What Made you Decide to get a Cruze Diesel over a Jetta TDI?

17519 Views 85 Replies 46 Participants Last post by diesel, Nov 2, 2014

Cruze2.0TD

Discussion Starter · Jun 16, 2014

So, there may already be threads on this, but I'm bored and felt like having a conversation as to why people decided to go with a Cruze diesel. Here are my reasons:

The fully optioned out Cruze was cheaper than the fully optioned out Jetta, felt more solid, has a better fuel economy rating, has more power, and is more enjoyable to drive. If I had a family that I had to drag around and often had people in the back seat, I would've probably taken the Jetta for it's superior leg room in the back, but to me it is irrelevant. I also trust the Cruze more for reliability than I do the Jetta. I often think to myself if I'd be happy if I had gotten a Jetta, and normally I start to think, "well I like how it looked more, and wow was it spacious in the back, and there is something that sounds better about owning a German car" but then all I have to think about is how it felt like all power was lost past 3800 rpm in the one I test drove, and I'm reminded of why I like the Cruze so much more. Honestly if the Jetta had more power, I may have gone with it, but the way it faded out on the top end, I felt was an instant dissapointment.

So why did you guys go with a Cruze diesel instead of a Jetta TDI?

61 - 80 of 86 Posts

Tomko

· #61 · Jul 23, 2014

Failed wheel bearings would have more to do with the bumpy, rutted and pot-holed roads that result from salted roads, then the salt itself.

If you live in an area not so affected, then the likelihood is that your wheel bearings will serve you better.

Sent from AutoGuide.com App

jblackburn

· #62 · Jul 24, 2014

Tomko said:
Failed wheel bearings would have more to do with the bumpy, rutted and pot-holed roads that result from salted roads, then the salt itself.

If you live in an area not so affected, then the likelihood is that your wheel bearings will serve you better.

Sent from AutoGuide.com App

They also HATE sideways pressure (like a skid into a curb or lots of aggressive cornering).

Sent from Bill the WonderPhone

Reactions: 3

diesel

· #63 · Jul 26, 2014

I remember one bump in particular that I hit coming into Staten Island at about 70 MPH that could very well have damaged the bearings. Plus I do corner aggressively from time to time.

GotDiesel?

· #64 · Jul 31, 2014

I will chime in here since I have owned Both a VW (Golf TDI) and a Cruze CRTDI, big difference in build and ride over the other TDI's hence why the TDI golf is one of the hardest cars to get..Go see how many Passats,Jetta's and Beetles are around in the TDI, then go see how many golf's you can find ..The golf I am sorry will stomp the Cruze Diesel...Now, yes the Cruze once you put a tune as well as the vw is very fun to drive. Cruze Diesel ALOT louder ove the VW TDI. Turbo lag on the Cruze is very noticeable.. Also you get lots of vibration one the steering wheel on the Cruze Diesel, the golf is smooth as glass and the cruze is like an old lady. Once you her wound up, it's alot if fun. I sold my Cruze Diesel after many, many dealership F'ups and I had all I could take. VW has its fair share of Incompetent techs as well. I have a 2014 VW golf with the DSG, I have put and very aggressive tune on it and have removed all the restrictions and get 42 city 52 hwy + no matter how I drive and and I have a very lead foot when it comes to a diesel. The Cruze is a very good build, I will tell any one that you should try a Golf TDI and a Cruze diesel and see what you like then decide what you want to have in your drive way. I am looking for another Diesel Car and will wait to see the new 15 Cruze CRTDI and see if some of the (bugs) have been worked out. One more thing, the exhaust system on the cruze stomps the VW system in the simplicity and wish the vw system was like the one on the Cruze. I am very happy with my VW (golf) and have a long way to go till its broken in . Currently have 1,200 miles on the VW . Also on another note I had to tune both the car and the DSG to dial in every thing just right. Also the Cruze diesel motor is and this can be proven, is much louder at idle and under load and the feed back at idle on the wheel is very much felt . One more note, I did this on my phone so sorry if I miss spelled or any thing else.

Hope every one is doing well and may you all have long miles with next to nothing issues with the Cruze CRTDI that you have.

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money_man

· #65 · Jul 31, 2014

I haven't noticed any feedback on my steering wheel

why was I left out

Reactions: 1

oilburner

· #66 · Jul 31, 2014

Manny
I respect your opinion but I found another reason why I can`t stand VWs. Have a jetti tdi in the shop now that we have to change the oil pan on. a
chunk of the rear main oil seal housing which is plastic fell off when we removed the pan so now the trans is removed to repair it.
should of been aluminum like all the others I`ve seen. its hard to tell the customer its going to be another 600 hundred dollars.

GotDiesel?

· #67 · Jul 31, 2014

Oilburner, I agree with you hence the golf is about the only VW I like any more and the Golf is built in Germany but soon VW will now build them in Mexico and will have issues like your jetta is built in you guessed it ...Mexcio ... The 13 and 14 TDI got upgraded parts for the HPFPF issues . I hope the new 15 Cruze Diesel is better as well .

Reactions: 2

jblackburn

· #68 · Aug 1, 2014

oilburner said:
Manny
I respect your opinion but I found another reason why I can`t stand VWs. Have a jetti tdi in the shop now that we have to change the oil pan on. a
chunk of the rear main oil seal housing which is plastic fell off when we removed the pan so now the trans is removed to repair it.
should of been aluminum like all the others I`ve seen. its hard to tell the customer its going to be another 600 hundred dollars.

I have never heard of something like that, wtf. That's just ASKING for oil gushing out when that plastic cracks of its own accord a few years down the road anyway.

Barefeet

· #69 · Aug 1, 2014

Now that you mentioned it, there is a barely noticeable vibration in the steering wheel. Is that a defect?
I love my CTD.

