Jetta - FSI or TDI?

[platzie]

Hey guys,

I might be getting my hands on a Jetta relatively soon. However, due to the fact that i am a P plater i cannot drive the petrol turbo engine that i want. So i would have to settle with just the 2L FSI or the TDI. I was just wondering, because the diesel is turbocharged, are there easy tuning capabilities for it? Or do people generally not bother with tuning a diesel? If not, which would you choose, the FSI or the TDI?

Cheers,
Platzie

[team_v]

I would go the TDI.
You can get oettinger to rempap the ECU to liberate a bit more power and smooth the torque band.

If it has a DPF you can also look at a DPF delete and custom code ecu remap which will liberate even more power and torque for you.

If you are going to be doing a lot of city driving though, the Petrol would be better and should be cheaper to insure as it's not a turbo car.



Really we need to work out what you need the car for and you should test drive both to see which one moves you.

[platzie]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah i would be using it mostly for just city driving, maybe a few trips to the coast every now and then but mostly just driving around Brisbane. Why would the petrol be better for city driving? My main issue is that i want more than 110kw, and if i get the petrol it wouldn't be as easy as just remapping the ECU. How much power would i get with the TDI if i chipped it?

[Transporter]

I would go also for TDI over the FSI. But keep on mind that since you're P plater when you modify your engine the insurance will go up or they could even refuse to insure you.

[platzie]

Mm yes that is true about the insurance, how much more power would i get though? It might be worth it. It seems that everyone likes the TDI, why is this? The VW dealer said he hadn't sold a petrol Passat in 3 years...

[team_v]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah i would be using it mostly for just city driving, maybe a few trips to the coast every now and then but mostly just driving around Brisbane. Why would the petrol be better for city driving? My main issue is that i want more than 110kw, and if i get the petrol it wouldn't be as easy as just remapping the ECU. How much power would i get with the TDI if i chipped it?

Custom code dpf delete and tune generally nets 170-180kw from memory.
Oetting tune nets around 125kw from memory from the 103kw base model.

The diesel engine takes longer to warm up for general use and won't see a noticable difference in fuel economy for short city drives.
Also you have the problem with exhaust gas recirculation and the DPF filling up in a TDI engine.

[platzie]

Custom code dpf delete and tune generally nets 170-180kw from memory.
.

Wowee that sounds promising! What is the DPF though? And how much would it cost to delete it? I'm liking the idea of 170kw

[team_v]

You would have to contact custom code to get a full price and see if it is available on the car.
Try here: http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/member.php?38-h100vw

Check out the Diesel section of the forum to find out info on the DPF and cogdoc's thread (getting serious) as he is using a DPF delete pipe and tune soon from memory.

[platzie]

Okay will do, thanks for the info mate.

[Greg Roles]

Only the latest Jetta's come with a DPF, and they have the BMN 125kw TDI engine option anyhow, so unless you're buying new, you won't be getting the problem / tuning potential of the DPF delete.

Any Mk V Jetta TDI is the 103kw TDI, and can be chipped up to 125kw, so it'll perform like a GT TDI stock, and that's pretty flippin good. It's XR6 fast if driven well from the line. You can't go beyond this generally, as the car has limitations in thermal handling, turbo, and several other areas over the 125kw "GT" TDI engine. Pushing the 103kw beyond that would be very dangerous for the turbo. Having said that, water meth is an option, dropping both the thermal load, and adding about 30hp everywhere, but it's an ongoing cost, and several hundred for the kit.

Without a turbo on the petrol you're fairly limited in easy power upgrades, whereas the TDI will allow you quite a jump for the cost of a tune. Be aware that cheaper tunes are generally very easy to spot, only the better and generally dearer ones are more easily hidden if need be.

You'd be mad not to get the TDI from those choices.

[jessv3]

Go the TDI .. the TDI on paper looks quite boring but in real life its much more exciting to drive then the FSI, you get the rush of the turbo and all that torque is so useable around town. Also im not sure if your going manual or auto but if your going auto then the TDI is DSG and the FSI is conventional automatic and as you probably are well aware of the DSG box is an awarding winning gearbox, it is worlds ahead of the conventional auto.

[pologti18t]

Is this a new or secondhand Jetta? As a p plater I think you can drive the new 118TSI petrol model.

[V6Passat]

Mm yes that is true about the insurance, how much more power would i get though? It might be worth it. It seems that everyone likes the TDI, why is this? The VW dealer said he hadn't sold a petrol Passat in 3 years...

which dealer?

[platzie]

Thanks for all the info guys, the TDI sounds like the option to go for, although i do prefer petrols. Yeah it is a second hand Jetta, also would be getting the DSG not a manual.

In Queensland the 118TSI petrol doesn't appear on the list of exempt cars, however you can apply of an exemption (although you actually have to own the car to apply for it). So to amend this, i've written a letter to Queensland Transport, it's about 1500 words long asking why a 90kw Golf is deemed high powered yet a 184kw Golf is not. And i send off this letter every second day until they give me a reply

[team_v]

Make sure the mechatronic unit is okay and that all reasonable servicing has been done before you pick it up.

Also contact JMac to have a look over it for you as he is the Brisbane VW Specialist.