2009 Jetta TDI price - sedan and sportwagen (station wagon) buying guide, review, and invoice, MSRP price
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Introduction

I've underlined the most common answers if you want to skim.  This article shows the most up to date invoice pricing, available options, and other misc info specific to the 2009 and up VW Jetta TDI sedan and station wagon.  Because there are many other diesel VW models and trims available in Europe and Asia, this article is written with a focus on the North American market and the TDI.

The basics
The 5th generation (mark5/mk5) Jetta TDI is the most luxurious, largest, safest, and powerful generation of Jetta TDI that VW has offered.  It is sometimes called the A5 body style (Jetta-5th generation).  It is 50 state emissions legal and available in Canada.  However, the added weight and features raised the price and decreased fuel economy compared to earlier Jetta.  The 2009 Jetta TDI is slightly decontented compared to the earlier A5 TDI due to foreign exchange rates, manufacturer profitability, and marketing goals.  The engine is all new for the North American market and makes more power and efficiency than earlier TDI and makes cleaner emissions.  The only TDI wagon available new or in the 5th generation is the 2009+ sportwagen (this is the correct spelling of the station wagon model).  There is a passat wagon but it is not available in TDI in the North American market.

The car most compared to a Jetta TDI is the Prius.  However, driving feel and handling, looks, and size (station wagon) are all very different.  For more details on why a Jetta is a better choice for many, see 1000q: general TDI buying guide and checklists.  If you are totally new to diesels and would like some basic information on how a different from a gasoline car, see 1000q: how a diesel works.  A diesel is not all about the best fuel economy or lowest cost per mile!  I believe that the Jetta TDI sedan and wagon are an excellent choice for most people due to the combination of safety features, fuel economy, resale value, handling, and cost.  Just remember that the best car for you might not be the best car for me.  Even still, Autoweek magazine said, "For comfort, quiet and highway handling, our drivers found the TDI had significant advantages over every other car in the test. It would have been our choice, in other words, for an easy daytrip on the interstates, regardless of fuel economy. And we topped the hybrids by driving with just a little attention to fuel economy, not making it an obsession."  Ultimately, your mileage and experience may vary depending on your driving style and other factors.  If your choice of car were based solely on money, buying a well maintained, used, compact car like a Civic will cost far less in depreciation, sales tax, and lifetime fuel costs compared to buying any new car!  And if fuel economy were everything I'd be riding a scooter!  

Some rare customers are taking delivery at invoice + $500 + delivery (+ local tax, license, fees, added options, etc).  Sedans and sportwagens are being delivered to customers as of August 2008.  Due to worldwide economic conditions, the dollar has risen in value and the car market has slowed.  MSRP is reasonable for a station wagon, if you call 20 dealers, you should be able to go below MSRP on a sedan.  Full spec and order sheets below.  You can order a car but it'll take a few months to many months to be built.  Make sure you stay on top of your order and the dealer because you can't custom order a car with the options you want.  VW sends allocations to the dealers and if you don't want it, the dealer contacts the next person in line.  This is because VW does not custom build cars, when one is built and matches your request, it may go to your dealer.  Because of this, don't be intimidated by "waiting lists".  Many of the people on the list don't want the options or color on the car they wanted and will pass.  This is also a common technique by dealers to squeeze the buyer.  

There are even some unallocated sedans and sportwagens on dealer lots but you won't have a choice of options.  Some bad dealers will also sell an allocation to whoever has money in hand and ignore any waiting list.  If you are in California or another state which didn't have previous TDI due to emissions, expect higher demand and dealers less experienced with TDI maintenance.  You may see TDIs on dealer internet inventories or websites but these are automatically put up by the inventory system and these cars are typically already sold.  Average prices out the door after everything are in the $25,000-27,000 US dollar range.

