# Looking into a Cruze Diesel



## UncleSAm (Feb 26, 2015)

Just got a new job and my daily commute is going to be 110 miles, and thus im looking for a new DD and came across the cruze. It caught my eye and I was wondering to what kind of daily cost and maintenance would I be looking at? If there's any issues I should know about? Obviously the dealer isn't going to say anything cause all they care about is selling the car. This will be my first diesel but Im plenty good with a wrench as well. I live in Southern California so cold isn't a issue here lol. Just looking for the inside story and some real world experiences i guess 

Also what kind of aftermarket is out there? Im addicted to boost! (as my weekend toy is a blown mustang with 600hp on 91 pump ) but ima have to hold back the fun till I blow through the warranty in a few years hahaha. what can these motors and trans handle? ive read there no muffler? so a catback wouldn't be in the mix but an intake and cooler with a tune should be fun? 



Any help would be appreciated and hope im not stepping on any toes posting here


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Welcome to CruzeTalk. You posted in the right area to get your answers. In the meantime take a look around.


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## TDCruze (Sep 26, 2014)

Welcome!  

The Cruze diesel is a very nice car. Great for long highway commutes! Good power and great mileage. There are not really any common issues with the diesel Cruze, just the odd thing. There has been a handful of exhaust sensors (pressure, temperature, N0x) needing to be replaced, but this has been few and far between. There are a few members with quite a few miles on theirs already. 

There is not a huge amount of aftermarket parts specific to diesel Cruze performance as of yet. This is mostly due to the relatively low production numbers to date. There are a couple companies that sell tunes that give as much as +50hp and +66tq and are DPF safe.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

whats the price difference between diesel and gas where you live?

would you have gotten leather anyways?

gonna assume lotsa air conditioning is gonna be used, all the dudes in the gas cruzes getting awesome mpg use the ac sparingly...so plus for diesel, mpg doesnt suffer with ac in the diesel


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## Gator (Jul 14, 2013)

65000 on mine and still happy I bought it. I did have a EGR valve go bad at 52000 miles but other than that great car. 49 mpg avg


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## MilTownSHO (Oct 9, 2013)

I have an 88 mile a day commute myself. Flipped over 44 thousand on mine yesterday.

To be honest I love the car. I come from a background of sports cars only. SRT's, GTO, Mazdaspeed, SHO's, etc.

This is my first "boring car" since I needed something that got better mileage and I didn't have to fill up every other day.

I also to be honest have NEVER been a GM fan, but this is the best little car I have ever owned.

Build quality is superb, I never feel like I'm driving a small economy car. The diesel trim comes nicely equipped. The car is suprisingly quiet and composed. It really is GM's little secret.

The only difference maintenance wise is changing the fuel filter but it is not a big deal. The manual states every 30 thousand, but mine didn't actually need changing to closer to 40 thousand.

I have had mine tuned for about the last twenty thousand miles without any issues. It makes the car so much better to drive.

To sum it up I never would have thought in a million years I would end up liking this car, much less loving it. This car will never leave my driveway. I may get a new toy to play with but the diesel is staying till the wheels fall off.


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## Risner11 (Jan 18, 2015)

Another extra cost is the DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) that you will have to replace every 10k miles or so. 
I've owned mine now for about a month and I love it. The extra power with the great fuel mileage plus the ability to hold its value for a long time is Awesome.


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## dmaxpwr (Nov 29, 2013)

Risner11 said:


> Another extra cost is the DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) that you will have to replace every 10k miles or so.
> I've owned mine now for about a month and I love it. The extra power with the great fuel mileage plus the ability to hold its value for a long time is Awesome.


^$13 or so every 10k miles


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## VtTD (Nov 5, 2013)

I'm up to 30k with no real problems yet. Then again any car that gives you real problems with only 30k miles is a POS. The car drives real smooth, no shifting up hills on the interstate thanks the torque and with that torque and the turbo you can really move around and pass easily. The engine/transmission combo is great. The car really feels solid and powerful. Downsides are: oil/filters are more expensive and difficult to get from anywhere other than the dealer. A DEF top off at an oil change will cost you about $15-20 on top of the oil change price. You have to deal with the fuel filter every 35k or so ($165 I was quoted. I think you can do it yourself for under $100 though). Timing belt on this car has a change interval just under every 100k. Last the emissions parts can be very expensive. I seem to remember the DPF being close to $1000 installed. Most likely you will not need to replace this, but like a Transmission, if you do need to replace it, it sucks. So, some things to consider, but overall I have been very impressed and happy with the car. Oh, Last downside: Dealing with god awful Chevy dealers. Some are great, like where I purchased mine. A lot are horrible, like all the ones around me I need to deal with for any work. My experience with the dealers alone will keep my from buying another GM vehicle if someone else has a comparable diesel next time around.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

Risner11 said:


> Another extra cost is the DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) that you will have to replace every 10k miles or so.
> I've owned mine now for about a month and I love it. The extra power with the great fuel mileage plus the ability to hold its value for a long time is Awesome.





dmaxpwr said:


> ^$13 or so every 10k miles


dmaxpwr hit it right on the head, go to a Truck Stop for your def fill. The stuff is Vodka expensive at the auto parts store, and you would think the dealer was selling you channel no 5 with their prices. A $20 fill at a def pump at your local truck stop will pretty much fill your tank and keep you going almost 10k miles!

