08/31/98 20:08:25

Name: Peter Cheuk	My Email: Email Me
City: San Francisco	Province/State: CA	Country: USA
Your VW/Audi: '98 Jetta TDI

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Concerning the first oil change, I read on a newsgroup somewhere (sorry, but I can't remember where) that VW originally had the first oil change listed at 10,000 miles. It was changed to 7500 miles after owners complained. More complaining resulted in t e current 5000 mile change. Apparently, VW uses a special fill oil for the breakin that helps the motor break in. Changing this with regular oil will slow the process down. The rationale behind not changing it out early is that if VW is willing to warr nty their engines for 100,000 miles, they must be confident that their engines will make it with the maintainance schedule that they've set up for these cars. Are we smarter than the engineers who designed these engines and setup the maintainance schedul s? I'm not. Is VW playing games with us, the consumer, in an effort to make an engine/maintainance program that will last just past the 100,000 mile warranty? I hope not. Concerning Synthetic oils, it isn't recommended to use it with an engine that ha less than 20,000 miles on it to ensure that the engine is well broken in. The theory is that synthetics work so good that a 'green' engine will not break in properly if synthetic oil is put in too early in the engine's life.

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Hello Im rather satisfied with my Passat. It runs at 4.9 l/100 km, driving pretty hard.... It bugs me though that I have to replace a speed sensor to make tke A/C and stereo work - it cost an arm and a leg (not the sensor, but the work money). Right now I am looking for a repair manual - anyone got a tip? Drive safely now, y'all!

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Bite Yourself Al: While I agree that doing 5 MPH on an expressway is a bad thing along with serious environmental problems, most EPA concerns are created or over exagerated by environmental Wackos or government bureaucrats protecting their job. Most peo le now know that the Gaia (Mother earth) Hypothesis suggests that the atmosphere is relatively unaffected by man and his grime. So I am sure the planet, and man, will survive the advent of the "TDI". ....Mike...out..

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Got a Black with Custom Tan Leather, Black Tints, Mirror and Front Bra.

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Re:importing of vehicles from Canada. As a Canadian who relocated to the US in 94 I can confirm the previous message that all you require is a note from the manufacturer that the vehicle meets both DOT and EPA regulations "in the year it was produced". ou can check under the hood of the car, sometines on the detail info plate it will have the data on it. IF you are importing a new car you will be required to pay duty on the full price. I thought that you did not have to pay duty on used cars, but a re ent action by a custom inspector looking over the identificaton of my old Mercedes makes me wonder if that has changed. A lot matters as to what border and when you cross. I would reccomend Sarnia/Port Huron MI vs Windsor/Detroit(bridge prefered) and es ecially Fort Erie/Buffalo

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A good friend of ours has offered us his '96 Passat Wagon TDI for "low Blue Book value". We are very interested in the vehicle for family use and the price will undoubdedly be good (probably between $8000-$9000). The car has 75,000 miles, mostly highway However, the owner was not particularly careful with the vehicle and, consequently, it bears some scars. The paint is in disrepair but can be salvaged and the interior is badly stained. I'm uncertain of the maintanance intervals at this time. Can som one tell me what mechanical troubles I should expect with this vehicle and if they will be costly?

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to kent veiner, if the car you want to import into the usa from canada was made by the big 3 it would only take a certificate from the manufacturer that the car meets usa regs... in the case of a vw it depends on what the car has for equipment, some canad an delievered vehicles did not have air bags and had canadian std seat belts, which are not the same as the usa. ( the canadian seat belt standards are better, and i think manditory air bags are for air heads, but lets leave that for another time) c.l

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Driving a TDI is voi geil !

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Gary pointed out one of the differences between the VW TDi in the States and the VW TDi in the UK, or rather the difference between the drivers in the two countries. An even earlier post indicated that the previous (for the US)10,000 mile interval went ag inst what we Americans have had beaten into believing by the quick lube chains. The chains maintain that 3,000 miles is the interval to stop by and have them change our oil and filter, any more than that and the "disastrous results" are our own fault. Of ourse they have reason to have us frequent their establishments, they get more money and more frequently. American drivers apparently believe that the auto manufacturers have their own reason to set a much higher interval for oil changes. "They want the c r to last just past the warranty." This "conspiracy" is designed to allow the auto dealers another chance at our money, either from the repair charges, or from a new sale. It seems as though VW got tired of attempting to reassure its customers in the stat s that 10,000 was a reasonable interval and lowered it to 7500 just to shut up some of us. The FAQ was not meant to be a definitive "official Volkswagen" repository. The information in it comes from us, the contributors to this forum, and from my copy of the owners manual(Feb.96 Passat sedan). As my car was built for and sold in the US, the man al reflects the recommendations at that time for that market. For "official" information, go to the Volkswagen site. For real world conditions, check in here. You can sort out what you believe from what you don't, and form your own opinions. "TORQUE IS CHEAP"

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Does anyone have very specific information relative to purchasing a vehicle in Canada to bring into the US? My understanding from reading an atricle is that due to the favorable exchange rate with Canadian currency to US dollars; and the "minor" level of modification required to bring a Canadian spec vehicle to US specifications, that thousands can be easily saved in the process. Anyone care to share facts based on experience? Also, as a side note, anyone know of a '96 or '97 Passat Wagon in excellent condition for sale? Thanks to one and all that respond to either issue.

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I put 300,000 miles on an 81 diesel rabbit. However, I now prefer an automatic. Why doesn't VW make an automatic diesel for babyboomers who are tired of stickshift driving in traffic?

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I have posted previously with info about clutch/trans problem with my TDI. The dealer kept it all week; first fix per VW hotline was to adjust the "shifter mechanism" that sits on top of the transmission housing. Didn't work; next fix per hotline was to replace shifter mechanism. Didn't work. Then, head mechanic at dealership got someone on the hotline who told him some TDIs were fitted with clutch disks for gas models, which are slightly different. Replaced clutch, noise went away (at least so far).

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Sorry guys, looks like i forgot the address for that site that has more info on the california proposal... so here it is http://www.dieselnet.com/news/9808ema.html and i still think we have to many stupid people, making legislation

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FAQ - accuracy. 1/ Oil change intervals are 10,000 miles/12 months in the UK, not the max 7500 miles referred to. Skodas with the same diesel engine (naturally aspirated) have 5000 mile oil change intervals by VW. I heard VW said this is because there is no service light indicator in the Skoda and 5000 miles was precautionary thereof. I think the service reminder just works on 10k miles or 12 month basis, unlike some upmarket cars where it depends on use. Go figure... 2/ TDs are not the same as those for turbocharged gas engines - it is the latter which will glow 'red hot', whereas diesel turbos run at lower temperatures. They have other problems though, related to oxidation. The advice to avoid hot shut-downs still stands for TDs, though. As a bonus: 'turbo lag' is a misnomer when applied to TDs - it describes the symptoms (low-rev lethargy), but not the cause.

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'Cancer causing' agents in diesel? What are they on: there's far, far more benzene in gas for catalysed petrol cars. The 'cancer causing' particulates thesis rests on studies of rats (or mice, cannot remember which) where the animals lungs are overloaded (e.g. so that they bleed). It ain't a realistic model of air pollution imv, and it is not possible to extrapolate between species.

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A question for some of you more experienced TDI'ers...(I am only at 3,200 mi): It seems I am using considerably more oil (1.5q to date) than with any car I have ever owned! Is this typical with a break in period, or should I start buying oil by the cas ? Taking the good with the bad this is the ONLY thing I am dissappointed with on this car, which is rapidly becoming my favorite to date. Thanks.

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Re Calif. If the Cal Legislature passes some knee-jerk laws concerning diesel emissions/fuels and the Feds rubberstamp them, politics is all anyone will be talking about here. There are many precedents for Cal passing knee-jerk, stupid laws and many prece ents for the Feds rubberstamping them. No more posts from me on this subject. Thanks Fred for the great page. Here's hoping the 99 Golf TDI is not the last TDI imported into the USA.

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I'd like to thank everyone for their input on this site. I'm sure many of us have learned a lot from eachother, but please, let's keep the discussions civil. We're hear to talk about the TDI and potentially learn more, not bicker about politics, if this is what you want to do, perhaps there is a newsgroup or web site one can find for this.

Thanks
With that out of the way, I'd like to thank Jon Bartlett for compiling a mini-TDI FAQ. I haven't had a chance to add a link to the page, but you can access it at ( http://users.uniserve.com/~fred_v/mini-faq/TDIFAQ.html).

Fred

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check out this site for more info on the B.S. california concept of environment protection, talk about stupid...

