Prius vs TDI

I do think that the seats are more about body type/proportion than anything else. I'm 6'2', 190lb with a pretty even balance of leg to torso and the seats are **just** out of whack for me. The seat cushion is fine, the shape of the seat back is fine, legroom is almost fine (I could use another inch), and seat tilt is almost fine (but might not be a problem if I had that extra inch worth of seat travel.)

You can't deny that Volkswagen makes a great car to drive as long as it works. That friend who is starting to look for a replacement for his Passat has also never complained about anything other than the things that break. It's roomy, the seats are good, it's stylish enough, and in 2.0T trim with some light mods it's very fast. But I don't know...I once had a very nice European sedan (not a VW) that developed mechanical problems starting at 60k mi and that ruined the entire car for me.

Oh, well. VW isn't perfect. Prius isn't perfect. All we can do is put our money on the one that has the most appeal and see how it works out.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(morpheusx @ May 17 2007, 07:56 AM) [snapback]444046[/snapback]</div>

Maybe it's about expectations. VW seats are great, with adjustable lumbar support. They hold you just right while you make fast, tight turns. I could sit in a VW seat forever. You don't get tired, nothing hurts. They are awesome.

Going from that to a Prius seat made me feel like I was sitting in yard furniture in the Prius. Maybe one of those chairs with a sling structure. Nothing holds you, nothing supports your back. I don't have back problems but it tires my back! I may get a gel lower back cushion to see if that helps.

Still, I sat on the side of the road often enough in a comfortable VW seat. I'll happily sit in a Prius seat in a car that is reliable.

My brother suggested I get a Ricardo(?) Recaro (?) seat, but it's not so bad I'd spend that kind of money.

 

i have to say, my decision would be based on expected reliability in your situation... being stranded once will most definitely change my mind, so i have to look at which is more likely to do that....

for me, its a no brainer, the Prius wins every time. its reliability and quality are in another league (a league populated with MUCH more expensive cars) than the VW's.... also a new model intro?? ... ya me thinks there is no real decision here.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bailer @ May 17 2007, 12:03 PM) [snapback]444251[/snapback]</div>

Time is money, too.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dnoh @ May 16 2007, 11:53 AM) [snapback]443553[/snapback]</div>

Definitely. Washington state is about to start a ban on cell phone usage. One can't hold one to your ear when driving within the next month or two. I don't remember the actual start date of the new law. Right now, it seems like at least 3/4 of the cars I see (at least around town where they can be seen easily) have a driver with a cell phone to the ear. This includes pulling out of parking spaces, going around corners, etc. I know, 3/4 is probably an exaggeration, but it doesn't seem like it.

Dave M.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(morpheusx @ May 17 2007, 04:56 AM) [snapback]444046[/snapback]</div>

The only thing that bothers me when driving long distances is my right leg bothers me, if I don't use CC. That isn't a seat problem though. Generally the Prius is at least a comfortable as any other car I've owned. I'm about 5'11 and 230 lb.

Dave M.

 

3/4th is actually a bit low. according to a study made by WA state, 78% admit to driving and talking on their cellphone occasionally while 35% do it "several times a week"

 

My prior car, which I still have is a 2000 Jetta. In spite of a few problems over the years I always loved the way she handles, so I test drove a new 06 Jetta TDI and Then a New 06 Prius. Both are great cars, but because of the maitenance problems with my Jetta I switched to the PRIUS. In 40 years of car ownership this is the first new non-euro car I have ever owned, I love it !!!!!!!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(B Rad @ May 17 2007, 07:39 PM) [snapback]444500[/snapback]</div>

I agree with you about VW handling, my wife's beetle 1.8t hugs the road like a legitamate sports car, and is super quick. One of the funnest vehicles I have ever driven. When she decides to get a new car I am almost certain she will get another VW. I hope next time though that I can steer her towards the TDI route.

 

A good friend bought a VW Jetta TDI last year. Of the 90 days he owned it, the car spent 70 in the shop at the dealership. In the end, VW took it back under the lemon law and traded him into a Passat for the exact same price. All they did was change the VIN on his loan documents.

 

Service and reliability are important issues, but so is emissions. The VW TDI -- any diesel for that matter -- emits a much higher amount of pollutants into the atmosphere than a Prius or other PZEV vehicle. Mileage is certainly one consideration, but isn't the reason for driving an efficient vehicle two-fold:

1. ... to lower our fuel bills?
2. ... to reduce greenhouse gas and smog emissions?

While the TDI may challenge the Prius on #1, it loses on#2. Gallon for gallon, diesel will produce 10-12% more ghg (greenhouse gases) and 6x the sulfur particulates. My experience with a 2002 Jetta GLX VR-6 has been less than stellar -- 6 years old, and it's slowly falling apart. Parts are starting to break inside the car, the digital display is faded and will cost over $800 to replace, I've already spent over $800 to replace a failed engine fan which caused the car to overheat, and another $800 to fix some defect in the oil line. That's $2,400 in out-of-warranty repairs in a 6 year period. By contrast, I had my Acura Integra for 7 years, ran 250,000 miles on it, and only spent $300 to fix a cracked radiator in all that time. My family's experience with Toyota has been even better.

I chose the Prius because I wanted to reduce ghg emissions, spend less money on fuel, and buy a car that will most likely give me far less trouble than the car it replaced (VW Jetta). The resale market for Jettas is terrible here in Phoenix, I don't know how it is in the rest of the country. It was tough to sell.

 

I sold my '02 Passat when I bought my Prius and haven't looked back once. That was by far the worst car I've ever had in terms of reliability. I spent close to $6000 on repairs between 100,000 miles and the when I sold it at 136,000. My driving is about 75/25 highway to city. What a lemon! I'd drive a Hummer before I bought another VW.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusBoyAZ @ May 19 2007, 05:08 PM) [snapback]445781[/snapback]</div>

You have a point, but not everyone cares about the emissions. I like to mention to people that the Prius is first and foremost a cleaner car, with improved MPG as a result. At any rate, are the emission differences between the current diesel and gas or the ultra-low sulfur diesel? I don't keep up with diesel too much, although it does seem like I read some sources that said even with ULSD, diesel isn't as clean as PZEV cars.

 

I heard diesels put out less co2 but more NOx than standard gasoline cars, the bluetec ones are supposed to be better. I think the prius still puts out the less co2 than the 1.3 tdi polo in europe. I used to love VW, but since they stopped making the Westfalia, I don't think I'd buy another one. I used to get almost 30 mpg with my Westfalia on long trips, maybe it was from drafting trucks though. You'd think there'd be a market for an economical camper van.

 

A friend of mine has a Rabbit diesel and he loves it. On the other hand, my sister-in-law had a 2001 Jetta (gasoline engine) and got rid of it after two years on account of reliability issues.

Other things to consider when purchasing a diesel are seasonal temperatures. When it gets too cold the fuel will gel. Also, maintenance on a diesel engine is more expensive than its gasoline counterparts.

 

an ex-coworker i knew had a vw diesel rabbit that got 50 mpg... but it was a slow running small box of a car. it was fairly reliable... when i knew him, he had 150,000 miles on it and it was going strong....but i would never buy it simply because the Prius is light years ahead it that car and the basic maintenance was expensive

 

Surf over to consumerreports.org and read about the reliability of the Jetta and Passat. Pretty miserable overall. I'd opt for CR's relatively large data sample over individual reports. As I mentioned in a previous post anybody can get known problem car and have zip problems for a zillion miles and vice versa. There a lot of fat folks who smoke and live to be 85 but I don't want to play those odds.