Aftermarket wise, there are a ton of things you can do with the car. Everything that fits the gasser will fit the Diesel, with the exception being powertrain components. Well, we have a different bolt pattern, but we really get more wheel choices than the gas model.

So suspension, body panels, interior kits, stereo parts. All of this stuff fits, and they make some neat items.

For powertrain, nobody has really cracked the encryption yet, so we got some piggyback tunes that were mentioned above. One tuner offers upgraded injectors, but without the upgraded turbo to go with it, it's definitely overkill. 

Come to think of it, I wonder if the upgraded intercooler would fit our cars. The meth kit? So many neat things to try, its just a matter of a little additional research and then going for it. Take a look at my build, and you'll see a ton of mods that weren't specifically Diesel rated.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Welcome! Seems like you got some great replies here. 

Don't forget to factor in the cost of fuel additives. For the longevity of a very expensive fueling system, they are strongly recommended.


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## MilTownSHO (Oct 9, 2013)

Risner11 said:


> the ability to hold its value for a long time is Awesome.


You may want to recheck that one...


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## MilTownSHO (Oct 9, 2013)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Welcome! Seems like you got some great replies here.
> 
> Don't forget to factor in the cost of fuel additives. For the longevity of a very expensive fueling system, they are strongly recommended.


Myself and other members, including one with over 100k on his diesel already do not use them.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

MilTownSHO said:


> Myself and other members, including one with over 100k on his diesel already do not use them.


Achieved mostly with light highway driving at constant speeds. The lack of catastrophic failure in those conditions does not demonstrate OEM-like operation. It also does not demonstrate that the injectors are acceptably within OEM specifications. This vehicle is barely over a year old. Give it some time. I'm only relaying what I've learned from owners of other diesel engines. It has been demonstrated that fuel additives that improve the lubricity of the fuel and keep injectors clean reduce DPF regen cycle frequency, improve power, fuel economy, and cold starting ability, and extend the life of the injectors. It is unrealistic to expect that an injector should fail within 100,000. 

My discussion with the lead technical engineer for this engine two years ago indicated that one should expect a life cycle of 200,000 miles, give or take depending on driving conditions and maintenance. Some will last far less and some will last far more. Exceeding that life cycle, the injectors may continue to function, but with reduced performance. 

My reading on the TDI forums indicated that anything over 150,000 miles on injectors is borrowed time. Those who exceed those by any significant margin are using fuel additives or use their vehicles in very light service conditions. Keeping the fuel system clean is absolutely paramount in ensuring the longest injector life possible. Remember, just because an injector works doesn't mean it is within allowable specifications. 

Cost of replacement injectors will rival that of a transmission rebuild, and the tendency of diesel injectors to develop carbon deposits without a cleaning service is all but guaranteed. The question is not if, but _*when*_.

I'll be in the market for a med sized pickup this fall, and the cost of replacement injectors is my #1 reservation in considering the 2.8L Duramax Colorado.


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## UncleSAm (Feb 26, 2015)

boraz said:


> whats the price difference between diesel and gas where you live?
> 
> would you have gotten leather anyways?


 driving past a shell tonight think it was 3.15 for 87 3.25 for 89 and 3.35 for 91 and 3.05 for diesel, i live in a desert so def some ac usage. and yea leather for sure after reading that the seats like to stain. 



MilTownSHO said:


> I have an 88 mile a day commute myself. Flipped over 44 thousand on mine yesterday.
> 
> To be honest I love the car. I come from a background of sports cars only. SRT's, GTO, Mazdaspeed, SHO's, etc.
> 
> ...


think you came from the exact life im coming from, i don't want to put the miles on my fav toys and looking for the best "boring" car lol. lets not mention having to fill up a few times a week haha geeze haha. thank you helped alot. 



