I could be wrong though, but I know the Jetta is light enough to not need the urea, so maybe the passat is too heavy.

If you’re running on recycled waste oil, it’s a different story, but fresh biodiesel is pretty bad for the environment too.

I don’t get why people attach environmentally friendly tags to things like hybrids and biofuels. Hybrids are fuel efficient, but buying a new car full of batteries is not good for the environment and buying it for that reason is misguided. Buy one for its efficiency.
Biofuel is good for energy independence, but not for the environment. Farms pollute like no other industry and taking oil from the food market to fill your tank is morally suspect. Biofuels are good for energy independence, but not the environment.

I have been researching these for potential purchase and overall it’s a GREAT car but unfortunately most dealers are beyond clueless when it comes to servicing them (i.e. can’t even handle a simple oil change – many owners have reported that they are overfilling the cars and using wrong spec oil).

Just for a comparison, if you buy a Subaru WRX manual, you can expect 2nd gear to fail prematurely. If you’re lucky, it happens while under warranty. If not, it costs over $7k to repair.
Honda’s eat tires after 30k miles due to a bad suspension design that is 10 years old, but they won’t fix. Toyotas have numerous problems and brakes have no lifetime compared to German or American cars … there is no perfect car or brand.

DSG is cutting-edge technology and appeared on Audi, then VW, then Porsche and (?) Nissan/Infiniti (G37 … I think)
Its risky being on the cutting edge, but in return you’ll get Automatic Tranny convenience with Manual performance and mileage.
I hope you can enjoy your car when you get it back.

I want a new car that works. I didn’t drop $26K for a refurbished transmission, which is basically what they’re offering me. Not to mention the stress I’ve had to deal with the past two weeks, the crappy rental ordeals, oh and the hundred miles or so the service department is racking up on my car.

I’d really like to know why the Electronic Valve Body is on NATIONAL BACK ORDER.

Supposedly my lemon will be back on the road the middle of next week. I pray to god it gets struck by lightening or worse. That car is cursed.

In Canada, VW dealers are almost all exclusively VW (or VW/Audi) and sales volumes are much higher on a per-capita basis, so they’re pretty good.

But in the USA I’ve heard lots of horror stories, especially from the “Buick/Kia/Mazda/VW/Yamaha/AirStream” dealers that have 3 mechanics of which only 1 has his license … less than a year, etc.

From a proper VW dealer, you can expect updates on your car at least daily (by phone or e-mail, your preference) along with a clear understanding of “the plan”.

If you think your dealership sucks, ask around about a better one.

Most important REMEMBER THAT THERE IS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN SALES AND SERVICE.
YOU CAN TAKE YOU VW TO ANY DEALER IN NORTH AMERICA FOR WARRANTY SERVICE!

Warranty work is paid by VW to the dealership doing the work at FULL rate (no discounts to VWoA) so its gravy … they ALL want it. Which is why some dealerships will lie to you and say you have to bring the car back to them.
Every dealership wants warranty work!

So you can try to find a better dealer. Check the forums on VwVortex, FredsTDIclub, etc. if you don’t have other VW owners to ask. And feel free to talk to your regional VW Rep. … VWoA should give you that person’s contact info if you ask.
They are your ombudsman for car/dealer issues and give the dealer a kick in the butt if that’s what it takes to get things going.

Good luck!
PS: Worst case is they swap trannies … you should be on the road soon :)

Meanwhile, I’m stuck with a crappy rental car, and the dealership is racking up miles on a car that I’m paying for which doesn’t work.

It had 18 miles on it when I got it, and 180 when I put it in shop. Anyone else heard of this problem?

As for “unproven technology” — VW/Audi invented clean diesel (TDI) technology over 15 years ago, so maybe you’re talking about those new hybrid vehicles? ;)

Please read again, important phrase bolded for emphasis:

Why no mention, at all, of the new, unproven, emissions control stuff that had to be bolted on to this thing to make diesel just barely clean enough to be sold?

VW (and Toyota and others) have plenty of experience with the old very-dirty-diesel. The new emissions control systems to make diesel cars just barely sneak in under the emissions rules now in effect are unproven; not the diesel engines themselves.

Huh? “Unproven” ????
Check your stats. VW has the largest R&D budget of any car-maker on the planet and the most advanced technology.
The Bugatti Veyron, more than 10% faster than the fastest from Ferrari, etc., is powered by 4 GTI engines sharing a common block.

