I'm thinking about trading my truck in for a Jetta (moved recently - much longer commute) and I'm trying to decide between the 1.8T engine or the 2.0L.

My main concern is the EPA estimated fuel mileage - for both engines, it's listed at 24/31. The 2 liter engine has 115 hp, the 1.8T is listed at 180 hp. There's no way they have the same fuel efficiency.

If you have one of these (I'm looking at 2001 - 2004 models - but that shouldn't matter) can you post your fuel mileage for me? How the hell is it that VW can list these two engines as having the same mileage?

7/19/2005 11:24:31 AM

well the 1.8T is a more modern 5valv/cyl motor.. i hear generally that they get pretty decent mileage. the 2.0 is pretty old and is a 2valve/cyl.. probably not very effecieent. i had a 2.0 once though and it did get great gas mileage. id take the 1.8T over it though any day the 2.0 is slow as nuts, especially in the mk4s

7/19/2005 11:27:26 AM

I've got a 2000 Golf 2.0 with a manual transmission, same engine as but maybe a little lighter than the Jetta.

I usually get 30-33 mpg on the highway (depending on terrain).

28 mpg on my commute (mixed highway/city, some backroads, some I-40, some stop and go in Cary). Lately I've been getting 25mpg commuting with my air conditioning on the past few weeks.

Worst mileage I got was 23mpg pulling a trailer up to DC and back.

I hear the mileage on the 2.0 and 1.8T are comparable if you aren't running around WOT in boost-land all the time.

-- Dave

7/19/2005 11:43:46 AM

good stuff

thanks

7/19/2005 11:52:45 AM

^^^yeah none of that has to do with anything at all pertaining to gas mileage.

[Edited on July 19, 2005 at 12:17 PM. Reason : damnit]

7/19/2005 12:16:50 PM

sure it does, a less efficient engine will use more fuel to make the same power as a more effecient engine. mk?

7/19/2005 12:19:17 PM

yup

7/19/2005 12:19:54 PM

if your biggest concern is fuel mileage, definitely go with the TDI. it averages around 40mpg

7/19/2005 2:04:06 PM

^^but at the same time dont you think that the rest of the engine would be built around a certian level of efficiency thereby not making one more efficient than the other? the only time the 8v is inefficient is when it comes to power, there isnt much trust me i know. the 1.8t is a turbo'd motor so it has its own efficiency range built around the demands of the turbo, sure you can turbo the 8v and ive seen dyno sheets of ppl making 250hp to the wheels with one but its still never going to breathe as well, or make as much hp as the 20v turbo motor, but again it doesnt have to given the different demands of the rest of the engine. so basically saying that the 2.0 is and 'old engine' and the 1.8t is 'more modern' and thus would be more efficient is clearly talking out of your ass. mk?

7/19/2005 2:40:49 PM

nope

7/19/2005 2:51:55 PM

well the 2.0 is certainly an 'old engine' as it has been around for generations and is pretty 'primitive' in design. the 1.8t is 'more modern' as it is a newer design. now assuming you meant efficient by these terms, then no, i dont think i'm talking out of my ass. they have similar fuel economy and similar displacement, yet one makes almost double the power.. thats why i say the 1.8t is more efficient

the reasons for this? well a turbo generally helps, more valves per cylinder generally help, who knows what else, i didnt design them.

your argument is that an old engine putting out less hp can be more efficient than a new one putting out more hp which can be true based on what it might take to achieve this hp (ie, a 30mpg 2.0 that makes 100 hp is more efficient than a 22mpg 3.0 that makes 105hp) but in this case youre wrong

and yes, go TDI for gas mileage

[Edited on July 19, 2005 at 5:15 PM. Reason : dfdfd]

7/19/2005 5:15:14 PM

at 79 mph i get 35 mpg with my 1.8T. it takes a little effort but i've done it several times but only bother for really long drives. my normal average is about 27ish with about 25% freeway driving.

7/19/2005 5:34:22 PM

Quote :

"at 79 mph"

how about at 78 mph?

7/19/2005 8:47:01 PM

I do 160 miles/day in my TDI Jetta. I get about 50mpg (during the hot summer, higher in the winter).
There is not a TDI available at the moment (the last time I checked).

7/19/2005 9:08:21 PM

im sure there are some available (maybe not new). i remember seeing one in an auto-trader like magazine today

7/20/2005 1:54:20 AM

I get between 32 and 38mpg on the highway, and around 25-28 around town with my 1.8T. The 2.slow is just that, a underpowered motor for a car as heavy as the MKIV.