VtTD said:


> I'm up to 30k with no real problems yet. Then again any car that gives you real problems with only 30k miles is a POS. The car drives real smooth, no shifting up hills on the interstate thanks the torque and with that torque and the turbo you can really move around and pass easily. The engine/transmission combo is great. The car really feels solid and powerful. Downsides are: oil/filters are more expensive and difficult to get from anywhere other than the dealer. A DEF top off at an oil change will cost you about $15-20 on top of the oil change price. You have to deal with the fuel filter every 35k or so ($165 I was quoted. I think you can do it yourself for under $100 though). Timing belt on this car has a change interval just under every 100k. Last the emissions parts can be very expensive. I seem to remember the DPF being close to $1000 installed. Most likely you will not need to replace this, but like a Transmission, if you do need to replace it, it sucks. So, some things to consider, but overall I have been very impressed and happy with the car. Oh, Last downside: Dealing with god awful Chevy dealers. Some are great, like where I purchased mine. A lot are horrible, like all the ones around me I need to deal with for any work. My experience with the dealers alone will keep my from buying another GM vehicle if someone else has a comparable diesel next time around.


great thank you alot! not looking to deal with the dealership either...:sad010:



Danny5 said:


> go to a Truck Stop for your def fill. The stuff is Vodka expensive at the auto parts store, and you would think the dealer was selling you channel no 5 with their prices. A $20 fill at a def pump at your local truck stop will pretty much fill your tank and keep you going almost 10k miles!
> 
> Aftermarket wise, there are a ton of things you can do with the car. Everything that fits the gasser will fit the Diesel, with the exception being powertrain components. Well, we have a different bolt pattern, but we really get more wheel choices than the gas model.
> 
> ...


great thanks! deff keep that in mind about just hitting a truck stop. eh think ill wait till the ecu is cracked. was thinking of a 100% water injection witha progressive controller since meth ups the octain level.. meth tho is fun i have in on my weekend toy but think you need to unlock the computer to really have the full benefit of it. 



XtremeRevolution said:


> Welcome! Seems like you got some great replies here.
> 
> Don't forget to factor in the cost of fuel additives. For the longevity of a very expensive fueling system, they are strongly recommended.


thats what Ive heard from some truck owners and i know the new diesel fuels lack properties of the older stuff. guess we can thank the epa for that. pennys spent now can really save you in the long run. do you more suggest some at every fill up or every other or closer to every oil change/def fill up


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## bowtieblue (May 26, 2014)

UncleSAm said:


> driving past a shell tonight think it was 3.15 for 87 3.25 for 89 and 3.35 for 91 and 3.05 for diesel


 Diesel isn't normally cheaper than regular in your area is it? If a primary reason for buying a CTD is fuel savings, I don't know that you can count on diesel prices still being lower than regular in the future. Even with your high mileage and presumably mostly highway driving, the CTD may not save you as much money as you think in fuel costs and could very likely cost more depending on where prices in your area go between regular and diesel.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

UncleSAm said:


> driving past a shell tonight think it was 3.15 for 87 3.25 for 89 and 3.35 for 91 and 3.05 for diesel, i live in a desert so def some ac usage. and yea leather for sure after reading that the seats like to stain.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Fuel injector cleaner additives often have a "maintenance" interval. One bottle ends up lasting you 80 gallons or so, which in this car is 7 fill-ups. That's like $1 extra per full tank of fuel, so it's not a huge expense. Just something to keep in mind.


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## Diesel Dan (May 18, 2013)

The Diesel has much better passing power on the highway as well.
I'd recommend it.


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## UncleSAm (Feb 26, 2015)

bowtieblue said:


> Diesel isn't normally cheaper than regular in your area is it? If a primary reason for buying a CTD is fuel savings, I don't know that you can count on diesel prices still being lower than regular in the future. Even with your high mileage and presumably mostly highway driving, the CTD may not save you as much money as you think in fuel costs and could very likely cost more depending on where prices in your area go between regular and diesel.


is normally within 50 cents but i haven't paid attention but i will now. and were talking about me going from a car that gets 16 mpg combined with multiple fill ups per week to something that will be driven hwy 90% of the time with (guessing) 45+ mpg and filling up once a week. the fuel savings alone would cover most of the monthly payment if im right. 

Im looking for a car that can handle DD duty, something that doesn't need money thrown at it, something that wont give me major issues, something that can take the miles with ease and is comfy to drive, if you get the picture im painting 



XtremeRevolution said:


> Fuel injector cleaner additives often have a "maintenance" interval. One bottle ends up lasting you 80 gallons or so, which in this car is 7 fill-ups. That's like $1 extra per full tank of fuel, so it's not a huge expense. Just something to keep in mind.


not a problem if i do end up with a CTD in the next month or so ill be hitting you up



Diesel Dan said:


> The Diesel has much better passing power on the highway as well.
> I'd recommend it.


thanks, im sure the car will be slow in comparison to what im use to but passing power is always bonus


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## bowtieblue (May 26, 2014)

UncleSAm said:


> is normally within 50 cents but i haven't paid attention but i will now. and were talking about me going from a car that gets 16 mpg combined with multiple fill ups per week to something that will be driven hwy 90% of the time with (guessing) 45+ mpg and filling up once a week. the fuel savings alone would cover most of the monthly payment if im right.


 The CTD fuel cost savings will be there compared to what you are apparently coming from but those savings may not be any better than a 2LT or other 1.4T depending on where diesel vs. regular prices go. Plus, the 2LT will be cheaper to buy as you can probably get a comparable 2LT for about $1,800 less than a CTD assuming similar rebates. Even an LTZ would be cheaper than a CTD.

