Prius Costs vs Jetta TDI Costs?

Seriously, how many different threads do we need that go like: Cost of Prius vs car XYZ, which is better?

 

Hi

I have always had cars from the VAG stable and test drove a Golf Bluemotion before ordering the Prius. VAG TDi motors are on the whole very reliable, the biggest problem with the newer motors is the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) which can become clogged and have to be put through a regeneration cycle when it does. It normally happens if you do a lot of low speed city driving and / or are using a low quality diesel.

I broke my VAG Habit and ordered a Prius because on balance the Prius actually drove better than the Golf Bluemotion, and was way better equipped. I can't comment about the Prius from a longevity point of view because I am waiting for mine, but my last 3 cars where VW based Turbo Diesels and I never had a single issue, the last one being a 2.5V6 TDi. If you are looking at the Jetta and the model has not got a DPF then you should be pretty safe from the CEL nightmares you are reading about.

 

good luck on your decision. both are excellent choices. i personally would never consider a TDI simply because of the potential for much higher maintenance costs. around here, the standard incentive for TDI buyers is free oil changes. i know two people who have free oil changes for life.

for the amount of miles you will be driving, i would definitely factor that cost in.

 

If you are getting plenty of highway runs in then the soot should be burnt off, the main problem with the DPF's is people not really knowing how to drive the car fitted with one.

VAG 507 specific oil is pretty expensive, but then in theory if you are on QG1 variable servicing you could get up to 20k miles between services. My current Superb V6 TDi has never missed a beat and is on QG1, it did 18K before the service indicator pinged up letting me know a service was due.

All horses for courses really, I thought the Prius was the better all round package when running it off against my other potential purchase, a Golf Mk6 SE 1.6TDi Bluemotion.

I am sure that in the US there must be some competitive prices for VAG specific oil from the likes of Amsoil etc?

The car previous to the current TDi was a PD105 unit, remapped and tweaked to 163BHP and never failed to return less than 45mpg when it was thrashed. Often on longer runs when I was driving gently (80mph cruising and mostly motorway / freeway work) I would see 55 - 62MPG. If I could help it though, I would not buy a car with a DPF.

 

Here is what I would do. Go to both dealers and ask the price on all the maintenance interval check ups. Add them up and you will see a big difference in favor of the Prius.

 

Whilst it's probably not relevant, in the UK there is currently an offer on with 3 years free servicing or an 8 year extended warranty, that was another nail in VW's coffin

 

I owned an 82 Rabbit D and was not pleased with it. Things have changed a lot since then. Now the power is better and milage is improved. I replace my wife's 2000 Jetta with a 2009 Prius. They are very different cars. VW's tend to be heavy, solid feeling while toyotas seem "lighter". Historically, VW's tend to have a lot of irritating electrical problems as they age. Not so with Toyotas.
I'm pleased with my selection. Milage on a 2009 in winter(NC mountains) is low to mid 40's. A 2010 should be a tad better.
Bottom line is make up your mind about what you want to drive...you'll sit in it and pay for it a long time. Only you can decide how much risk you want to take on the VW reliability issue. There is no comparable risk for the Prius but you have to like what you drive.
Good luck. :juggle:

 

Not a fan of VW, myself. I use to own a M3. Currently own a Jag XJ and a Porche 911. Those are my weekend (fun) cars. Where I live, the traffic is way too congestive to think about driving a "sporty car" for my commute. The M3 was just a waste. Extreme fun to drive, but waste of good HP most of the time. That said, it sounds like you are more than able to answer your own questions/concerns.

As far as G3 mileage in the Winter (I live on the East Coast) is concerned - I now have 9K miles on my G3. Took delivery in August. I've had a total (no bull) of only 3 tanks of gas with lower than 50mpg (all in the high 40's). All three of those were in Dec/Jan/Feb. Although lower than my usual MPG's of 52-55 mpg I get right now, I still could get in the high 40's in the Winter - with no problem. Keep in mind, during my 60 miles (round trip) comute, my average speed is only about 30-35mph...with lots of stop and go (the G3 does VERY well in this type of commute). If your commute is realatively flat, you drive with a light foot, and average speeds less than 60-65mph, you should be able to easily get in the mid-to-upper 40's...even in the Winter. I can, and that's no bull.

 

IMO, you should also consider the TCO, Total Cost of Ownership. The Prius vs any TDI has (a lot) less parts that need periodic maintenance, and the history shows that it is very reliable. By other hand, if you want strong accelerations and autobahn speeds commute, probably the VW Jetta is the right choice for you.... I had a 2.5 TDI Superb too; now, I love my Prius, but often I miss the Superb's souplesse and comfort at any speed. Anyway, I live in Europe, it is a quite different way to drive here.

