New VW TDI Commercial disses PRIUS

The Jetta has a 14.5 gallon fuel tank - at 675 miles, that means the Jetta you are talking about achieved 46.55 mpg. Thats good, but its not as good as a Prius. I am unskilled at hypermiling, yet with just using cruise control I can get 55mpg easily. There are people who have been able to get 1000 miles on the Prius tank. If the Prius had a 14.5 gallon tank, it would get 652 miles according to the EPA mileage. According to my mileage, it would get 804.75 miles.

I can't talk about battery replacements, the Prius has only been out for 12 years and that is not long enough (IMHO) to get a detailed battery wear-and-tear history, so you got me there. However the new 2010 Prius has no belts whatsoever - that should bring maintenance down a bit.

I am also over 250 pounds and 6'3", what a coincidence. I like the Prius interior. The Jetta is nothing special, in fact, every one I've ridden in reminds me of cheap 80's hatchback cars from Europe - very spartan interiors - its like you can hear east German propoganda when you step inside. In any case, sitting in the passenger side, I can get in the glovebox, and I can cross my legs, although I don't know why that would be an important criteria...in any compact to mid-size car, you are likely to hit something with your foot if you cross your legs (stereo, shifter etc).

Absolutely. Even if they met the same needs by your definition, they are two different styles of vehicles. Some people can't wrap their head around hybrids; thats fine, as long as they drive something like a Jetta, and get good fuel economy, then they are part of the solution. Also, being able to use fuel produced from within your state must be a good feeling.

I take on ramps at 60mph. I have to, everyone else does. Do you think the Prius can't do this?

I don't know about turning radii. I know my Jeep could turn better.

You're right, I don't like driving. Maybe if it was the 60's and there were far fewer cars on the road, I would like to drive, and would take a lot more risks. Nowadays there are too many idiots in big vehicles driving obscene speeds, I just want a safe, fuel economic car.

Tailgating SUV's is like playing Russian roulette, I would not consider that a good example of achieving good fuel economy. If we are going to talk about extremes like that, there was a fuel economy "race" where one team took an F-150 and covered all sides of it except for the bottom in a box, which was hauled by a "pilot" SUV - the F-150 achieved over 100mpg due to no air resistance.

I suppose it is a status symbol. At the end of the day, I won't be called a "fag" or get smoked out if I drive a Jetta, yet because of some stereotype of Prius drivers from California that shit happens to me all the time here in Houston. I only bought it for fuel economy though, and there were -NO- Honda Insights for sale within hundreds of miles when I purchased so..

Does your CO2 output consider the plants the fuel came from? The CO2 produced during growing/refining/transporting, and all energy used in all of those processes? As I've understood it, biofuel only ever makes sense from a CO2 standpoint when it is used within a couple hundred miles of where it is produced. You say your fuel is produced locally, so it is likely the CO2 is low, but I guarantee you the CO2 was not lower when you went on a 3000 mile trip to Texas. Each place has a different requirement for its fuel, and Texas has a lot of smoggy cities - if you ever filled up in one, it would have been reduced-pollution fuel, whereas out in the country they just don't give a shit. All our diesel comes from foreign countries.

Yeah, it is more like a normal car; thats a good thing, it means the average Joe will be more willing to buy it, and if we can wean people off SUVs, it will be good for America. The Prius is pretty low maintenance though. In six months of driving my Jeep I would typically accrue thousands of dollars of damage. My Prius has, at worst, needed to get a new tire. I don't really even consider tires specific to any vehicle because all cars have them...in any case, a Prius owner will likely spend $200 over that same 88k miles just on oil changes, maybe some air filters, and thats it.
I would say that VW used cheap parts and that is why the mount fixed. But really I blame the 240ft/lb dyno-rated torque my motor makes... at 2100rpm.... for being the culprit, as well as my lead foot.

