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The Volkswagen Golf IV
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Thanks in advance!
As far as I know the TDI does not have the leather seating option. But I could be wrong, take a look at the vw.comm website.
I have found out that you can get Leather in the GLS TDI. The only problem is I want Leather and a moon roof in a two door TDI which only comes in the GL. The dealer was not sure about the Leatherette option in the GL.
This past weekend, I drove a Corolla as a rental car. I found the steering mushy and the power disappointing. The best feature was the outdoor temperature gauge...
If you want bulletproof, you might want the Corolla or Civic. If you want fun to drive, you definitely want the Golf!
carlady/host
thanks to all that replied. i ended up getting THE car. So far so good. The interior, handling, acceleration, and overall feel are all exceptional.
One thing that was funny though was trying to reverse for the first time. After putting it in 1st gear 5 times (instead of reverse), I had to pull out ye ol' manual. Ahh, push down then forward--Reverse. Pretty neat but still need to get used to it.
Some complaints I have:
1.air conditioning labels are small and hard to see when you are driving.
2. seats are a bit firm--this is a German thing, or so i read.
The only thing I am really not happy w/ is the price i paid:
2000 golf gl 5speed w/ factory inst. 6 disk CD changer
$13904 (inv)
$525 (dest)
$216 (inv CD changer)
$423 (fair profit )=
$15068
$200 --> "dealer service fee"=
$15268 before taxes/ title
~$16068 after taxes/title
I don't know what I was thinking in paying that service fee. But I did not walk out when they mentioned it. I think I could have gotten that taken off if did--alas I did not. I was too anxious because we were so close to closing the deal. But it should be the dealer getting anxious to close NOT the buyer. Lesson learned! This was my first car buying experience. So I will take the L (loss) on this one.
Also, I had my eloan/car finance draft check ready (7.34%) and dealer was able to offer 6.99% (60 months). Of course I went w/ the dealer's financing. I was happy w/ this because i read that carfinance.com has been having some problems (see financing town all on this site).
anyway, this is my story. oh, I got mine at Jim Ellis Volks in marietta, ga.
hope this helps someone.
w
carlady/host
If you want fast, you'll have to spring for the GTI GLX, with the VR6. Or wait until spring, when the 1.8T is available. I've got the VR6. 0-60 in about 7 seconds.
Jared
Both of us were fully conscious through this terrifying experience. When we stopped upside down we both released our seatbelts crawled through what once were the side windows and walked to the median strip. Our only injuries were I had 12 stitches in my left arm (probably from my watch being ripped off my wrist), and my wife had a broken nail and is sore today. We were fully x-rayed and there were no spinal injuries. The car is totally destroyed, but the doors did not fly open, and the passenger compartment was remarkably intact even though the front of the roof partially collapsed.
I would say that the Golf is an amazingly well built vehicle and we are also amazingly fortunate.
I thought those considering a Golf would want to hear about this experience. We may purchase a Subaru because of a need for all wheel drive, otherwise we will happily buy another Golf.
Rick
carlady/host
Next time though, let Road & Track do the crash test.
Seriously, I have been wanting to purchase a VW Golf and am very glad to hear it protects in a crash. Sorry you lost your vehicle but am so very happy the two of you are here today to tell about it. Thanks for your input.
I don't think the car can be fixed. But for all you gear heads out there, this particular example happened to be a 1.8T auto. And it looked to be in good shape. Did I mention the leather interior and those nice alloys. I am sure somebody could take it off the dealers hands as a basket case.
I love driving this car, it's as solidly built as the BMW 3 series that I owned previously. The fit and finish are impeccable in true Teutonic fashion. The shifter can't match that of Honda's and can be improved on, but I guess it's a matter of getting used to it. The engine's a true gem with lots of tractability and low-end punch. I haven't really driven it hard yet cos it's got less than 1K miles on it. I figured it might take a while to break in, and then it should really show its true capabilities. In fact, right now I feel that it's a bit less powerful than when I first drove it off the lot, but that's probably because I've gotten used to the car's power. The stock suspension is a bit soft for what the engine is capable of; but I think it's adequate under normal driving conditions. Besides, I think the suspension is tuned more for comfort and smoothness rather than a Miata-like setup, and this baby rides really well when cruising down the highway.
