I drove to San Jose, Calif., today to attend the Plug-In 2008 conference and it seemed fitting to drive there in a car powered by another alternative form of vehicular power, biodiesel.
We bought the 2005 Volkswagen TDI to try not only diesel but also biodiesel and maybe even waste vegetable oil. But first we wanted to get an idea of what this certified used car got on petrodiesel. So for the past seven months and 8,000 miles, we put it on a steady diet of regular old diesel. We're still tallying the results but basically it got about 48 mpg on the highway and about 34 mpg around town.
Yesterday, I drove to Conserv Fuel in Los Angeles and put about four gallons of B99 in the tank (99 percent biodiesel). We have been warned to ease into the biodiesel since it is a solvent and will dissolve deposits left from petrodiesel. The deposits then clog the fuel filter, the car comes to a grinding halt and you wind up having second thoughts about alternative fuels.
I felt the B99 would be safe since it was being mixed with so much petrodiesel it would be the equivalent of B20. The Jetta didn't seem to notice the difference. It ate up the road and performed like a champ. I love driving this thing on the highway. The revs are so low at 75 mph it doesn't even have to towel off when you shut it down.
When I filled up on B20 at a station called "Rotten Robbies" in San Jose, I found I had gotten 50.3 mpg by covering 439.7 miles and only drinking 8.73 gallons of the biodiesel!
Yes indeed. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Philip Reed, Edmunds.com senior consumer advice editor @ 58,917 miles
blankfocus says:
06:39 AM, 07/22/08
awesome. can't wait for the sportwagen.
vacagrande says:
07:05 AM, 07/22/08
Hopefully stories like this make the '09 a hit and send all the other manufacturers a message.
jahfakin says:
01:10 PM, 07/22/08
my 99 NB Tdi was reaching the end of its life, and I was hoping to replace it with a new TDi.......but VW is taking so long to bring one out, I went out and bought a gasser, and sold my barely running TDi in May '08.
I've waiting for the new TDi since late '06....still nothing. maybe if VW gets their act together, I might buy a new TDi wagon in late '09. But to be realistic, I think I'll get a hybrid before that.
carmizvi says:
03:43 PM, 07/22/08
I can't help but think that we're seeing a slice of our collective future through the lens of this fascinating long-term test. Call me fascinated.
Philip Reed says:
11:40 PM, 07/22/08
Jahfakin: I was at a VW dealership buying fuel filters for the Jetta and they had a demo of the new TDI. They said the new ones will be here next month. We'll see...
skierx420 says:
08:15 AM, 07/23/08
As a relative of many soybean farmers I thank you for your purchase of Bio fuel. I am also glad to see excellent mpg as well.
stingray454 says:
08:27 AM, 07/23/08
You guys are lucky you can buy biodiesel in SoCal. Here on Long Island, there are still practically no fuel retailers that carry biodiesel. I would buy it for my diesel Suburban in a heartbeat if it was available in my area.
50.3 MPG on the highway is amazing. I think that beats every gasoline powered car sold in North America today, right? Not even the Prius, Fit, or Smart can get 50 MPG highway.
All the diesel naysayers have a lot of crow to eat.
Philip Reed says:
07:16 AM, 07/24/08
We did a comparison test of the Jetta versus the Prius called the "Gas Sipper Smackdown." (http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/126370/article.html) The Jetta had the best MPG on the highway. In that test it delivered about 48 mpg. The Prius performed much better around town and got 52 mpg to the Jetta TDI's 34 mpg.
cruiserhead1 says:
11:38 AM, 07/24/08
This TDI blog series is the most interesting by far! The new TDI's seem interesting but the Jetta is SO ugly now, I can't bring myself to put good money on it. Especially since the older (your LT car) looked so sharp.
The Passat looks nice but has grown to titanic proportions
I hope Audi brings a couple TDI choices to market...