Quote:
Originally Posted by chef73
I have a 2010 Jetta Sportswagen and it barely gets in the 30 range during the winter is there anything i can do to improve the gas mileage for the winter like using a fuel additive
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Forget the air intake. Your "baby" breathes fine. There's really not much you can do but get the car to warm up faster. This must be your first diesel: speak in terms of fuel ecomony, fuel mileage not "gas" mileage.
Like Derrel says, a TDI takes a long time to reach operating temperature in cold weather. Even in the Valley of the Sun, it takes my TDI about 7 miles at 45 mph before the temp gauge registers normal when the ambient temperature is in the 40s. At 7 miles my MFD average MPG is in the low 30s. My guess is the oil is still not up to operating temperature after 7 miles. It takes me about 15 miles before the average MPG climbs into the lower 40s. So, short trips in frigid weather will have a significant impact on MPG. My guess is that if your trips are short in duration you could easily see a 10 to 15% drop in fuel economy during Ohio winters.
Also, the winterized fuel in OH will probably cost you about 2-3% or so in MPG due to reduced energy content in winter vs summer fuel assuming the winter fuel is cut with kerosene.