Has your Passat TDI clogged?

[weiz]

Again, this is a boring diesel concern. I believe that I have read all threads about diesel and driving in city. I learned tricks to look after a diesel engine such as catalyst, long trip on the weekend, good quality fuel and driving skills to prevent DPF from clogged. I am still sitting on the fence to choose between diesel and petrol.

I am looking for options between Passat TDI wagon and 132TSI Tiguan. Both cars are good to me. Just the engine makes this very difficult. I prefer a TDI because I am ready to Think Blue and I want to get new experience from diesel. But I will be driving it between Ryde to Balmain (12 km one way) during peak time. This takes 25 - 30min one way every morning where you can imagine the car speed.

How often do you think the TDI wagon would get DPF light on in this case? In my case, is diesel engine a good idea? Does automatic DSG has less control than manual to prevent DPF from clogged? How often does your Passat TDI get DPF light come on? I had test drive a passat TDI 2 weeks ago. I feel it like a heavy car. I have to keep press acceleration to keep speed steady.( Sorry my English is bad ) Or speed drops quite significantly. So I hope and guess the computer is smart enough to keep revs high so that the car would clean itself more often without running on highway. Is my guess practical?

In addition, I question the TDI + Blue motion package. We all say diesel engine is good at long trips. During these long ones Blue motion tech would be useless. I believe start/stop system is designed and used in traffic/city. So it sounds like TDI and Blue motion should not stay on one car.

Appreciate for any advice.

[Greg Roles]

The Mk6 TDI DPF is a LOT better design than the MkV. Common rail was designed with a DPF in mind, the PD injection from the MkV never was. That said if the majority of your driving will be start stop traffic, that is not good for a DPF, but even then you would be unlikely to have trouble before 100 K kilometers. If you can get it up to highway speeds, say on weekend trips, you should be fine. It's not like a DPF clogs daily, and even in start stop city traffic it would only be regenning once a week tops.

[kaanage]

In addition, I question the TDI + Blue motion package. We all say diesel engine is good at long trips. During these long ones Blue motion tech would be useless. I believe start/stop system is designed and used in traffic/city. So it sounds like TDI and Blue motion should not stay on one car.

The variable rotor voltage alternator system would still reduce loading by the electricals when the car is being driven by the engine on highways and and the aerodynamic package will only have noticable effect on fuel consumption on a highway. Plus the lower rolling resistance tyres and taller gearing will aid fuel consumption all the time and the gear shift indicator will help teach you the optimal point to shift even out of the city.

But that's the full Bluemotion package and we don't get that variant here.

[weiz]

thanks very much for your opinions.

Would you get a TDI and drive to city like that? I just have no idea how often I have to drive to on the highway. If have to drive out and regen, eventually there is no economical difference between getting petrol and diesel. And I have to spend time on the highway. Sounds like it is not worth of getting diesel. I have driven both Passat TDI and Tiguan. Passat absolutely wins. I am just lost in all these thoughts. Maybe diesel is just not for me.

Hope someone can wake me up.

[kaanage]

Maybe just get the Passat TSI and pocket the difference? $5000 buys good tune and a lot of petrol

[clip]

The Passat TDI is designed very well for city driving. It has loads of low down grunt, so quick off at the lights, it gets amazing fuel economy in traffic, and even better on the highway. They sell millions of them on the continent and most would just be putting around town. The Blue Motion saves you more.

If you're considering Tig though, why not try a TDI? Although the TDI Passat will eat the Tig. But drive them all and see which one floats your boat.

[weiz]

The Passat TDI is designed very well for city driving. It has loads of low down grunt, so quick off at the lights, it gets amazing fuel economy in traffic, and even better on the highway. They sell millions of them on the continent and most would just be putting around town. The Blue Motion saves you more.

If you're considering Tig though, why not try a TDI? Although the TDI Passat will eat the Tig. But drive them all and see which one floats your boat.

I have tried Tig TDI. It is as loud as my 2004 corolla. I have seen quite a few new passat TDI wagon driving in Sydney metro while I go to work everyday. Really hope they drive in Sydney metro areas without too often highway runs.

[Greg Roles]

Of course they do, but the risk is clogging the DPF early, the car will do regens as much as needed. It is just a risk you have to weigh up, any TDI will handle traffic just fine. DPFs have a lifespan, and they are simply better suited to open road driving.

[passatpout]

I am looking for options between Passat TDI wagon and 132TSI Tiguan. Both cars are good to me. Just the engine makes this very difficult. I prefer a TDI because I am ready to Think Blue and I want to get new experience from diesel. But I will be driving it between Ryde to Balmain (12 km one way) during peak time. This takes 25 - 30min one way every morning where you can imagine the car speed.

