Question: DD replacement vehicle for VW TDI Buyback

Sep 10, 2008
1,072
0
36
Morehead City, North Carolina
Still undecided. Frustrated. I consistently average 45 mpg hand calculated in my 13' Passat TDI. I really love the car but would be financially poor decision to keep it.

I don't care if it's gas diesel or hybrid. Must have all bells and whistles or more than the Passat. Lincoln MKZ is coming out with a BEAUTIFUL hybrid but $$$$$$$$$$$. Several platforms to choose from. A coworker just bought new Accord hybrid. Rims look like shit.
 

NC-smokinlmm

<<<Future tuna killer
May 29, 2011
5,204
363
83
At Da Beach
My wife's Benz gets 34 to 37 highway on the sport setting, the newer ones have an economy setting with start stop technology. I think they are getting about 40 mpg out of the newer smaller models. Might want to look into one, they are surprising fun to drive...
 

Cougar281

Well-known member
Sep 11, 2006
1,809
253
83
St Louis, MO
you can find used cruze diesel for 17k
If you can find one. My wifes '10 Jetta is going to be bought back too... Problem for a replacement is from GM, the only options for any good mileage woukd be a volt or a diesel cruze. When I searched for the cruze, there were less than two dozen within 500 miles of me - One 'in town', the next closest was an hours drive away, and most had more miles than we wanted. So gave up on finding anything that will hold a candle to the tdi mileage wise and will be bringing home a '15 Malibu 2.0T with 18k on it.

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carter_44

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May 11, 2010
575
0
0
AZ
I bought my 13 Passat TDI used. I've put roughly 20k miles on it in 6 months. I love the car...comfortable, great mileage, quiet, I don't get fatigued on long trips. I want to keep it but the buy back offer is just too good to pass up. I'll have driven the car for 6 months and VW is going to pay me roughly $8k for my trouble. I was so happy with it that I'm considering replacing it with a gas version. Small mileage decrease from the diesel to gas but no DEF and cheaper fuel...Basically a wash in my opinion.
 

fast03

Active member
Jun 15, 2008
1,201
6
38
60
Rancho Cucamonga
If you can find one. My wifes '10 Jetta is going to be bought back too... Problem for a replacement is from GM, the only options for any good mileage woukd be a volt or a diesel cruze. When I searched for the cruze, there were less than two dozen within 500 miles of me - One 'in town', the next closest was an hours drive away, and most had more miles than we wanted. So gave up on finding anything that will hold a candle to the tdi mileage wise and will be bringing home a '15 Malibu 2.0T with 18k on it.

Sent from my 0PJA2 using Tapatalk

My wifes car is a Volt. She loves it. not roomy in back at all tho. we have solar on the house, so no real fuel cost with her commute. total mpg since we bought the car is over 150mpg. I think 75 gallons of fuel in 12k miles
These might be worth a fly out drive home trip.
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/l-Used-2014-Chevrolet-Cruze-Clean-Turbo-Diesel-t49275
 

2004LB7

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2010
7,007
2,158
113
Norcal
Lots of tuners available for the euro diesel cars, although EFI Live tuners are a bit more convenient.

for me it's more about the ability of sitting on the couch with a laptop and make my own adjustments and walk over to the car, plug in the V2 and upload the new tune. there are enough tuners for the VW TDI but having to ship my ECM out and wait a week is not what i would want in a new vehicle.


Also, i just received my packet in the mail from VW with all of the charts, etc for the buy back. looks like i could get about $13,500 with the mileage adjustments added. that is about two grand above what i paid. looks like i may get paid to own the vehicle for several years. :thumb:

does anyone know how this program works if your VW is a salvage title? i know that the buy back value is based on the "Clean Trade Vehicle Value" so will they make adjustments for it being salvage and i will get less? I dont plan on giving VW my car or having them "fix" it. i will be one of the 15%, unless the EPA / CARB does something like deny new registration until fixed, then i will look into the options
 

yellowchevy

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2010
1,926
82
48
Louisburg, KS for now
I'd get a $4,000 chevy Impala and not waste money on car payments.
I had one for years and loved it. Cheap to drive and low maintenance.
In the 4-5yrs I owned it the life mpg average was 27. Only reason we don't still have it is b/c we got T-boned and it was totaled.