If that suits you that is fine. Some people need pickup trucks. Some people need SUVs. Some people need the best fuel economy ever. The tank in the Prius is an issue of contention, because its pretty small, meaning you have to be creative with the fuel you have in order to get fuel economy numbers in the thousands of miles. The tank also has a bladder that can give inaccurate readings. Toyota is rectifying this with its new models though; so maybe a 2010 will appeal to you or later. I don't really give a sh** if you buy a Prius or not, whatever you want is whatever you want.

Seats suck, yup. Interior space is fine, I think we must be built differently. Manual transmission is impossible with a Prius. Do you enjoy your manual transmission when going through stop-and-go traffic in cities?

They bought their cars for political statements. Thats just kind of sad. I can't speak for them, but I didn't get mine for the environment.

You're a "country boy", you haven't lived in polluted air all your life; I have. Dirty air sucks. I support environmental requirements. If you support pollution, there are some great videos on youtube where rednecks take the DPFs off their pickup and pump out thick black smoke.

I don't think you want your opinion changed. Your true colors show through with the "Pious" remark.

Just keep in mind I don't go to Jetta forums to praise the Prius, I'm pretty sure most Prius drivers don't, however you decided to come on here and post a whole friggin' book praising your Jetta over what is really just a few points (bigger fuel tank, better space, interior, emissions, local made fuel).

 

i think as the 2010's populate the neighborhood the balance will swing more towards the Pri. improvements over the classic models abound. better ride, seat comfort, mileage and slightly more space. back seats improved BIG TIME making it more acceptable as a 5 passenger vehicle (although the classic wasnt that bad)

most of this talk is really aimed at the 2009's and down...trust me, the 2010's are the same in name only.

 

I have to chime in since I have both now - and people always compare these cars but there's virtually nothing about them that is comparable.

The Prius gets better mileage in general but that's what it's built for. I like it around town and in traffic. Smart key, auto climate control, and a usable back seat are all nice to have. But don't actually try to drive it - just glide around. Visibility is awful and so are the seats. I like to ooze around town, look at scenery, and have conversations with passengers. The slower you go, the better it feels. My choice for running errands. And I commend Toyota for building such a complicated vehicle that you can just hand the keys to anyone and tell them to drive it. I doubt it will need too much maintenance.

The TDI is definitely higher maintenance and much, much more fun to drive (if you like driving in the classic sense, as in, I am completely in control of this machine, it thrills me to push it near its limits, and it just seems to WANT me to do so.) The potential for modding is insane - up to 400 ft-lbs of torque and the seemingly endless rush of a turbocharged motor. The faster you go, the better it feels. Visibility, handling, and safety rep is great, I feel very secure in this car and will choose it every time for trips and the highway. But I do my own work and avoid the dealer like the plague so I don't have the complaints about high cost of ownership that you hear about. Don't buy one if you don't know anything about cars and are used to Toyota maintenance

I actually like them both - but what I really want is a plug in electric with a 100-150 mile range and thrilling performance. Make the battery packs standardized and swappable and build up an infrastructure of 'filling' stations where you can swap batteries for a fee on longer trips. Then let all the electric naysayers with their complaints about long charging times and short range shut up. We HAVE the technology.

 

"'The faster you go, the better it feels.'

that makes it so dangerus

 

Hmmmm, what if it were like a political ad....

[Fade in on full-color PRIUS promotional photo]

[VOICE OVER] Toyota would have you believe that its Prius is a safe, clean, environmentally friendly car.

[Swap current PRIUS image with its black & white photonegative, bring up background music--organ in a minor key]

[VOICE OVER] But there's something Toyota doesn't want you to know. Toyota tests the Prius...by running over puppies.

[Jump cut to overexposed, grainy footage of a Prius going over a speedbump. Dub in tiny dogs barking, followed by the sound of a watermelon being smashed with a sledgehammer and a yelp]

[VOICE OVER] Toytoa insists on using puppy-filled speedbumps to test their suspension. Do you want your children riding in a car...that kills puppies?

[Stock footage of small children weeping and fade out. Fade in color promotional video of VW TDI zipping smartly along a forest road. Background music: light German polka]

[VOICE OVER] The new VW TDI doesn't test their cars on puppies. Don't you owe it to your family to drive a puppy-friendly vehicle?

