Shows how much of an amateur I am. I thought that braking/handling IMPROVED with higher psi. I speed read through a thread under "ECO" and I thought that was what they said. Anyhow, I'm looking to get noticeably better fuel economy so if that isn't possible by increasing the psi from the posted 33 psi, I'd be better off just sticking to the Honda recommendation....

 

Well, for each car and tire you have to experiment on what's the best psi for your driving style. It's a fine line, but I'd say 40 psi or over would be considered "overinflating", in which case the tire shape deforms enough to lose a lot of its contact patch, meaning less grip for turning, braking and accelerating, which is also why steering will feel looser. Upside is since there is less resistance or friction with the road, you'll get better mpg.

On the other hand, an underinflated tire will do mostly the same things as overinflating, except the steering will get heavier and you'll lose mpg.

Currently I'm running 35 psi front and 33 rear. Honda likes to keep recommended psi on the conservative side, meaning more towards ride quality. The typical enthusiast will run at least a few psi higher than that, but below overinflation.

Experiment in small increments.

 

And to think, I used to run 18psi in the cheater slicks on my Mustang... But that's for completely different applications.

I just go by what the manufacturer recommends. Maybe a slight bit more.

 

Ok so I'll consider 40 psi my cut off point! Thanks for the tips...

 

Hey, before you go and never come back, could you let us know what real world MPG you get with that TDI? I test drove one and loved it. I was a little scared of VW's reliability and it's a new emission system (fairly compicated with 3 cats) so I'm leaning towards the fit.

Thanks.[/quote]

WoohoJohn: I've been hearing from many TDI owners that people are getting from 42-50MPG on the highway. Yes...It's a detailed exhaust system, no doubt.

Check this link out here:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/forumdisplay.php?f=4

It will answer many of your questions. My TDI came in yesterday. I take delivery on Tuesday! I may report back here, but I'm sure current Fit owners don't want me back!

Good Luck!

Alex

 

You are out of your mind if you think Honda has a record of producing more reliable engines than VW . VWs have been a choice of aviators for decades, because of their reliability. Honda's alleged superior reliability is fallacy. I've owned several Hondas and they're simple engines have been fairly reliable, but you must not buy in to the Honda Boy my engine is the most reliable on earth BS. Most manufacturers produce extremely reliable engines (250,000miles or better) now. You Honda will never compare to the heavy block sealed deck of a diesel engine(500,000miles+).

 

Not talking about airplane engines, son. We were discussing cars. I have read tons of material on all foreign cars and driven quite a few VWs, although I have never owned one. Consumer Reports rates VW just where they should be - not reliable. They rate about in the same range as American cars, but mechanics who work on VWs are not as available as those who work on American cars. Sorry but it's in black and white.

I never said Honda is the most reliable on earth. Quite reliable, yes. More reliable than VW, definitely.

 

Your right. They do share engineers however. Unfortunately with turbo diesels most people drive them hot and turn them off coking oil in the turbo and destroying the cars reliability. A well taken car of TDI will easily outlast any petrol honda engine driven by real people. Mechanics are certainly an issue for real drivers too. I'll keep an open mind in the grey area. VW auto engines are used in airplanes also. Consumer reports don't lie. That will probably be most drivers experience.

 

I don't know how anyone can even compare VW and Honda reliability. I know tons (maybe literally tons) of people who were left stranded with their new VWs, not to mentions countless reliability issues and OMG rattles galore. They swear never to buy VW again.

If you take all the JD Power and Consumer Reports reliability ratings, Honda is near or at the top spot, in fact it holds the top spot for least trouble areas per 100 cars, while VW sits consistently at the very bottom. Not even close.

 

I hadn't heard that their engines were bad, just that they were plagued with electrical problems.

 

This is a quote from today's review of a 2008 VW Rabbit S from Automobile Magazine regarding VW's horrendous reliability issues:

"It feels nice, yes, and it drives wonderfully, but what of future repairs? I know a lot of people with current-era Volkswagens (Jettas, Golfs, Rabbits, GTIs, Passats, the whole lot), and every one of them has a repair horror story to tell. Entire months spent in the shop. Electrical glitches. Interior rattles and leaks. Recurring driveline issues. And almost all of them happened once the cars left their factory warranty period. Most of these people have had such poor experiences that they've sworn off the brand altogether. VW owners, it seems, are universally in love with the way their cars drive but perpetually frustrated with the ownership experience."

Article link:
2008 Volkswagen Rabbit S - Volkswagen Golf Sport Hatchback Review - Automobile Magazine

I've considered and even been tempted to buy a BMW, Audi or VW in the past, but I keep running into this reliability issue wall.