Things weren't perfect with the car, however; I discovered that the cruise control indicator light that's on the tachometer doesn't come on when I switch to cruise. The dealer wasn't too sure that there was actually an indicator light, but I checked the manual and will be sending in the car for service soon. Has anyone else had this problem? There was also a rattling noise near the top of the driver's window that was prominent especially when going over bumps. However, after driving the car more, the sound has disappeared and I have not heard it since. Other than that, no complains at all and I must say that I am very happy with the car so far. Like the ads say, it's the most functional sporst car! Highly recommended, that is if you can find one in a color that you like!
I have read on Beetle topics some weeks ago and with the 2000 Beetles......there is an indicator for the cruise, but it does not light when in operation. Apparently, this is normal and not a malfunction on the Beetle and I am suggesting that this may be the case with the GTI. Check out the Beetle topics to confirm.
Please keep us up to date on this topic. I want to buy a Golf GL and I am very interested in quality, interior rattles.....etc. So keep in touch.
Great car!
NorwayDoug
Some people have said that this was a running change; i.e., that VW eliminated the cruise control light after finalizing the manual. But I don't know anything definitive.
Personally, I don't like cruise control lights. I've usually found them distracting at night -- typically they don't dim the same way as the rest of the dash lights.
Jared
'00 GTI GLX
swong
'00 GTI VR6
Silver
(BTW, I have a TDI--it's outstanding, both in terms of performance & economy.)
'98 GOLF RADIOS (and maybe Jetta) HAVE A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE AM RADIO AND THE TAPE PLAYER.
there is a huge backorder on replacements
My girlfriend's tape player just stopped working recently (she puts in a tape it says side A, then it switches to side B and then it says TAPE ERROR and pops the tape out). I took her car to VW to check this out and they said they have to change the radio and it might take a while because they have them on backorder. I asked if I could have the info on the radio to see if someone else has one in stock and he gave it to me. After checking with 3 or 4 dealers, one of them finally told me this is a known problem and there is a backorder for the entire US that may take weeks. I called VW service and they could offer no help or estimate as to how long it will take. Also, the dealerships don't seem to be very open about this problem.
Running changes like this are common. Some other recent ones in the VW world were glove boxes in mid-'96 on the Golf/GTI/Jetta, a steering wheel change that same year, the addition of a CD changer cable to all cars in the middle of '97, a switch from the older "G11" coolant to "G12" (the pink stuff) in the middle of '97, etc. etc.
-kc-
John
The only way they can deny warranty coverage is if they can PROVE that the aftermarket part(s) caused the problem. Using Eibach, H&R, Neuspeed, or whatever springs isn't going to cause problems.. nor are they going to fail themselves. Save yourself the bucks and avoid the dealer stuff. And for heaven's sake, don't let a dealer install them, whichever ones you go with. You'll pay through the nose and very possibly get shoddy work. Find a local independent VW shop and get hooked up for the long run. Good luck.
Check with your dealer about the poor reception. I've read about poor connections where the antenna screws on. I think there is a fix for it.
I've got the in-dash CD player in my 99 GLS. It's fine. No fancy bells or whistles but it does the job and looks right in the dash as opposed to another brand. I'm not a fan of changers either. If you get the CD player, you might consider having the position of radio and CD swapped depending on your preference. I thought the radio was too low for me so I had them put it where the CD slot is and then put the CD player where the radio is.
Check it out here:
http://tech.vw.com/pdf/v919907.pdf
You will need Adobe Acrobat to read the TSB. Note that ALL recent TSBs on all VW and Audi models are available here (tech.vw.com).
I have the in-dash CD player, works flawlessly, integrates with the existing head unit and changer if you have one, lighting matches, etc. If you are receiving "Driver" magazine from VW (and all new car purchasers automatically should be) there is a coupon in the back of the latest issue for 20% off any part/accessory at the dealer you bought your car from - at $240 list, that's a healthy $48 off the price, or $192 - not bad..
-kc-
Thanks,
-Pete
cmc - the rumors are no longer rumors, the 1.8T is definitely coming to the GTI GLS, VW has confirmed this (for more info, read about at at www.vwvortex.com). The 1.8T will get stomped by a VR6 - in stock form. But the 1.8T is easily chipped to ~200 hp and beyond, allegedly with great reliability as the motor is very overbuilt.
Perhaps you should go drive a NB 1.8T to get the feel of the motor (and the chassis - it's the same platform as the Golf/Jetta, and Audi TT for that matter too). This may help you make a decision.
Good luck!
-kc-
I'd love to buy a Golf, but we need a four-door, and the Golf is much more attractive than the Jetta. If I hadn't heard that the 1.8T was coming, we probably would be buying a 4-dr GLS right about now. As it stands, I'm waiting for the spring and a chance for a 1.8T 4 door.
