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The article went on to discuss the performance and durability issues, noting that exceptionally few cars (top end corvettes, ferrari's, porches, lotus, lambs, etc.) had any perceptible changes when standard gas was used. Moreover, (and I've noticed this here in Texas where people are exceedingly cheap), as gas prices go up, fewer people use premium gas and hence it "stagnates" in the underground station tanks for a MUCH longer time. The result is often that after sitting for 6 months, a station's "premium" gas is actually a lot worse due to condensation, etc. than standard gas that gets refilled several times a week. Once I saw "premium" gas come out of a Chevron station hose that looked like yellow cloudy urine - definitely NOT what premium gas should look like.
So, keep in mind that what someone says a car 'needs' often is not, and furthermore that the replenishment of a particular grade of gas at stations probably correlates inversely with current prices (remember, whining Americans driving USS Excursions feel that they "deserve" gas @ $1 a gallon and that $2 is outrageous - and hence won't pay it). Nothing makes me smile more than some poor sap filling up his Burban' or USS Excursion for >$70 - sometimes I wish gas would even start to *approach* prices paid in the rest of the western world so that we would have a reality check (Jetta drivers notably excluded from this categorization).
Fast forward to 2001 and I'm paying $19 for 10 gallons and $21 for 10 gallons of premium gas. Suddenly the premium is only 10% higher than lower grade. Heck if you've spent 19, an extra $2 is nothing.
Point is, if high gas prices are the norm, then premium gas actually becomes a more realistic, if not better value to performance trade off.
BTW, I can feel a difference instantly by the gas.
I am so totally confused, I was looking for a 1.8tw leather,luxury and automatic. I was told to forget it because it is no longer being made. Are turbos really that much trouble in the long run? Will i regret getting the 2.0? I tested the vrs and its too fast for me and too expensive Please advise!
As for regretting buying the 2.0, well that's all personal preference I think. Its a peppy engine, but after owning a 1.8T it seems like a dog to me. I rented a 2.0 Jetta when hubby's truck was in the shop, I couldn't wait to get home and get my 1.8T Jetta back from him. On the other hand, I used to love the 2.0 in my 94 Jetta, it seemed like a very quick car. So, like I said that's just personal preference. Hope this helps.
The 1.8T on the other hand is a work of art. Respected across the globe. Well documented to be rock solid and easily modifiable. Audi/VW put it in the A4, TT, Passat, Golf, GTI, Beetle and Jetta. That's a ringing endorsement. Audi A4s(the car that's had the 1.8T the longest) are viewed as excellent in reliablity with that engine.
As for the bad press on the 2.0, it actually has a very good reliability record. It does have some bad press because of a bad batch of rings, hence the oil burning issues with some engines, but it has a very solid reliability history recorded.
Personally, from what I have read on the boards, the most complaints come from VR6 owners, and then #2 is the 2.0 oil burning issue, and then the kids always are whining on Vortex, but that's because they're tweaking their 1.8T engines pretty tight and in most cases, not tuning it properly.
Nevertheless, this is one fun car! That, I think, we all can agree on. ;-)
-Jim
http://www.jettaownersclub.org
http://www.bluelagoonjetta.com
that are so totally absurd...Your salesperson has absolutely no idea
what he is talking about...he is probably more knowledgeable about
nuclear physics...
You can refit your new Jetta with upgraded wheels & tires and it has
nothing to do with the Sports Suspension Package...
Your best bet is www.tirerack.com This site will enable you to look at
a large variety of European Wheels & every tire combination you can
think of, and most importantly, what you will see will have the correct
*fitment* for your new Jetta...you will find the definition of that term there
as well.
Volkswagen makes great cars, but in terms of value & quality you will be
better served looking at the offerings from the largest, and probably the most
well respected retailer of aftermarket wheels & tires...The TireRack.
The last time I posted a message, I asked for people's opinion about Wolfsburg and the price I was offered. Thanks for the very informative suggestions, I'm now a proud owner of new black/black WOLFSBURG...
hmm... sort of happy. Frankly I really LOVE my new car. I had it since last friday, and it's been a GREAT driving experience, I just couldn't stop smiling.. and driving (I guess you guys know the feeling).
But it happened monday morning when I was driving to work, about 5-10 minutes I started driving, I noticed one of the light flashing for about 30 seconds, then it stop for a minute, and then it continued flashing for another 30 seconds, then it stopped. I was so furious, upset, sad, and mad, but I kept driving and praying that the engine would not die on me. Once I got to my office, I quickly opened up the manual and found out that it was the MIL (Malfunction Ignition Lamp) that flashing.
This morning I put my baby in the service, I couldn't believe that I have to drive and leave my WE for day-service on the fourth day I got it, and they won't loan me a car. =(
anybody has any of those experience? is it bad? any comments, suggestions, etc... hope you feel for me.. I will keep you update tomorrow.
sincerely,
Jemmy
After they did some computer check, the service told me that nothing's wrong except the manufacturer or the dealer I bought from (I put the service in different dealer, closer to work place) put in the WRONG OIL type, instead 10W-30 they put 5W-30 which is too THIN (?!?).
Please comment about the OIL and its effect to MIL light. thanks!
Sincerely,
Jemmy
-Jim
VW had planned on adding them to the Beetle GLX, but the replacement cost, I
have heard $500 for a MBZ...one only, was too prohibitive....
