Detroit, 2:00 PM
Mon Nov 30
21 posts in the last 24 hours
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| posts about #vwjettatditest more → |
2009 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI, Part Three |
2009 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI, Part Two |
2009 VW Jetta SportWagen TDI, Part One |
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
Jalopnik 
06/05/09
I think you're missing the point. Why not compare it to other compact wagon/hatches?
WRX (or Impreza or Outback Sport)
Mazda3
Matrix
Volvo V50
Audi A3
I suppose you could also consider all manner of compact CUVs, too (Escape, Tiguan, CRV, Rav4, Patriot)
In my mind, most buyers would be looking for this form-factor, and the great mileage is a feature exclusive to VW.
06/05/09
WTF is going on with that, anyway?
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06/05/09
I know he's lost weight, but I derive much pleasure from watching obese people try to drive small cars. Yes, I know it's childish. I remember when the Mazda MX5 came out. There was this 350 lb administrative secretary in the building where I worked, who bought a brand spanking new red one. She could get into it, only by turning kind of sideways, and falling inside, until she wedged herself into the driver's seat. One day I'm looking out my window above the roadway past our building, and a see her out for a quick drive (to pick up lunch of course). Top down, sunny day; any girl's dream lunch break. Just then, a hooptie Impala swerves in front of her, because she is driving her sports car timidly, and leaving way too much space between her and the car in front. She tries to swerve out of the way to avoid hitting him, but her belly pannus is covering half the steering wheel, and prevents the emergency move. It was caught in there somehow. So she bounces down on the belly/wheel and then back up like a jack in the box. Her little Miata is ruined by the massive Impala rear chrome, and he drives on. Leaving her with a bloody nose, steam spewing out of the front of the MX5 with less than 100 miles on it, and a crowd of bystanders, who all know her, paralyzed by the event, but not wanting to actually be so crass as to laugh out loud.
So no. Jared. No. You are indeed correct.
06/05/09
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06/05/09
/not really offended, just manufacturing offense because you happened to touch the demographic of people who clean their guns and it seemed like the Jalop thing to do lately.
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06/05/09
That would solve most of your problems with this little oil burner.
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06/05/09
So, about 80% of America.
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06/05/09
You know how to drive stick.
Is that to say you shouldn't buy this particular car? Because I was under the impression that the only worthwhile configuration was with the manual instead of the DSG.
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06/05/09
I wonder what the folks at tdiclub.com would say about that. If you don't mind losing 3-5mpg, you can easily get another 30-40hp and 80-100 lb-ft with a chip (injectors and exhaust can help).
Also, in you cargo pic, I'm curious if the seat bottoms fold up before the seatbacks fold down. Two previous V-dubs had that configuration, so you're selling the cargo area short by a few cubic feet. Just fyi--what you showed appears to be the quicker way, but not the complete way.
06/05/09
Yeah, the seat bottoms fold up, but I was too lazy to do it in that picture, it's kind of a bitch, you have to scoot the front seats all the way forward.
06/05/09
I don't know, there was some VW love in "Fast and the Furious", no?
06/05/09
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06/05/09
Touche, touche.
However, I will submit to you that the WTCC and LeMans have a pretty good tdi showing. It's just that tdi hasn't caught on as a sporty option here. Granted, factory tuning is pretty sluggish. In Europe, they do sell basically a GTI tdi (called GT TDI, just to confuse us all)
I saw a MkIV Golf tdi about a month ago that was fully done up in an R32 bodykit. But apart from that, I've never seen much adornment on a US tdi except for the usual NASA bumper sticker or "Mathematicians do it with pi" or something else along those lines.
06/05/09
A Palin/Jindal ticket is more interesting (Limbaugh would never run for office, especially a No. 2 spot).
Also, I think technogeeks of a certain style would enjoy this car very much for the DSG. Sure, it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a BMW or MB, but that DSG is pretty cool.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go finish cutting the grass then polish my guns and clutch on to my Bible.
06/05/09
06/05/09
OK, you were right and I was wrong...about that. I'm still right about the Palin/Limbaugh thing.
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06/05/09
And by "clutch on to my bible" you mean watch the Red Wings lose?
Go Penguins!
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06/05/09
Just saying.
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06/05/09
Many of the statement attributed to Palin she never said or were taken way out of context.
Read some of Camille Paglia's stuff about Palin. Paglia is politically a polar opposite, but she really went after people's mischaracterizing and defamation of Palin. [www.salon.com]
06/05/09
Both would be fine in roles where personal connections, loyalty and charisma matter more than astute judgment and a strong grip on history/economics/political science.
I'd be stoked to have either as a neighbor, but not as president.
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06/04/09
"Leave it in auto and the transmission is was too eager to upshift, spoiling acceleration immensely. It's a torquey diesel, not a high-revving gasoline engine; rapid-fire upshifts are not what's needed here."
Best actual torque/power curve I could find in 5 minutes of Googling:
[forums.tdiclub.com]
which scientifically proves that whoever tested this Jetta TDI and wrote part quoted above (and similarly wrong bit at the end of "Gearbox" section) has no understanding of diesel engines ...
What is true from the quote is "It's a torquey diesel, not a high-revving gasoline engine". And, as any trucker will tell you, it is pointless to rev' diesel high as its torque quickly disappears. High revving gas engines - yes, shift as late as you can. Diesel - ignore that instinct, shift early and often and you'll get better acceleration. Same as apparently transmission wanted to do.
Challenge for testers: measure actual acceleration of Jetta TDI when RPM's are kept in low 2000's range (quick shifts) vs. letting engine rev' to gasoline standard "red mark"... Report results... :)
06/05/09