The 2009 TDI qualifies for a $1300 federal income tax credit for the US.  Leases do not qualify, you must buy or finance the car.  This is not a deduction off calculated income but a credit towards income tax owed.  For example, if you owe $2000 in federal income tax, after applying this credit you would only owe $700.  They qualify for the Advanced Lean Burn Technology Motor Vehicle income tax credit because of fuel economy.  Only the first 60,000 vehicles sold before the last day of 2010 qualify and you must buy it new, not used.  I highly doubt 60,000 new TDI will be sold in the end of 2008, and during 2009, so don't worry about waiting for the initial craze to die down before buying one.  See here for the reference. If you are subject to AMT, your credit may be reduced.

In CT, the 2009 TDI and other vehicles which have high fuel economy are exempt from sales tax.  Also check for local property tax exemptions from your town.  Possible tax exemptions vary by state and expires by a certain date so please check your local laws.  The expiry of the exemption may also overlap hybrid exemptions so ignore the hybrid exemptions.  The DMV or dealership may be ignorant of these incentives so take responsibility for yourself on this one.  This exemption doesn't mean you can buy a car in CT and then register it in your state, you must be a resident.

The Jetta TDI (and all 4 cylinder light diesel passenger car engine) does not use urea injection like Mercedes Benz adblue additive to meet emissions.  No pee jokes, please!

Invoice price on a base Jetta TDI sedan is $20,743 w/manual transmission, $21,842 w/DSG transmission.  MSRP is $21,990 w/manual, 23,090 w/DSG.  
Invoice price on a base Jetta Sportwagen TDI is 22,241 w/manual, 23,340 for w/DSG.  MSRP is 23,590 w/manual, 24,690 w/DSG.
Delivery is $650 (all prices are in US dollars).  MSRP is a fair price considering the current demand.

All cars come with 3 years/36,000 miles of free maintenance in the US.  Just remember that nothing is free, this cost is shifted into the purchase price.

Make sure to tell all drivers of your car to only put diesel in the fuel tank!   If you accidentally put gasoline in it, immediately stop and tow it to a mechanic!

Biodiesel in the new TDI
The engine will run on biodiesel in all years of TDI.  However, VW will try to void the warranty on the engine if they find out you are using more than B5, or 5% biodiesel.  The 2009 TDI common rail engine has not been tested with high percentages of biodiesel and the main concern is compatibility with the emissions treatments and engine oil dilution.  After combustion, a little extra fuel is injected during the "self clean" post injection regeneration cycle which is burned up in the exhaust filters and catalytic converters.  Burning this fuel in the exhaust filters raises their temperatures and burns up the captured emissions.  This is one of the reasons why the new TDI has very little diesel odor and low emissions.  It's possible that biodiesel use could cause excess regeneration cycles and it is not known how this will effect the car.

Because the self clean cycle injects this extra fuel after combustion, there is also some concern that the biodiesel will get into the engine oil and dilute it.  A little biodiesel can be easily tolerated but the long term effects of this are not yet known on the VW TDI (common rail engine only).  If you are going to use high percentages of biodiesel, a safer bet is the 1999-2006 TDI due the track record of safely using biodiesel and the lack of emissions filters or fuel post injection.  For more basic information about biodiesel and VW, see 1000q: intro to biodiesel.

Other general ordering info

This post combustion injection will also slightly lower fuel economy.  It is not yet known how much fuel economy is lowered or how often the self clean cycles.  Future aftermarket modifications will most likely include disabling this injection and removing the emissions filters.  Check your state and federal emissions laws before modifying your emissions equipment.

DSG transmission is the only "automatic" transmission available.  It's often called tiptronic but almost all non-manual transmission mk5 TDI are DSG.  The exception is the Tiguan (if they release a TDI version in the US).  A DSG is an automatically shifting manual-like transmission.  Towing is limited to 1000 lbs in the TDI.  (For some reason, the owner's manual lists the limit for towing in a trailer without brakes (wagon only) at 1650 lbs.  I believe this is a typo since the limit for a trailer with brakes is lower, only 1000 lbs.)  The gears inside the transmission look somewhat like a manual transmission instead of an automatic transmission's planetary gears and torque converter.  Compared to a manual transmission, everything else being equal, expect slightly lower fuel economy due to greater weight, DSG fluid parasitic losses, and other factors.  Ultimately, the difference in fuel economy will probably only cost about $12/month more for the DSG, so don't let a small mileage difference dissuade you from state of the art transmission technology.  Read details and see pictures of the DSG transmission at 1000 answered questions: DSG FAQ.