GotDiesel?

· #70 · Aug 1, 2014

Barefeet, No defect at all on the cruze it's the nature of that car . I test drove 4 other Diesel Cruze's and the sales man was like you have some real issues ... His words not mine . Yes, you will feel that feed back at idle, very normal for the Diesel Cruze. Trust me when I say, I did try to figure out a way to see if I could make it better as I did bug me. Now my VW Golf TDI is smooth as silk, No nada or any feed back what so ever. Glad you are enjoying your Cruze CRTDI .

Boog8302

· #71 · Aug 2, 2014

This is an easy one for me to answer. I am and always will be a GM guy. That is when it comes to cars. Dont know enough about the trucks, and well I really have my heart set on a Ram 2500 Diesel. That being said, as soon as I heard that the Cruze was coming out in diesel I knew I was going to buy one. I am so glad I did. Like I said, I love GM cars. I have owned 7 GM cars and have owned 9 altogether. The only two that werent GM is the Dodge Caravan my ex wife has and my 95 Ford Bronco that I sold. GM cars have never let me down. Wont ever stray away from them.

Aussie

· #72 · Aug 5, 2014

GotDiesel? said:
Barefeet, No defect at all on the cruze it's the nature of that car . I test drove 4 other Diesel Cruze's and the sales man was like you have some real issues ... His words not mine . Yes, you will feel that feed back at idle, very normal for the Diesel Cruze. Trust me when I say, I did try to figure out a way to see if I could make it better as I did bug me. Now my VW Golf TDI is smooth as silk, No nada or any feed back what so ever. Glad you are enjoying your Cruze CRTDI .

I have just come home from an interstate trip in my diesel Cruze and have none of the issues mentioned. Then again I have a different engine and hydraulic steering on my Aussie built car. I haven't worked my fuel consumption yet but my speedo reads 5kph higher than my sat nav at 110kph, I don't know if this affects the odometer accuracy?

NHRA

· #73 · Oct 13, 2014

5,400 off of msrp of 27,700. 22,300 plus tax.

Reactions: 2

ParisTNDude

· #74 · Oct 13, 2014

My wife totaled our VW Passat V6 wagon in an encounter with a deer. We really liked that car and after the insurance company paid off we went looking for a Passat TDI Sportwagon and found them to be a very nice car. Then, I heard that Chevy was putting a diesel in the Cruze and that's all she wrote! I'm a Chevy fan first, fuel mileage for our family car second and performance car third (our C6 Corvette fills that need). We have been very happy with our Cruze and it now has 23k plus miles on it. Besides that, the nearest VW dealership is close to 2 hours away...no, thankyou.

Classy56

· #75 · Oct 13, 2014

Big difference in price($21,400 for my Cruze). Perceived reliability is a wash IMHO. But one of the biggest factors for me being sandwiched in between Hippie Towns is the stigma associated with the VW brand, may as well be a Subi or Prius. I Don't have enough NRA stickers to keep latte wielding Libturds away.

MOTO13

· #76 · Oct 13, 2014

First off the Cruze, unlike the TDI, does not look like a chick car. Like it or not, the TDI looks like it should be driven by a female...or an extremely wussified "guy". I liked the looks of the Cruze for sure and the interior was great. Then they dropped in a diesel and a pretty bullet proof automatic, and well, after driving it, that was pretty much it. Plus, let's face it, VW owners are perceived as being liberal, tree hugging, Birkenstock wearing eco freaks. And....I am not one of those. So, a VW was never in the equation.

Ger8mm

· #77 · Oct 13, 2014

I got mine because I have worked on Chevy's before and had a bunch of Chevy specialty tools already. Once you invest in a cars specialty tools for a brand, you pretty much don't want to start that expensive collection on another brand lol. Almost all Chevy's have the same guts so I am very comfortable working on them.

TDCruze

· #78 · Oct 13, 2014

Always leaned toward GM products. Looked at the Cruze before, but never bought. Once the Diesel was added I was sold.
I have been wanting a Diesel car for the combined performance and economy, but could never see myself in a VW.

GotDiesel?

· #79 · Oct 30, 2014

Good Day to all,
My golf tdi was totaled a few weeks a go by a gal txting and ran a light and hit the car and took out the front end . I walked away with out a scratch, the car well not so much total loss . I said I saw you on the phone why were you txting ??? her answer ...I don't know ...... So I don't care for the new 15 Golf TDI and the nearest left over Golf with a moon roof is like 300 miles + away from me and dealers are not really motivated on price all that much for a left over . I see a few left over cruze's can get almost 5,000 off msrp off . So I am thinking to give the cruze another chance as I become very well versed on this car and its issues and dealer screw up's and VW is no better . So what poison do I pick is the question lol I don't care for the VW passat as well and I want NOTHING that comes out of Mexico; Ask any VW owner what cars have the most issues and it's the ones built in Mexico..

Cruze2.0TD

Discussion Starter · #80 · Oct 30, 2014

GotDiesel? said:
Good Day to all,
My golf tdi was totaled a few weeks a go by a gal txting and ran a light and hit the car and took out the front end . I walked away with out a scratch, the car well not so much total loss . I said I saw you on the phone why were you txting ??? her answer ...I don't know ...... So I don't care for the new 15 Golf TDI and the nearest left over Golf with a moon roof is like 300 miles + away from me and dealers are not really motivated on price all that much for a left over . I see a few left over cruze's can get almost 5,000 off msrp off . So I am thinking to give the cruze another chance as I become very well versed on this car and its issues and dealer screw up's and VW is no better . So what poison do I pick is the question lol I don't care for the VW passat as well and I want NOTHING that comes out of Mexico; Ask any VW owner what cars have the most issues and it's the ones built in Mexico..

Just curious, why don't you like the new Golf?

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