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Re: California and diesel "cancer": Screw California. Those self-rightous bastards should test the air in the four-corners area where they built all those coal-plants to light their cities. They should test the salinity of the Colorado River where it empt es into Mexico and has been destroyed by their irrigation. They should examine the rape of the Sierra Nevada Watershed to supply them with drinking water, water for their damn lawns and their F$%^&ing Golf Courses. It is ironic that a state which ravages he environment so millions of people can live in a desert should try to dictate environmental policy for the whole nation. And their biggest city has virtually no mass-transit system so they all sit in their cars averaging 5 mph and burning fossil fuels w ile going nowhere. They can BITE ME.

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CALIFORNIA AGENCY TARGETS DIESEL EXHAUST CHEMICALS Sacramento, Calif-(AP)Aug.28, 1998 A state agency voted unanimously yesterday to regulate cancer-causing chemical particles in diesel exhaust, a move that could force the industry to produce cleaner-burning fuel or engines. The California Air Recources Board had originally considered declaring diesel exhaust in general to be harmful to the public, but amended its action to focus on individual components of the exhaust, a compromise that won industry backing. The 11-member board voted unanimously to declare 40 chemicals found in diesel exhaust -including benzene and dioxin - as toxic air pollutants. That makes California the first state to specifically target these cancer-causing chemicals in diesel exhaust, the board said. (end of article) Is there a site which has the full text of this declaration? How does diesel compare with gasoline as far as amounts and types of "toxic air pollutants"? How about the TDi engines in particular(pun not intended). Do any US states test Diesels for more tha an "opacity (amount of smoke)" test. What are typical TDi emissions? Mass. does not test Diesels at all for emissions. Conn. has an opacity test only. What about others?

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Art - this too is my first diesel. I was never a car nut until I discovered this car. It's easily the best car I've owned. It's great stock and with $2-3k worth of aftermarket parts, you can have a car that rivals most $30k cars and still gets 45 mpg! That said, there are a few drawbacks; 1. It is noisey at slow speeds - driving thru my neighborhood, I sound like the mail truck. 2. It does smell - you can smell the exhaust when you first start, esp. if you back out of the driveway. However, it really oesn't smell bad. and 3. You can't get 60/40 split rear seats - This is the biggest drawback of the TDI in my opinion. If anyone knows of a totalled Golf or Jetta (GLS,GLX) with good back seats, please send me email. D'nardo

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Hi, I've never owned a diesel car until now. I love the TDI. I think they are LESS hassle than gas cars. No ignition coil, no distributor, no spark plugs/wires, and no tune-ups. Those are the most maintenance-consuming items on my gas car. The diese eliminates all of them. Just replace the timing belt every 60k. Of course, there's still oil/filter, air filter, fuel filter, etc. The gripes most people have about diesels: "Fuel is hard to find." Not so. When you're looking for it, you'll find it s everywhere! "You have to wait for the glow plugs to warm up." I've owned mine since January and the only time the car wasn't ready to start within 3 seconds was on ONE 15-degree morning... I had to wait 12 seconds. Once the car's been warmed up (lik when you go grocery shopping), the car is ready to start immediately. "Diesels are slow." Definitely not the case with the TDI! The 2-liter gas car has only a 1.5 second advantage in the 0-60. However, since the TDI's 0-40 time is lower, the 2-liter ay be trailing by the time both cars reached 60mph (in a side-by-side test). "Diesels emit smelly smoke." I've had no problems here. It lets out a puff of smoke initially if I really put my foot into it. But that's it! I hope this helps. Of course, mileage is stellar. Best tank is 50.7mpg. Worst is 42mpg (new car with winterize fuel). Lifetime average is 45 mpg (note: most of these miles have been either before the car was broken in, or with the air conditioner on). I expect my numbers will improve this fall when the AC is unnecessary. Take Care, Scott Farrell 98 Jetta TDI w/13000mi

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Hello out there, I'm looking at purchasing a new Jetta, currently I am on line for one of the new Wolfsburg, gas Jetta's, but I really like the potential for stellar gas mileage with the TDI. Does anyone out there want to speak for their TDI and give me a good idea of what they are like, are they any more trouble than a gas engine and has VW worked out the kinks with this new engine. I have a few friends with gas Jetta's and they tell me the Diesel just isn't worth it. I need the other side of the story. Please E-mail me your response. Art

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Hello out there, I'm looking at purchasing a new Jetta, currently I am on line for one of the new Wolfsburg, gas Jetta's, but I really like the potential for stellar gas mileage with the TDI. Does anyone out there want to speak for their TDI and give me a good idea of what they are like, are they any more trouble than a gas engine and has VW worked out the kinks with this new engine. I have a few friends with gas Jetta's and they tell me the Diesel just isn't worth it. I need the other side of the story. Please E-mail me your response. Art

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Fellow TDI enthusiasts, I am getting a high pitched moan from the front brakes. It was there when I bought the car, I thought it would go away, but after 2500 miles it seems to be getting worse. Has anyone dealt with this? Thanks for any help!! Jon

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All this talk about Castrol oil has me puzzled. My '86 Jetta has 546 000 km on it, and I have been using Castrol GTX 15W40 or Syntec 5W50 since new, and the car runs fine, has the original turbo, and still returns fuel economy in the range of 5.0 to 5.8 /100 km. I always use Bosch filters, which are the same ones my local dealer uses. Maybe it's not the oil, but the filter you're using. Ever cut open a Bosch and a Fram (or Pennzoil, Purolator, Quaker State, Canadian Tire) and compare the two? The Bos h filter medium is denser, the casing is thicker, and the Bosch has a drain-back valve that the Fram lacks. For the extra 50 cents, I'll buy the better filter. Provided that you change your oil every 5000 km, use decent, climate-specific oil (i.e., 20W50 conventional in the winter is too thick), and use a high-quality filter, your diesel engine will easily go well over 400 000 km without a rebuild. It's all bout preventative maintenance. Saving $2.00 now only to be forced to spend $2000.00 on engine work later is just plain stupid.

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ROOF RACKS: I own a TDI and my oldest son owns a 1998 Jetta Wolfburg. We installed a Thule roof rack on his car that was made for the Jetta. It fitted perfect and is very strong. The bike racks were also very good quality. All the locks were keyed alike This rack fits in the factory slots under the rubber rain channels. This rack will not mar the finnish of the car and there are no holes to drill. My TDI just now has 5,000 miles. No Problems. Got 41.5 mpg on a trip to Fla. doing 75 mph down I-75 with FAT FOLKS on board. The 068 115 561D vw oil filter (the big one) is no problem to install.

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Did anyone hear anything, (rumor or article), about a new VW Camper Van with a TDI? Since I like camping I think I would buy one today if I could. My TDI jetta convinced me that that would be an awesome combination. VW, are you listening? ....Mike...Ou ...

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Hi Everyone, I just took my car in for 20,000 miles service. When I asked the service advisor what the service included, she did not mention fuel filter replacement. At my 10,000 miles service, an another VW dealer had photocopied a page out of their maintenace circ lar manual that indicated that Diesel Jettas get a new fuel filter every 20,000 service. When I produced the piece of paper, she mentioned that she forgot it was a Diesel, and it did include a replacement. If anyone wants me to e-mail this, I have scann d it, and saved it as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file, I will gladly e-mail it to you. We all have to stay on top of the VW dealers because sometimes the service can get pretty poor.

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To Brendan .... I just got what I think is the best roof rack made. It's by Saris. It fits great, unlike the Thule that is supposed to be made for Jettas, and the 50" width allows me to hold 2 bikes and a canoe all at once. Also, the two bar locks lock everything you mount so you don't have to have 15 keys or pay for re-keying each new mount's lock. The cheapest place I found was an internet store Aardvark Cycles (www.aardvarkcycles.com/carriers.html). Their package of 2 bike mounts and the roof rack f r $270 can't be beat. Good luck.

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Wanted to get some info/feedback from out learned TDI drivers. Iam considering installing a K&N air filter in my '96TDI wagon. Cost @ $56. for the filter isn't a big concern, however I would appreciate any feedback on the performance/mileage related fac ors to using this filter. Does it make a diffference and is it worth the upgrade? Also what about the longevity of the K&N; how often does it have to be changed? ny input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

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Wanted to get some info/feedback from out learned TDI drivers. Iam considering installing a K&N air filter in my '96TDI

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I've just started to look at roof-racks for my Passat Wagon. I may have found cross-bars that hook on to the existing (currently useless) factory rack. Has anyone out there purchased a roof rack they like (used for bikes, kayaks, whatnot)? How much did it cost? Which one did you get? This site is great, I read it daily like the morning paper. (I've only figured my milage once, 46mpg on a hwy road-trip, made me happy). I bought the car about 5mos. ago for $16.9 w/ 30k miles on it. It's been running great. The only problem I have with it is that the front doors are hard to open (something is worn out). It usually gets better with some silicone spray, but that's no answer. Anybody else have this problem?

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I just got my new chip upgrades back from Wetterauer. The smoking has been significantly reduced without much chance in the added power (I can't tell the difference from my smokey chips). There still is a little smoke when I floor it before the turbo ha wound up (<1500 rpm). I just won't do that often. I went two weeks with the stock chips and believe me, I missed the power! Vroooomm...

