speaking of cars

[peeb²]

we're looking at a replacement for the Odyssey. it's been a great vehicle but honestly too big for what we need it for. that and it gets less than stellar fuel economy - though average for it's size. for kicks we looked at the new Odyssey just to see what a few years newer yielded. we walked away from that experience less than impressed.

the other day I built a Jetta Sportwagen online with the clean diesel engine. 42 mpg! effin A. granted it's a lot smaller than the Odyssey. but probably exactly what we need. the price is right too. I think $28K loaded up - MSRP. so, before I haul myself down to the dub dealer, anyone have a jetta diesel now or had one in the past that would care to shed light? thanks in advance roadfleez.

[@ otto99]

I understand the new Jettas don't tilt toward aggressive as the past version did, but are still quite nice. I might also suggest a Mazda5, as it's small but still has the sliding doors, and there's lotsa fun parts for zoominess.
Greg

2005 330Ci ZHP

[reupreckt]

the back seat be too tight for 2 carseats + your daughter?

[peeb²]

coop is in a booster. we'd wait until logan is in the booster as well. marisa is the floater and could squeeze between the two I'm sure. it's not like we drive with all of us in the car for great distances.

what else ?

[6000miles]

...in golf form with manual, very solid car, really no complaints and the mileage is pretty real, driving as hard as I could I got easily around 40-mpg in a city/autobahn mix.





--> feel like kicking something?


6000miles

[ezsce46]

equipped Venza for around $25k, not nearly the mpg thou.

[6000miles]

--> feel like kicking something?


6000miles

[reupreckt]

even a child can fit between 2 high-back booster seats with any degree of comfort. The Jetta will be smaller. You would need to move fast, as the next gen version of the Jetta kinda sucks, so you'll have to go with a 2010 (I don't even know if they'll offer a wagon version or a diesel in it). Option B would be a golf TDI, which is kinda cooler anyway.

Our minivan has been great for the road trips and shopping trips, but we often have my MIL along on those too. Mileage is definitely better than an SUV or most things with 3 rows and room behind the third. Wife wants to ditch it in a couple of years and we'll probably go with an explorer (unless gas really does go to $5/gal).

Take a look at the Ford C-Max coming from Europe this year. Pretty cool and good MPG. I may point the wife that way.

[ezsce46]

be a ford.

[reupreckt]

and pulling themselves up by their bootstraps. Also planning to hire more folks in the smoking crater that was Detroit.

[Socom]

new or not).

It's not terribly difficult to get some wheel spin from the Torquey diesel. The ride was compliant and quite. The back seat was tight so depending on MY you may want to bring a car seat or two.

The leatherette was nice, and vented, but I wasn't in the car long enough to determine the 'back sweat' factor.

The sportwagon is wildly popular among the dieselheads. Especially in with the 6 spd.

[dp]

and has been buying vw and audi TDIs for his wife periodically. he loves them as daily drivers.

i drove the golf briefly and a couple of the audis, they all seem nice enough but i wasn't overwhelmed. then again, overwhelmed is probably not what you'd look for in a car like that.

sounds like a decent choice, in other words.

[klex]

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[Fozzie]

turns around and we have two boosters, the middle seat of the E46 will be unsittable. I can't imagine a Jetta being usable at all with two boosters plus another kid.

I can't even imagine it being acceptable for two kids in boosters. K's feet don't even really fit behind me when I drive the E46. Granted, I'm a little taller than you, but still, it's not roomy at all.

If you're looking VW, I'd say you will feel the squeeze bigtime in a Jetta. Passat at a minimum would be my guess.

[JIO]

for 18 years. It's was the only car out of the 40+ cars I've owned that I drove 100K miles. Other than basic maintenance, nothing ever went wrong. Paid $6K for it in 1978 and sold it 18 years later for $2K to my next door neighbor who drove it another 4 years before trading it in at 150K+ miles. Of all my cars, the 1978 VW Dasher Wagon was my favorite.

Go for it.

I did almost trade in my 1978 VW Dasher gas powered for a 1979 VW Dasher Wagon diesel, but at the time the diesel was running something like 46 hp and the fastest I could get the car up to was 65 mph and when I turned on the A/C, the speed dropped to 60. My Dasher gas version could hit 95 on the flats and I broke 100 once on a downhill run.

The car still had the original clutch and brake pads (well, discs on the front, drums on the rear) at 100K when I sold it.

[HBWT]

[peeb²]

[peeb²]

we tested a mazda 6 last summer - it was big enough. I'm sure the jetta is a lot smaller though. GE will need to see it firsthand so she can decide if that's too much in the wrong direction.

thanks for your input as always roop