 

I currently own an 08 GTI (gasser) and have looked at the 2.0 TDI's. The new emission systems are complex, and may be expensive down the road. There have been problems with HPFP contamination causing fuel systems to be completely overhauled on 09 TDI Jettas. Check out tdiclub to see more on that issue. And good luck getting a TDI for much less than sticker. Or finding one to begin with.

VW is strict with their oil, and it is expensive. But they drive like no other car in their price range. I think the Prius will be cheaper to own over time, give its lack of belts, and RUG fill ups. The thing about the TDI that is so compelling is the driving dynamics for such a fuel efficient car. It has so much torque and is fun to drive. The mileage isn't quite up to par with the Prius, but it is really good in comparison to U.S. gasser's.

I am currently in the market (hence my being on this site) and am leaning towards the Prius right now strictly from a cost perspective. It will be a cheaper monthly for both c-note and gas, and perhaps maintaining. I put 93 octane in the GTI right now, and that is going up again. I don't know about Prius mechanic availability, but knowledgable TDI mechanics are hard to find. And VW dealer service, well, I am sure you have heard about that one.

If money wasn't an issue, I would get a TDI. But since it is for most of us, that is up to you. Perhaps a diesel hybrid? Oh man, that would be really expensive!

Good luck OP.

 

Start by listing your requirements and then assigning a weight to each, how much you value each one:

• getting in and out
• seat comfort
• steering feel
• noise level
• reliability
• maintenance costs
• fuel costs (go to Fuel Economy and check user reports)
• insurance costs
• interior space
• self-image (Prius folks are an independent lot*)
• client-image (if in sales)

Perhaps you might start with sharing what your current ride is and list what you like and don't like.

One other option is to look at late model, used versions of either the Jetta or Prius. Look for ones with warranty left and this will make it easier to swap out if you decide which ever one you tried is not to your liking.

Bob Wilson

* - Prius has characteristics not found in ordinary gasser or diesel cars. This means you can modify your driving style and the Prius will bless you with even better fuel economy. But there are bad ways to drive a Prius too. Fortunately, you can't swing 'roadkill' and not hit a more or less Prius expert here. <grins>

 

Im a cheap B*stard and I went for Value...beliving Consumer Reports that the Prius IV is the best value (all things considered) you can buy...that makes me probably an atypical consumer since I gave relatively little weight to green (other than greenback) issues or image (I absolutely do not care about how others see me since I am a legend in my own mind).

My past experience with VW products leads me to believe the the Jetta will either:
A. Have an engine fire at 60k
B. Have a transmission failure at 45K
C. Have a small but debilitating failure that will require a 4 week wait for parts.

So I chose a Toyota product...

 

LOL but you had an Alfa! A. Engine failure the moment you left the dealer. B. Engine over heat if you go over 20mph, C. Completely car electrical break down after you get home from the dealers. LOL

 

1st of all that was 10 years ago and I was not so cheap a B*stard...
2nd...I knew I was leaving in 6 months...and the Company would sell the car for me....
3rd...with the top down I was too sexy for my shirt!

 

Prius mpg (driven conservatively) meets your preferences. I recently read an auto site "10 best" for miles per tank. The larger the gas tank the more gas (weight) one carries around. Trade offs are obvious. By the way I don't remember Prius being on the list but some full sized SUV's etc were.
Oh well, it's called "selling it"

 

Some slight editing to show what it looks like to this engineer:

Fortunately, Consumer Reports has just published their annual car review. It costs a couple of bucks but you should be able to compare the Prius and Jetta tables. I have my copy at home but it should address how they see everything. Their somewhat misleading numeric score is the Consumer Reports version of "enjoyable to drive" but everything else is done in the red/black, partial dots. Their MPG numbers are conservative but their highway numbers OK.

Now if you can adjust your cruise control speed, you can dial in just about any MPG you want:

This is no flat-land, two runs in opposite directions averaged together and does not include acceleration to cruise speed.

Handling is something each driver needs to evaluate on their own. Fortunately, Prius can be rented for a couple of days or a weekend from Hertz and other car companies. Check with your local Toyota dealer as they sometimes have rental Prius. The nice thing is after renting one, you'll know and won't be trying to cram everything into a short test drive. Sad to say, I have not found Jetta rental in the USA. However, Canada may have some Jetta rental companies.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson