Hi all, I decided to go for a new car. The Prius was a finalist and just narrowly lost out to the Golf TDI because of towing capacity, fun to drive, and a few other minor details. Don't hate me for my decision So far I have about 700 miles on it and the first tank averaged just over 46mpg. It's a mid trim level with the 6-speed manual.
Congrats! Many times we have advised people that the Prius was not the car for them. I hope you are happy with your new Golf TDI.
Looks good Mike. I like the manual way better than the dsg BTW have you tried Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W-40 yet? Currently running it in the FJ
Hi jayman, I like the manual much more than the DSG as well. This one also has much better gearing than the manual Wagon I drove last year, 100 km/h in 6th is only 1600 rpm now. I'm going to stick with warranty approved 507.00 certified oil for as long as I have the powertrain warranty. I don't think the 5w-40 is certified, but I'm going to try to find a local source for the ESP 5w-30 which meets the requirements. I've heard Chrysler dealers may carry it.
I'm glad to see someone moving in the right direction on this. Gas guzzling gearing is the biggest single strike against the non-hybrids still in my household. Since the spouse is not ready to make the transition from manual transmission to HSD, I'd like to see some more efficient choices in the market.
Good point on the warranty. Although the M1 TDT 5W-40 will probably work just fine, there is no particular certification to VW standards The Dodge Ram with the Cummins will work just fine with M1 TDT 5W-40 and is indeed certified for it. The Dodge Sprinter will require the Mercedes approved oil, along with the Mercedes CRD motors used in the Jeep Liberty and the Jeep Grand Cherokee - those motors were only available for a couple of years though I've heard the best place to look for that oil is the dealership off Waverly
Well since I hang around Prius Chat, and ended up buying a Honda Fit..all I can say is congratulations, hope you like your car. I considered a Golf TDI. I looked at them at the local auto show. I thought they had the nicest fit and finish of any of the automobiles I was considering. Ultimately, at the time- availability was very limited and I did not want to commit to diesel. (read never owned a diesel, whimped out) However, I've heard a lot of great things about them, I'd be curious as to what you think in a couple of months. Check back and let us know how it's working out long term. They seemed like great cars, but choices were so limited and Diesel Prices at least in my area fluctuate and can be significantly higher than regular.
Hi jayman, thanks for the advice. That dealer is just a 10 minute drive from home so it would be nice if they do carry the oil I need. Electric me, I will definitely post my thoughts a few months in. So far I'm really enjoying the car. Diesel prices and vw maintenance costs are definitely a worry for most people. I'm a bit different because diesel is usually 10% cheaper or so than gasoline and I have a decent shop that does most of the work on my car. So a TDI probably makes more sense for me than the average person.
I seriously considered the Golf TDI as well, but lack of a local dealer, discussions of timing belt problems, and general reliability of VW drove me away. I do miss the manual shift, the handling, the smaller size, the nicer instrumentation of the Golf, and had a blue motion been available I likely would have gone that route. My wife also has a Fit and loves it. (nice eye candy - so pretty with the blue's, a tach, lots of goodies compared to the prius white display). Buty the gas mileage of the Prius was the big sell and the fact that I could get a $200 a month 3 year lease clinched the deal for me. Ted
I'll also ask around to see if other places carry it. Just to confirm: Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 meeting VW 507.00 Correct?
Yes, that's the oil. I'll be eternally grateful if you find a good source where I can buy it. Thanks!
Congratulations. Golf TDI is a very good car too. I remember the one I had in the end of the 7Oth : a nice red one I kept 6 years with only one trouble : alternator to replace. After 6 years, I sold it half of his purchase price. One of our best car. Friendly, Guy
Much improved. At idle, there's some of the telltale noise and vibration. Once moving, the engine is incredibly smooth and doesn't sound diesely. Imagine a typical 4-cylinder sound, except a little deeper. At highway speeds, this is one of the quietest 4-cylinder vehicles, gas or diesel or hybrid, that I have been in. Smell has me a bit perplexed so far. When I first got it, the dealer had it idling in the lot for who knows how long before I got in. I smelled a faint diesel smell around the car. Other times, I've put my face near the tailpipe to see what it smelled like, and smelled nothing. Even that whiff on the first day though was much less noticeable than from my 2001 TDI. Emissions are Tier 2 Bin 5, comparable to a typical (non-hybrid) gasoline car.
Not sure if you want to be eternally grateful to me. That could have bad consequences Just kidding Still looking though at the moment, a large Chrysler dealership still appears to be your best bet You do realize the neighbors freak out when they see you doing that?
Some old guy was walking by when I did that. He gave me a strange look and booked it out of there about as quick as he could walk.
Well I found my oil. Tried calling Waverly and Pembina Chrysler and neither of them had the ESP formula. They use a slightly different European Mobil formula or something like that. Picked it up at Pep Boys in the USA for $8/L. A decent amount more expensive than the XD-3, but not out of line with what other Mobil products cost.