 

good luck with the vdub i used to have a 96 Jetta GL and loved it but she never really ran but yours is a brand new diesel which has two advantages:
A warranty
A Diesel which will run forever.
Also put a pipe on your Jetta so you can pull up next to people and freak them out because they think you would be a big redneck with a F350 diesel

 

Hey enjoy your VW!!

Best of luck and don't let a few upset Honda maniacs bother you!

 

Two WORDS " JETTA BIOTCH " LOL

 

My last car was a BMW X3 and it was dead nuts reliable. Only beemer I've had, and it was a very positive experience. I got the Fit b/c I wants a $20k car, not a $40k one. Hoping the reliability is on par <fingers crossed>.

I've owned several beetles, a '70 and a '76 Superbeetle convertible. Those cars did OK, lots of "character" and never left me stranded. Also drove a used Scirocco for a few years, same story. (this back in the '80s).

Can't vouch for later vintages, tho.

 

Thanks All! I have had her now for 3+ weeks. As I mentioned, this is my 5th Jetta. I never really had any major issues with the exeption of my new 1988 Jetta. It did leave me stranded once (belt issues) Aside from that they have been pretty reliable in general. The thing w/ VW is you need to take care of them & not miss any service appointments. Honda/Japanese cars are like an appliance, they are simply more reliable. I would have bought the Fit if I didn't have to wait 3 months to get one!

The VW TDI Jetta upside? Resale value! VW holds thier value very, very well & the diesel engines are always @ a premium. I wanted to post my mileage. After about 5 tanks I'm getting appx. 44-48MPG on the highway. City is like appx. 33-36MPG. Yes...It costs more to buy diesel on average, but solid numbers just the same. These numbers are for conservative driving (never go over 65MPH, keeping my tire pressure a tad higher) She drives like a VW which is a good thing! Loaded with everything, leather, great sound system, MP3 jack etc. I'm happy with her & hope to keep it for 7+ years considering it's a diesel.

Thanks for all of the VW support! I really like Honda, hell I own a BF150 outboard engine that's been perfect & it's on the 5th year w/ 500+ hours!

Good luck to all of the FIT owners. It's a great/solid car for the coin!

Alex

 

There is certainly nothing wrong with VW, and I was a pretty faithful customer of theirs for a long time. They are good cars, feel more substantial, and the interiors are great.

As far as reliability goes, I had a wretched experience with the Golf (which is closer to the Fit instead of the Jetta). But I truly believe part of the problem was I got one made in a Mexican plant rather than one from Germany. It had the electrical issues and every nightmare you could imagine from clutches going out to power locks and windows no longer working. I thought maybe my experience was unusual, but then I started cruising owner boards like this one and I found out a lot of us had the same issues. And as far as resale, mine really got nothing close to original price even with low mileage. And I was tenacious as hell about getting it in to the dealer for routine upkeep and even more than what was required.

But I certainly know quite a few Jetta people who are happy with their cars, and they look great! I guess every person has a different experience, and I never got a chance to own or drive the Jetta. I would say it is a totally different class being a sedan. I guess the Golf or the Rabbit would be a more fair comparison.

Now I'm a Fit Freak though.

 

I will admit I had a German Made 2004 Passat VW V6. Drove really nice---LAST DAMN VW I will ever own. So many Fin' problems with it where do I begin. How about this for starters who as ever heard of heated seats starting on fire? Will yes this piece of shite we owned for 103 long days had its heated seats start on fire while parked in the lot. The best was when I was coming from out of town when it was -30 celius and the rear window rolled down on its own and would not go back up.---That was the longest coldest 50km trip I've done in my life.

What s piece of cr@p nice driving VW!!!

More like fukengruven your right I will break down in the next week.
Enjoy your VW and sometimes the wife should also listen to common knowledge.
just my .02$

 

Before buying the Fit I was looking at Jettas and GTIs, both used 2007/08. I couls not find one owner who would advise keeping their car beyond the warranty period. Look through Consumer Reports, nothing buy poor ratings for all of VW. I really like the TDI models, now they are using a MB diesel engine (cannot call it MB name though) so there might be some good news there. But still the transmission, brakes, etc are shite VW.

I go with the historical quality record and for VW it is terrible.

I wish you luck and an extended warranty.

 

Diesel fuel is around a 30% higher price in your area compared to regular fuel and harder to find. So, the fuel economy figures you supply are not really fair. On the upside you have a much bigger gas tank than a Fit.

Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update