2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI from North America - Comments

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Perfect fit of space, quality, features (eg Manual Transmission), and the diesel 45 MPG. The diesel puts this care in a class by itself.

However, were it not for the diesel engine I would not have purchased this car. The diesel made the choice easy.

You are right... The diesel VWs are in a class by themselves. The only other diesel car sold in the U.S. is the Mercedes. It is a shame there is no competition. If only GM, Toyota, and Nissan would put the heat on the U.S. diesel car market!

Hopefully the spike in diesel fuel price and the added cost of the TDI engine will turn out in your favor...in the long-run?

Do you have a supply of 505.01 and a VAG-COM on order?

Don't worry about the price of diesel. Biodiesel will run in any diesel engine without modifications, and can be found at many diesel stations in most larger cities. Also, a commercially available onboard heating system will allow you to run straight Vegetable oil in your diesel engine. See www.frybrid.com or www.vegistroke.com or www.greasecar.com or www.plantdrive.com for available conversion kits. Most people can obtain used vegetable oil for free from restaurants who would otherwise have to pay for its disposal.

"The diesel engine can be fed with vegetable oils and would help considerably in the development of agriculture of the countries which use it. The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today. But such oils may become in course of time as important as petroleum and the coal tar products of the present time." -Rudolf Diesel 1911 at the Paris World's Fair where his Engine was debuted to the public running on peanut oil.

I am the owner of a 2000 F-250 Powerstroke. 12,000 miles without a drop of petroleum products. Biodiesel, Veggie oil, and Synthetic AMSOIL lubricants are all I put in my truck.

I agree. The fuel economy and longevity of VW's diesel engine was a very strong selling point for us. We considered a hybrid, but they were too pricey. Plus we felt the hybrid technology was still unproven. If given that choice again today, we'd still opt for the VW TDI.