Charles Robinson said...
> Stephen West-Fisher wrote:
> > Sorry for the late reply, I've been out of town. I also made a
> > typo, replace GTI with TDI. The TDI without an automatic gets
> > 50mpg in the real world with real drivers, mix of city and
> > highway.
>
> I looked at several TDI discussion groups. The real world
> comments by TDI owners don't agree with your mileage claims.
> That's why I asked where you got thos numbers.
Being an avid water-cooled VW owner, I figured I would weigh in on this
subject... as I can speak for all of the current VW engines bar the VR6.
The 1.9TDI does indeed get 50mpg as Stephen noted. A chip upgrade actually
boosts your power output to about 150hp/245ftlbs and increases your
mileage... but for whatever reason, there are a fair number of chipped TDI
owners that note that they have increased dirty tailpipe fumes (as in the
typical black diesel exhaust) when they perform this upgrade. Perhaps VW
decided to tune the motor specifically to avoid seeing the visible exhaust
of your usual diesels, as VW had wanted the TDI engine to be a modern
representation of a clean and less noisy everyday diesel motor. The TDI
motor is real picky about initial break-in and keeping up with maintenance,
some other owners I know did not start achieving the promised fuel figures
until they approached 15k miles.
The 1.8T, which takes premium gasoline, gets about 28mpg mixed... 32mpg
highway. We have had a 2002 VW Jetta 1.8T pass through the family and still
have an '03 model in the driveway, and it is just a great power plant.
There have been rumors since '02 that VW underrates the power output of the
1.8T motor by about 10hp, in order for them to maximize the marketability of
the more expensive and more thirsty VR6 motor (which only makes about 200hp
in is lowest output form). Still whether it is 180hp or 190hp from that
compact 1.8T motor, I don't care, it packs a healthy punch off the line.
The old VW 2.0L is getting pretty winded in design, but I have managed over
33mpg in a 1997 VW Jetta equipped with that power plant. Around town use
was considerably more in terms of gas use, on the order of 24mpg or so. The
gas consumption in that third generation Jetta was also linked closely to
even the smallest of tire pressure changed, I could immediately tell when a
tire was down a pound or two over the others because I would see a
noticeable increase in fuel mileage during around town use.
Besides, half the reason to own a modern VW is to have a car with at least
some form of personality. It is my opinion that Toyotas are of the most
boring vehicles currently available... having driven rental Toyota Camrys
and Corollas during trips, they are not enjoyable to drive nor do the Toyota
vehicle platforms communicate well to the driver what the wheels and
suspension are doing. The '03 Corolla I drove last year while my Jetta was
in for some body work, ranks right up there with the worst cars I have ever
driven.
So I'm a pretty big fan of VWs, but they are in the middle of the pack
usually when it comes to fuel economy. It is every thing else about a VW
that puts it above the competition... except I think the manual VW gearboxes
are slow shifters, the manual box in my '71 TR6 is a much quicker box
(albeit less user friendly / more notchy).
Kai
--
Kai M. Radicke
Wishbone Classics
www.wbclassics.com
Ph: 215.945.7250
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