Just some things to consider when evaluating fuel prices, desired car features, etc.


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## UncleSAm (Feb 26, 2015)

bowtieblue said:


> The CTD fuel cost savings will be there compared to what you are apparently coming from but those savings may not be any better than a 2LT or other 1.4T depending on where diesel vs. regular prices go. Plus, the 2LT will be cheaper to buy as you can probably get a comparable 2LT for about $1,800 less than a CTD assuming similar rebates. Even an LTZ would be cheaper than a CTD.
> 
> Just some things to consider when evaluating fuel prices, desired car features, etc.


i gotcha, the CTD caught my eye cause it seems to be well built, can handle the abuse and is different. fuel savings isnt my only motive as it seems cost of ownership is less the gas version


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## TDCruze (Sep 26, 2014)

I don't believe that I have seen any mention yet of the very solid Japanese built Aisin-Warner AF40-6 automatic transmission that comes only on the diesel model Cruze. Just another +1 for long term durability. The diesel Cruze boasts a European built tried and true diesel engine and a solid Japanese transmission that should be a recipe for a long lasting car.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

UncleSAm said:


> fuel savings isnt my only motive as it seems cost of ownership is less the gas version


not sure aboot this


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Here is my real world experience of 100K miles of ownership:

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/64-c...7-100k-miles-2014-chevrolet-cruze-diesel.html


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## VtTD (Nov 5, 2013)

UncleSAm said:


> i gotcha, the CTD caught my eye cause it seems to be well built, can handle the abuse and is different. fuel savings isnt my only motive as it seems cost of ownership is less the gas version


I second boraz in not thinking this is necessarily true. Getting from point A to point B, all costs considered, will probably be cheaper with a gas version similarly equipped. Yeah, the engine should go on for a long time, but maintenance is more expensive on these than a gas. Oil changes, fuel filter changes, DEF.. it can start to add up. Then if something does go in the fuel system or emissions system, you're in for a lot more pain than if the part went on a gas engine. Fuel savings are there, but not as big as they seem due to the premium on diesel. I think the gas version has a timing chain rather than a belt too (I could be wrong, I just seem to remember seeing that). So, if you're going to buy it, just keep in mind you'll probably need a little more money month to month to keep the car healthy. If you can do that without breaking the bank, I think you'll be happy with the car.


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## Gator (Jul 14, 2013)

The DEF I not a big expense. Its around 2.50 a gallon at the truckstop. I fill only after oil changes at 7000 miles. The most I put in is a gallon and a half. 3.25 every 7000 miles. Most of you spend more than that for coffee. So don't let the DEF worry you.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

VtTD said:


> I second boraz in not thinking this is necessarily true. Getting from point A to point B, all costs considered, will probably be cheaper with a gas version similarly equipped. Yeah, the engine should go on for a long time, but maintenance is more expensive on these than a gas. Oil changes, fuel filter changes, DEF.. it can start to add up. Then if something does go in the fuel system or emissions system, you're in for a lot more pain than if the part went on a gas engine. Fuel savings are there, but not as big as they seem due to the premium on diesel. I think the gas version has a timing chain rather than a belt too (I could be wrong, I just seem to remember seeing that). So, if you're going to buy it, just keep in mind you'll probably need a little more money month to month to keep the car healthy. If you can do that without breaking the bank, I think you'll be happy with the car.


Correct, the 1.4T has a timing chain set for life. 

The fuel economy of the 1.4T is close...if you get the Eco Manual. Both the Eco Manual and the Eco Diesel are underrated for what they can do. The automatics are pretty fairly rated.


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## JRB'sOilburningCruze (Feb 25, 2015)

I just bought a CTD. I can tell you, I would have not bought the gas version, I specifically wanted the diesel. The only other alternative in the US market is the VW. I'm not a VW fan, their drivetrains are pretty good, but the rest of the "superior" German engineering falls apart in about 60k miles. 
The CTD runs stronger than the gas version, seems to have a little more get up and go. Oil filters are more expensive, and you have to keep an eye on the fuel filter.
I really enjoy watching the trip computer display 48MPG.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

boraz said:


> whats the price difference between diesel and gas where you live?
> 
> would you have gotten leather anyways?
> 
> gonna assume lotsa air conditioning is gonna be used, all the dudes in the gas cruzes getting awesome mpg use the ac sparingly...so plus for diesel, mpg doesnt suffer with ac in the diesel


Not all of us. My ECO MT is black outside and in so I run my A/C routinely, even in the winter. Doesn't kill my MPG nearly as much as some others report. I don't know why but I wonder if it's because I have a manual and not an automatic.

OP, if you want a stick shift the ECO MT is the trim you need for your commute.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

AC drastically hurts city MPG on the 1.4T because the car is really underpowered with it on. Even on 93 octane, I hate the way my car drives with AC on.