The loyal edition TDI is a low production number, limited edition TDI that is sedan only.  The loyal edition can be ordered as a regular customer.  They stopped production in July 2008 (in the 27th week of production).  The main difference is that it has the premium sound system, sunroof, and front lower lip spoiler, and costs an extra $450 over the regular TDI.  This is a good deal since the sunroof alone is $1000.  However, if you order the navigation system on the loyal edition, you get the older disc-in-the-headunit MFD2 system without the touchscreen.  This older navigation system won't let you listen to music and use navigation at the same time.  See 1000q: RNS 510 FAQ for more info on the touchscreen headhunt.  Loyal editions were built in both 6 speed manual and DSG, some became demos.  The loyal and demo also have a TDI badge insert on the steering wheel, later non loyal/demo have a blank spot in the insert position (see below pictures for more details.

The demo is pictured below.  Demos are DSG only and white with stickers on it.  They appear to be early build loyal editions because it has the front lip spoiler, rear trunk lip spoiler, and premium radio.  Dealers are now allowed to sell demos although most are holding on to them for a bit longer.

Here is the sales brochure for the sportwagen in .pdf format.  Click to open in adobe pdf viewer or right click, save as.
                                     

Delivery inspection

After leaving the dealer, make sure to tell all drivers to only put diesel in the fuel tank!   

I've noticed that some new cars are damaged at the dealer or during shipping.  Carefully inspect your new car for dents, scratches, misaligned panels, haloing or spiderwebbing of the paint (see 1000q: polishing your paint for more details and pictures), or other damage.  This is not acceptable on a brand new car.  Don't let the happy ether from new car delivery interfere with overlooking possible defects or damage.  A professional detailing will remove any rail dust, sea salt/sand, or road detritus accumulated during transport.  Waxing the car will only coat over these paint impurities and seal them in.  Look through the detailing index linked above or see below in non-priority items for more detailing tips.

Very minor and consistent orange peel (a slight/wavy texturing of the paint surface) can be normal.  Inconsistency across panels indicates bad paint and possibly damage cover ups.  Pictured right are examples of orange peel from glossycar.com.  The first one shows severe orange peel and then the repair.  I would not accept delivery on that car and I even doubt the picture is really of a new car due to the severity of the orange peel.  The second shows a brand new car with heavier than normal orange peel.  This would probably be considered normal by some dealers but can be corrected with a very light wetsanding and polish that can be done by any detailer.  The paint finish on a new car should be clear of swirl marks and other defects.  

Don't worry about waxing your new car.  New cars from the factory are baked in an oven after painting and they had plenty of time during delivery in case you feel you want to wait before waxing.  Body repair or body shop paint needs to cure for at least a month before waxing because it's slightly different and can't be baked in an oven or else the interior and all the plastics on the car would melt.  High quality body shops can do a better paint job than the factory, so don't worry that they don't bake the paint. 

Also note if your car has a fold flat front passenger seat.  Although it's listed in the spec sheet, many have taken delivery of their sportwagens and reported that it did not have a fold flat passenger seat.  More on this below.

There have been a few questions about how to break in the new engine, just follow the recommendations in your owner's handbook.  Don't listen to the salesperson!  Some general tips about engine break in and busting myths can be seen here: 1000q: engine break in and busting break in myths.

It's normal for the speedometer to read slightly higher than actual speed.  German cars tend to have fast speedometers to account for build variations and so that they don't read lower than actual speed.  The odometer reading should be correct and is a separate display from the speedometer for warranty and maintenance purposes.  Also note that the fuel economy meter may be off.  This is normal for any car, the best way to calculate fuel economy is to fill the tank all the way, drive, and then fill the tank all the way at the same exact pump.  Different pumps may shut off at slightly different points.  This will change your calculated fuel economy.

Double check your owner's manual.  Many are reporting getting an old owner's manual with their TDI.  Your dealer should give you a correct one for free.

