[Ma v e n]

What's your recommendation on the best Service Manual for the Gen2 Diesel and best location/price to purchase?

Helminc.com

 

[resurgent cineribus]

Well I officially own one of these now and am planning to go pick it up this weekend!

Looks like the forum is somewhat split between loving their Diesel and concerns about maintenance/reliability. I'm hoping I end up being more in the first category!

 

[resurgent cineribus]

Hi everyone!

I picked up my car over the weekend and absolutely love it. Mine is a black on black hatch in amazing condition (the owner was a professional car detailer!) Black wasn't my first choice when looking but with the tints this one really works and looks amazing. The previous owner is a great guy and really loved this one but couldn't keep two cars (he is a huge car nut so that is quite the endorsement; his replacement was a much higher end sports car but he still missed lots of things about the cruze) I have all the documentation and remaining warranty. The car was about 6 hours from my house so I got a one way car rental (Toyota Yaris) and he picked me up at the return. Boy comparing this with that little Yaris is a stark difference. The poor little yaris was brutally utilitarian and felt every bit its small size.

The Cruze drove like a champ the 400 miles home and averaged 47MPG back (got home with 3/8 tank left) It really feels like a bigger car on the road and the torquey engine barely needed any input from me and was perfectly content to stay in 6th on Cruise control. It felt like the engine barely broke a sweat with anything i threw at it.

Sure time will tell how it holds up but I absolutely love this car. I'm simultaneously super impressed and super disappointed that GM built such an amazing car then killed it. Sure everyone is moving up to bigger crossovers and such but I think they could have done a better job promoting it to win some buyers over. With the interior space of the hatch I think I will rarely miss the room of my escape (but then now my girlfriend has a pick up for big loads anyway) The seats are great (though I'm hoping to swap in the leather ones!) I'm about 6'2 and not a small guy and the car is super comfortable and roomy. I've never driven a car that better combines looks, power, driving dynamics, efficiency and practicality. It was totally worth all the homework and travel to get.

Anyway just letting everyone know if they were curious and thanks for the advise. As a now owner I'll likely be a regular on this forum. Cheers!

 

[Rivergoer]

Congrats RC, well done!

 

[froyofanatic]

Congrats!

Yeah, the hatch sacrificed trunk space for interior space, but fold down the seats and that's all moot. Spacious inside for such a small car!

Enjoy!

 

[resurgent cineribus]

Agreed, I guess the sedan has a pretty good size trunk but the way I carry things around they tend to roll around and be tough to get to. Yesterday it held a weeks groceries comfortably and today I had to move a 32" TV which fit right in without even having to move seats around.

I was a little rusty on driving a stick and did manage to stall it out a few times but I got it home and should be a pro in a few weeks of driving! I'd also say this was a good car to learn stick on since the clutch is pretty forgiving and the engine has enough torque to compensate. I imagine some of the higher performance cars would be a bit tougher to live with day in and out. I'm looking forward to learning some of the maintenance steps like replacing the fuel filter and anything else to keep in running great.



This is a pretty good rebuttal to the crossover obsession IMO. It's not super low/hard to get in either.

 

[macfam]

I recently purchased a 2019 Chevy Cruze diesel. I have had several diesel cars and pickups over the years. My daily driver for the last seventeen years has been a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta TDI manual. So far, I like the Cruze much more than the Jetta. The Cruze has a little more room, is more comfortable, and has a reasonable automatic transmission. I recommend this car to anyone who wants a diesel engined car that has the modern amenities available in most new cars.

 

[Codester]

The Cruze Diesel is a rare gem, my friend. The 6 speed manual is the way to go. The gears practically shift themselves, the torque keeps you from stalling, mated with diesel it can haul ass when you need it too. I have a sedan but I've heard only good things about hatch space. Ride is quiet, console buttons are straight forward. Seats are comfortable. 10/10 and you could pick up a used one for under 20k

 

[rcruze]

Congrats on getting the car. IMO you will love it. On my 2018 6sp sedan I just rolled over 62K miles and the only issue I have had is 1 TMS sessor in the wheels. But when I get my new tires I will get that fixed...

 

[dundonrl]

I realize this is a few months old.. but here's some of the fuel economy markers that I've been able to obtain in my 17 Cruze diesel with 6 speed..

 

[oregon_rider]

I've put forth the notion, with the increasing use of electric cars, that perhaps the 2-car family evolves into having an electric town car and a gasoline powered road car.

Driving into town in the electric, running some errands, and then heading back to the burbs will usually fit within the range of the battery without needing to charge it while away from the house. The benefit is that, with no emissions, urban areas will have cleaner air while the car's limited range presents few problems when used this way.

Conversely, the gas fired car would be used for road trips where its emissions are spread over a much wider area and thus will not result in the brown haze bubble seen from the windows of aircraft when approaching urban areas.

The complaint that diesels pollute even more than gasoline burning cars makes them even more ill suited for urban use. But perhaps, like long haul trucks, using diesel cars in rural areas - ie, as road cars - may present a viable market niche for them. Maybe there's still hope for them

Doug

.

My daughter has been driving in our diesel Cruze in a small college town. And I have been considering swapping out the diesel Cruze for a chevy volt lease return because we started having plugged dpf issues....

For now I have decided to deal with this by using a dpf cleaner additive regularly and checking cleaning the EGR Valve along the way.

The Chevy volt is electric around town and gas on highway as you describe in your two car family scenario. Just hit the mode button on the highway and you are burning petrol instead of electrons....

Jeff

 

[oreo382]

There are a lot of pro's and con's about owning a diesel, so here is my take on it. I bought new in 2012 and currently have just passed 69K km. Most of my trips are short and the engine spends much of the time below normal temperature. I have a light that warns me when I need to keep driving and it has lit up 3 times in the life of the car. In 6.5 years I have had 0 mechanical issues. The main difference to the US cars is no snow in winter and no DEF tank. I didn't buy just for economy, but for that big car lazy feeling you get with a torquey engine. At 110 kph on the freeway it is doing 1750 rpm, so engine wear is low. If you buy a car like you are an accountant the chances are you don't enjoy driving, the rest of us buy something we actually want to drive.

You have gone 70k in 6 or so years,short trips,below normal temp.I have gone about the same,short trips,engine up to temp. usually and I have severely carboned up intake valves.So much so the dealer removed the head and is getting it redone.I live in Canada, pretty well below 0 C for 4 months,40 cetane diesel.I'm guessing your winter temps. are ?.I'm trying to see what the big difference is between same driving conditions and no problems compared to major problem (mine). Temperature or lower cetane fuel? You don't have DEF? Do you have EGR?

 

[boraz]

You have gone 70k in 6 or so years,short trips,below normal temp.I have gone about the same,short trips,engine up to temp. usually and I have severely carboned up intake valves.So much so the dealer removed the head and is getting it redone.I live in Canada, pretty well below 0 C for 4 months,40 cetane diesel.I'm guessing your winter temps. are ?.I'm trying to see what the big difference is between same driving conditions and no problems compared to major problem (mine). Temperature or lower cetane fuel? You don't have DEF? Do you have EGR?

he has a completely different car, different engine, different emissions, different trans, different fuel

 

[oreo382]

Boraz,thanks for clarifying that for me.

 

[BDCCruze]

Is there a laundry list of special coverages for the 17-19's like there is on the 14/15's?