TDI or Prius??

Our VW Touareg gets replaced by a Prius next week sometime. We considered and rejected a TDI for all the reasons listed.

The Touareg is a great vehicle (gas mileage excepted ) , but it has been an a dog. The electrical system has had numerous faults, with the most serious problems being the enitre instrument cluster failing and the battery draining compeltely sat in the garage for a 2 days. The only saving grace was an excellent dealership that always tried to help, even loaning us another Touareg over Christmas.

I am looking forward to going from 17 mpg to 45ish .

Simon

 

Owned a 1982 audi deisel (same engine in the VWs). Got a consistant 47 mpg. Was able to drive from Gloucester, MA to Orlando, FL stopping once for fuel (750 miles per tank of fuel).

Good car. Quiet and comfortable. My son, who inherited it, finally swapped it for a broken motorcycle (he rebuilt it) after more than 250,000 miles.

My main complaints were:

. My hands really stunk after fueling it.
. Not all gas stations carry diesel fuel (sometimes it's necessary to search around when traveling).

The diesels now don't smoke and rattle when starting them in the morning. That's a good thing.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScottY @ Apr 14 2006, 02:04 PM) [snapback]239856[/snapback]</div>

My source was just an article with a quote by a representative of the City of New York.

I looked in some of my old materials on the 2001 Prius to see if I had the original article or a link, but to no avail.

Did find this interesting article in my archives on the 2001 Prius explaining why the emissions are so clean.

http://www.sae.org/automag/features/prius/index.htm

George

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dribbler @ Apr 15 2006, 05:27 AM) [snapback]239872[/snapback]</div>

How does the Touareg come to be a "great vehicle" with all the problems you've had? Maybe it was a great "concept" not well realized in the actual car?
Bob

Several other posters have mentioned this, but I think it bears repeating. Most of us tend to compare the TDI to the Prius, when, in fact, we should be comparing technologies, not vehicles per se. Biodiesel can be used in any diesel engine, it just happens that the majority of newer diesels are VW TDI's. The merits or demerits of VW as a car company should not be factored into one's appreciation for biodiesel. As biodiesel catches on, and also with the arrival of cleaner dino-diesel, more manufacturers, including perhaps, Toyota, will begin marketing diesel cars in the US. The competition will challenge VW to improve their quality control taking some of the wind out of the anti TDI argument.

The choice is to either support alternative fuel technology or new engine technology. Both are valid and both are necessary. The particulars of the choice are best left to the individual.

Nice to know there are other couples/families with both TDI and Hybrids. My partner's Jetta parks happily next to my Prius and neither seems put off by the presence of the other.

Bob

p.s. I concur that the Jetta handles better on the highway and on curvy roads, but I prefer the Zen of the Prius myself.

 

So now I'm sitting here smiling because I'm looking out the window at two cars in my driveway - my TDI and a "new" 2005 Prius

Bought the Prius by accident last week because it was just such a great price. Figured I'd experience it for a bit and then resell for a profit. Plus I need to redo the suspension on the VW, all the parts are sitting in a box but I want to take a few days maybe to do it.

So far I like -
- more interior space than I'd think, and more backseat room than my Jetta
- pulse and glide is fun, I'm averaging 53-54 over around 100 miles, with AC on, so far, hope to do much better
- coasting and stopping and having the car silent is pretty neat
- the MFD is fun to play with
- the pinkie shifter is fun to play with
- auto climate control is nice
- decent acceleration
- traffic jams are nicer than any other car I've driven

Don't like -
- very noisy in general when driving over 20mph
- uncomfortable seats
- general unrefined tin-can feeling, although I guess sound insulation adds weight and steals mpg
- where is the torque? Thought 300ft-lbs available off the line? Is something wrong with mine - it goes but there is certainly no WOW that is nifty torque from a standstill...

Maybe it will grow on me a little more - for now I'll use the jetta for highway and the Prius for local

(edit) oh - LOVE the smart key feature too