VW sells more diesels than anyone. However, most Japanese car fans are unaware that Toyota sells more right-hand-steering cars than left-hand. Of those right-hand drive cars, most are pickups, and the vast majority of those pickups are powered by TOYOTA DIESEL ENGINES.

If Toyota stopped selling the Prius, the impact would be less than 1% of 1% of sales.

IF TOYOTA STOPPED SELLING DIESELS, IT WOULD LOSE >> 20% OF ITS REVENUE.

Toyota is likely the #2 diesel engine maker in the world!

Can you be more specific on this?

People fall all over themselves to insist that hybrids must be more difficult to maintain because of the “two engines” and the battery. Why no mention, at all, of the new, unproven, emissions control stuff that had to be bolted on to this thing to make diesel just barely clean enough to be sold?

She drives a lot getting stuff for our company. She filled the Audi (base 2.8 V6) 5 times a month. She fills the Jetta twice a month (whether it needs it or not).

And you can buy diesel everywhere … EXCEPT locations where land is very expensive, like city centers. There, the stations are smaller and only have room for 2 tanks underground (premium and regular, which get mixed for mid-grade). Outside city centers almost every station sells diesel. You’re just not looking for it, but its there.

The Jetta TDI is a blast. We have performance summers on 17″ alloys. Passing drivers of modified V6 Japanese cars uphill in mountains is the most fun, because it takes them so long to catch up! I just set the cruise at 140kmph (around 90 MPH) and let the TDI do its thing.
And still get almost 50 MPG :)

It doesn’t matter, your old car won’t qualify for the Cash for Clunkers deal as it currently gets decent fuel economy. The program only works for people who bought gas guzzlers in the first place. The EPA combined rating needs to be 18 mpg or LESS to count for any incentive.

Also, to be clear, the fuel economy rating for the program isn’t based in the highway rating, it’s a combined average of city and highway.

Can you be more specific on this? I know the Mercedes Bluetech diesels have the urea injection system requirement (the cost of the urea per mile seems to be left off of most people’s calculation on these cars), but VW doesn’t require this. What are the emissions control system requirements you are talking about, especially given someone else’s post here that a 120K mile particle filter is all that’s required?

Prius crowd are quiet because We are laughing.

i doubt it. the prius crowd just doesn’t care about cars. as far as they are concerned a car is just another appliance and the prius is a well made appliance.

personally, i love diesels. i almost cried when i sold my benz 240d. still, i think we should acknowledge the hybrid’s advantage over diesel as a clean machine. the part that drives me crazy is that it isn’t diesel technology that’s dirty, it’s our fuel. we have tons of natural gas in the us but nobody seems interested in converting it to clear diesel which would run perfectly clean. yes, gas to liquid is an expensive refining process but it would get cheaper if we ramped up production. if you are not familiar with gtl tech see http://www.world-gtl.com/why_gtl/

I finally got off the list after 3 months and pulled the trigger on an 08 GTI with 0% for 60 months. I couldn’t get financing under 6% and I was going to pay sticker……..a difference of over 5K.

This car would have been great….if I could have found one

“clean diesel” is still dirtier than modern gas engines. That’s what you’re missing, fgbrault. The Jetta TDI is in the dirtiest category allowed for sale among new cars; not the cleanest.

Not one mention of interior room in this review. Not one mention of how the emissions control system must be serviced. Huh. Imagine that.:Quote

I researched it and you are correct that the Jetta TDI at Tier 2 Bin 5 is with the group of 2009 cars emitting the most emissions (it does better though with CO2.) However, the majority of 2009 gasoline engines are Tier 2, Bin 5, so at least it is no worse than most.

The Jetta has plenty of front seat room, but can be a little cramped in the back seat. It has a large trunk for a compact – 16 cubic feet plus fold down rear seat backs and a passthrough.

I can not find any mention in the Maintenance Booklet of service for the emissions control system until 120,000 miles, when the particle filter is to be checked.

Does anyone know what the official mpg ratings of the upcoming Golf TDI is? I’d rather have to hatchback anyway.

Interior room was adequate for me and the two passengers I had. And before you ask, trunk space was more than adequate.

I don’t mention service requirements or intervals for any of the cars I review. Those are things anyone who is considering purchase of a car should research on their own.