[Cut to smiling family standing next to VW TDI. Fade in VW logo]

[VOICE OVER] At VW, we pledge never to test our vehicles on puppies. That's a promise you can count on.

[Fade out]

[DISCLAIMER VOICE OVER] ThismessagepaidforbyVolkswagenAutomobiles
whoaresolelyresponsibleforitscontentVolkswagen
usesonlybunny-filledspeedbumpsinproducttesting.

 

I bought my Prius for the eco statement it makes. I could care less about the Jetta is this or the Jetta is that. I know the Jetta gets better mpg as a friend of mine has one. That is not the point. Showing people the right path to save the planet is too important to let the facts get in the way of reality.

 

ahhh, those who say that are most likely the owners of those penile extensions known by the brand name "hummer"



but, hey ... now that hummer sales dropped 41% and that the whole operation is sold to a Chinese commercial truck division that would finally make the trucks out of those ugly things -- i bet you those hummer owners will coil their tails between their legs.

in what other nation but here in the U.S. can popularity of a gas guzzling, energy wasting, air polluting ugly truck be adored by so many morons and wannabies?

everyone else in world drives the vehicles that make sense for their intended purposes, not here.


why drive a clean vehicle that makes 50Mpg and that has minimal impact on resources and environment when we can drive 8000 lbs vehicles that only makes 8 Mpg, wastes the resources and pollutes the environment while transferring the money from our pockets to pockets of oil companies.
?
yeah, that is the way to the future
<Oo..oO>

I predicted years ago that there will come time when it will be downright crime to own a gas guzzler, and it sure looks like that that
day is approaching sooner then i hopped.

give those hummers and enormous trucks another year, and you will see how the sentiments towards those vehicles will start to change
for worse.

 

Interesting reading. Very interesting. The Prius kinda does sound like that, honestly. Unless you're on the highway going up a hill, and then it sounds like the engine is going to blow up. (Okay, unfair, but this is one of my least favorite aspects of the Prius)

I got 45.3 MPG from my '03 Jetta over 196k before Bambi jumped out in front of me at 75MPH. Car's totalled (at 40% of original MSRP w/ 196k...nice) and it was time for me to get a new car.

We have an '08 Prius. It's right around 45MPG since we've had it. I could have easily gotten another one. But I didn't...I picked up a Jetta SportWagen TDI to be delivered on 6/9. Here's why:

- Feature for feature, dollar for dollar, I really think the JSW @ $26k is a superior value at this point...particularly @ 80% highway driving. Certainly over the Gen2, but it's a lot closer with the Gen3. Obviously, this is going to be an opinion not shared here.

- I ENJOY DRIVING A MANUAL. Obviously personal preference. It gives me the milage I need on the highway and the fun I want in the twisties. I really dislike the HSD...but I understand that it's necessary in the Prius.

- The Prius doesn't have enough room. Family is expanding to 4 total, and I can't pack a week's worth of stuff for us and two small children in the Prius without a box. This is huge w/ the wagon, but obviously much more of a toss-up with the sedan.

- Not really a reason for the decision, but I really dislike the tracs and the ABS in the Prius. It does not inspire confidence in the slightest for me, and I think the VW system is very very good. Again, Gen3 may be different.


That's my $0.02. :fear:

 

Thats really pretty reasonable, especially if its a dealer price. And I would have to guess that would be a wash with dealer costs on TDI timing belt changes over the same timeframe.

It could be just me, but I really feel like VW and Toyota are attacking a similar market niche from two completely different angle. Toyota is shooting for the owners who want an economical/environmentally friendly car as basically their highest priority.

Vw on the other hand is shooting for owners shopping for a fun car first, but at the same time wanting something economical. Thats why one of their big advertising motos for years was "drivers wanted". The client who will test drive the sporty car, but know they need/want something more economical.
(not to say the prius isn't fun, just simply that vw thinks they have a better edge on the market coming from that point of view)

 

I can buy that.