7/20/2005 9:12:38 AM

although underpowered, the 2.0 is a workhorse.

at waterfest this past weekend i saw someone try to blow up a 1.8 8v motor by putting a brick on the accel. pedal. it bounced off the rev limiter for a good 5 minutes before they decided to cut the car off.

7/20/2005 9:39:16 AM

Quote :

"at 79 mph i get 35 mpg with my 1.8T"

woah, thats impressive

7/20/2005 9:45:32 AM

Quote :

"if your biggest concern is fuel mileage, definitely go with the TDI. it averages around 40mpg"

I don't want the TDI - too concerned about it being underpowered. I have to do some interstate driving/merging.

I'm looking for 1.8T now. the 2001 model has significantly less horsepower than the 2002+ does (150 vs 180) Can't decide which one to go for - they report the same fuel efficiency : 24/31

7/29/2005 11:33:44 AM

tdi + bc/injectors/etc = fuel mileage and power

7/29/2005 12:07:26 PM

TDI + chip = torque out the wazoo
and it should have enough power for you to merge unless you drive like a jackass

the 1.8t changed from ('00) AWD to ('01) AWW to ('02)AWP. in the 01-02 AWW/AWP change the stock boost was raised and somewhere along the line the turbo changed from a k03 to a k03sport

other than that, the motors are pretty much identical (CR varies slightly)

7/29/2005 1:50:31 PM

Quote :

"TDI + chip = torque out the wazoo"

7/29/2005 3:56:15 PM

^

7/29/2005 4:15:12 PM

and for $69.95 you can supercharge it

http://www.turbonator.com/index.html?id=adWordsJetta

7/29/2005 4:29:15 PM

you're a fucking idiot

7/29/2005 4:30:41 PM

hahaha i was kidding about the turbonator piece of crap obviously

but

Quote :

"torque out the wazoo"

what do you consider torque out the wazoo?

7/29/2005 4:54:04 PM

well.. that dyno sheet that adam posted showed 276 wtq

of course it was only 150 whp

[Edited on July 29, 2005 at 5:00 PM. Reason : http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/500/10843torque-med.jpg]

7/29/2005 4:59:45 PM

i stand corrected. makes pretty good torque with that. if the hp went up at the same rate that would be awesome.

7/29/2005 5:08:15 PM

yeah.. but its a diesel, and a 1.9 liter at that

7/29/2005 5:09:04 PM

I have the 1.8t, and I get 25 MPG driving the piss out of it.

7/29/2005 8:21:21 PM

[Edited on July 29, 2005 at 8:21 PM. Reason : double post.]

7/29/2005 8:21:21 PM

bottom line. if you want something fun with power (and LOTS of potential) go with the 1.8t. otherwise i would suggest the TDI. too many ppl ive seen were disappointed after driving the 2.0 around for a little while.

or you could wait until next year (i think) when the FSI 2.0T comes out. mmmm...

[Edited on July 29, 2005 at 11:45 PM. Reason : its the new body style tho.. and its not ugly.]

7/29/2005 11:44:45 PM

I just bought a 2001 1.8t wolfsburg this weekend actually....its a great car. I'll let you know my gas mileage as soon as i figure it out.

There is one at Leith vw in Cary that i test drove and almost bought, but its just the 2.0 4 cylinder. only 60,000 miles. I forgot how much, but between $11 and $12k. manual, blue, gray interior. should check it out

8/1/2005 1:40:21 PM

Quote :

"only 60,000 miles"

timing belt.

8/1/2005 1:55:03 PM

^^ha i bought my '02 2.0 jetta used in '02 for $12k w/ 12k miles on it. that car isnt worth more than like $7k.

and yeh it sucked. great economy fuel and insurance wise, but it was slow and boring

8/1/2005 1:58:41 PM

yeah.. but you're talking dealership vs private party (?). it could have some other options packages on it also.



[Edited on August 1, 2005 at 2:02 PM. Reason : i wouldnt buy used from a dealer..]

8/1/2005 2:02:10 PM

it was actually from the Honda dealer next to what is now Leith VW in the cary autopark

8/1/2005 2:05:09 PM

yeah and its vw certified...so you have 2 years of warranty on it..

8/1/2005 2:22:33 PM

just powertrain warranty?

i wouldnt sweat that too much with the 2.0. vw 8-valve motors are pretty much bulletproof (if only they weren't so slow)

8/1/2005 3:15:24 PM