Easy question!

[Bumeo]

I'm in the market for a Diesel VW and my friend keeps sending me all these links to cars with 1.8T engines. I say " I need diesel"..he says .."it is diesel man!..same!"... -_-'
Question: Is 1.8T a diesel?


maybe he thinks I just want a fuel efficient VW are 1.8T as fuel efficient as the VW Diesels 35-50MPG?

[Rockerchick]

No. The 1.8T is a gasser.

Most diesels you'll find are 1.9TDI. But if you go older you'll find 1.6 diesels, newer will be 2.0TDI.

[Bumeo]

gotcha!..thanks!..I need a reliable gas saver and the TDI will do wonders

[Rockerchick]

Keep in mind that TDIs are very picky about maintenance. It needs to be done correctly and on time. They need the right type of oil, which varies based on what engine is in the car.

You'd be well served to read read read over at TDIClub.com. Yes, they are great on fuel, but they are not always a huge money saver long term. They certainly aren't cheap cars to own. Also depends on the type of driving you do. If its a lot of city driving, the TDIs aren't the best for that.

(I'm not saying TDIs or diesels are a bad idea...we have both a TDI and old school vw diesel in the stable)

[Bumeo]

i actually just want any vw diesel..I have a 86 cabrio now and it did well...while it lived lol I just need something reliable and not a gas guzzler lol

[Rockerchick]

Well, if you drive conservatively even a gasser VW can do pretty well. I get 23-25 in town and 30-32 highway in my GTI. I've had it a little over a year now and its pretty solid.

TDIs/IDIs can be reliable, but as I said, they need their maintenance, which is a little more costly than on a gasser. And you can't skimp. It needs to be done right for them to serve you well. Stay away from autos on the mk4 TDIs. That will help too.

We've had a lot of work we've needed to do on our TDI vs. my GTI, but their histories are different. But fuel filters need to be changed more often, oil needs to be the right stuff, etc. You just need to do some research to figure out what the best car for you is. We have 2 diesels and a gasser in the driveway. They each have their pros and cons. I don't drive nearly enough in a year to make a TDI a good investment. I have a 6.5 mile trip to work in city driving. The car would barely warm up by the time I got there, which isn't good for a TDI.

Keep in mind, the price of a TDI is usually a few grand over a gasser in similar condition. You really need to put a good 12-15k at least in a year to make it worth it to recoup the extra money you put into just buying one.

[Bumeo]

dang..nice info..so stay away from Automatic VW diesels?....is there something funky about them?

[Rockerchick]

VW autos are crap, especially the ones in mk4 cars up through '03 (also known as the O1M). They are junk on any engine they are paired with, but the extra torque of the diesel is extra hard on them. Plus, you can lose 10mpg or so with an auto vs. a manual.

[Bumeo]

woww..I see lol thanks

[feels_road]

woww..I see lol thanks

Yeh, listen to her, she's right. Auto transmissions from VW (and from many other manufacturers) before 2003 are pretty bad, and you anyway shouldn't choose one if your goal is to save fuel.

I would only buy a VW with excellent service records - a lot of people use the wrong oil and neglect the transmission fluid and other items; it seems VWs (except perhaps the 2.slow and the 2.5) are more sensitive to that than your typical Camcords. When properly maintained, Diesels are not any worse than gassers though, IMO. But as she said, they are only worthwhile if you drive at least 8-10 miles one way (if not more), mostly highway or rural roads, and keep the car for a while.

My 2.slow served me well for 17 years / 170,000 miles (from new), with incredibly low cost of ownership, and I averaged around 28mpg (I sold it to get my new TDI - it still ran perfectly fine). I think that's the engine of choice if money is an issue. The TDI is a better choice if you can spend a bit more upfront, but drive a lot of miles. Then again, if you truly drive a lot of miles, you may want to look at used cars with 120,000 miles or less on the odometer.