"Is that a diesel?"

It's a question I heard a lot at the pump after I purchased the 2001 VW Jetta TDI. I have heard everything from, "What kind of mileage do you get?" to "Is that one of those hybrids?" :)

Why the VW Jetta TDI?
The VW is my first new car, and was a well-researched and thoughtful purchase. Other cars I considered included the Saturn SL1/2 and the Honda Civic. I didn't consider the others for very long, as I really preferred the styling of the Jetta to the others. The VW name also influenced my direction. My parents owned 2 consecutive VW vehicles (Rabbits), one of which had an older TDI engine. I remembered the excellent fuel mileage that the car (a manual transmission) often achieved. At the time I was considering this purchase in the Fall of 2000, gas prices were quite high and this aspect of the car looked appealing.

Another factor in my choice of the car was VW's reputation for quality manufacturing and products. I looked around a lot on the web for experiences, opinions, and problems with this car, and I found that most people were happy with the car and in fact quite enthusiastic about it. Most reveled in the excellent gas mileage. I learned that the TDI engine of today is very different and a lot more sophisticated than the type of engine that was in the VW Rabbits of old. More electronic controls mean better, more precise shifting, emission control, and decreased noise. I found this to be true in comparison of this engine to the diesels of yesterday.

The Buying Process
After determining exactly what I wanted, it was time to face down the dreaded sales people! I visited the local VW dealership, and was turned off by their insistence on showing me (it seemed) all of the other car makes and models on their lot other than the one I wanted. I even received a call from them kindly letting me know that they had just received a new shipment of PT Cruisers! That was the last car I wanted...

This dealership did offer some valuable information on the TDI, which as it turned out was just being rolled off the assembly lines in Mexico. I could look around for a 2000 model and maybe find one or two with an automatic as I wanted, or I could spend just a little more and order exactly what I wanted on a brand new model. I chose a new 2001 since I had saved for a long time to get this car and wanted it to be just what I wanted.

After deciding it was going to be ordered, I knew there would be little room for bargaining with the sales people. They weren't going to be able to offer me a better deal on another color, or one with more options for the same price. I expected, as I was told at the dealerships and at other independent sources, that I would pay about the sticker price for the car.

I ended up buying the car from Sud's in Normal, IL, about an hour drive from where I live. I chose this dealership because they took me seriously, worked with me to get me what I wanted, and offered me a discount of $500 for waiting 4-8 weeks for the car to be delivered. Their service was excellent. I chose 3 potential colors, silver, blue lagoon and the navy blue, all with grey interior, and waited for a call to see which would roll off the assembly line first. It turned out to be Blue Lagoon, and after I got over the initial shock of how BRIGHT the color is, I grew to love it.

The car arrived on a truck from Chicago, so when I picked it up at the dealership, it had about 5 miles on it. Sweet. The buying process was hassle-free and easy. They took the time to explain all the features of the car, which was useful but not completely necessary. They explaned the different maintenance required for the TDI, such as regular maintenance appointments to drain the water separator. This part of the engine removes water from the diesel fuel and helps keep the fuel from gelling. The sales person told me he has never seen a TDI gel, except when the car's water separator filled. Make sure you engage in some preventative maintenance!

Speaking of maintenance, the first 3 trips to the garage are included with the price of the car, if you bring it in to a VW dealer. I have had routine maintenance performed on the car at 5k, 10k and 20k and have been happy with the service.

Driving
So how do I like it? I LOVE it! The car is so cute and zippy, even with a 90 hp engine. I'm not an incredibly fast driver, and for those who are looking to blow the doors off of others at stoplights, you might be more satisfied with the VR6 or something else with more power. The turbocharger really helps the car accelerate more efficiently, and the satisfying little "whine" it creates is pretty cool to listen for on those warm days with the windows rolled down.

The car hugs exit ramps and corners very well, and only recently at about 22,600 miles have I noticed some tire squeal on sharp corners. The body roll is well-controlled by good suspension, which is nice and firm but not bumpy on long trips like some sporty cars I've experienced. Overall, the ride is much like any other small sedan... a nice compromise in comfort, efficiency and performance.

Fuel mileage has varied anywhere from 35mpg to 45-47mpg with mostly highway miles. Fuel in winter with additives has decreased economy, as has using the air conditioner, of course. In my area, diesel is widely available, and wherever we have traveled we have had no problems finding stations. Since the car has a longer range than many others, finding fuel on most trips should not be a problem. Beware of the smell of diesel, however... you DON'T want to get that stuff on your hands or clothes, as the smell is difficult to remove.