Double check your insurance coverage.  The 5th digit of your VIN is "L", indicating diesel.  Some insurance setups may incorrectly see your car as a gasser.  Remember that your car has 3 sets of airbags and may have optional rear lower side airbags.  It also has an immobilizer and alarm, see if insurance discounts apply.

Here are some youtube videos of reviews of the new 2.0L Jetta TDI.  The video on the right is a virtual walkaround by a dealer.  See below for another virtual walkaround and a video of the panoramic sunroof on the sportwagen.



 

Here is an early preview by popular mechanics (click on the link to open video in a new window)
http://video.popularmechanics.com/services/link/bcpid271552687/bctid992147247

Virtual walkaround, option sheets, specs, and VW quirks

Note for Canadian buyers: the TDI is available in different trim levels than in the US.  The US TDI is based off the SE trim level with a few more things.  Canadian TDI are available in trendline (base w/cloth seats) comfortline (midlevel, similar to SE but with cloth seats), and highline (similar to SEL, N/A in US TDI).  The differences in trim are the leather interior, stereo, the sportwagen is available with the multifunction steering wheel in the highline trim (N/A in the US wagon), and standard or non availability of the panoramic sunroof.  To swap a multifunction steering wheel or paddle shifters onto your car, see 1000q: MFSW and paddle shifter steering wheel swap FAQ for Jetta for more details, prices, and procedures.

The TDI are made in Puebla, Mexico and shipped by cargo ship and then by train. 

The biggest change on the 2009 Jetta is the new 2.0L 140hp, 236lb-ft torque common rail TDI engine.  This engine is comparable in torque to a V-6 engine in daily driving with the fuel economy of a small 4 cylinder engine.  See 1000q: direction injection, pumpe duse, and common rail for a comparison to older TDI technologies.  This common rail and emissions technology is state of the art for passenger car diesels and results in more power, more efficiency, better emissions, and quieter, smoother engine sound than ever before.  Although diesel fuel prices are higher than gasoline prices, you will still save money over the long term compared to a similar new car. 

You must use 507.00 VW spec engine oil to keep your TDI engine warranty intact.  Because this is a new spec oil, you must order it from an online supplier or from the dealer.  DO NOT 100% trust the dealer to comply with this requirement, even under their 3 years/36,000 mile free maintenance program!  Dealer techs are busy and often make mistakes!  Especially in states which did not have previous generations of TDI due to emissions, the number of TDI coming through the dealer garage is small compared to the number of gassers and many dealers have made this mistake in the past!  Always check with the exact tech working on your car which oil he is using.  If your engine experiences early wear, it probably won't show up until after the warranty period has expired and you will be stuck with the repair bill!  Turbodiesels need a certain specification oil to suspend soot and engine blowby and deal with biodiesel use, all while keeping the engine and turbo lubricated.  Until there is further evidence and testing for oils other than 507.00 VW spec, I strongly suggest sticking to the owner's manual suggestion.  Not using this spec oil may give the dealer grounds to not honor warranty claims on the engine.

If you want a new diesel station wagon, your only choice is the 2009+ TDI.  The only other years for TDI wagons were 1996-1997 and 2004-2005 passat, and 2002-2005 jetta.  Cargo space in the sportwagen with seats up is 33 cubic ft, 67 cubic ft with seats down.  So far, owners have reported that sportwagens do not have fully fold flat front passenger seats even though the spec sheet says it should.  If yours does not, either live with it or do not take delivery of the car.  So far, only gasoline sportwagens have confirmed a fold flat front passenger seat.  There are rumors that this feature is being discontinued due to cost.

In the US, the sportwagen does not have a multifunction steering wheel (buttons to control radio volume, cycle display modes such as mpg, miles left, trip miles travelled), but the sedan does.  To control the trip computer, mpg display, etc., you use a steering column mounted stalk with the sportwagen.  You can swap a steering wheel from any 5th generation (mk5) VW with the multifunction steering wheel into the sportwagen although some reported that they had to change the control module.  The GTI/GLI/R32 use a sport steering (bolstered sides with DTM style flat bottom), make sure you get one with the multifunction buttons.  The procedure is plug-play, all wiring and the highline control module are already there.  See 1000q: MFSW and paddle shifter steering wheel swap FAQ for Jetta for more details, prices, and procedures.

