell at you that you're driving the car wrong because I regularly see 55+ mpg and I have less than 1,000 mi on my 2012. But I read more and totally agree. This car is just fantastic on the highway. Truly an excellent traveling car...

 

[ToeBall]

TDIs are highway kings. I'm really glad I got this car, not because I like taking long routes, but I'm **** with directions so I end up taking long routes lol.

We have a fix for this here in Houston... traffic.

 

[whitedog]

Buying the Jetta didn't save me money on fuel, but it did allow me to travel more on the same amount of fuel compared to my 15 MPG Truck.

 

[xtu1963]

Buying the Jetta didn't save me money on fuel, but it did allow me to travel more on the same amount of fuel compared to my 15 MPG Truck.

But that does save you money on fuel. Look at your monthly fuel costs. I drove a 20 MPG car before my Jetta and was lucky to get 350 miles to a tank of gas. Now I get 475 miles to a tank of gas and that tank is 13.5 gallons versus 16.5 gallons. I drive ~1200 miles a month, so if you do the math:

Old Car:
1200 miles / 20 MPG = 60 gallons/month
60 gallons of regular @ 3.59/gallon = $215/month

Jetta TDI:
1200 miles / 35 MPG = 34 gallons/month
34 gallons of diesel@ 3.89/gallon = $133/month

That's $82/month savings. It get's even better if I drive a long distance on the highway. Most of my driving is city, so my MPGs suck, but when I drive back to Michigan for Christmas, I plan to really clean up!

 

[voldar]

Buying the Jetta didn't save me money on fuel, but it did allow me to travel more on the same amount of fuel compared to my 15 MPG Truck.

 

[whitedog]

I'm saying it didn't save me money, it just allowed me to travel more using the same amount of money.

More travel with the same money.

 

[40X40]

Allow me, Tim.

Tim (Whitedog)went further on the same amount of fuel money. He did not save money because he spent the same amount of money, but he went further.......


Bill

 

[m32911s]

Allow me, Tim.

Tim (Whitedog)went further on the same amount of fuel money. He did not save money because he spent the same amount of money, but he went further.......


Bill

Haha nice...

 

[whitedog]

Go farther.
Pay same.

 

[JungleDeath]

Any excuse to lengthen my trips I take it. My wife gets pissed because she expects me home at a certain time, but I suspect she will understand when it's her turn to take it for a while. A rsb and a stage one tune; must be difficult to get out of the car...

I feel very fortunate that I own two very fun cars to drive.

 

[GraniteRooster]

Go farther.
Pay same.

I like this alot better than "drive more, worry less"

 

[Vidgamer]

Even at $82/mo., it's hard to feel the savings when you buy a new car and spend so much. But, since we planned to get a new car anyway, it does seem like we should save money over time. Plus the car we got out of took premium gas as well as only got around 20 mpg! Give us a few years and if fuel costs continue to rise, it'll pay off. :-/ But right now, saving $82 but spending so many thousands just doesn't feel like saving!

 

[Vidgamer]

BTW, how do you get 55MPG? The most we've seen is 45MPG on the highway, but then, we're usually at 65-70MPH, then.

 

[40X40]

I was going to yell at you that you're driving the car wrong because I regularly see 55+ mpg and I have less than 1,000 mi on my 2012. But I read more and totally agree. This car is just fantastic on the highway. Truly an excellent traveling car...

BTW, how do you get 55MPG? The most we've seen is 45MPG on the highway, but then, we're usually at 65-70MPH, then.

He has less than 1000 miles on his car (bluerabbit) and that is about two tanks of fuel, so 'regularly see' can only mean that he sees that number on his dashboard when he is at cruise speed.

He will have different figures if he keeps track of his actual fuel use for 10,000 miles or so. (probably closer to the mid 40s)

Bill

 

[seth1065]

But that does save you money on fuel. Look at your monthly fuel costs. I drove a 20 MPG car before my Jetta and was lucky to get 350 miles to a tank of gas. Now I get 475 miles to a tank of gas and that tank is 13.5 gallons versus 16.5 gallons. I drive ~1200 miles a month, so if you do the math:

Old Car:
1200 miles / 20 MPG = 60 gallons/month
60 gallons of regular @ 3.59/gallon = $215/month

Jetta TDI:
1200 miles / 35 MPG = 34 gallons/month
34 gallons of diesel@ 3.89/gallon = $133/month

That's $82/month savings. It get's even better if I drive a long distance on the highway. Most of my driving is city, so my MPGs suck, but when I drive back to Michigan for Christmas, I plan to really clean up!

2011 have a 14.5 gallon tank

 

[Bluerabbit0886]

He has less than 1000 miles on his car (bluerabbit) and that is about two tanks of fuel, so 'regularly see' can only mean that he sees that number on his dashboard when he is at cruise speed.

He will have different figures if he keeps track of his actual fuel use for 10,000 miles or so. (probably closer to the mid 40s)

Bill

True. What the mfi says is a tad inflated...still sounds good.

So far, the average over those tanks has been 45mpg. Much better than my R32 running E85 at about 18mpg on a great day.

 

[JarHead]

I was going to yell at you that you're driving the car wrong because I regularly see 55+ mpg and I have less than 1,000 mi on my 2012. But I read more and totally agree. This car is just fantastic on the highway. Truly an excellent traveling car...

