Topic: Test Drive: 2014 Volkswagen Golf Wagon TDI Diesel

[Solstice2006]

So every single diesel that comes to North America is different from the counterpart in Europe? MB? BMW? Chevrolet? VW/Audi?  In Europe they work ok, because they are not as strict? 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

So every single diesel that comes to North America is different from the counterpart in Europe? MB? BMW? Chevrolet? VW/Audi?  In Europe they work ok, because they are not as strict?

The Euro 6 emissions standards are roughly equivalent to the EPA standard. It gets implemented as of the 1st of January 2014.
It's only been lately that cars have been hitting those targets. I'm not sure how big an impact it's been having.

[WRX_Pilot]

I agree, winter tires should be mandatory....Im tired on not being to get through an advanced green because some schmuck with 2wd and all seasons cant get going.

Worse than that is watching some moron lock up their brakes at the last minute and slide right through the four-way stop in an AWD car. I used to find this a bit funny as you can usually spot their impending slide, but when I have the kid in the car I feel like walking up, taking away their keys and flinging them into the nearest drift. +1 for mandatory winter tires, even in BC.

I used to be against mandatory winter tires, but after seeing the sheer amount of morons the poor cops have to deal with, in this last snowstorm in Toronto especially, there were over 5000 service calls in a day!  They had an accident each minute!  Mostly all single vehicle accidents.  All because people refuse to slow down.  Either mandatory winter tires, or mandatory driving school...

[Danno001]

Agreed.  MB has their 229.51 spec which many oils meet.  They have a website too so you can look up the spec and see which oils meet it.

229.51 is not commonly available in Canada to my experience.

M1 "M" 5W-40 from stealership and Valvoline Synpower 5W-40 from parts stores is about all I have found in Canada.
Price per liter range $8 - $12.

Correct me if I am wrong - please.

[mixmanmash]

Agreed.  MB has their 229.51 spec which many oils meet.  They have a website too so you can look up the spec and see which oils meet it.

229.51 is not commonly available in Canada to my experience.

M1 "M" 5W-40 from stealership and Valvoline Synpower 5W-40 from parts stores is about all I have found in Canada.
Price per liter range $8 - $12.

Correct me if I am wrong - please.

I usually get it from a Mobil 1 distributor in town.  Most Benzes need 229.5 which is very common at parts stores (Mobil 1 0W40).

[DarkHelmet]

As the owner of a 2010 TDI Sportwagen with 200,000 kilometres on it (lots of trips in and out of Ottawa from Kemptville) I thought I'd chime in on this one. The TDI is a better than average driver's car, lots of torque, and the quality of the interior is better than a lot of the competition. That's the upside. The downside (which the dealer and a lot of so-called experts won't tell you) is the cost of running this car, even discounting the price of diesel. Because it's a diesel forget about your local mechanic doing anything but change the tires. Even an oil change requires a trip to the dealership for VW507 oil and filter. So about every four months I've headed off to the dealership to pay dealership prices for service. Adding to this, the car has been less than reliable. In the last 4 months the radio (Premium has died - there's a $600 cost - and 3 of the four Exhaust Gas Temperature sensors have failed ($3000). Best of all, I'm looking at the dreaded Particulate Filter replacement that will set me back $4000. So our grand experiment with diesels is coming to an end - I'll be back in a Toyota by the end of the year.

Yikes.  I've always been interested in getting a VW diesel for commuting but never really wanted to own one because of past VW reliability experience.

Now I have to really think about it and doing more research on ownership costs before picking one up.

So big thanks for posting this side of ownership experience.   

Ditto from me.  Now that I have a huge commute I, too, have been thinking of trading my '10 2.5 for Diesel, but the stories concerning costs of ownership continue to keep me away. 

This owner's assessment is just another reason to put off the grand experiment for this guy.  Maybe I'll run mine into the ground and be happy with mediocre mileage but no car payment, and (so far), no issues with this solid little hatch.

[MJMontreal]

The diselization of mas vehicles in Europe is at any price range. The cheapest and budget minded cars like Dacia, Daihatsu, Skoda, Hyndai, Seat, Fiat, Kia, Renault, Peugeot and so on, each has diesel at lowest priced sub compacts and compacts as well. And all of them have wagons. VW wagon diesel here is inadequately high priced ...and without direct competition!