Reliability has not been an issue. In the coldest central and northern IL winters, the car has always started. In fact my father's semi truck gelled up last winter, and my car started just fine. At the time, the car was not even kept in a garage. You can expect it to be a little more noisy in winter, but the "rattle" of the car has never bothered me. It definitely sounds like a diesel, but with the extra insulation in the firewall, noise intrusion isn't much of a bother.

The interior materials used in the car for the dashboard are an interesting leather-grain plastic that somehow manages to not look cheap. The interior cloth upholstery has been durable and cleans easily, but attracts a lot of hair. I resorted to buying a lint roller to clean the seats more thoroughly. There are plenty of spaces to stash maps and stuff, including generous door pockets, a dashboard shelf, a center armrest with storage, space for change under the armrest, and 2 map pockets on the back of the seats. There are plastic liners in the door pockets and change pocket which I'm told are dishwasher safe... I haven't tested this.

The layout of the controls is great... everything is neat and easy to understand, from the lights to the cd player. I chose the 6-cd changer and recommend this option. It saves you from having to change CDs while going down the road, which can be a bad thing both for you and for your CDs (i.e. getting scratched in the car, stolen, etc.)

Another one of my favorite features is the heated seats... these have been so nice on winter evenings when coming home from work. I recommend them if you live in a cold climate, as the TDI engine takes a while to heat the car up. You are advised with the TDI not to stand and let the engine warm up, just drive off slowly and take it easy until the engine warms up a little. This has worked for me, and until the heat goes on, the seat warmers are great!

Maintenance
Maintenance has been minimal, and required maintenance has been covered so far, and easy to obtain. The only issue I have had with the car has been a faulty brake switch, which was replaced under warranty. Other than this, there have been no problems with the car. I plan to continue to use synthetic oil, as VW recommends, to help extend the life of the engine.

Conclusion
I would recommend the VW Jetta TDI to anyone who wants a smaller car with a lot of useful features, something that's fun to drive, and something that will last a long time and be practical. And be prepared for people to ask about it, and want to go for a ride. You'll be proud to say, "yes, it's a diesel!"

UPDATE: 36,000 Miles
I still enjoy and recommend this car, despite a few random issues popping up with it since my original Epinion.

Tires: the original Michelin Energy MXV4Plus set that came on the car are NOT going to make it to the 40,000 miles for which they are rated. The tread is horribly worn and they are quite screechy in aggressive cornering. These tires are not worth purchasing again, as they are about $120 each! Fortunately, this shortcoming has nothing to do with the car itself and is easily remedied by a new set; Yokohama Avid T4s will be my next choice, a much better value (our other car has these.) Just be advised to watch your tires if you purchase a VW. Rotating them properly/regularly will help them last.

The center armrest/storage compartment that flips down between the seats has a broken plastic clip that is supposed to hold its lid closed. It appears that the plastic latch just cracked. Not sure why this happened, as I never really opened the compartment much. Not a huge deal for me, but perhaps a sign of some lower-quality plastic used in the interior?

The cruise control on the car seems to not want to engage every so often. When using the sliding button on the left-hand stalk to accellerate, the cruise sometimes disengages completely. I plan to have this looked at during my next scheduled maintenance.

The most potentially serious issue with the car has been due to what I believe is some bad engineering by VW on their fuel filter. On the bottom of the TDI's fuel filter, there is a round white plastic dial. This dial is actually a screw that opens the bottom of the fuel filter to allow a mechanic (or owner, if one is so inclined) to drain the water separator. I pulled the fuel filter out of the car after discovering about a 1/2C puddle of diesel fuel under my car, right under the filter. I found out from searching for "fuel filter leak" using Google that the plastic screw retightened onto the metal filter often weakens the plastic to the point that it breaks. I have no idea how I didn't lose the screw completely, but it was stuck to the bottom of the filter by just a plastic washer. To plug this leak until my next service, I pulled out the filter and duct-taped the bottom opening thoroughly, sealing it under the tape with a small piece of plastic. The tape, coupled with the clamp that holds the filter in place, should hold until the filter can be replaced at 40,000mi. Watch that plastic filter screw, and/or tell your mechanic to be gentle!

Overall, I still recommend this car. Excellent mileage continues... about 40 mpg on average in mixed driving.