Speaking of exhuast smoke, I spoke with Phil Carlson of the EPA yesterday (www.epa.gov/omswww/) about diesel vs gas emmissions. He said the variation between cars that pass the CA emmissions standard is insignificant. Old cars and trucks cause 90% of th air pollution. He also confirmed that the amount of CO2 is proportional to the amount of fuel burned. Whether you believe that contributes to global warming or not is up to you. I just kind of miss the days when conservation was considered cool.

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I don't know if everyone has had an opportunity to look in the latest issue of Automobile Magazine. There is a simple one page article about the possible emmergance of diesel fuel cars in America. The article briefly explains why todays diesels are nothin like the one I had in my old 81 Jetta Diesel. it tells a bit about the new technology like direct fuel injetion, it tells about what diesel manufacturers are going to have to do to conform to newer even stricter emmisions standars, and even gives a brief mention of the Jetta TDI. While the writer went a long from giving a glowing recommendation of diesel engine cars he does provide a bit of info for the readers of this magazine which just might help to educate all those who sneer or giggle when I tell the that I drive a diesel car. The article itself doesn't justify buying the magazine but the next time you're in Waldenbooks, loiter around the magazine rack long enough to read it. Happy TDI'ing.

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I cannot agree that Castrol oil is somehow responsible for any engine failure. I have used Castrol in a Freightliner FL70 for over 2 years, as well as in my VW's and never have had any problems. Perhaps this is just a rare case?

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Hear hear Bob. I'd also like to point out that VW makes some fine minivans (Sharan), micro-vans (Golf Estate)and sport-utes (Well, not quite, but synchro is widely available) in Europe, all of them with - you guessed it, and the primary reason we're all here - TDI power ;-) VW, you listening? Maaak

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Just wanted to ask all of the writers of the most recent comments to relax and be more tolerant. People have many different needs and reasons for buying a particular vehicle. It it serves them well, fine and good. What we all have in common on this sit is an appreciation of the particular virtues of the TDI and of diesels in general. That shouldn't mean that we think that Jetta and Passat TDI's are the only cars to own. Jose, for instance, appears to choose whichever of his three vehicles is appropri te for what he's doing, which makes a lot of sense. Do you think he'd be better of with three jetttas? The Passat TDI with the V6 TDI engine is my dream car, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a lot of other cars (including minivans and SUVs. Wha ever our opinion, I don't think we should start throwing any kind of personally judgmental comments around. Just my two bits.

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D’nardo, I agree with what you say. That’s why I stated to each to make their own conclusions with regard to the crash tests. As far as "you know who", be careful about what you wish. Remember that Diesel owners are a very small minority and could eas ly be regulated out of the highways (majority rules). Someone posted a message indicating that Connecticut unfairly puts a higher tax on Diesel fuel. I wonder why? Could our Diesel cars be next here in Minnesota/Wisconsin? After all, there aren’t man of us voters to make a stink about outlawing Diesel Cars or slapping new taxes on Diesel fuel. There’s a lot more people out there that can complain loudly about Diesel usage by automobiles. Case in point, see what’s happening to jet skies and snowmobi es in Minnesota. Are our "smelly" cars next to offend the sensitivity of others in Minnesota?. I’m starting to get the picture here that most people dislike SUV drivers more than SUV vehicles. Someone posted a message earlier indicating his dislike fo the "attitude" of some SUV drivers. I gather most people SUVs on their daily commute. From that perspective is easy to understand why people find it objectionable to see a solo rider on a 17MPG SUV on his/her way to work (I do feel the same, believe me ). But what you may not know is that the same guy may be using that same SUV to pull his boat to the lake, or to haul a tractor to the shop/job, or to bring a few sheets of plywood or a load of dirt home for a weekend project, or to go four wheeling on lumber trail to a great fishing spot. In other words, commuting may have not been the primary reason the SUV was bought, but the owner is willing to pay the high commuting cost to achieve the primary purpose--that was my case with the Jeep until I could afford to buy the Jetta). The tasks I mentioned are hard to achieve (or impossible) in our Jettas without putting undue wear on the frame, brakes, suspension, drive train, undercarriage, and clutch. Such use can damage the car, reduce its value, and may even create a road hazard. As far as me being unhappy with the TDI, well, not true. I have only driven the Jeep to work three times since I bought the Jetta. I’m quite satisfied with the price I paid for it as well as the util ty value (commuting purposes) that it returns ($20/week saved on fuel costs) My Jeep is now relegated to utility and recreational purposes. As far as the safety issue goes, I did not raise it. I simply added to the thread my point of view. To deny he fact that a smaller car is at a disadvantage in a collision with a larger car is at best disingenuous and overlooks the laws of physics, that is why auto makers try to level the field by designing safer cars, like the case of the New Beetle. Please on’t get too passionate or infer too much, condemnation or censure of other’s ideas/views is not the road to an open society (unless you want to ride a bike to work like the Chinese do in Beijing).

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Jose, I'm just trying to say that while safety is a consideration when buying a vehicle, it seems to me like it's a hang-up with you and that you seem unhappy that you bought a vehicle that seems unsafe. I think that SUV's make excellent vehicles, but, I won't go out of my way to buy one just because some report says that they have a lower highway fatality rate. What the reports say is that in a controlled environment the vehicle will perform a certain way compared to other cars tested in the same way. t doesn't take into account that there will be driver intervention (trying to avoid the collision in the first place) and the yaw or yaw rate of the vehicle. What I'm trying to get at is that the dynamics of an accident are such that the "barrier test" w ll only be reflected in 1/10 of 1% of actual accidents that occur. What that means to me is that unless I'm told that a particular vehicle is UNSAFE that I will buy it without too much fuss about safety and just try to avoid accidents like I should be do ng in the first place. Sound irresponsible? Maybe, but I don't lose sleep over it. By the way, the Jetta is much better at avoiding accidents than a lot of other vehicles out there. That's passive safety that no gov't agency has tested to my knowledge

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Peter (and Mike, and others who may think the same): in case you have not read earlier messages, I already own a Jeep Cherokee 4X4 for those days when my Jetta TDI won’t make it out of the snow/ice covered driveway and roads to get to town (I live out in he country, not in the city). The Jeep is also useful to haul firewood, building supplies, furniture, etc. or to go hunting and fishing out in the woods where 4 wheel drive and clearance are a must. I bought the Jetta TDI for the same exact reason you g ys did: because the Jetta is fun, efficient and relatively safe (in addition to being cool looking and cheap to operate—I put more miles in it a week than most of you do). If you think it is unreasonable for me to raise the safety issue on the Jetta up f r discussion on this board, then that’s too bad. Please note that Al already contributed a new web address to further look into the Jetta’s safety record, while Jonathan posted a good message about green house gases produced by internal combustion engin s. A few others have also posted good messages about chips and cool accessories. If you also think that it is unreasonable for me to raise the issue that vehicles have different purposes and missions (and thus different energy needs), then that is also oo bad. A lot of us have a need for a vehicle, like a Windstar mini-van, than can haul the wife, 3 kids, bikes, the dog, a camper, and luggage across the country, or to simply bring a new bulky purchase home (how many times have you found yourself strug ling to shove stuff into the trunk and or back seat?). I am as much of a Jetta head as anyone else, but I do keep my mind open to my desire (and the desire of others) to own other vehicles that have other features and functions to offer besides MPG or a reen record. If we all agree on every issue, or if we discourage each other from raising controversial issues, then this site can and will become very boring with the exchange of oil recipes and MPG figures (but if that’s what everyone else wants, then I don’t want to be the only Black guy in a White man’s club). If owning three classes of vehicles (Jeep (SUV), Windstar (min-van), and a Diesel Jetta)) makes me your enemy or socially undesirable in your political view of the world, then that’s too bad. I did not know VW owners could be so intolerant of other people’s points of view. PS. I refer affectionately (not pejoratively) to my Jetta and most cars in its class as econo-cracker boxes because that’s what they are: Economic to purchase and run, hile they are small and compact like the old tin can cracker boxes of yesterday.

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OK settle down there Jose... I'm checking out the crash test site you gave as I write. The Jetta is rated 3 star in frontal impacts (20-35% chance of life-threatening injury). Your Windstar is 5 stars (<10% chance). But let's look at other minivans and SUVs shall we; Dodge Caravan (3), Chevy Suburban (4), Jeep Grand Cherokee (3), Toyota 4runner (3) and Pontiac Trans Port (3.5). In the 40 mph offset frontal crash tests the Jetta is ranked POOR. Of the 77 cars and trucks tested, 25 others also ranked PO R including the Olds Bravada, Chevy Blazer and GMC Gimmy. What I'm getting at, is that with the exception of your Windstar, most of these heavy, higher fuel consuming vehicles are only marginally safer than our lightweight, fuel efficient Jettas.

What's more, if "you know who" would regulate commuters, limiting them to vehicles weighing less than 2500 lbs., the number of hwy. deaths would decrease significantly, by your own mathematical analysis.

Lastly, while I agree that a Jetta is too small for a family of 5, my 87 with a trailer hitch hauled a 2000 lb trailer full of furniture 400 miles from WI to MN in the rain without a problem. The TDI can do even better. I bought it because I believe it s the best all-around SUV made.

Pollution....Ah'll be back..... D'nardo

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Jose, just some suggestions... Trade in your TDI for a Ford Explorer or Chevy Tahoe or some other large "safe" and very "efficient for a large vehicle" vehicle and delete this site from your "Favorites" folder. I didn't buy my car because it's the safes vehicle on the road. I didn't buy my car mainly because of it's efficiency. I didn't buy my car to save the world from polution. I bought it because it's a fun, efficient, and relatively safe 4 door 5 passenger vehicle to drive.

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Anyone interested in how the Golf/Jetta 3 actually performs in real-world crashes, load this page:http://www.carsafety.org/ddr2.htm Note it protects occupants as well as many much larger cars in both multiple and single car crashes. So everyone driving o e relax unless you want to shell out for a Benz, Volvo or big Audi.

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Jose:...Too bad you did'nt know about the Jetta's poor safety and inefficient load record before you made your purchase. Then you could have bought a second Windstar and would be saving all kinds of money now in a safe manner.....Mike.....Out...

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This thread keeps getting better....Crash Testing. Check this site for additional information http://www.edmunds.com/edweb/crashtst.html You can draw your own conclusions, but keep in mind that the tests performed were done against FIXED bar iers and thus represent the worst case scenario. In real life, objects in a collision are moving and have different weights and directions thus changing the outcome of the results. For example a 40 MPH frontal collision between a Windstar (Rated Good @ 4300 pounds ) and the Jetta (Rated Poor @ 2200 pounds) would most likely result in fatal or near fatal injuries for the Jetta occupants. It’s as simple as that. Also note that safety is not only an issue of size but also of design, as in the case of the New Beetle rated Good!!!; However, I still believe that size and weight shift the advantage to the bigger and heavier vehicle (Check NFL football players). Fuel Efficiency. It is a matter of mission purpose and safety preferences. Would you consider a 400HP CAT Diesel powered semi-truck inefficient at 5 or 6 MPG? Not when its moving 50,000 pounds of cargo from point A to point B, but when the same vehicle is used for solo commuting purposes, then it is highly inefficient. When I vacation with my family, we take the Windstar chockfull of luggage and bicycles as well as a 2000 pound camper trailer and manage to get 18 MPG. Is that efficient? You bet? Tr that in our Jetta TDI!!! The 45 MPG is useless for that type of mission. Now lets look at safety. If the driver is mainly concerned about accident survivability, then commuting with a semi truck or any other very large vehicle is probably his or h r best choice. In a free country like the United States, we are still able to make that choice ourselves without undue expense because fuel and oil costs are not skewed by unreasonable taxation. The same can not be said for the rest of the developed w rld, where that choice is already made by you know who. I remember paying $US5.00 for a quart of oil to top of a rental FIAT I had in Belgium. The same $5 buys me 5 quarts of motor oil to perform a full oil change here at home. And last, if the ultima e concern when it comes to personal transportation is energy conservation, maximum efficiency, and low safety, then I suggest a bicycle. They may have a limited mission and range but still get the best MPG and do not pollute (save for the manufacturing p ocess) I have ever seen. Happy trails. PS. Fuel consumed by an engine does not necessarily translate into more pollution. I have seen one too many small econo-cracker boxes spew gray smoke in large quantities go down the Highway. The funny thing ab ut is that sometimes those cars have "save the earth", "greenpeace", and "Wellstone" stickers on them! You figure it out.

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comment in response to Jonathon Bartlett; first of all lets say that global warming is a theory. It has not been proven, period. In fact there is just as much support for the oppposing viewpoint. One problem that still needs to be addressed is what are we actually measuring and what does it relate to. in the early 70's the big three gave the usa "cleaner engines" but the the fuel consumption went crazy. tell me someone how can the engine be clean r when it takes more fuel to go less distance. My personnel goal is to reduce the total fuel consummed and get the highest overall efficiency at the same time for any give distance traveled... and right now that means diesel and TDI. As for the mini vans, only two manufacturers products actually meet Passenger Vehicle Safety standards to my knowledge; ... Toyota and VW. The rest claim that the mini van is a truck. an so doesn't have to meet passenger vehicle standards. c.l.

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For those of you looking for information on adding a CD changer to your Jetta you might want to try these two web sites. www.autotoys.com for the changer along with the adapter to go with it, this was mentioned in a earlier post, and www.stinger-aamp.com for information on interfaces or adapters.

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re Jetta 3 safety: In the compilation of actual crash data by the Insurance Institute, the Jetta 3 did very well. This is not the government "drive into a wall test". Airbags in most cars only deploy when the accident occurs at greater than 30 mph and + o - 30 degrees of headon. If you get in a bigone headon, you WANT an airbag.

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Regarding car crash tests. Recently went by an accident site between a Dodge RAM 1500 and a newer Toyota car. From the looks of it, the Dodge truck could be driven away, but the people in the Toyota were being carted away in an ambulance. Personally my wife was T-boned by a semi-truck at an intersection. The truck hit her For Windstar mini-van at about 30 MPH on the left side. My wife and 2 kids came out without a scratch (other than soiled undergarments). The Windstar wasn’t so lucky as it had n ar $10,000 in damage. (NOTE: seatbelts were used and driver /passenger airbags were not deployed) The heavier and beefier vehicle (i.e., SUVs and mini- vans) will most certainly come ahead on a crash collision with most any other vehicle on the road (s ve semi-trucks). Those are two REAL LIFE examples of crashes and not a test by Ralph Nader (remember air bags brought to us by Ralph? As you know, tests, like numbers, can be manipulated to say what you want. Do you think Ralph looses sleep knowing tha he lobbied for a device that has needlessly killed several children?). At any rate, that’s the reason why my Jetta makes me nervous. I definitely don’t want to be in the Jetta if I am ever going to be in a collision with another vehicle. Somehow, I d n’t feel extremely safe knowing the laws of physics would most certainly go against me in a collision with another vehicle. I checked the safety rating on the Jetta and is not the most stellar. USA Today newspaper had the Jetta rated as MARGINAL and wel behind most other cars in its class! The only good news from VW are the results on the tests performed on the New Beetle, where it reportedly performed extremely well. Mhh! Trade for a NB? Nah, Maybe in a couple of years when the deals are better. Drive careful. Does anyone have the Insurance Institute ratings on the Jetta? I know the Windstar has a 5 star. Drive careful.

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Forgot to include the part number for the Mann oil filter--- W 940/25 with reference to the previous entry.

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Some things of note that I would like to pass on to every one.Purchased Nov 20(about) now have 42000 km (24000 mi).First tank 120km/hr, 54MPG. It was driven gently with egg-shell acceleration pressure.As the miles came on the low end aver.44mpg and the high about 52mpg.This last week I took off to the coast, topped up in Rocky Mtn. House and made it to Kelowna BC (812 km) on 41 litres aver. 65mph with some very fast transits near 90mph for an our. Coming out of Kelowna there is a hill (9%) for 25 +/- mi. and found I still got 47mpg. What I thought was great was the fact that the cruise was set at 75mph in fifth!!! What torque!! On filling my last tank for home in Kamloops I reached 59.6mpg. You might not think that too great,but I hauled ass on the Coquihala(?)FWY (From the trip down I remembered a laser speed trap when a grosser Mercedes S-Classe went by at over 95mph. By the time I got around the corner he was a-writing.) I've been very impressed with the car, no problems save a timing belt blowing and taking the top end of motor out(valves). You might say that's big stuff, (VW thought so and flew out people from Toronto) but the car runs even stronger now. By the way, M nn oil filters have a unique slot in the bottom of the filter that allows you to "screwdriver" it off. The slot is about 1/4in wide.\ Next on the list is CHIPS!!!!!

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As to a recent comment that SUVs are "safer than diesels" i have to disagree. Recent crash tests which have been well publicized demonstrated that SUVs are quite UNsafe as compared to the average passenger vehicle. I dont disagree over the benefits of the TDI's fuel milaege of course. That is why I traded in my SUV for a TDI. Thanks

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Forgot to mention that my $15K savings calculation was over 200,000 miles of driving. It does not consider difference in maintenance

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RE: Petrol SUVs v. diesel cars: Yes, SUV & vans are safer, and I have no data to discuss the emissions issue. The issue I can't escape is the one of money. I figured I'd save about $15,000 between the TDI and the VR6. Some of this is lower purchase price or TDI, but most of the difference is lower fuel cost. The delta between VR6 and TDI is about 20 MPG. If you added that type of mileage to each car on the road in the country our nation would save literally BILLIONS of dollars on fuel cost. This would be eal savings, too. It might make us less reliant on the Middle East and possibly reduce the temptations for USA to become involved in wars there as well. Before criticizing this concept, just start adding up the numbers. They're really huge and they would ake a difference. (And as for the president's fuel consumption in Air Force 1, it's worse than you think. When at O'Hare a couple of weeks ago I spotted both AF2 and AF2 there. Hillary and Bill each had their own gov't transport to travel to separate fund aisers. Must be nice...)