Pictured below is the multifunction display that is on all 2009 TDI (DSG model shown).  Below left is the sport multifunction steering wheel from a GTI.  If you look a few pictures down, you can see the standard sedan TDI wheel (multifunction steering wheel w/o TDI badging).  You can also get a GTI style flat bottomed wheel from a R32 Golf (mk5 generation).  You can add paddle shifters to your DSG transmission TDI, see the above link for steering wheel swaps.  The right paddle is upshift and the left paddle is downshift.
 
 

Major Options are rear side airbags, ipod adapter, 17" avington wheels, RNS150 navigation system, sunroof on the sedan, panoramic sunroof on the sportwagen.  The TDI is equipped similar to the mid level gasoline Jetta, the SE (S is base and SEL is highline option model).  Unfortunately, you can't order SEL or Jetta GLI equipment on a TDI.  You cannot get a power memory driver's seat, dual zone climatronic (auto climate control), leather seating, or HID headlights on a 2009 TDI.

So far, vinyl (leatherette) seats are standard on the TDI (Canada has cloth seats standard, leather on highline trim).  No 2009 TDI is available with leather seating in the US or power seats although gas 2009 Jettas and the older 2005.5-2006 Jetta TDI may have it optioned.  Since many dealer ads are calling the vinyl interior leather, I want to repeat that no 2009 TDI has leather from the factory.  The advantage of vinyl seats (leatherette) is lower cost and greater durability.  Leatherette will not dry and crack the same way leather can but in the author's opinion, it feels like rubber.  The advantage of leather is a higher quality feel.  The disadvantage of leather is that it should be kept out of strong sunlight to prevent drying out and should be regularly cleaned and conditioned to keep soft.  In the end, unless you are sitting naked on the seats you probably wouldn't notice the difference unless someone told you it was vinyl.  If you do want leather seats on your 2009, any leather seat from another 5th generation Jetta or Golf is direct swappable and they all have side airbags.  Make sure to check airbag system compatibility before swapping seats!  Other options are the plaid sport seats from the GLI/GTI or sport seats from the R32 Golf.

Direct bolt-on OEM HID headlights from the GTI/GLI can be purchased for $1300 from sites such as ecstuning or tmtuning.  My personal choice is the Hella Dynabeam for $1100.  It's not the OEM HIDs but is made by the same manufacturer (Hella) and is high quality.  It also turns 15o into turns and costs a little less than OEM.  You can also purchase used HID housings online.  Do not attempt to use the stock non-HID housings with a "xenon light kit from ebay".  HID bulbs must be matched to their projector and housing to prevent dangerous glare and blinding oncoming traffic.

The RNS510 navigation system is all new and is not available on the loyal edition.  It is touch screen based, color, and uses a hard drive.  The older A5 Jetta and loyal edition 2009 TDI uses an older disc-in-the-headunit system.  Neither comes with bluetooth but there are aftermarket and Euro bluetooth compatible with the RNS-510.  Aftermarket add-on accessories for the RNS 510 include back up cameras, AV input, and DVD players.  Many of these add-ons are VW Euro only parts or were options on more expensive models.  Pictured below is the newer RNS510 navigation.  See 1000q: RNS 510 FAQ for more info on the touchscreen headhunt.  Note that dual zone climatronic is shown because this picture is of a gas Jetta, it also has the multifunction steering wheel (standard on sedan, N/A on sportwagen).  See the below pictures for invoice and retail pricing of the options.  Also note that the data maps for the US are not yet available so the GPS won't work, strange but true.

Here is a picture of the interior of the demo sedan.  It comes with premium satellite radio, DSG transmission, and standard multifunction steering wheel w/TDI badge.  Later non-demo/loyal cars have a blank badge like the above picture instead of the TDI badging.

The panoramic sunroof is available only on the jetta sportwagen.  It really opens up the feel of the car but I do not prefer it.  The large sunroof will slightly increase cabin noise and reduce handling compared to a car with no sunroof.  Pictured below are the sunroof open with shade closed and sunroof closed with shade open.