The base £9995 ($17241) Fiesta Studio three door with manual is only available with the 1.25L 60ps gasoline engine. To get the diesel you have to move up to the  Fiesta Style, where the three door manual with the 75ps TDCi is £12945 ($22330), a £2950 ($5088) difference.

Diesels are less popular in Britain than in some continental European countries; I think diesel is more expensive than gasoline in Britain. The base model Fiesta Ambiente in France in available with the 1.5 TDCi for 14 500 euros taxes included.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

The diselization of mas vehicles in Europe is at any price range. The cheapest and budget minded cars like Dacia, Daihatsu, Skoda, Hyndai, Seat, Fiat, Kia, Renault, Peugeot and so on, each has diesel at lowest priced sub compacts and compacts as well. And all of them have wagons. VW wagon diesel here is inadequately high priced ...and without direct competition!

The base £9995 ($17241) Fiesta Studio three door with manual is only available with the 1.25L 60ps gasoline engine. To get the diesel you have to move up to the  Fiesta Style, where the three door manual with the 75ps TDCi is £12945 ($22330), a £2950 ($5088) difference.

Diesels are less popular in Britain than in some continental European countries; I think diesel is more expensive than gasoline in Britain. The base model Fiesta Ambiente in France in available with the 1.5 TDCi for 14 500 euros taxes included.

The same Fiesta Ambiente with the 1.25L gasoline engine is 11900€, a 2600€ ($3809) difference.

[blotter]

As the owner of a 2010 TDI Sportwagen with 200,000 kilometres on it (lots of trips in and out of Ottawa from Kemptville) I thought I'd chime in on this one. The TDI is a better than average driver's car, lots of torque, and the quality of the interior is better than a lot of the competition. That's the upside. The downside (which the dealer and a lot of so-called experts won't tell you) is the cost of running this car, even discounting the price of diesel. Because it's a diesel forget about your local mechanic doing anything but change the tires. Even an oil change requires a trip to the dealership for VW507 oil and filter. So about every four months I've headed off to the dealership to pay dealership prices for service. Adding to this, the car has been less than reliable. In the last 4 months the radio (Premium has died - there's a $600 cost - and 3 of the four Exhaust Gas Temperature sensors have failed ($3000). Best of all, I'm looking at the dreaded Particulate Filter replacement that will set me back $4000. So our grand experiment with diesels is coming to an end - I'll be back in a Toyota by the end of the year.

 

And ppl wonder why Toyota doesn't bring oil burns to North America.

You can only push diesels to be X clean.  Go beyond that and then you're into a technical sh*t storm.

This is the very reason I continue to shy away from new diesels.
while everyone is preaching (automotive writters from every publication) diesels, diesels and more diesels, nobody is talking about long term reliability or cost of repair. 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

This is the very reason I continue to shy away from new diesels.
while everyone is preaching (automotive writters from every publication) diesels, diesels and more diesels, nobody is talking about long term reliability or cost of repair.

I think a lot of people are remembering the old and relatively simple diesels. Mechanical fuel injection, maybe a turbo for scavenging, and that was about it.

It's going to take a while for these new emissions systems to mature. Right now, I'd consider a diesel with the emissions fluid (AdBlue, BlueTec etc), but not with EGR and particulate traps only. They have been problematic and have a big negative impact on fuel economy.

[Solstice2006]

As the owner of a 2010 TDI Sportwagen with 200,000 kilometres on it (lots of trips in and out of Ottawa from Kemptville) I thought I'd chime in on this one. The TDI is a better than average driver's car, lots of torque, and the quality of the interior is better than a lot of the competition. That's the upside. The downside (which the dealer and a lot of so-called experts won't tell you) is the cost of running this car, even discounting the price of diesel. Because it's a diesel forget about your local mechanic doing anything but change the tires. Even an oil change requires a trip to the dealership for VW507 oil and filter. So about every four months I've headed off to the dealership to pay dealership prices for service. Adding to this, the car has been less than reliable. In the last 4 months the radio (Premium has died - there's a $600 cost - and 3 of the four Exhaust Gas Temperature sensors have failed ($3000). Best of all, I'm looking at the dreaded Particulate Filter replacement that will set me back $4000. So our grand experiment with diesels is coming to an end - I'll be back in a Toyota by the end of the year.

 

And ppl wonder why Toyota doesn't bring oil burns to North America.