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Pollution production depends on what is classified as "pollution". The combustion (oxidization) of a hydrocarbon results in the hydrogen-carbon molecule breaking and the pieces joining with oxygen molecules. "Perfect" combustion results in only water (H2O and carbon dioxide (CO2) residue. Since CO2 is not presently classified as a pollutant, the process is considered to be clean. Imperfect combustion creates the carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and unburned hydro-carbon emissions. A vehicle returning 5 miles to a gallon uses twice the fuel as a vehicle returning 30 MPG, but if the combustion process is correct it can produce less of the measured pollutants. The 15 mpg vehicle will produce twice the CO2 of the 30 MPG vehicle. CO2 is one of the most eff ctive "greenhouse" gasses, which contribute to raising global temperatures. The doubled production of H2O raises the moisture level in the atmosphere too, creating localized hot and humid weather!! ;-) The TDi produces less of the CO2 than typical gasoline fueled vehicles, Thats why "we" are so cool, and "they" are all wet!!

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Regarding my previous post re: transaxle problems, the dealer is going to tear into the transaxle tomorrow morning. The car has 7,800 miles on it. The noise is a very fast "tick-a-tick-a-tick" when the car is taken out of gear at a standstill and the clutch is released, such as when stopped for a stop light. Not particularly loud; you have to be beside a wall or something to hear it from inside the car, but it is VERY easy to hear from outside the car. The foreman at the dealer said it is not a noise that he's ever heard before. Any similar experiences?? More to follow when I hear back from the dealer....

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Bill, assuming burn efficiency is equal between an SUV and small econo boxes, the emissions then become a function of gas burned per RPM. For example, a 5.7 liter GM engine requires more air/fuel mixture per RPM than a 2.0 liter Honda engine. So assuming a constant cruise at the same RPM for both vehicles, the GM engine will burn 3.7 liters more of air/fuel mixture per RPM than the Honda econo-cracker-box, but when you figure emissions per gallon consumed, they REMAIN relatively the SAME. Conclusion: Ou cracker-boxes burn less fuel per year to cover the same distance as the GM counterpart would do; therefore, it can be said that the smaller displacement engines produce less emissions per RPM (and thus miles traveled). Does that mean that an SUV driver ith 10,000 miles per year is less responsible than a Honda with 30,000 miles per year? Nope, the Honda driver is putting out more emissions than the SUV driver. Personally, I don’t really care. I mean, our president burns more fuel flying AF1 to a Cal fornia fund raiser than I will ever burn in my entire life! I like my Jetta TDI it because it allows me to drive a good looking and powerful econo box to make long drives to work easier on my wallet and the body (600+ miles/week). I definitely did not uy the TDI to save the environment. Let’s face it, a vehicle is a tool, and in my case, I also like the utility of my Jeep 4X4 Cherokee with its towing capacity and ability to punch through snow drifts. Even my wife has befallen to the SUV bug also aft r driving my Jeep. She will be trading in her 95 Windstar (3.0 L engine) for a new 4X4 Chevy Silverado with the 5.7 Liter engine. I guess she wants to get rid of the Soccer Mom image and gain the assurance that a 4X4 vehicle will give her in the great w ite north. Happy trails.

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A few of you have mentioned that you have purchased 1999 Jetta TDI. I thought that the redesigned model of the Jetta (1999) would not be available until January. Are these the new body style or simply a 1998 that they consider a 1999? I am about to tak my car in for the 20,000 miles service, according to a maintenance service schedule I obtained from my dealer, VW is supposed to change the fuel filter at 20,000 miles. For those of you who have had their 20,000 miles checkup, has this been the case? A so, any ideas as to why I average 40-41mpg, I drive 75mph on freeways with approx. 60/40 Hgwy/city driving. Any reccomendations on how I can improve my MPG. Brian Kmetz can you please e-mail me your most recent version of the oil filters that you were c mpiling before.

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Performed the first 5K oil change using a NAPA 1191 filter ($7.65) and Mills Fleet Turbo Diesel 15-40W oil ($1.11/quart). I found this oil at a farmer’s superstore in Wisconsin and the label listed the VW rating along with many other manufactures. This s a mineral oil designed specifically for Turbo Diesel engines, but I will switch to synthetic for the winter months as this oil is not recommended for temps below 5 F. Let me tell you: this is the worst car for changing oil. I had to used car ramps to raise the car; otherwise, I would have not been able to remove the plastic undercarriage engine cover (4 bolts and 3 reusable screw-on pressure washers). Getting out the factory oil filter was a real pain in the ass. There’s hardly any room in there to et an oil filter wrench, so I was forced to pry it loose by driving a screwdriver through it several times (the factory had that filter screwed in really tight). Forget about doing the job yourself unless you have car ramps and a mechanic’s crawler. I c n not imagine trying to remove the filter from the top without removing the undercarriage cover (never mind the oil mess you will have on the plastic pan). Overall, I rate this job a 2 beer job (out of six). Next change will go a lot smoother as I learn d from the experience as well as the relocation of two hose clamp nuts to a different angle to allow better clearances.

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Did anyone ever remove that access plug in the NB's fromt bumper? I'm wondering if that conceals a hiding-spot for the block heater outlet? More news on my Coolant-light woes: went for my 5k service, and they replaced my entire coolant reservoir tank (w/l vel sensor). Car drove fine for a while, but after a 1-1/2 hr drive to NY, the light / buzzer came-on again. It subsequently came-on every time I drove the car there after. It used to only do it when the car was parked in the hot sun on a humid day---- no it's all the time. The car still drives great, but I'm anxious to fix this. There's a coolant temp. sensor that is on "National backorder", which may be the culprit, but we'll see....

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Regarding Dave's question about Passat Wagons, I have seen them here in CT (silver with tint and the A4 1.8t alloys looks awesome) and the dealership I got my NB TDI from has a few, but no V6's yet.

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Mileage Report: 3,500 mile trip recorded the following:...65 to 70 MPH --47.4MPG.....75 to 82 MPH ---44.2 MPG. Mike...Out..

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is any one out there aware of block heaters? im not sure that the glow plugs will be able to handle the extreme cold of upstate NY. it would give me peace of mind knowing that i could plug it in on a cold winter night.also i think that i will wait until 5 00 to change my oil,its hard for me to even type 5000 because i have always changed my oil every 3000 in my gas cars......

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I ran my last VW jetta 1986 265000 miles on castrol oil . i never had the engine apart or had any oil related problems

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I am currently looking at a 96 turbo diesel golf. Do you have any suggestions for me when talking to the sales person about this car.

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regarding Gene's comment on engine oil, you should be aware that over the last 15 years many vw owners have experience engine wear particularly camshaft failures, in many cases these have been attributed to the use of castrol oil, the lab test suggested i was missing anti wear properties, i can't say that this is still the case now but i wouldn't use castrol in any engine i own, period. pennzoil seems to be ok, and in a diesel i would seriously consider anthing that large diesel fleet are using, ie caterpiller recommendation etc. i personnel am using petrocan 15w40 CG4, incidently the CH rated oil should be available by early next year so stay away from CF grades. c.l.

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I just bought a 99 Jetta TDI and from reading all the comments this is what I found. I should wait for 5000 miles before I change my oil the first time because VW has put in a special breakin oil and a special oil filter. I will have to bend the A/C pipe to remove the oil filter the first time. I should try and get the VW oil filter 068115561E. I should use oil rated CF-4/CG-4 like Shell Rotella T 15W-40. I should not trust that the dealer will use the correct oil. Is there a wheel alignment problem with the cars as they come from the factory? I seem to have a slight pull to the right. Will VW cover this? Is there a VW web site that has all the VW facts? I would welcome comments on the above. By the way so far the Jetta TDI is no comparison to the 90 Jetta Diesel I also have.

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Anybody had transmission and/or clutch problems? When I take the car out of gear (like at a stop light) and release the clutch, I get a very unpleasant noise coming from the trasaxle. I have an appt. at the dealer Mon. am and will report back with diagn sis. I have approx. 7500 miles on the car. Any information on experiences appreciated.

