rbuchana

I am trying to talk my girlfriend into a TDI over a Civic, but she's not listening to me, which is the norm. I need some more ammo guys.

Baja

We have a Jetta TDI wagon 5sp, 52,000 running like a champ. We get consistently
41+ mpg. The car rocks. It starts right up in single digit cold, quiet, fast, strong. We put a upsoulte (sp) chip in it, highly recommended, a world of difference. Get the 5sp, stay away from the automatic. If something happened to it, I would get another in 10 minutes, it is that good.

rbuchana

I heard the 5spds are hard to come by. Is that true?

How do they do in the snow?

Greenhornet1986

My buddys girlfriend has a new jetta(well, she got it like 6 months ago or so). Its got the 5 speed in it and the TDI. Going to South Carolina for a meeting/interview, she averaged 47-48mpg. Granted, she takes it super easy on it, and doesnt go over the speed limit by much. This was ALL interstate driving though, dont know what she gets around town. I've been telling my girl thats what she should get, but she wants a ford escape or some crap, shes not thinking of fuel economy.

PanteraGSTK

I'm not sure, but I think they are front wheel drive. Front wheel drive inthe snow is scary even for a good driver. All wheel drive is what she needs if she has to drive in the snow a lot. If not the get the jetta, girls in honda's scare me.

P.J

First question should be did she DRIVE both yet?

My Mom has a 05 Civic Hybrid, and In-Laws have a depoist on a 06 TDI.

IMO, there is NO comparison, it's not us being jerks because of the diesel thing, it's facts, plain and simple.

Anything but an Accord is a disposable (and they are getting that way value wise too)
Look at a 2003 or so Jettta TDI with 100K miles, they want like $10,000 for them!!!

The re-sale and MPG's speak for themselves, my Mom's civic baaarely eeks out 43 MPG, I hear about TDI's getting 46-48 all day every day.

No question in my mind, tell her you'll leave her if she comes home with a Honda.

P.J

P.S, you can't get a Van Aaken for a Civic......................

HOHN

If you get the Jetta, you can skip the step of having to "un-pimp zee owtoe"

hahaha

Baja

We have taken ours in the snow a bunch of times, skiing. I can't say that it is perfect, but ok. I always have cables (mandatory), and by their nature, they tend to slip a lot on takeoff. I have needed a human push to get me going on a slight incline with a foot of slushy snow, but once I got going, I was OK. Still , the Jetta front WD is much better than RWD. The wagon gets less mileage than the sedan, 5sp is always harder to get, but worth it.

Patrick Campbell

I have the 5spd auto and do not like it. Every time I ever buy an auto I ask myself why I did that? At the time I was saving myself a whopping 1000 bucks or something stupid by buying a new 04 auto over an 05 manual. In the long run it would've paid for itself easily in fuel mileage and maintaince, plus it is a lot more fun to drive. Other than that, we get 39 MPG in town 45+ on the highway and it is a great car. Personally I like the Golf better than the Jetta... it is as far as I am concerned the same car 1 with trunk, 1 hatchback.

If you are buying used, go for a Pre-Pump-deusse (03 and earlier?) so you don't have to put $7/litre oil in it.

Tell her stuff like she is safer in the VW in an accident, and that is "cuter" or something.

rbuchana

We'll be test driving this weekend

3 great points here. There is a large group of people on the TDI forums that are getting 700 miles to at tank.

I am definitely pushing the standard tranny over the automatic. I have told her the Jetta is "cuter" this but she thinks the Civic is cuter. Women....

Danderson

My friend is a VW dealer in Carlsbad,Ca and offered me the last Jetta diesel available in Ca. GL,no sunroof(worthless).5-speed,Monsoon sound,stability program,silver metallic. It drove better than any manual I'd ever experienced. Price:invoice. Wife said no,one diesel is enough! We bought a '98 Accord DL which has the personality of a marshmallow. Now she wishes we'd gotten the VW

rbuchana

Well we went and test drove a bunch of Jettas and I think I have her talked into a new TDI. The dealer was going to search around for the color she wants, but they have a black one on the lot that I really like. What do I care? She is going to have to wash it. I am pretty sure I am more excited than she is. I can't wait to just drive it around and see what kind of milage I can get.

Fronty Owner

what kind of driving conditions will she be in? If you drive over 20 miles highway in a hybrid, you loose the benefits of a hybrid. Hybrid really shows its benefit in stop and go traffic.

rbuchana

I would say she is about 1/2 and 1/2 between city driving and highway. She drives ~50 miles to see her parents quite frequently. Either the Jetta or the Civic is going to be miles ahead of here hunk-of-junk Envoy.