VW TDI for fun? Whut?

I am seriously considering getting a TDI for commuting, day-trip type travel and possibly motorsports.

TL;DR: I seem to remember GRM featuring a souped-up TDI Golf somewhere. Does anybody remember when?

Long version:

There is a bit of a price premium, but we take do enough driving as a family that it would probably wash out after a couple of years. If we don't get an automatic, the torque would make teaching my wife how to drive a stick much easier. Given the lack of rust, the car should last in good condition until I am absolutely sick of it in some way. Given that one of my kids is going to be driving in about 6 years, I am guessing he can buy it from me then.

Then I started thinking about doing some autocross or rallycross with it. Yeah, I know. Given that it has the same chassis as a GTI, all of the suspension mods should translate over to the TDI. There was a stage rally prepped diesel Golf at one point (maybe there still is) so it is possible.

I am going to have to go crawl around some other forums later on.

(edit: I found the issues the TDI Beetle is in, I am thinking about an earlier MkIV car)

If you want to see a Rally prepped Mk2 TDI-swapped Golf, go over to Rally Anarchy and go to Construction Zone. Then check out the Thread - The TDI is Alive!

Edit - Link:

http://www.rallyanarchy.com/phorum/read.php?5,99375

I had a TDi Cup with the 6 speed manual. It's was a fun "touring" car through the mountains. Gas mileage was great and handling was decent stock.

I love my '14 tdi Jetta with the 6spd. No way could I do a dsg box in it. In the 2 months I've owned it, I'm at 11k miles.

Worst tank avg has been 39.22mpg, hand calculated. It loves traveling 75mph too.

I'm really digging my '11 Golf TDi. I've put 11k miles on since May. 40+ mpg not driving lightly and it handles and rides quite well, and is actually fun to drive for a commuter. 99k miles and only minor squeaks and rattles. It will need struts and dampers (I'm leaning towards Koni ST/R) next year, but I needed snow tires first. Hopefully that'll improve it even more.

Don't you have like 4 build threads already?

Torque is fun.

I'm a manual transmission guy, but a DSG could be a neat tool for autocross. It might help offset the narrow power band of the TDi.

David

manual as with a clutch upgrade it'll be able to handle injectors, compressor upgrade and reflash, the DSG will not. You'll enjoy the 300lb+ft of torque. As noted you can make them handle quite well, and the shifters can be freshened up to make quite wonderful feeling. GRM advertiser www.USrallyteam.com can help with those bits, tell Scott that you heard about it via GRM and Dave and you'll likely get some sort of hookup.

I have been looking into these for a while. I'd say stay away from the DSG cars just because of the added maintenance costs. Every 40k it needs a DSG service which costs hundreds of dollars. I've read that it's not a DIY-friendly service, and that it's easy to ruin a transmission if you do it wrong.

I still want one, especially a TDI Cup car or a JSW.

DWNSHFT wrote: Torque is fun.

Especially on DIRT!!!

The only thing I'm not looking forward to with mine this winter is the inability to disable ESC. I can shut off traction control, but nothing else. I may end up pulling a wheel speed sensor, but I'm not sure what that will do to brake balance. I think you can disable it with a VAGCOM cable on '12 and up, but or '11, no one has been able to that I've found.

Yes, I have too many build threads, some of them dead-ended.

The only active cars I have right now are the RX-8 (going to sell), the Forester (keeping) and an Xterra project that is progressing slowly.

The diesel car I was looking at is GONE (that fast). As a consolation prize, I may have found a killer deal on a 2007 GTI I spotted while trolling Craigslist. The deal is good enough that I'm not worried terribly about reliability, though I am getting a pre-purchase inspection done at Black Forest Industries.

We'll see what happens. The diesel commuter might get bumped into a later project if the GTI passes muster.

I'd hold out for another TDI, even though TSIs are fun platforms as well

MotoIQ has a TDI project car:

http://www.motoiq.com/Projects/Volkswagen/MKVIGolfTDI.aspx

I passed on the GTI Fahrenheit. It was $7100 (which was $100 more than Carmax offered the seller), but it was at 125k miles and needed tires, timing belt, water pump, DSG service and most likely cam followers. I also would have wanted to refresh the suspension.

I'm keeping my eye out for a TDI.