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My 97 Passat TDI has over 30,000 mi. now. Only "mods" over stock are K&N air filter (easier air flow at higher rpms), use of Stanodyne's high performance fuel additive (inc. cetane rating of fuel by 3%, cleans injectors, and lowers pour point to -45 degr es), and VW alloy wheels. I have had zero defects/problems with this car in summer or winter, in any weather or temperature and at any rate of speed. Fuel efficiency for mixed driving began at 42 mpg on first tank to 46-47 mpg at present. Highway drivi g is well over 50 mpg. To address some other questions on this site: I suspect that Castol 20-50 Syntec Blend would be a good oil for the turbo diesls since the synthetics are known to handle higher temps well and are more resistant to breakdown. The TDI engine is supplied with a special heavy -duty filter from factory that is not to be changed for 5000 mi. It is apparantly more effective at picking up particulate matter. Any TDI owner experiencing any smoking should have engine checked by VW dealer. ECM module and/or injector clogging is likely culprit and are covered by 100.000 mi warr. to original owners. I highly recommend the Stanodyne additive and draining fuel-water separator regularly to prevent injector problems. Should be good for over 200,00 mi. if kept clean, even the 5-port multi-injected TDI's. Finally, I am hesitant to mess with the ECM chip in a car that is working so well and is still covered by warranty. I would be concerned about increased turbo wear for one, increased heat dissipation, and possible change in fuel efficiency. I don't know how VW addresses these factors in their 120 HP chip TDI's, but I would want to know that prior to changing only the chip. Happy driving TDI fans. Rich

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Today I went to my dealer for service for the first time (I now have 20,000 miles). They were about to use 20W-50 Castrol Syntec Blend oil. It is a good thing I brought my own oil with me, because I read the label on a bottle in the Parts Dept. and foun it has absolutely no diesel rating! A subsequent check on Castrol's website also confirmed this. How could an authorized VW dealer be doing this? Also, does anyone know if this oil is indeed adequate for the TDI?

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Hello TDI fans!! Just completed my 5000 Mile service, quite painless. After reading a fan's comment on steering wheel alignment, I noticed mine was a little off and I was expieriencing a slight pull to the right. The dealer said it was a front end alig ment problem and not covered by warranty. I know I didn't jar the front end to this point and probably could of made a stink about it but I went ahead and paid $39.95 and it ended up being 10 deg. off on the right front. I had to pull out the maintenanc book for stamping and reviewes the original stiker I stuffed in the packet and have to tell all that I slightly understated the actual price paid and sticker amount on my earlier comment: I stated I paid $14,100 should of said $14,205. Sticker was $18,30 and I said $18,200. I am still awaiting word on the Garrett performance chip. I emailed superchips somewhere in Florida last week and have not received word back yet. Now I can't get that V6 TDI out of my mind!! Best wishes, LH

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Digger -- Everyone I've read or spoken to on this issue suggests waiting a while on the first oil change in a TDI. There apparently are factory additives in the oil to aid in properly seating rings, seals, etc. Most people suggest sticking to VW's sched led maintenance at 5K miles. I know that seems like a lot, but everyone assures me this is actually better than meticulously changing your oil every 3K miles. I don't know who's right, but sinced my dealer agrees I should wait (even if it would save him $ and hassle if I didn't wait), I'm going to wait until 5K (and then of course, if he's wrong, I'll have someone to blame.) (Since I'm *not* a dealer, or a mechnic, take my "recommendation" witha grain of salt. I'm just saying what I've heard.) ;->

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I am interested in a 1999 TDI Passat wagon. Do you know when they will be available in USA? Price? With all-wheel drive? Anybody have experiences with European version of this vehicle Passat TDI awd? Thanks

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i have herd all kinds if input as to when to change my oil on my new jetta tdi, whats the real deal? i have almost 1000 miles on it and i dont know if i chould have it changed now or wait until 3000 like all of my other gas cars of the past....any input w uld be greatly appreciated............thanks so far i love my tdi

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To those guys trying to plug their SUVs -- great. There sure are wastefull of gas (in general -- most don't get 20+ mpg). But if that's what you want to do, go ahead. What bugs me is those who drive them, seemingly unaware of the costs they impose on t emselves and others. But rather than drag this into some political thing, i have a real question. One recent poster stated that the emissions from his SUV (that got 20 mpg) were "less than 1% more" than a Honda Accord getting 25 mpg. Similarly, I have eard the claim that the Jetta TDI (or maybe the 1.9 TDI engine in general) has "20% less emissions than a comparable gas engine". What does this mean in either context? Comparing the SUV & Accord, or TDI & gas, does that mean that the engine emits x% mo e per mile, or per gallon? Since the TDI gets twice the mileage, I'd expect emissions to be 50% less per mile, all other things being equal (which they aren't -- diesel fuel is dirtier, is it not?) So, if the SUV getting 20 mpg is emitting the same as t e Honda at 25 mpg, does that mean the SUV engine is actually 20% or so "cleaner"? Anyone know how these stats work?

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To those guys trying to plug their SUVs -- great. There sure are wastefull of gas (in general -- most don't get 20+ mpg). But if that's what you want to do, go ahead. What bugs me is those who drive them, seemingly unaware of the costs they impose on t emselves and others. But rather than drag this into some political thing, i have a real question. One recent poster stated that the emissions from his SUV (that got 20 mpg) were "less than 1% more" than a Honda Accord getting 25 mpg. Similarly, I have eard the claim that the Jetta TDI (or maybe the 1.9 TDI engine in general) has "20% less emissions than a comparable gas engine". What does this mean in either context? Comparing the SUV & Accord, or TDI & gas, does that mean that the engine emits x% mo e per mile, or per gallon? Since the TDI gets twice the mileage, I'd expect emissions to be 50% less per mile, all other things being equal (which they aren't -- diesel fuel is dirtier, is it not?) So, if the SUV getting 20 mpg is emitting the same as t e Honda at 25 mpg, does that mean the SUV engine is actually 20% or so "cleaner"? Anyone know how these stats work?

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Bill: I am a TDI'ing fool too. But to knock anyone who drives anything other than your ideal car shows socialistic tendencies. I also have a great American SUV that averages 20MPG. My previous car, Honda Accord, only average 25MPG. What is the big sa ings with having half the weight, half the protection, and only 5MPG difference. Plus, according to the EPA, the emissions from my Explorer were less than 1% greater than the Accord. Please try and use statistical and true data before slamming the reput tion of a quality type of vehicle.

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Manuel, don't pay attention to Bill. There's a lot of people here in the United States that have sense and still believe in freedom. We will do anything to keep Socialism/Communism out of this last bastion of freedom (I came to the US to escape just tha !!). I definitely love my 4x4 SUV with its 17 MPG abilities, as well as my snowmobiles and Rotax powered airplane. Those two cycle beauties burn unleaded gas loaded with 2 cycle oil at an incredible rate (take that mother earth!) A good day snowmobili g burns 12 gallons, while my plane burns 4 gallons per hour!!! Ahh, the joys of freedom! (thanks to a well thought petrolum policy)! Manuel, there's one thing you will definitely not find in my Jetta TDI, and that will be a bumper sticker sporting GORE 000 for President because I LOVE FREEDOM (although we lost ground to the leftist agenda in the past 25 years, we seem to have gained some victories recently with the defeat of socialized medicine and tobacco taxes). Manuel, in case you don't know who Vic -President Gore is: Think of Carl Marx hell bent on environmental issues.

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Just took off the first 4 months and archived them... almost time for the next 4:)

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Regarding CD changers: I noticed that Recoton Corporation has a "universal" 6-CD changer that is supposed to fit "any" car stereo. Nearby (in Lake Mary, FL) they have a factory outlet that sells them for $149. Anyone tried one of these units?

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Hi, TDI fans - especially our friend from Ingolstadt! This web site seems to be demonstrating that at least *some* Americans have the good sense not to drive petrol-guzzling SUVs. Rather than turn this into a political discussion about our pi** poor petro eum policy I'd rather say that the car you are driving is the one I *want* badly. If VW import a TDI-V6 Passat into the US I will be first in line for it. How does performance of the V6-TDI compare with the 2.8L 5-V petrol version of the Passat or A6? Thanks for your comments. Please send more info on the V-6 TDI

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Great page - enjoy it. Two issues raised: re: Tape Deck I have the same irritation with the silence detector that Dnardo mentioned. In my case it is when I use one of those CD players plugged in via a tape cassette adaptor. The machine keeps thinking the tape is done when the CD comes to an end of a track. suppose I should have forked out for the CD player, but a complete unit at around $100 seemed a better idea. Other experiences? re: Wooden Dash Inserts (posting from Dave) I was also very interested in the wood grain inserts because of a couple of older Brit cars (e.g. Mini) on which they look great. I did make some enquiries and found you could get a much cheaper version from a wood grain outfit somewhere in the US much cheaper than the dealer. But, was still very pricey and on careful inspection of the car, I wondered how they could ever make it look like a good fit over the little symbols (e.g. Air flow) on various parts of the dashboard. Also, somehow the austere black seems right for a VW, but perhaps not for an Audi. Any other tryers out there? Andrew Templer

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Hi TDI-fans, Greetings from Ingolstadt! I'm wondered that there're so many fans of diesel are located over there in the U.S. In Germany the VW/Audi TDI's are very popular. My TDI is the new 150hp-V6-engine in Audi A6. It's really a great engine in accleration, torque (310Nm from 1500-3200Rpm), milage and noise. I have never seen a more silent diesel than this! Yesterday I came back from holiday in North-Italy. I've driven o motorways all time between 120 and 220km/h, the journey took only 7 hours (inclusive traffic queues), and the V6 needed 7,4 litres (on 100km) totally. That's my new record...

