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  #1  
Old 06-18-2003, 08:22 AM
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Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma
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Those TDI's are fast!

I was following a Passat TDI wagon yesterday with a company truck. My vehicle was a 2003 Ford Ranger with a V-6 engine; not blazing fast, but not slow either. I had never seen a wagon version of this car and tried to get a closer look, but as we got on the freeway, he out-accelated me to about 80 in a 60 zone. I kept him in sight and as he got off a couple of exits later, I did get to actually pull up behind and look his car over. That thing is as big as my 300D! I thought that a car that large with a tiny diesel would be slow, but it is obviously fast enough.

Only thing wrong with the wagon is they seem to command a hefty premium on the used car market.

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  #2  
Old 06-18-2003, 08:44 AM
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My wife's got one with the 1.8T gasser and tiptronic trans in it...you ought to see that one go. I had fun dusting some kids in the tricked out Honda's and Acura's the other night. They weren't going to let me merge onto the highway...as if I needed their permission! Ah, but now I'm back to the 300D......happily "dusting" tractor trailers up hills when I've got it spooled up...!

F
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  #3  
Old 06-18-2003, 09:31 AM
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Passat TDI wagons, no longer imported, are very rare. Not uncommon for TDI owners to add 25 hp, and 50 ft. lbs. of torque, by chipping (run stock myself). Am more confident driving the TDI than my MB at speeds greater than 80 mph.
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  #4  
Old 06-18-2003, 09:35 AM
LarryBible
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Yep, they'll push your back pretty hard against the seat.

Of course, my knuckles break out in cuts and scrapes by just looking at the engine crammed in there and knowing that you have to change the timing belt every 60,000 miles. No thanks.

Have a great day,
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  #5  
Old 06-18-2003, 10:10 AM
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TDI TB change on later manuals is 100K.
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  #6  
Old 06-18-2003, 10:53 AM
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Gotta post in this one......

I love my B4V (aka Passat TDI wagon).

I'm on my second one, and can think of no car more perfect for my needs at the moment. Space for the kids, dogs, all their accoutrements AND my bikes. Combine that with limo legroom in for the rear passengers and an average of 45 mpg, and what's not to like?

With only about 1500 imported during '96 and '97, they do command a premium on the used market. Anything with under 100K on it in even average condition will fetch over $10K (they were only about $21K new). When I found my second one at Christmas last year, it had 39K, and was a one owner, traded in by the Austrian Embassy here in DC. I could have quite easily turned it around and gotten $13K for it. Just couldn't bring myself to do it though.

They are a bit slow off the line, but like someone else mentioned, you have a 1.9 turbodiesel hauling 3500# of car. On the highway though, they will scoot quite nicely between 60 and 90, in 5th. Add a chip (which hopefully I will be doing very soon), and performance is up to about the same as the VR6 version.

As far as the engine and maintenance goes, yeah you have to do the T-belt at 60K, which sucks. However, an experienced person can do it in under two hours. And while not as roomy as the engine room on a 300d, its remarkably spacious in there compared to most other modern cars.
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  #7  
Old 06-18-2003, 11:18 AM
LarryBible
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Even with 100K TB change interval, my knuckles still start bleeding at the thought of it. 100K rolls by in less than 2 years for me.

Have a great day,
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  #8  
Old 06-18-2003, 12:24 PM
A2RicedGTI
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Diesel volkswagens

We (the US) is also getting the slightly higher horsepower diesel here in the next couple years that Europe has had for a while.

I have heard a driver who can properly take advantage of the torque curve can have quite a bit of fun driving the cars...never driven one myself although I almost bought one 600 miles from me Monday.
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  #9  
Old 06-18-2003, 06:00 PM
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Larry,
They are easier than you think to work on. Like the man said, under 2hours if you know what you are doing. I did a TDI bug with a buddy in just over 2hours first time out. I can do the belt in my wifes 89 Jetta diesel in 45 minutes. Chipped, bigger injectors and some computer tweaking will make a TDI suprise a lot of people. They still get 45-50mpg after the mods too. Tough to beat that. RT
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  #10  
Old 06-18-2003, 07:04 PM
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I wished they would make the new style passat wagon in a TDI. One of my coworkers owns an Audi A4 that I like alot, but that's waayyy too much mooola for a passat 1.8T with a great interior.

Sholin
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  #11  
Old 06-18-2003, 07:17 PM
turbodiesel
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I was actually considering a Jetta TDI, a 2001-2003, used ofcourse with a manny tranny. I think it would have been a real interesting car.. especially with some mods.
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  #12  
Old 06-18-2003, 08:20 PM
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Thumbs up vw diesels

former diesel owned- = 79 rabbit 5 spd. great car. with optional
xtra fuel tank could go 1000mi without filling up. luved it
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  #13  
Old 06-18-2003, 08:34 PM
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My brother just bough a Jetta TDI -- loves it. He was getting killed by the milage cost on his leased Grand Am -- last fling for the confirmed GM nut in our family -- the rest of us when import many years ago.

Peter
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  #14  
Old 06-18-2003, 11:08 PM
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tdi longevity?

Folks,

I have seen good things about the vw diesels in the past, but I haven't looked a lot at the TDI newer ones. I know they have some quirks ( timing belts, gunk from egr in the intake). Anyone run one over 200K? Longer?

I had an 83 VW GTI with the first of the 1.8L engines. At the time I believe it was quicker 0-60 than a Mustang or Camaro. I know I autocrossed it and beat a number of cars. It ran something like 4.10 gears, doing about 4000rpm at 70 mph. That engine ran 160K hard miles with me. Lots of 6000rpm shifts. I was doing Larry B type mileage, 50K per year back then. Lots of 80mph with the A/C on. Interestingly, it had an oil temp guage. The oil often ran over 280* F (about 130* C if I remember) at highway speeds with the A/C on. I did the timing belt on it. A bit of a pain, but not bad overall.

Chuck
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  #15  
Old 06-19-2003, 06:39 AM
turbodiesel
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There is a member here who has a 98 with over 200k.. I forget his screen name.

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