You can only push diesels to be X clean.  Go beyond that and then you're into a technical sh*t storm.

This is the very reason I continue to shy away from new diesels.
while everyone is preaching (automotive writters from every publication) diesels, diesels and more diesels, nobody is talking about long term reliability or cost of repair.

That can be said about many things, like CVT's, all the turbos being brought out now by Ford, GM, Hyundai to name a few, direct injection, Tesla cars that catch on fire, heated steering wheels...does the whole wheel need to be replaced if the heat fails?

[dirtyjeffer]

, heated steering wheels...does the whole wheel need to be replaced if the heat fails?

i would assume so...i would imagine if the heated portion fails, you would likely do without...i can tell you though, you don't know how great a heated steering wheel is until you have it...i didn't think it was a big deal when i got my car, but after having it now, it's one of those things i'd love to keep in future models...my wife now has it on her "must have" list.

[Solstice2006]

but then I would have no reason to wear my really nice leather driving gloves....

[rrocket]

Agreed.  MB has their 229.51 spec which many oils meet.  They have a website too so you can look up the spec and see which oils meet it.

229.51 is not commonly available in Canada to my experience.

M1 "M" 5W-40 from stealership and Valvoline Synpower 5W-40 from parts stores is about all I have found in Canada.
Price per liter range $8 - $12.

Correct me if I am wrong - please.

Amsoil is your friend!

http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/motor-oil/european/european-car-formula-5w-40-synthetic-motor-oil/?code=AFLQT-EA

[Danno001]

I usually get it from a Mobil 1 distributor in town.  Most Benzes need 229.5 which is very common at parts stores (Mobil 1 0W40).

229.5 is for gas engines.

Interested in the 229.51 diesel spec oil - as this is a thread on diesels.

[Calbrez]

VW is a very overrated car company… I owned 2 in the past. Never again. They're temperamental.. had quite a few problems.

[ChaosphereIX]

I don't own a VW, but I wouldn't call them overrated. Had an Audi, it was fine and everything I expected it to be...

[blotter]

That can be said about many things, like CVT's, all the turbos being brought out now by Ford, GM, Hyundai to name a few, direct injection, Tesla cars that catch on fire, heated steering wheels...does the whole wheel need to be replaced if the heat fails?

sure but the big exception is try and find a single negative automotive article on diesels.
it seems everyone is on such a band wagon that nobody ever talks about the added cost potential on the new emission systems.   To be it seems there's such a marketing push to get more diesels in NA that all auto journalists have jumped on this diesel mantra.  The only thing that ever comes up as a question is the gas price debate.   

[PJ]

That can be said about many things, like CVT's, all the turbos being brought out now by Ford, GM, Hyundai to name a few, direct injection, Tesla cars that catch on fire, heated steering wheels...does the whole wheel need to be replaced if the heat fails?

sure but the big exception is try and find a single negative automotive article on diesels.
it seems everyone is on such a band wagon that nobody ever talks about the added cost potential on the new emission systems.   To be it seems there's such a marketing push to get more diesels in NA that all auto journalists have jumped on this diesel mantra.  The only thing that ever comes up as a question is the gas price debate.

Or perhaps they are driving the cars with diesel engines and discovering they are great engines that get remarkable fuel mileage.  Road tests rarely talk about potential long term maintenance issues of any car.

[blotter]

That can be said about many things, like CVT's, all the turbos being brought out now by Ford, GM, Hyundai to name a few, direct injection, Tesla cars that catch on fire, heated steering wheels...does the whole wheel need to be replaced if the heat fails?

sure but the big exception is try and find a single negative automotive article on diesels.
it seems everyone is on such a band wagon that nobody ever talks about the added cost potential on the new emission systems.   To be it seems there's such a marketing push to get more diesels in NA that all auto journalists have jumped on this diesel mantra.  The only thing that ever comes up as a question is the gas price debate.

Or perhaps they are driving the cars with diesel engines and discovering they are great engines that get remarkable fuel mileage.  Road tests rarely talk about potential long term maintenance issues of any car.

I don't just mean on test drives though.   I've been seeing plenty of articles in national papers which simply go on about how amazing diesel is, etc, etc, etc, etc.... 
I get it, better fuel, more power and on paper these vehicles just seem perfect.
But it's not like anyone isn't having problems now, but I have yet to see a general article that has ever outlined not only the complexity of the new systems, but also some issues that people are having.