Unfortunately too much misinformation flies both ways. The Prius usually gets the brunt of it because politically driven morons like Rush Limbaugh spout inaccuracies and people who listen to him regurgitate the BS. This is one of the reasons Prius owners are so quick to defend; because we get far too many trolls on this forum who are clueless yet they think they know it all and decide to run their mouths. It must be nice hiding behind a keyboard sometimes so you can say whatever the hell you like and not get socked for it. LOL

 

Rather than pick apart your entire hilarious post, I concentrated on this. Consider that in Winnipeg, Manitoba, a climate that can dip to -40 in winter, Duffy's Taxi operates a large fleet of Prius taxi's

No Jetta diesels

Duffy's claims absolutely no issues with your claimed "battery replacements." Don't you find it a bit odd that a Prius can live as a taxi, in a climate that dips to -40 in winter, with no unusual issues, but a Jetta TDI can't?

 

Aye, that is an approx. dealer price. One could purchase a used unit off of a low milage wrecked unit after having the cells checked and I've heard those can be as low as $500-$1000. Since I have not purchased one myself I cannot verify the accuracy of those price quotes though.

 

Same here but I was kissing my partner at the time.
:kiss:

 

That's HOT! Hahaha

 

The wagon would be worthy of consideration for many with a family. Toyota needs to put a hybrid wagon into the line up...with more cargo/seating. It is the next logical progression.

But highway vs. city driving mix is important to fuel economy and drivability decisions. The Prius advantage is lost at full highway speeds.

I enjoy a manual as well (and rear wheel drive), but it's not practical for mostly in town driving and horrible if there is heavy traffic where you can't let the ponies out to play (say "Houston.") All the fun goes away and it becomes a chore. Besides, I need the vehicle to be easy for the wife to drive with kids in the car, etc.

And I'm sorry, this is also a subjective matter, but a relatively slow diesel would never satisfy the itch when I want something sporty.

 

Really? Last time I checked, Prius still beats anything out there even at highway speeds. Where did you get this piece of data from?

Poor people in decades past, driving impractical cars... and poor muscle car enthusiasts, driving stick is such a chore... and lastly, poor wives, driving manual is too hard for them....

 

:glare: ::clearing throat:: driving a manual is too hard for whom???? The Prius is this wife's first automatic in 30 years, and not because I'm a poor or a muscle car enthusiast. It was good for fuel economy, and I happen to enjoy driving a stick, which I did on Long Island and in NYC, with all the PITA traffic it had to offer. I could parallel park my 4-speed VW Beetle in tight spots, uphill on the "wrong" side of the street and took great pride in that fact. Granted, I enjoyed it more on the open road, but I miss it when driving the Prius. I stave off the boredom of an automatic by concentrating on the MFD and the instant mpg feedback.

BTW, my daughter learned to drive on a standard, passed her driving test and is now living on Long Island with all the traffic and loves her car anyway. She's teaching her (female) cousin to drive the '95 standard Accord we gave her when we bought the Prius.

Edit: An added bonus to driving a standard - no one ever wants to borrow your car!

 

I learned to love automatics long ago because manual trannys were crap for drag racing. It was quite fun watching all the guys who thought they were so badass with a manual get smacked down in a drag race because they couldn't shift as fast as they thought they could or they would crack under pressure.

Besides, manuals tend to make people think their cars are faster than they actually are. As such, they generally run around reving and making a bunch of noise while not going anywhere fast so why bother. Buy a real sports car if you wanna play shifting speed games. LOL

 

Generally it does but on the interstate/freeway is where the TDI's diesel performs its best, and the GenII Prius hybrid advantage is mostly lost. The differences become small there.

Why don't you quit trying to be an argumentative just for the sake of arguing? Heck, in that other thread you were effectively arguing against yourself. Here, you get a trophy for the one I just mentioned, it's a classic I won't soon forget. :first:

 

Is Houston in quotes because its a hypothetical city?