Opinions on 2012 VW Golf 2.5 or TDI

zokissima

New member
Hi all,

Looking to buy a 2012 Golf, either the 2.5l or the TDI (if I can find one). THe car will be a second vehicle, used for work, and will do probably around 40,000km per year. I know from that perspective the TDI is better, but I'm on a budget, and the 2.5 seems to be easier to find.

What are your thoughts on the car....how is the DSG transmission? Manual better? What to look out for in terms of weak points and what to inspect when looking to buy used.
 
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I bought a 2012 Wagon Tdi manual new, after 90k km. 5.5L/100km summer 6.5L/100km winter. No issue at all.. love it.

DSG will probably cut a 0.5L/100km.
 
Do you need the car to be as economical as possible? are there any other criteria?

The TDI will be your best bet at 40k km/year. If economy is important and you don't want to spend the extra initial cost for the TDi, you should probably look at something else instead of the 2.5. If you absolutely want a vw and don't want to spend for the TDi, then the 2.5 will be fine.
 
The 2.5 is a fine motor for city driving and all. Gearing is pleasant on the manual box and provides good torque curve albeit lacking a true overdrive and being on the hungry side on highway driving. The 170HP version is pretty reliable and the MK6 golf is a solid car. I've been driving a MKV for nearly five years now and can vouch for the engine surpassing my initial expectations reliability wise - they fixed all the fuckups they initially made with the engine in 2008+ cars and I drive a 2007, so yeah.

If you plan on doing highway I'd go directly for the TDI... expect around 550-600KM on a tank on the 2.5 whereas on the TDI you'll be good for way more.

DSG is fun and pretty bulletproof if fluids are changed with the proper quality and will only be available on 2.0T's or TDI's... GLI's and GTI's are pretty economical on the highway if you're gentle on the gaz pedal if you don't mind going for the later MKV versions with revised engines.

Oh yeah, and avoid the auto tranny on the 2.5 for your own mental sanity.
 
Do you do mainly highway? City?

Lots of startups or few?

What kills the economy on the 2.5L is startup, that engine has a good chunk of steel to get up to operating temperature. Once warm its not bad, I've average 6.5L/100km from Montreal to Chicago and back, however I average around 10L/100km mixed with my 6sp auto 2008 2.5L.

The 2010+ are more economical than the older models because they changed the final drive. The 2012 Golf 2.5L 5sp will rev at around 2200rpm @ 120kmh, whereas the 2007-2009 Rabbit was revving at around 3000rpm, so expect much better highway mileage than Rabbit owners (like Bruce) claim on the highway.

As the automatic, IMO its the best transmission for these cars. The manual is geared way too short on the MK5, way too long on the MK6. The auto takes better advantage of the 2.5L and IIRC it turns at under 2000rpm @ 120kmh. The transmission is a Japanese Aisin unit, very reliable, only the valve body has issues on early models, but warranties where extended on problematic unit and has been resolved on later models.

Considering gas is cheaper than diesel year round, maintenance on the 2.5L is pretty much oil and filters (TDI requires more maintenance), there is a case to be made for a reliable, low maintenance engine that runs on 87 octane, versus the TDI which is more expensive to buy, maintain and fill the tank...
 
Gas is cheap now yes, but it will eventually come back up. If you do lots of mileage like me, TDI all the way. Even with the DSG. My wife and I have long commutes and both have TDI's. Next TDI will be DSG for sure as the wife doesn't drive manual. You change the oils and filters at proper intervals and that engine will last a long time.
 
Gas is cheap now yes, but it will eventually come back up. If you do lots of mileage like me, TDI all the way. Even with the DSG. My wife and I have long commutes and both have TDI's. Next TDI will be DSG for sure as the wife doesn't drive manual. You change the oils and filters at proper intervals and that engine will last a long time.

I didnt say gas was cheap, i said gas was *cheaper* than diesel.

Currently 87 is around 118.9 and diesel at around 130.9.

For 40000km per year, the tdi will cost around 1200$ per year less in fuel than the 2.5L.

However, when you consider the price of a used tdi vs 2.5L, factor in additional maintenance for the diesel (dsg as well if you get the auto). It will takes years to make up the difference.

As for me just not having to deal with a turbocharged motor, has its advantages. The 2.5L motor is going to be as reliable as a Corolla...