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I keep forgetting to post this so here goes... The gas version of our cars is a little quicker IF the driver winds the motor to redline. That person is taking advantage of the increased horsepower that the gas engine has. We, on the other hand, use our greater torque to accelerate almost as quickly. What this means, TDI fans, is that if you come to a signal light next to a gas Jetta and the other driver wants to race, he has to be willing to wind out his motor to near redline in the first 2-3 gears to e able to beat you. Since most drivers aren't willing to drive their cars that hard, we have a mental advantage in that they just have to shift early and the game's over for them. The only other time the gas cars have an advantage over us is in top spee where horsepower determines absolute terminal velocity. How many times do you drive that fast? When was the last time you drove on the freeways at over 110MPH??? Think about that. I did when I made the decision to buy TDI.

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Hey Dave. I'd agree that the TDI *feels* faster, but I've seen tests which verify that in overall performance, the gas one is indeed faster. It's just in how you use what you have. The TDI's got more torque so, as you say, once it's spooled up, we're the ones having more fun. Note also that our engine is quieter at highway speed because of our higher gearing. 70mph is pretty easy to reach in 4th. While the fuel economy is good, for the extra money it cost to get the diesel engine, expect to drive it approximately 80k before recouping your investment. Focus on the luxury of not having to stop so often instead, and the added pleasure of the increased torque, and of course the mechanical tappa-tappa weeee! of the engine and the turbo talking to eachother. I'd add that the diesel SOUNDS more like a bug too. And isn't it in the philosophical vein of the car to have an off-beat power source? Kim. One word of advice. Be nice to the engine in the first 1000 miles and stay below 3000rpm. After that you can enjoy pushing the envelope. I've had mine two months today, and I've got almost 4k on the odo. Whoa. Oh, right. Having a BLAST! I've ever thought of so many reasons to just get in the car and drive. 45mpg last tank, with a/c and a pretty even mix of city/hway. Yee-hah. Maaak

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Just some observations about my Jetta. Cruising at 50-70mph, barely using any throttle. Interesting. Must be the boost. Driving my Jetta fast, my wife doesn't notice because I don't have to rev the engine up (can't do that in a Honda!). When I had the dealer loaner ('98 Jetta GL with automatic), I had to rev it to 5000 RPM just to drive at a decent clip and my wife thinks that I'm trying to race the next guy. Definitely much better on the nerves.

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A few tidbits: 1. The shop that offered me a $239 install on the CD changer / adaptor (complete)is "Starlander-Beck" in Milford, CT (203)877-4651. 2. My A/C smells only when I start to add heat to it, then goes away. It may just be condensation that smells worse with age, but I hope not. 3. Car & Driver (Aug. or Sept. 98) did a "short-take" on the NB TDI, and posted (i think) a (0.2) second slower 0-60, and a (0.1) second slower 1/4 mile VS. the gas. This difference is undetectable in the real world, and when I tested both, the TDI felt m ch stronger around town. The cool noises & mpg sold me... If I wanted to go "really-fast", I'd buy-back my recently-sold '91 Honda CBR600F2 motorcycle.

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Don't worry about long service intervals (10,000 miles is first TDi service in UK). By the time you reach this mileage, the TDi has drank a crankcase full of oil anyway!

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I recently purchased a TDI Beetle. Before I made the decision, I test drove the gas version and the diesel version. Some salesmen say that the gas is a little bit slower than the TDI and some say the Diesel is slower. I believe the TDI is faster than the as version. The TDI is fast once the car is moving. When I start off the line, I shift it at 4000RPMS to get the full power of the car. If you go over 4000, you will notice a drop in momentum. While driving on the highway, I hold the throttle about 1/4 wa down for about 3 seconds. This allows the turbo to gain speed. Once it has reached a good speed, step on the gas all the way and the car will accelerate really fast. Even if you do not step on the gas all the way, it still picks up very fast. This is wha makes the car fun to drive. With this method, it climbs hills very quick. I haven't seen a test report on the TDI Beetle, so there are no figures yet. A publication should do a comparison between the Gas and TDI Beetles. I believe the TDI will come out o top. For those of you looking for a new beetle, I suggest you get the Diesel version. However, TDI Beetles are still rare, most people don't even know they exist. I had a hard time finding a TDI Beetle, but once I did find one, I had to drive it. Then I ought it. Call several dealers to see if they have a TDI in stock. Most dealers do not. THe sticker price on the TDI is $17,760. Dealing the price down on the Beetle is a near impossible task, so be warned. It took me two days to deal for my car. Most dea ers put a $2000 markup on the car, but some dealers do not. The TDI Beetle can get about 700 miles to the tank. The gas will get about 400. Get the TDI, it will save you in the long run on fuel cost. Also, the TDI is so fun to drive because you will always hear the turbo whine when the windows are down. If you hav any questions, write me. Dave Kim

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Ric - I too have noticed a rather stale smell coming from the AC on occasion, and sometimes there are rather weird smells, which I attribute to the fact that I'm more used to a gas engine than a diesel (and that diesel can smell weird to me). So I'm not ure. You can get those filters for the interior air circ system, but I don't know if that would help the smell, or just "clean" the recycled air. Also, I'm wondering -- what, exactly, is a "98 Jetta TDI Sport"? Was there some sort of sport package I wa n't made aware of by my dealer? If so, what's in it? Thanks.

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I've asked this question before, but got no response: While idling at a red lite, on a hot day, with the A/C on, a strange odor comes out of the vents. To solve the problem, I turn the A/C off until I get moving again. Anyone else with a similar problem Question 2: Does anyone know if turning the temperature dial warmer actually diminishes the A/C output, or does it simply add heat? Thanks, TDI fans.

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All this talk about CD changers reminded me about the tape deck. Is anyone else having problems with the Clarion deck and its "BSS" silence skip feature? I have a set of about 10 tapes now where it activates at the beginning tunes. My music may be a bi different but I've had subway sounds, hi-hats, crickets all be detected as silence and skipped over only to have the tune start two seconds later. It's so annoying that I'm having my dealer replace the deck with last year's model (panasonic) out of an o d Passat.

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Hello TDIers I just had my timing belt/all other belts plus the idle tensioner pulley replaced at my local dealer. I will have more on pricing later. My dealer has several Passat TDI owners with 1996 TDIs with over 140 Miles. So, far, they all Love their TDI's cant say enough good about them and reliability has been simply amazing. The only maintainance has been to replaced timing belts and change your oil...

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Jose - re: fog/driving lights I installed some PIAA 1000s on my Jetta, along with the VW "Euro" light switch. They are small lights, and I mounted them on the lower side of the bumper, on the level below where the parking lights are. I put mine toward the outer edge of the center "s ction." There were tiny, removable black plastic panels located there, and I removed the panels and put the lights right in front of where the panels were. Installation was easy, because I got the Euro switch. (Actually, I tried doing it with the PIAA switch, and that was a huge pain -- plus, one of my lights arrived with a broken bulb.) The Euro switch (costs about $70) lets you choose a number of combina ions of fog lights, headlights, parking lights, etc., and you needn't drill through the firewall -- you caN use VW's wiring. I would recommend getting it. Keep in mind that you also need the tiny "plug" that lets you connect the PIAA wiring to the canis er of VW wiring right above the radiator. (It's a tiny sliver of metal, but necessary. You *can* MacGuyver your own by straightening a picture-hanger hook, but I'd suggest the real McCoy instead.) Talk to a VW parts place when you get the Euro switch. While most people think of PIAAs as more at home on a souped-up Acura or something, I really like them. They don't look goofy when they're off, and when they're on, they provide great illumination (They're halfway between driving and fog lights.) I also ot them cheap (because these were discontinued). They still make the 1100x (very bright white), and the 1200 (white or amber, less bright). Mine are basically the 1200s in a slightly larger case. I hear Catz also makes good "mini" lights (XSL, XLO). B th PIAA and Catz can be had for $125-$180 for the models I mentioned. The "factory" Hellas cost about $250 just for the lights, and they're just fogs (i.e. dimmer), but they look "factory" if that matters to you.