Okay so how are you getting this good of MPG. I drive 65 everywhere and shift at 1200 RPM. I can only get 47-48 on my 80 mile round trip to work. Also I'm right at 10k miles.

 

[SteveCA]

If you drive 50-55 you will see and maybe even average 55mpg. But if you drive like everyone else, 65-75, you will not average 55MPG but more like 42-46MPG imho.

 

[UberVW_TDI]

I sold my 2004 F-150 SuperCrew truck that I really didn't need because I was putting $100 in the tank every ~10 days.

I've had my 2010 JSW TDI for almost 2 years now. I've been keeping a fuel log....recording mpg, cost of diesel vs regular unleaded at each fill up.

So far I've saved $4812 in fuel costs by driving my TDI vs the F-150.

 

[rfortson]

I sold my 2004 F-150 SuperCrew truck that I really didn't need because I was putting $100 in the tank every ~10 days.

I've had my 2010 JSW TDI for almost 2 years now. I've been keeping a fuel log....recording mpg, cost of diesel vs regular unleaded at each fill up.

So far I've saved $4812 in fuel costs by driving my TDI vs the F-150.

That's good real-world data. I'm probably breaking even compared to my Ford Escape Hybrid's mileage, but my FEH mileage had been trending down (my last tank before trading was 22.8mpg) and I expect my JSW to increase slightly to closer to 30 mpg given my short commutes.

However, the fun factor is tilted waaaaaay in the favor of the JSW. So I'm still ahead in my book.

 

[rtn1911]

If you drive 50-55 you will see and maybe even average 55mpg. But if you drive like everyone else, 65-75, you will not average 55MPG but more like 42-46MPG imho.

This sounds about right.

I'm getting about 37 MPG during the week (freeway and "city"), but I have a heavy foot on the skinny and like to keep it at 80+ as much as i can. Recent trip from Marin to Tahoe I got 41.5 on the outbound (up the hills) and spent a big portion of time between 75 and 90.

 

[JungleDeath]

This sounds about right.
I'm getting about 37 MPG during the week (freeway and "city"), but I have a heavy foot on the skinny and like to keep it at 80+ as much as i can. Recent trip from Marin to Tahoe I got 41.5 on the outbound (up the hills) and spent a big portion of time between 75 and 90.

Ripping through the hills from the base of Auburn to the top of the Sierra's is just too much damn fun to drive less than 70 mph. My wife hates that part of the trip.... Unfortunately mpg suffers. Oh well.

On the other hand, I had to drive toward Susanville from Reno yesterday. With less that 900 miles on the odo, 48" crossbars and two bike trays, I netted 43 mpg. I never drove over 70 except to pass truckers. My 05 Passat would have a tough time doing 40 mpg if at all doing that at 65 mph with nothing on the roof.

 

[piney]

That's good real-world data. I'm probably breaking even compared to my Ford Escape Hybrid's mileage, but my FEH mileage had been trending down (my last tank before trading was 22.8mpg) and I expect my JSW to increase slightly to closer to 30 mpg given my short commutes.

However, the fun factor is tilted waaaaaay in the favor of the JSW. So I'm still ahead in my book.

No doubt on the fun to drive factor, I have a 2010 FEH as well and it drives like a vintage Ford Escort, just not as exciting. If it weren't free, I'd have never got it. My daughters like the ride height though. It gets 24-26 here in South Florida, a land of red lights and AC on year around.

The JSW is the wife's ride and she uses it to shuttle the kids around and take them to school. It is primarily a short trip vehicle although I do love taking it on the road. It replaced a 2008 Odyssey Touring that got 15.1 in the same driving that she currently gets almost 30 in. My fuel savings is literally $150 a month. That is real money and the JSW is so much fun to drive.

 

[rtn1911]

Ripping through the hills from the base of Auburn to the top of the Sierra's is just too much damn fun to drive less than 70 mph. My wife hates that part of the trip.... Unfortunately mpg suffers. Oh well.
On the other hand, I had to drive toward Susanville from Reno yesterday. With less that 900 miles on the odo, 48" crossbars and two bike trays, I netted 43 mpg. I never drove over 70 except to pass truckers. My 05 Passat would have a tough time doing 40 mpg if at all doing that at 65 mph with nothing on the roof.

The only time I can get that kind of speed in there is during the week and in the dry season. Then...it's perfection. The only thing that slowed me down was some road construction on the east-bound portion.

We were in Reno on this trip, after shooting at the Carson City range east of the city. The stretch from Reno to the Agriculture check point was a great test of the low-end torque of this engine. Great times.

 

[oxford_guy]

How come it's not saving me any money?

If you want to save money and you do mostly city driving, a US-spec diesel is not the way to go. There are smaller diesel engines overseas, and Volvo is coming out with a diesel hybrid.

For someone who makes short trips and plans to keep the car for a long time, a used car with a good reliability record and high depreciation rate is the way to go. For someone who drives a lot in the city, a Prius may be the way to go. I don't know how much of a deal one can get on a used one of those, given the current demand.

 

[oxford_guy]

Much better than my R32 running E85 at about 18mpg on a great day.

Why buy that stuff? It gets terrible mileage.

 

[Bluerabbit0886]

Why buy that stuff? It gets terrible mileage.

For the performance. No other reason.