Here is a youtube video of the panoramic sportwagen sunroof in action (skip to 3:30 to see)
  

 

All transmissions (DSG and manual) are now 6 forward speeds, 1 reverse.  Older transmissions on 5th generation Jetta TDI were 5 speed on the manual.  None come with paddle shifters on the steering wheel but it is possible to swap a steering wheel with paddle shifters onto a DSG car.  See 1000q: MFSW and paddle shifter steering wheel swap FAQ for Jetta for more details, prices, and procedures.

Estimated mileage by third party testing is 38 city, 44 highway for the TDI.  Over 50 mpg highway has been confirmed in real world driving but don't expect this unless you do all highway driving and drive slowly and smoothly.  EPA testing is rated at 29/40 but has always proven low on previous TDI.   Expect above 40 mpg in mixed real world driving and as always, your mileage may vary!  Major factors effecting mileage include individual driving style, car build quality variations, and fuel quality.  Also expect mileage to increase during engine break in by as much as 5%.  Part of the lower expected mileage compared to earlier TDIs is heavier weight, emissions treatments, and a more powerful/thirsty engine.  EPA testing methods were also changed to more accurately reflect hybrid mileage but this penalized diesel car mileage.  

All Jettas come with head curtain, front, and side airbags.  Lower rear side airbags are the only optional airbags.  ABS, stability and yaw control are standard.

Below are thumbnails of the order sheets and specs from tdiclub for the sedan and sportwagen, click for a larger version.

Here is the VW site's sportwagen spec page, cut/paste into your browser : http://www.vw.com/jettasportwagen/completespecs/en/us/#/show_all
Sedan spec page, cut/paste into your browser: http://www.vw.com/jetta/completespecs/en/us/#/show_all

For Canadian sales, see VW Canada's Jetta page here:  http://www.vw.ca/vwcms_publish/vwcms/master_public/virtualmaster/en_ca/models/jetta.html

Color samples
(campanella white pictured above in demo, some very early build cars are campanella white, later cars are candy white) 
platinum grey--------------------graphite blue w/tinted windows (metallic and darker than grey)

salsa red w/optional 17" avington wheels-----------------laser blue w/standard on sedan 16" bioline wheels

 reflex silver w/tinted windows---------------uni black

Non priority items, other VW quirks, and misc things to know about the 2009 VW TDI

Make sure to tell all drivers of your car to only put diesel in the fuel tank!   If you accidentally put gasoline in it, immediately stop and tow it to a mechanic!

Some dealerships, even luxury car dealerships, do a bad job detailing new cars due to sloppy and fast work.  Bad detailers can even damage your new car's finish.  I recently saw a new car at a dealer with a plastic gas tank strapped to the hood to advertise it's fuel economy!  This is unacceptable because it put a bunch of fine scratches into the paint.  I recommend washing, claybar, and then waxing your new car yourself.  This removes the corrosive railroad dust if they came by rail, saltwater spray/sand while sitting at the port, and road detritus during transport.  See detailing tips at 1000q: washing and wax your car , 1000q: claybar your car.  While you shouldn't apply wax to a freshly painted or repaired panel, the factory paint is cured and baked in an oven and had plenty of time during transport.  

I recommend applying a UV-resistant laminate or headlight protector on the headlight lenses.  This will prevent pitting and yellowing on your new headlights.  This is not a VW specific issue because all modern headlights on US cars use DOT approved plastic lenses instead of glass.  A paint protecting clear vinyl film over the front of the car is also a good idea but is more expensive than a headlight protector.  Professional installation is required and it will prevent chipping of the front.  While it does slightly reduce the look of the paint, it's not noticeable at all unless you are closely inspecting it and prevents damage to the paint which is noticeable from a distance.  It does not damage the paint at all but cannot be applied to a repainted area or else it can pull off the repainted area.