The diesel isn't "quick" but the rush of torque when you ask for it makes merging and lane changes pretty fun. 

Handling is much less clumsy on the gas LT models though - while the Diesel rides better IMO, you really feel the weight up front in corners.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

obermd said:


> Not all of us. My ECO MT is black outside and in so I run my A/C routinely, even in the winter. Doesn't kill my MPG nearly as much as some others report. I don't know why but I wonder if it's because I have a manual and not an automatic.
> 
> OP, if you want a stick shift the ECO MT is the trim you need for your commute.


youre not getting awesome mpg.


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## Diesel Dan (May 18, 2013)

How many gas Eco cars have:
-heated leather seats
-Z link rear suspension
-rear disc brakes
-electric heater element
etc.

The Diesel Cruze gives you the most options, most power (HP & TQ) and great MPG.
None of the Eco models (gas/Diesel) can get the RS package or are tow rated.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

Diesel Dan said:


> How many gas Eco cars have:
> -heated leather seats
> -Z link rear suspension
> -rear disc brakes
> ...


sunroof.


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## Junk68 (May 17, 2012)

Hallo, just let me step in on this item: I drive a european Chevrolet Cruze with a diesel engine; mine is the Corean version with a different engine than the one sold in US. My engine is a 163 HP 2 lieter diesel. The engin sold in US should be the same sold for years on another GM car over here in europe. It should be the 160 HP mounted on Opel Insigna (google it, it's sold also in US with another name ) The engin is quite reliable. Compared to other engines it is a little "rough" but nothing worth to mention. If you should look for tuning parts specific for this engine, you should check German Car Tuner Irmscher web site, but I don't think it's worth the money to ship it to the states. Concenring mileage: diesel fuel consumption is not compareble to gas! Asuming that the price is the same (diesel and gas) and you do not drive much in city but lot's of highway with constant speed, you make many more miles with diesel!


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## UncleSAm (Feb 26, 2015)

TDCruze said:


> I don't believe that I have seen any mention yet of the very solid Japanese built Aisin-Warner AF40-6 automatic transmission that comes only on the diesel model Cruze. Just another +1 for long term durability. The diesel Cruze boasts a European built tried and true diesel engine and a solid Japanese transmission that should be a recipe for a long lasting car.


very true, seems very solid 



diesel said:


> Here is my real world experience of 100K miles of ownership:
> 
> http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/64-c...7-100k-miles-2014-chevrolet-cruze-diesel.html


thank you, I've read it a few times now and it was very informative and thanks for taking to the time to type it all 



jblackburn said:


> The diesel isn't "quick" but the rush of torque when you ask for it makes merging and lane changes pretty fun.
> 
> Handling is much less clumsy on the gas LT models though - while the Diesel rides better IMO, you really feel the weight up front in corners.


I hardly find most cars to be "quick" these days



Diesel Dan said:


> How many gas Eco cars have:
> -heated leather seats
> -Z link rear suspension
> -rear disc brakes
> ...


the whole package is being factored in that's why I asked the original question, seems to be a fairly fully load car that rides well and handles fine with not much grief given. It is something different that whats normally on the road




thanks for everyone's replies and input, keep it coming


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## icecube58 (Jan 16, 2015)

As an owner of a CTD since December, I would agree with most of what has been written here. Engine and transmission play well together, the car has plenty of relaxed power, its v. quiet (once warmed up) and the economy is definitely there, provided you mostly drive on the highway. Main flaw for me is the numb, overlight (yet slow) steering, which is also inconsistent, so it seems to need constant 'minding' on the highway. The car also doesn't have much bite at the front end, though its safe enough in fast curves. As no-one else seems to have this problem, it might just be what I'm comparing it to (previous car, an Astra, while no GTI, had pretty talkative steering). It also may have to do with with the ULRR tires/tire pressures. Car was delivered with way low pressures, so I'm still trying to get it right (ultra cold weather isn't helping). Haven't driven a gas model, so don't know if this is only a CTD thing. It may be fine for your purposes, but check it out on the highway before you buy...


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

icecube58 said:


> As an owner of a CTD since December, I would agree with most of what has been written here. Engine and transmission play well together, the car has plenty of relaxed power, its v. quiet (once warmed up) and the economy is definitely there, provided you mostly drive on the highway. Main flaw for me is the numb, overlight (yet slow) steering, which is also inconsistent, so it seems to need constant 'minding' on the highway. The car also doesn't have much bite at the front end, though its safe enough in fast curves. As no-one else seems to have this problem, it might just be what I'm comparing it to (previous car, an Astra, while no GTI, had pretty talkative steering). It also may have to do with with the ULRR tires/tire pressures. Car was delivered with way low pressures, so I'm still trying to get it right (ultra cold weather isn't helping). Haven't driven a gas model, so don't know if this is only a CTD thing. It may be fine for your purposes, but check it out on the highway before you buy...


its an econobox not a miata.