And cross your fingers that the hpfp on your TDI doesn't blow, or your turbo.

I love tdi's, but like I said, a thirstier N/A car that is simple and reliable can be just as economical. Cheaper entry price and less things to go wrong*tu* The 5cyl makes some good noises too!
 
THanks very much for the feedback guys.

There is no frequent starting and stopping. The commute is all highway, 100km one way, 100 back, all with no traffic, for the most part, so smooth highway cruising.

Since I'm doing all of the maintenance myself, i'd want to avoid things like turbo replacements, timing chains, and other "big" jobs that I'm not currently equipped. Fuel filters, plugs, fluids, braking system, etc etc, are all going to be moi meme. Thus, reliability is really the name of the game here. I plan to be fastidious, but I would like to buy a car that has around 50-70k km, and have it make it to 200k km; reliability.

SInce my gf will be driving the car, I want peace of mind as well; I'm looking at a 2010 and up, anything older, for the projected lifetime of the car, it's too much of a risk.
 
Looks like 2012 Golf TDi's are going for 19-20K, and 2.5L are around 12-13K. 7000$ will buys you alot of gas, it'll take 6 years just to make up the price difference for a TDi at 40K/year. And of course that doesn't include maintenance costs.

The TDI requires a timing belt/waterpump change every 200k. The 2.5L has a "lifetime" chain. 2006-2007 models had some chain guide issues, but since 2008, the chain issues on the 2.5L have been resolved and should last the life of the motor.

Just a t-belt job on the TDI will set you back 800$ every 5 years or so... So it takes even longer to "benefit" from the TDi.

Like I said, I love TDI's, but you buy one cause you want one. But the savings dont strictly come at the pump.
 
New TDIs timing belts are every 200k?? My ALH TDI (2002) is every 100k. Still it has almost 400 000 kms and still used everyday without a hitch. A new TDI DSG is definitely on my wish list once my 328 lease is up.
 
C'est recommandé au 160k kilos de mémoire selon le guide du proprio. Faut aussi garder en tête que rendu a 200k kilos, le TDI va ce revendre 3-4k$ de plus probablement. Pour faire 40k kilos par année, j'irais avec le TDI. Ils sont fiable, la consommation est basse, et tu devrais rentrer dans ton argent.
 
New TDIs timing belts are every 200k?? My ALH TDI (2002) is every 100k. Still it has almost 400 000 kms and still used everyday without a hitch. A new TDI DSG is definitely on my wish list once my 328 lease is up.

I wrench on my fleet. I don't mind paying extra for a diesel as i know they will sell for more later! ;)
 
Is the gearing on the Passat B6 good for a manual tranny ? Was looking at those 2.0T and most of them are DSG.

La transmission en bien gearé, sauf pour la 6e vitesse je trouve. En fait, la 6e vitesse est un peu trop courte pour avoir une économie d'essence optimale. Pour te donner une idée à 120km/h, le moteur tourne à environ 2800rpm. Quand il y a pas de vent, sa reste économique, mais dès que sa force un peu, ça boit un peu plus. Tu vérifieras bien, il me semble que la DSG n'est disponible qu'en 2010 dans les B6. Avant cela, c'étais une Tiptronic. Je ne connais pas la Tiptronic, mais il s'agit d'une automatique avec un mode manuel, c'est pas une Dual Clutch comme la DSG.
 
I wrench on my fleet. I don't mind paying extra for a diesel as i know they will sell for more later! ;)

You'll sell it for more, but you still paid more for it.

Take a look at 2009 Jettas.

Gas models are around 8K, diesels are 12K.

In 2012 when I was shopping for a 2008-2009 Jetta, gas models were 12-13K, diesels were 17-20K. The diesels depreciated more than the gas models, because the 2.5L depreciate a heck of alot more in the first 3 years, then they seem to depreciate slower, since they lost most of their value in the first few years.

Just my .02$

Its not as black and white. Don't get me wrong, I love TDIs. Had one and would again. But theyre not the incredible money savers people make them out to be... If diesel was as cheap or cheaper than 87 octane then it would be a different story...
 
Hmmm! 500km done and STILL over a half a tank! gas is 99.5 here and diesel is at 120.5. For a 2slow for the same year will get 500km/tank. I am still a winner with a diesel. :bigup:

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