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I wanted to increase my MPG so I only pumped 5 gallons after 463 miles for a 92.6 MPG average!!! (I only had $5 and change with me, what can I say!). I do suspect the next fill-up is going to bring me back to 23 MPG. You win some, you loose some. Seriously now, does anyone know the product number for the K&N air filter mentioned on earlier posts? (my 2-cycle engines on my boy toys use K&N's for performance). Also, have you mounted driving/fog lights? If so where and what kind/brand? Another issue, my driving is mostly interstate and I get a lot bug guts in the front of my car. Do you have a car bra in your Jetta? If so, please state make and brand. Any objections agains using Mobil 1 5W-30/40 or Mobil Delvac 1? If so, what are they? (The dealer ain't gonna touch my car unless it's really necessary, so I'll skip the maintenance handouts). One more, The CD changer from a autotoys. Will it fit the rectangular plug in the trunk?. This plug is a two row plug with 5 or 6 pins per row measuring about 3/8" high and a little over 1" wide. The connector looks more automotive than hight tech as y u would expect from audio equipment made in the 1990's. Thanks for the input.

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....With regards to CD changers (G.Jablonski's posting), I too was looking for a changer for my NB, and after ordering the Clarion by accident, got the Panasonic Unit from a Mail order house in Brooklyn NYC for $200. I bought an adaptor (Blitzsafe) Starla d & Beck in Milford, CT, and they said they would have sold and installed the whole package for $239. I missed-out, but anyone in the area should consider this option. The only thing I noticed is that this CD player has no random shuffle mode, which the f ctory unit does, but it's not worth $250 extra to me....

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I just had the car in to the dealer for its 20,000 mile checkup. Under the maintence program we recieved a new air filter, oil change, and brake system flush. All free of charge. Milage has been 46-48 since new, with a high of 50 and a low of 38. The igh was achieved during a six hour drive through the pouring rain where I could only make 55 mph. The low was probably due to my heavy foot and city driving. I had the car up over 100 mph briefly. I thought that if felt a little light at that speed, alt ough my point of reference is a Corrado VR6 with a sport suspension and a 911. It still had a litttle more left but I ran out of room. The car has been flawless so far with the exception of a hub cap which vanished one day. I'm not sure if it left on i s own or was removed. I now check them every so often and do find them slightly loose. All considered this is a great car, my wife loves it. Fred this is a great site, thanks for providing a forum for us TDI owners to exchange ideas and comments.

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Brian, will call Beck Arnley to inquire about fuel filters. As for the puralator, try it at your own risk, and don't forget that they also made the K-Mart store brand filters. I suspect that Wix will make one soon, their filter for an older VW diesel is similar, but won't quite work. However modifing the production process should be a simple process, and the filter should be forthcoming. Will advise when I find out.

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As far as a fuel filter goes, it is not true that they are ONLY available from a VW dealer. I just bought a Purolator from Discount Auto Parts.

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If anyone is still looking for an aftermarket CD Changer for their 98 Volkswagon they are now available via the internet. Sound Conceptions in Fort Lee NJ. @ WWW.Autotoys.com, has the adapters for the panasonic cdxp601 CD changer and will sell you a comp ete kit for $285.00. I ordered one via their fax number (saved $5.00, they are running a promotion) on Wensday afternoon and recieved it via UPS on Fri. Not bad... Though I live in the same state. I installed the unit myself... NO PROBLEMS and the syste sounds great. You will need an Adult to accept the deliver from UPS.

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Jake: I haven't seen too many used TDIs. I was looking at used cars when I bought my (new) Jetta -- including Honda Civics and a used 96 Passat TDI. While I was happy to get the warranty and service that come with a new (vs. used) car, one of the reaso s I went with the new TDI, rather than a used something-else, is that I saved a significant amount of money in financing. (I couldn't afford to buy the car for cash, and my trade was worth less than $1000 -- including my old car, I put down about 20%.) figured that, even at $17K including tax, the TDI would cost less than a 97 Civic that cost 16K incl. tax, because VW was providing 3 year financing at 2.9%. (I financed for 3 years.) For 4-5 years, they offer 3.9% (or were, last I checked). Compared t an 8% bank loan, this saves a great deal of money. The used Passat TDIs I was looking at not only were more expensive than a new Jetta TDI, they would have cost even more because the financing would have been at the higher rate. Anyway, Jake, I don't know if VW is offering the same financing deals in Canada, or if a Canadian citizen could buy through such a deal in Michigan or New York. But if you have the means to buy a recent TDI, I would seriously consider getting a new one i stead, since you're unlikely to save much money in real terms by buying a used 97 or 98 TDI. Good luck.

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Hi TDI fans! Several months ago when I replaced my fuel filter at 30,000 miles I cut my old one open to see just how dirty it was inside. It was dirty enough. The filter medium is white on a new one. My old one was light gray to black. The fuel filter h s two sections. The top half contains the filter medium and the bottom half of the filter is an empty space for water collection. I check my filter for water every 10,000 miles and I have never drained a drop yet. I was talking to my local VW parts manag r about what some dealers are charging for fuel and oil filters. He told me he would be more than happy to sell some filters through mail order and gave me permission to give out his name. I paid ~$30 USd for my last fuel filter and he is selling "E" type oil filters for ~$12 USd. I just replaced my pollen filter for ~$13 USd. If anyone is interested, send me an e-mail and I will send you the guys name and address. This is for Jake: same dealership has two used Jetta TDIs on the lot. One is a "program car" whatever that means, and the other a local guy traded in on a truck because he bought a boat. These are the only used Jetta TDIs I know of. The dealership is located 60 miles/100 Km southwest of Chicago. Hey Darren, can you find out if Beck-Arnley will arry TDI fuel filters, right now I can only get oil filters from them.

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Hey just bought a TDI Jetta 98 $18,200 sticker paid $14,700 (not as good as that other guy at 14,100). Love the car feel good about the purchase but are there any major reliablity issues concerning the TDI I should be worried about. Has it fared well so far? Please e-mail me if anyone has any solid info in this regard. Thanks.

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As an executive for the largest automobile aftermarket retail chain in the world, I can tell you that currently, the only available source of the fuel filter is from the dealer. However, if you will notice, the filter is made by the Robert Bosch Corp. (a ong with the alternator, starter, and numerous other parts) who does sell to the automobile aftermarket outside of the dealer distribution network. I recently spoke with a Bosch sales rep who informed me that the filter should become available soon from ources other than the dealer. I will let you know as soon as I know. By the way, Bosch sales reps get a Jetta VR6 as a company car. Not a bad fringe benefit.

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I love my Jetta. Has anyone installed the wood interior trim pieces that can be bought as an accessory? I would ie intereted in hearing how it looked. Thanks.

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Do you really need to replace the Fuel Filter every 30k miles? If so, does somebody sell one out there for less than Dealer Cost = $42.95 ?

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Hi all - back again. This time to say that my Beetle got smacked good in the rear Saturday by an inattentive taxi driver in a Caprice. Damage? If you overlook a VERY minor mar on the bumper cap - NONE. FYI, Maaak

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I'm interested in the types of modifications TDI owners are making to their cars. For example, are you modifing your suspensions to VR6 specs, adding air-to-oil coolers, intercooler upgrades, gauges (boost, fuel pressure, exhaust temp), larger downpipes, ariable boost regulators? What are the hot rodders doing? Where can I get info on these monster race cars? Thanks for the info. Kurt - Holding out for an A4 Golf TDI

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Mark from hotlanta, Did you say 42 TDI A4 Golfs for the US? I wanted to make sure that was not a typo. RJ

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Well, after visiting 3 dealers, I think I came away with a decent price. $16,500 with all options except CD and ABS. (Why is it extra on a German sports sedan when Chevy offers it standard on Cavaliers??) After two weeks and 1200 miles, I am averaging 48 pg-mostly highway. I'm saving $70/month in fuel over my 929, albeit I have a car payment now. The torque in this car is great, press on the pedal in 5th gear on an incline and it's more responsive than my RX7 used to be. I'm crossing my fingers on the uild quality issues I hear about, but if I'm experience problems, I'll just trade it in for another when the warranty expires. It's just too much of a kick getting this gas mileage, even at $1.03/gal.

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Hello TDi lovers. I visit this great page at least once a week but cannot add much since I have no TDi-ing experience yet. Boy do I ever want a Jetta TDi. Unfortunately for me I have $$$ constraints, a new Jetta is out of the question. I'm looking around for something us d, and recently I ran into a friend of mine who told me that there are 1997 Jetta TDis out there. He said that he saw one at a car auction that he went to in Michigan. As far as I know, (according to the dealer), the Jetta TDi was not available until 19 8. I have not seen any 1997 TDi Jettas in the local papers her in Toronto. If any one has any info about this please let me know. If I can find a used Jetta soon, I may be TDi-ing before the great Canadian winter hits. P.S. Does any one have any hints on potential problem areas in the TDi that I should keep my eyes open for when looking at a used TDi? I have some tinkering experience (I can change a timing belt or a camshaft) but I have never owned a diesel before. Happy TDi-ing y'all EHHHH!