Just thinking outside the square here - for 12km between Ryde and Balmain, why don't you ride a bike or use a bus/train/ferry? $45K+ on a car is a lot to have the joy of sitting on top of the Gladesville bridge... and a bike would probably be just as fast over that distance.

But back to the car question - I wouldn't worry too much about the DPF. While I mainly use my car for freeway travels (30+km), it does do quite a bit of short travel (6-7km) and never had a hassle with it - and I've done 114,000km now. I'd say that as long as you're willing to take it for a reasonable drive every now and again (say once a month), that should keep it working OK. And after all, the VWs are pretty nice to drive, so it won't take much arm twisting before you'll be going up to Wisemans Ferry (and places further north and east), or Katoomba, the Central Coast, Illawarra, or Hunter, or other places where it'll get a chance to stretch out a bit.

[weiz]

Just thinking outside the square here - for 12km between Ryde and Balmain, why don't you ride a bike or use a bus/train/ferry? $45K+ on a car is a lot to have the joy of sitting on top of the Gladesville bridge... and a bike would probably be just as fast over that distance.

While I mainly use my car for freeway travels (30+km), it does do quite a bit of short travel (6-7km) and never had a hassle with it - and I've done 114,000km now.

Haha, my wife and I have been sharing a car to Balmain for years. She works there and I ride from Balmain to city for work. As family grows, we need more spacious car than corolla hatch. btw I think it is tiring and dangerous to ride from Ryde.

It is great you drive on the highway so often. The big unknown for me is how often I would have to drive at highway speed to regen in my case. I would accept once a month to regen. Once a week would be time consuming and less economical.

[clip]

In the end, the replacement cost of the DPF is not that high now, at least not like on the older ones. So I wouldn't be worried about it all. Take it out for a thrash when you feel like it and when you have the time and just enjoy.

I never for one single moment thought I would ever, ever own a diesel car. If you had said to me just 10 months ago that I would be driving a diesel I would have laughed out loud. No one in my family can believe I actually bought one, until they drive the Passat. Then they start to understand.

I do about 25000k's a year. Around town, I get twice the economy out of the TDI than I did out of the chipped TSI Tig. On average I am using about 40% less fuel. That saves me thousands of dollars, literally. And even though I run premium diesel, I had to run Ultra Premium in the chipped TSI Tig. So another saving there. To boot, the stock performance of the TDI Passat is quite impressive and will not leave you embarrassed off the line. They actually go a lot harder than many suspect. Keep them in the sweat spot and they impress any of the equivalent petrol competition (no, not the V6 Passat , but most of the other 4 & 6cyl popular models).

[weiz]

In the end, the replacement cost of the DPF is not that high now, at least not like on the older ones. So I wouldn't be worried about it all. Take it out for a thrash when you feel like it and when you have the time and just enjoy.

I do about 25000k's a year. Around town, I get twice the economy out of the TDI than I did out of the chipped TSI Tig. On average I am using about 40% less fuel.

It is great to hear DPF replacement cost is lower than it was. Fuel consumption is a big advantage for me to choose diesel car. I prefer $5000 invest on the car to fuel. By hearing how you guys use diesel cars, done $25000K per year, I only use the car for around 10000k a year. I feel less confidence to take a diesel. I am still hesitating about what to choose. I am feeling the pain.

[kaanage]

So what it wrong with the Passat TSI as an option? Do you have a minimum spend requirement?

[FSI 220]

As family grows, we need more spacious car than corolla hatch .

If you intend to have (or have)two kids, plus 3 wheel or double pram, plus shopping, plus wife, Plus Plus Plus... I would have thought the Tig would be a little tight wouldnt it? personally I would be comparing the passats...

I am selling our little car (a 2008 corolla hatch as well, levin, less than 21k immac! PM me ) and replacing it with the passat as our new little car, I will be using all six hundred litres!

10k per year is bugger all... buy a v6 and have some fun!

[Lams]

I do 22k a year and replaced the Passat TFSI '06 with a Caddy Maxi Life 1.6TDI
I am saving about $80 a month in fuel, and the Caddy is a good 200kg heavier
Out of the 76km daily commute about 10km is highway. The DPF thing looks after itself, I don't even have to worry about it. I get a sweet-sounding exhaust every week when it is doing its regen
I miss the power. But the passat's 125kw TDI has a lot more balls than my 75kw Caddy!