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## Aphidman (Nov 24, 2014)

I’ve had my Cruze Diesel since November last year; I got it because it was very nicely equipped and has good highway fuel economy, and frankly because having a _diesel_ Cruze was just a little bit different. I am very happy with it.

As others have said, the torque is great, and the highway mileage. I drove from 970 km/603 mi on one tank, with 4 passengers and their luggage, at -30°C. Holy doodle! (Pardon my coarse language.) My Hyundai Santa Fe used three times as much fuel for the same distance.

But consider the gasoline models as well (and, dare I say it, cars other than the Cruze). If I was driving the kind of distance that you are every day, the most important consideration I would have would be the comfort of the seat. The Cruze seat is very nice and firm, but think about that issue when you are test-driving.

Good luck!


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## Sperry (Aug 3, 2013)

Daily commute is about 130 miles .. average speed per tank is about 45 MPH so nearly all highway. In warmer weather ( above freezing ) average 51 - 54 MPG. DEF usage is much less than I was expecting.. Topped it up in early December and haven't had to add any since.. Almost 60,000 miles without any real problem.. Replaced 1 wheel sensor .. Very happy with my choice


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## Su8pack1 (Apr 17, 2014)

Almost 12,000 miles on ours, and other than a couple of sensor problems at first, its been great. Getting our second free oil change next week.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

boraz said:


> youre not getting awesome mpg.


Says the pot to the kettle. I have 65,000 miles above the EPA 42 MPG highway estimate. We have a handful of members who are doing better than I so yes there's improvement I can make and I suspect my new commute will start to reflect this. At 32,000+ miles you are nearly 3 MPG below the EPA 46 MPG highway estimate. However, I don't know what sort of traffic you deal with so at 10 MPG above the combined fuel economy you are probably doing very well. I am 9 MPG above the combined number with a vehicle rated at 4 MPG lower on the highway and 1 MPG better in the city. Both trims share the 33 MPG combined estimate.

As for my comment on the A/C not killing my fuel economy, my 814 mile tank (51 MPG for that tank) was done over a 2.5 week period in August 2013. I ran the A/C for ~400 of those miles during my afternoon commute so if the A/C was really killing my fuel economy I would have noticed. Also, the commute during that time was a net 400 feet downhill in the morning and uphill in the afternoon. The differences between morning and afternoon fuel economy was exactly the same as during those months of the year when I don't have to run the A/C. I have also tooled along on I-25 south of Pueblo at 78 MPH (75 zone) getting 40 MPG while running the A/C. jblackburn and spacedout have both repeatedly reported the A/C makes a significant difference for them. Why I'm not impacted like they are I don't know, but just making a blanket statement that the A/C kills your fuel economy is not accurate.

A few points here: On the highway the best fuel economy will be the CTD followed by the ECO MT. Based on both my experience and Motortrend Magazine's testing the ECO MT doesn't drop down to the EPA highway estimate until you hit 77 MPH. I'm not sure the speed for the CTD to drop down to 46 MPG as I don't drive one nor have I seen this testing done. In the city the ECO MT, if driven with fuel economy in mind, will outpace all other Cruze trims for fuel economy. Doing this takes time, patience, and practice however. Even when I'm not driving for raw fuel economy I get mid 30s in the city. In mixed driving, which is what the vast majority of drivers do, both trims will come in from the high 30s to low 40s for combined fuel economy. I just looked up the Fuelly numbers for the ECO and Diesel trims and only reported on 40 MPG and higher. The ECO and Diesel columns are from the fuelly submodel filters. The "All" column has no filters and there is no way to easily determine if the Diesel column is US/Canada CTD or worldwide diesels. As you see there are several unknown trims doing quite well.




MPG
AllECODiesel4043174145584235310
4318114417545151346347812484493503115131525321

These numbers tell me there isn't nearly as much difference in the trims combined fuel economy as the EPA suggests and I suspect at least a couple of those 40 MPG cars are LT manuals driven almost entirely on the highway at 55-60 MPH. This chart also tells me it is only slightly easier to get into the low 40s and definitely easier to hit the mid 40s with the CTD than with the ECO MT. But note the drop offs - 41 MPG for the ECO and 42 for the CTD with 42 and 45 for all trims. These drop off points are interesting - it appears easier to hit the EPA highway numbers in combined driving in the ECO MT.

When you get to driving characteristics the CTD definitely has more get up and go than the ECO MT and it's an automatic which means more people can drive one. The gearing on the ECO MT is definitely different from any of the other dozen or so stick shifts I've driven. Both trims have more than enough two lane road passing power - you do have to learn how to extract this power from the ECO MT however.

From what I've seen on CT and with my own experiences OP won't go wrong with either trim.