Yellowchevy
 

Cougar281

Well-known member
Sep 11, 2006
1,809
253
83
St Louis, MO
My wifes car is a Volt. She loves it. not roomy in back at all tho. we have solar on the house, so no real fuel cost with her commute. total mpg since we bought the car is over 150mpg. I think 75 gallons of fuel in 12k miles
These might be worth a fly out drive home trip.
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/l-Used-2014-Chevrolet-Cruze-Clean-Turbo-Diesel-t49275

The big problem with the Volt is I don't think our daughters rear facing convertible Recaro carseat will fit in the back seat... It won't fit in my CTS without my seat being farther forward than I like, and the 2nd gen CTS is a bit bigger than the Volt, I believe. The Cruze also seems a bit small in the back seat for the carseat...

With the listings you posted, I assume with no zip, it is searching the entire country based on the range of listings.... When I narrowed it down, only 40 in the country fit our criteria... They are like hens teeth.
 

cdbright

JUST RENT IT
Dec 16, 2008
1,010
7
38
43
Salt Lake City, UT
i would get a used VW golf tdi , i drove the shit outa mine all over MX and CA for work, then when i moved to UT our calibration guy bought it as i drive my truck every day now , i just received the buy back think in the mail and it was around $12K , it was a 2011 , i was getting 32 mpg @ 103 mph all day on flat ground :woott::woott::woott:
 

fast03

Active member
Jun 15, 2008
1,201
6
38
60
Rancho Cucamonga
The big problem with the Volt is I don't think our daughters rear facing convertible Recaro carseat will fit in the back seat... It won't fit in my CTS without my seat being farther forward than I like, and the 2nd gen CTS is a bit bigger than the Volt, I believe. The Cruze also seems a bit small in the back seat for the carseat...

With the listings you posted, I assume with no zip, it is searching the entire country based on the range of listings.... When I narrowed it down, only 40 in the country fit our criteria... They are like hens teeth.

Those 2 cars were both in SoCal. basically just east of Los Angeles.
I agree the Volt is little in back. We did the grandkids seats rear facing, but it forced us to have the front seats forward a bit. I am 6'4" so that was tough. I think the Cruze is better for rear room.
 

bigmackmiller

Active member
Nov 30, 2008
1,046
2
38
Kokomo, IN
In the same boat paid off 2012 Jetta TDI has 130k and we love the car, can get buy back for 16k, would really like to sell it back and use money for a used a6 tdi or used Passat TDI as we could use a little bigger car, sitting tight to see if a used low mile Passat would need available in tdi or may just keep Jetta

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Janimal444

Member
Jun 25, 2012
354
0
16
Salem, NH
I am in the same boat have a 2015 Passat TDI. I really like the car and have averaged 40-45 mpg mixed driving with it. The buyback offer is too good to pass up, plus I do miss having a truck. What is everyone's opinion on the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel? I'm between that and a Colorado Diesel. It seems as though you can get quite a bit more off the sticker price on the Ram EDs ($10k+). I really like the roomier cab when compared to the Canyon/Colorado.
 

2004LB7

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2010
7,007
2,158
113
Norcal
i dont own the Ecodiesel but i have test drove one and looked at a lot of reviews forums.

i drove well. definitely not in the same power range as the duramax, even the first edition LB7 but more than usable

roomy and comfortable.

the general consensus of the owners on the forums is it very well liked. it is able to meet or beat the estimated mpg rating unlike the ford eco boost. when tuned it became quite fun to drive

if i was in the market for a light duty truck, that would be the one i would get
 

Burn Down

Hotrodder
Sep 14, 2008
7,092
28
48
Boise Idaho
I'd get a $4,000 chevy Impala and not waste money on car payments.
I had one for years and loved it. Cheap to drive and low maintenance.
In the 4-5yrs I owned it the life mpg average was 27. Only reason we don't still have it is b/c we got T-boned and it was totaled.

Yellowchevy

I think some of these guy's just like making payments Russell:D I'm rocking a $1500 2001 ford focus for a work car #NFG:rofl:
 

Kevinbo6gt

New member
Jul 23, 2009
48
0
0
I think some of these guy's just like making payments Russell:D I'm rocking a $1500 2001 ford focus for a work car #NFG:rofl:

Lbz sits in the garage and the 98 vw beetle gets driven..yes tdi with 230k miles...Love the 45mpg on the highway.
 

carter_44

...
May 11, 2010
575
0
0
AZ
It's not that we love making payments. You spend that much time in a vehicle and you really appreciate the creature comforts.
 

Burn Down

Hotrodder
Sep 14, 2008
7,092
28
48
Boise Idaho
It's not that we love making payments. You spend that much time in a vehicle and you really appreciate the creature comforts.

You sayin' the Fucus isn't comfy?? Heater and radio works that's all I need:rofl:

I made payments for a long time on a blue piece of sh*t in my driveway collecting leaves and dust:thumb: I'm over that sh*t:D