You may also want to tint the windows.  Auto glass blocks UV light but even clear or light tint will block a lot more UV light.  Tinting the side windows helps prevent aging of the interior, aging of your skin, adds privacy, and in the event of the window shattering, controls glass particles by holding them to the stick-on film.  Tint darkness can come in clear, all the way to dark "limo" tints, check your local laws for any restrictions.  Use only simple soap and water on window tint, never use ammonia based cleaner on the interior of the window where stick-on tint film is applied.  

Apply the parking brake when parking!  It's good practice with any car but it is important on VWs because this sets the rear caliper self adjusters.  It's best to apply the brake before going into park (auto trans) or first/reverse gear (manual trans) to put stress on the brake instead of the transmission internals.

You can add a backup camera, bluetooth, parallel parking assist, and more to the RNS-510 GPS system.  If you do not have the RNS510, you can add it to any 2009 Jetta TDI.  See 1000q: RNS 510 FAQ for more info on the touchscreen headunit GPS.  

The new common rail engine uses a timing belt and will need a deluxe/full timing belt change every 120,000 miles.  This includes changing all idler pulleys/rollers, water pump, timing belt tensioner, and timing belt.  If you do it yourself, parts should cost about $400.  Since many VW dealers are not yet experienced with diesels and the new TDI engine, ask around for a TDI expert before going to the dealer.   Dealers not experienced with TDI engines have damaged engines in the past due to lack of experience and bad techs.  Expect to pay about $1,000-1,500 at the dealer for this service.

Expected longevity of the exhaust particulate filtering system is not yet known but all emissions equipment is covered under warranty under federal emissions laws.  Removal will certainly set off a check engine light but there will probably be aftermarket solutions to this.

There is an electric heating strip in the air vent system to help warm up the cabin on cold winter mornings.  It draws about 1000 watts and is called the "auxiliary air heater", controlled by module j604 and climate control.  It won't blow hot air but lukewarm air is better than nothing and it will help prevent your frozen breath from obscuring the windshield on super cold mornings.

The air conditioned glove box barely cools at all so don't expect chilled champagne.  The cooler is just a tube from the air duct instead of a true refrigeration unit.  If you need food or medicine to stay cool, get a portable plug in cooler.

To change the windshield wipers, press the wiper lever after you shut off the car and they will go up to the service position.  They should not be over $50 for a pair at the dealer.

There are a few reports of paint flaking off the front plastic bumper unrelated to road or parking damage on early A5 TDIs.  This is a defect and should be corrected by the dealer.  Since the last gen TDIs were made in 2007 (sold as 2006), they should have fixed this issue by now.

You can't use truck stop high flow fueling nozzles on the mk5 cars.  The high flow fueling nozzles are larger and flow much faster to fill a semi's large fuel tank.  Because the larger high flow nozzle won't fit in the TDI fuel tank opening, some fuel can splash out.  Try to find and use the small diesel nozzles.  You may hear of venting or a ventectomy, this does not apply to this generation of TDI.

The key uses an anti-theft device called an immobilizer.  You can only have new keys programmed at the dealer, the few rare independent locksmiths who have the equipment, or with a few aftermarket solutions.  See 1000q: immobilizer FAQ for more details.  The issue is that although the key can unlock the door, an unprogrammed key won't let the engine stay running.  For this reason, avoid ebay keys unless you know the dealer price for a new key.  If you want to attempt  key programming, see 1000q: a5 Jetta key FAQ.

Transmission issues - A5 body jettas tend to be the most reliable yet, but the 2005.5-2006 models had some issues with the transmissions and flywheel.  There is no long term information on the 2009+ Jetta.  

Towing is limited to 1000 lbs according to the manual.

Although the DSG transmission (introduced with the 2004 New Beetle TDI) has it's drawbacks, it's still a good automatic compared to previous ones.  However, if you want better mileage and reliability, nothing beats a regular manual transmission.  

Please read 1000q: DSG FAQ for maintenance, quirks, and other common issues with the DSG transmission.

Some early A5 Jetta TDI used defective clutches which were replaced under recall.  Some dual mass flywheels (see 1000q: clutch FAQ for more details) failed or decided to liberate themselves from the engine with spectacular results.  The flywheel was revised and this should no longer be as prominent.

 

Have another question?  Post your question at the myturbodiesel.com forums.