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## BowtieGuy (Jan 4, 2013)

obermd, your post just made me realize that I had not updated my Cruze to the Eco trim after the Fuelly update. Thanks! ccasion14:


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

Much of what has been written doesn't apply to me, but I do have a diesel, and I have owned since it was built in 2012 and I am very happy with it. When I bought it I was actually going to replace my 1999 Commodore with a new one only it was more expensive than what I was prepared to pay. The salesman said "what about a Cruze". I was not interested in either of the petrol models available at the time, not enough lazy power after coming from a 3.8V6. I asked about the diesel and bought one at a great price and low interest. I have never looked back since and it performs much like the V6 did and climbs steep hills even better. I miss the RWD of the Commodore but that is all.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

obermd said:


> Says the pot to the kettle.


im not trying to get awesome mpg, I just want it to get what it was advertised to get...its how I can justify its purchase to myself...i cant make heads or tails out of the mpg, same route 14 days apart 7.5 mph avg speed faster gets 1.5 mpg better??? considering majority of my miles are on studded tires and winter fuel...the car is doin good....with no effort...i set it on cruise and it does what they said it would.



obermd said:


> I have 65,000 miles above the EPA 42 MPG highway estimate. We have a handful of members who are doing better than I so yes there's improvement I can make and I suspect my new commute will start to reflect this. At 32,000+ miles you are nearly 3 MPG below the EPA 46 MPG highway estimate. However, I don't know what sort of traffic you deal with so at 10 MPG above the combined fuel economy you are probably doing very well. I am 9 MPG above the combined number with a vehicle rated at 4 MPG lower on the highway and 1 MPG better in the city. Both trims share the 33 MPG combined estimate.


10 is biggerer than 9, I accept your surrender. 



obermd said:


> As for my comment on the A/C not killing my fuel economy, my 814 mile tank (51 MPG for that tank) was done over a 2.5 week period in August 2013. I ran the A/C for ~400 of those miles during my afternoon commute so if the A/C was really killing my fuel economy I would have noticed. Also, the commute during that time was a net 400 feet downhill in the morning and uphill in the afternoon. The differences between morning and afternoon fuel economy was exactly the same as during those months of the year when I don't have to run the A/C. I have also tooled along on I-25 south of Pueblo at 78 MPH (75 zone) getting 40 MPG while running the A/C. jblackburn and spacedout have both repeatedly reported the A/C makes a significant difference for them. Why I'm not impacted like they are I don't know, but just making a blanket statement that the A/C kills your fuel economy is not accurate.


http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/27-fuel-economy/13400-monthly-avg-mpg-log-8.html#post1356009
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/27-fuel-economy/13400-monthly-avg-mpg-log-6.html#post1290681

^ their mpg drops double digit % with a/c, thats who i was referencing



obermd said:


> A few points here: On the highway the best fuel economy will be the CTD followed by the ECO MT. Based on both my experience and Motortrend Magazine's testing the ECO MT doesn't drop down to the EPA highway estimate until you hit 77 MPH. I'm not sure the speed for the CTD to drop down to 46 MPG as I don't drive one nor have I seen this testing done. In the city the ECO MT, if driven with fuel economy in mind, will outpace all other Cruze trims for fuel economy. Doing this takes time, patience, and practice however. Even when I'm not driving for raw fuel economy I get mid 30s in the city. In mixed driving, which is what the vast majority of drivers do, both trims will come in from the high 30s to low 40s for combined fuel economy. I just looked up the Fuelly numbers for the ECO and Diesel trims and only reported on 40 MPG and higher. The ECO and Diesel columns are from the fuelly submodel filters. The "All" column has no filters and there is no way to easily determine if the Diesel column is US/Canada CTD or worldwide diesels. As you see there are several unknown trims doing quite well.
> 
> 
> MPG All ECO Diesel
> ...


i seem to remember a poster with a tuned 1.8 saying he was in the 40s on the hwy, but i cant find it...


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## Diesel Dan (May 18, 2013)

I find myself driving our CTD more "spirited" enjoying the torque rush of the engine vs our gas Cruze.
Even driving more aggressively our average MPG exceeds the best tank MPG of our gas Cruze. If I drove for MPG the #s would be even that much better.

I view it as a win/win. More power, better MPG and more options. Err win, win--win?


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## Kexlox (Nov 4, 2014)

obermd said:


> jblackburn and spacedout have both repeatedly reported the A/C makes a significant difference for them. Why I'm not impacted like they are I don't know, but just making a blanket statement that the A/C kills your fuel economy is not accurate.


During the summer I get 52mpg on the flat stretches of highway on my commute. With the compressor running I get 46 instead. That's about 10% difference, which isn't huge, but it crosses the 50mpg mark, which is a mental break for me where it "kills" my mpg.



obermd said:


> I'm not sure the speed for the CTD to drop down to 46 MPG as I don't drive one nor have I seen this testing done.


I'd have to test again when I put summer tires back on, but 83-85.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

I beg to differ, 10% is huge and most car manufacturers would get great advertising mileage over such a gain.


