I had a 2011 TDI Golf I bought new. Manual. Loved it but then the scandal came. At about 85k the DPF cracked. I traded it in with 115k, IIRC.

Then I went and bout a Jetta Wagon - 2012 - I am staying away from the diesel. Instead went with the 2.5 5 banger and a manual. Timing chain. Very solid daily driver but not as peppy as the TDI.

My advice is a) definitely a manual - DSG service is expensive and if it goes, you are out $$$. A manual will be a clutch job at most up to 200k. b) Reconsider the diesel. The fuel mileage may be a bit better, but Diesel is more at the station, you run special oil and there is a ton of **** that can break that a normally aspirated gas engine doesn't even come with.

My two cents and GL with the hunt!

G

What is a DPF? :confused:

Also, did you own the 2011 TDI before and after the dieselgate “fix?”

If so, can you comment on any difference is performance and fuel economy? Thanks.

This is amazing. I’m getting between 26 and 28 mpg, (carefully hand calculated), in mixed freeway/city driving w a lot of 6th gear freeway cruising included. I have a case open w VW right now, I’ll report later on the results. The car shows no fault codes and has been checked over by the dealer twice now. My immediate previous DD was a 2006 Jetta TDI sedan w manual and I got exactly 10 mpg better in identical driving patterns and driving habits, (I go to the same place everyday). :mad:

I would go for the lowest cost of ownership. Manual.

Diesel particulate filter. Basically takes care of the soot without having the need for additional emissions equipment. No def essentially. Which is something the Chevy Cruz diesel of the same years were not able to do....

As for my experience with vw gas engines. They are not as reliable as the diesel. The 2.0 tsi is hot trash in my opinion. Impressive numbers for a 4 banger. But requires premium, and overall longevity is not there...

I feel sort of drawn to the 2.0 FSI & TSI becuase in terms of performance it's really nice. In my friend's 2012 GTI it's great. And every once in a while you'll find basically a GTI wagon, a loaded Jetta SW with that engine. But I'm apparently rightfully wary of reliability issues. Last week his car died while his wife and son were in it. Apparently a fuel pump controller that was three revisions behind or something. And trans simultaneously in limp mode. I mean, fuel pump *controller*??

Our ex-TDI SW owner friend loved his car but is also a fan of the 2.5 - not very exciting but apparently responds well to breathing. I would only consider this in a manual, however, and it's hard to find a high-spec wagon with a 2.5 and a stick and a sunroof. As long as I get over 30mpg on highway trips it would be OK with me. Diesel where I live is about the same as premium unleaded and with, say, +10mpg I'd be coming out a bit ahead in fuel costs over the Accord on regular. Also, torque!

Diesel Particulate Filter. They like to crack. It doesn't shut down the car but it will not pass smog because the EGR filter now gets clogged with soot. I chose to drive it with the cracked DPF until I was able to do the buy back. I did not do the fix. I ended up with a comparable gas car with lower miles and 10k in my pocket.

Here the DPF and the EGR filter etc.

https://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=471736&page=2

Cheers,

G

Right, DPF. I’m just weak on my acronyms for these cars. Ford Powerstrokes? Ask me anything. :)

My “fixed” tdi, (which is really ruined), has a warranty that covers that part and every other emissions or fuel related item until 2022, as long as no one modifies the car in any way. It’s a Catch-22. :(

DPF in all diesels respond well to the occasional Italian tune up. .Just potte]ing about at low revs is what kills them prematurely, and that includes highway driving at the 2 or 2.5 K revs that modern diesels are geared for at highway speeds in top gear. A hard blast in third gear up a highway for a couple of miles is the remedy

Finally drove one of these yesterday - I was visiting friends in Madison, WI and they have a 2013 JSW TDI with a DSG and about 40k miles. Gotta say there wasn't much of anything I didn't like about it. Throttle tip-in from a stop feels a little odd, like nothing is happening for about half a second, but overall it was really nice, especially in sport mode. Their 18yo son is driving it but wants something else when he leaves for college - if they sell it, I may buy it!

This was my experience also.