Do you have a bad relationship with the Dealerships Service Dept. 90 days
into this? If so why? You have a B2B that covers everything...try thinking that
your cup is half full, rather than half empty...and smile! It will be fixed...OK?
And yes, don't forget to pull out the little plug on the end of the OEM cable.
-Jim
and click on the "European Spec Lights" link
You can't add just the fogs to the GLS headlights, your best bet would be the Jetta 4 Euro Headlights w/ Fogs ($535 US) on the above site. You not only get awesome foglights but also the european spec headlamps that by all accounts are many times better than the stock setup. Also these come with the Euro switch, so you can drive with the city lamps on (headlamps just glow, but don't throw out a beam), or just your fogs and parking lights.
By the way this site also sells a HID conversion kit but it is mega bucks! $2660!!
By the way my 2001 Galactic Blue GLS 1.8T has just 600 miles on it...I'm in LOVE!!!!
Granted, on the 2nd tank, when I saw I was at 200 mi. and half left, I drove pretty sedately to see how far I could go. This last tank, I was back to racing again. But the driving conditions were pretty equal across all three.
Today, I filled up with 93 Octane at $2.05/gal! Ouch!!
$20,433 = Wolfsburg + Monsoon + Cold Weather + Side Air bags + dest. Fee but NO CD. (Invoice = $19,723 inch. best ????).
OR
$19,512 = Wolfsburg + Dest. w/o any extra
equipment (invoice = $18,400 incl. Dest ?????)
I think their profit is still $500-$600. Does anyone know if this is a good price ?
Thanks for your help.
Also, it seems there've been some pretty strong negative words against the VR6. Should I be scared?
As for gas gauges...I've never had a car with an accurate gauge. I always fill my tank completely and thus rely more on distance for around town. At 280 I "know" i've got 4-5 gallons left in my tank. Might be the easiest way to deal with a mercurial barometer.
BTW, regular is 1.95 and premium unleaded is 2.15 here.
I am reading this off the sale sheet from my Red 2001 Jetta Wolfsburg w/Monsoon, Sunroof, Cold Weather Pkg, Side Air Curtain. The total sale price of the car was $20,490, including the 6-CD changer. $19,995 without. (You could save $200 if you buy the Panasonic CD changer from Crutchfield.) They jacked on another $99 prep fee, which is BS, so the total price w/o tax and title was $20,589 out the door.
If you back out the CD changer, you're left with $20,094, well under the $21,600 sticker price, but still a few hundred over invoice. Note that the 'invoice' the dealer shows you probably includes a $95 port prep fee, $50+ advertising fee, and a $50+ regional dealer's association fee. I think these are all ADMU (Added Dealer Mark Up), and essentially BS, but you fight the battles you can win, and time is money.
So there, I've dropped trou for all the world to see, and either criticize or compliment as they see fit.
My personal opinion is that you can do a few hundred dollars better on the price of the car, but I'm not the one negotiating on the car. Note that White is VW's LEAST popular color(no offense) and my dealer told me he will have the one on his lot for a long time to come, first, because it is white, and second because it doesn't have the sunroof. Does yours have the sunroof? With your invoice price of $19,723, I'm sure it does.
The way I got my price was by calling the sales guy and asking him for the car I wanted. He ordered the car from the port, and quoted $100 over his 'invoice', which was $19,890. He was helpful, straightforward, got me the exact car I wanted, and (this is where the 'time is money' thing comes in): I didn't spend weeks dickering with salesmen. I have a friend who bought the same car in black, with the single CD player, and she paid $20,650 before closing fees, tax, and title. She spent a lot of time negotiating.
The weapons you have at you disposal are:
1. Sales are down about 10% for VW this year, not an insignificant amount.
2. The car's relative undesirability. (Don't feel bad, the red isn't popular either.)
3. Once the new 2001.5's come out, who would want to buy a Wolfsburg? The loaded GLS has nicer seats, and the TT's ULEV engine with 180HP is a mighty fine upgrade.
Tell them to throw in the CD changer at that price and you'll take it.
As always, I apologize for my utter lack of brevity.
White may not be as popular as the black or green (both of which I'm sick of) but that is a bonus to me--I don't see my car coming and going everywhere! I love the car. Please email me when you get it so we can compare notes on our white Wolfies!
inventory so long that it has had a birthday.
Port Prep=$25 & FloorPlan INTEREST Reserve=$92 appear, and are a part of every
Invoice, on every VW sold in Every State & Province in No. America.
Ad Assoc. Fees vary depending on Market...LA vs Frozen Sneakers, Iowa.
Hard cost...No Ad fees, on a Wolfsburg with No Options is $18,612 (Including $99
for Ca. & Northeast Emissions) if you live in the middle subtract it. The Full Curtain
Side AirBag Protection System is Standard, not an option, adds $133 which
I have included...they are , by the way, in addition to the existing SideAirBags on
all VW products...Monsoon adds $287, a SunRoof is another $808.
So...Total it up/ Base Invoice Including Destination, Monsoon=$18,899+$500= $19,399.00
Plus Tax, Title & license and you have a car deal.
If I cannot make 2.6% Gross Profit on a New Car, I do not want the business, particularly
on a Limited Edition...the horrific marketing notwithstanding. If we cannot show a customer
the value of what they are buying, then we should close the doors and take the $18899
and buy Certificates of Deposit, forget the headaches, the employees, & the dozens of
businesses that we help support, and live off of the income...
You also make me feel good about the price I got on my Wolfsburg.
Thanks!