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## ParisTNDude (Oct 7, 2013)

Gator said:


> 65000 on mine and still happy I bought it. I did have a EGR valve go bad at 52000 miles but other than that great car. 49 mpg avg


Just curious...did your 100k mile drive train warranty cover that repair?



Danny5 said:


> dmaxpwr hit it right on the head, go to a Truck Stop for your def fill. The stuff is Vodka expensive at the auto parts store, and you would think the dealer was selling you channel no 5 with their prices. A $20 fill at a def pump at your local truck stop will pretty much fill your tank and keep you going almost 10k miles!
> 
> I bought Blue Def at Walmart for $11 I think and the def guage was at about 24%. First time on my cost since all others were done on the 24K mile dealer service.
> 
> ...


Most Cruze diesel owners are quite pleased with the performance aspect. Until someone comes up with a foolproof tune, I will leave ours alone.



XtremeRevolution said:


> Achieved mostly with light highway driving at constant speeds. The lack of catastrophic failure in those conditions does not demonstrate OEM-like operation. It also does not demonstrate that the injectors are acceptably within OEM specifications. This vehicle is barely over a year old. Give it some time. I'm only relaying what I've learned from owners of other diesel engines. It has been demonstrated that fuel additives that improve the lubricity of the fuel and keep injectors clean reduce DPF regen cycle frequency, improve power, fuel economy, and cold starting ability, and extend the life of the injectors. It is unrealistic to expect that an injector should fail within 100,000.
> 
> My discussion with the lead technical engineer for this engine two years ago indicated that one should expect a life cycle of 200,000 miles, give or take depending on driving conditions and maintenance. Some will last far less and some will last far more. Exceeding that life cycle, the injectors may continue to function, but with reduced performance.
> 
> ...


No additives for my Cruze. I am convinced that most of that stuff is simply a profit maker for some chemical company.

In my Cruze, I had these problems:

2 oxygen sensors
1 low quality def warning...went away before I got it to a dealer
Notchy steering sensation...needed a computer software update
Recalled steering wheel air bag
Replaced passenger side door sill lighting unit

Average mpg for all my driving (mostly in traffic) 40.1 (Fuelly.com)
Best 25 mpg run was 72.9

I love our Cruze and plan to keep it a while.

To the OP, good luck on your choice.


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

ParisTNDude said:


> Just curious...did your 100k mile drive train warranty cover that repair?


egr valve is only covered under 24000/36mo warranty....gator had to pay out of pocket.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Kexlox said:


> During the summer I get 52mpg on the flat stretches of highway on my commute. With the compressor running I get 46 instead. That's about 10% difference, which isn't huge, but it crosses the 50mpg mark, which is a mental break for me where it "kills" my mpg.


That's a huge difference. I see maybe a 1 MPG drop running my A/C on with the blower on full. Recirc/external makes no difference. Still haven't figured out what I'm doing different but my ECO really does shut down the A/C during medium to WOT acceleration.



Kexlox said:


> I'd have to test again when I put summer tires back on, but 83-85.


Please do if it's legal to do so.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

boraz said:


> 10 is biggerer than 9, I accept your surrender.


OK - challenge accepted. 



boraz said:


> i seem to remember a poster with a tuned 1.8 saying he was in the 40s on the hwy, but i cant find it...


Now that you mention it I remember this as well.


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## UncleSAm (Feb 26, 2015)

obermd said:


> Still haven't figured out what I'm doing different but my ECO really does shut down the A/C during medium to WOT acceleration.


most if not all vehicles shut off the ac compressor when you give it throttle above a specified amount to give you "passing power" it makes sure all the power is used for acceleration


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

Wish my old cobalt did this. Instead it just felt like it had 10hp


Sent from the sexy electrician


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

money_man said:


> Wish my old cobalt did this. Instead it just felt like it had 10hp
> 
> 
> Sent from the sexy electrician


I take it you weren't on or near the floor if it was an automatic.

My Saab only cut it out when the pedal hit the floor - had a physical switch at the very end of the pedal travel kinda like the "kickdown" switch they used to have on automatic cars. And then it only had 10 HP to begin with. The Cruze feels like it does it at 3/4 throttle or so, because I'm constantly making it happen.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

It was a manual transmission


Sent from the sexy electrician


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

UncleSAm said:


> most if not all vehicles shut off the ac compressor when you give it throttle above a specified amount to give you "passing power" it makes sure all the power is used for acceleration


The cruze  1.4T auto for sure does this at WOT, but have not noticed it any other time.


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## jalaner (Dec 28, 2013)

The CTD is a perfect car for long commutes. The excellent highway mileage, cushy ride and quiet interior really make my long work trips more bearable. Feels like a bigger car. My only problem was a bad diesel fluid pump that required 34 days for replacement parts. City driving is noisy and economy is mediocre so I use a different car for that.


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