Anyone have any guesses/hear any rumors?
Chris
For me time was running out as I wanted to get a golf before production shifted to Brazil. Unfortantly (for me) the colour I wanted was silver and according to dealers I spoke with is restricted to 20% of stock becase painting them taken longer.
I ended up paying 22,000(about 14,900 US). Canadian after freight, pdi and 14% tax. This is for a base model golf with no extras but I saw a number sell for MSRP.
I have really been impressed with this vehicle. Things I did not notice during test drives:
+ lights on doors when open so people are less likely to take door off when open in traffic
+ rear passenger lighting, handy when someone is navigating back there
+originally I did not like the VW reverse however after a week am liking it better. Often you are going from R to 1st so it is quite handy.
-glove box is very small (read useless)Don't let large door fool you
+base stereo is great, as loud and clear as I would like
-window wiper placement seems flawed to me (please comment on this, is it only my car?) The leading edge of the driver side wiper seems to overflow and leave a trail of water mid window after a wipe.
-radio reception not as good as expected. Anyone else find this?
My wife and I test drove a Golf GLS this weekend and really enjoyed it. We are hoping to
be able to buy one in the next few weeks.
I have a few questions that came up after
we leave.
1) Is the 2/24k warranty really any different
than the initial bumper-to-bumper warranty
you get on any new car? We were told by
certain people trying to sell us the car
that "Basically, you don't have to open
your hood for 2 years." Are the 3/36k or
4/48k warranties offered by other manufacturers
the basically the same?
2) The electronic key is pretty interesting.
But, what do you do if you loose a key? It
is not like you can go down to True Value
hardware and have a copy made?
Thanks,
jfd118
The Keys: Yeah they aren't easy to copy and if lost or broken could be pricey. I've heard ~$100 but haven't had to replace mine. You get 2 plus a valet key that doesn't have to remote lock feature.
If you're concerned about warranty you could shop around the net for a good price on an extended and try to get your VW dealer to match it.
I've had my '00 Golf GLS for 3 months now & love it.
AndrewinLA
Can somebody enlighten this newcomer as to what is up with this?
Thanks
I've got a 99 Golf GLS auto. Whether or not the car is too slow is somewhat up to each driver's opinion but I think it is okay. It could use a few more horsepower but I've gotten used to it. I use it for a 3 mile commute to work each day on city streets and it's fine. The engine is typically noisy for a VW but again, you get used to it. It does rev high and I wish there was an overdrive. That would help the city gas mileage too. I only get around 19 in the city since it does not shift into 4th until you reach 40 mph. An overdrive would help gas mileage immensely. I've also driven it for 3.5 hours straight and it was great. The cruise control helps although mine just broke - it shuts off whenever I turn on the left turn signal changing lanes. Am taking it in to the dealer for repair next week. Overall, I highly recommend the car but you have to get used to its quirks.
I bought a GTI GLX, which is quite quick, but perhaps overkill for most people (and not available with an auto as weatherdan is looking for).
Weatherdan, if I were you, I'd consider one of the following options:
1) GTI GLX (if you can deal with 2 doors and a 5 speed)
2) TDI -- the turbodiesels 0-60 is probably no faster than the 2.0, but the turbodiesel has MUCH better midrange torque and is quite responsive in the midrange. The extra torque should be a good match for an auto transmission.
3) wait until spring when the 1.8Turbo engine is available.
The 2.0 is a dog, IMNSHO.
Jared
'00 GTI GLX
I thought the GLS was not THAT bad I drive a Miata as a daily driver and the GLS was not a whole lot faster. I’m looking for comfortable transportation. When you have a GLX to compare to it you are talking way more power. I have a M roadster for weekend fun, so imagine how I feel on Monday morning getting into a 138hp Miata from a 240hp beast. But its the comfort and convenience of the Golf that I like allot. The build quality is excellent too. The car has so much character. I love the Miata but it beats me up while going over bumps and it is black so it gets dirty in 2 days. NEVER A BLACK CAR AGAIN!
Hope to have my Golf this weekend!
Your Miata is much closer in performance to the GLX than the GLS. From Edmunds:
Mazda Miata, 140 hp, 119 ft-lb, 2332 lbs, 0-60 7.9 seconds, 16.7 lbs/hp
VW Golf GTI GLS, 115 hp, 122 ft-lb, 2762 lbs, 0-60 10.4 seconds, 24 lbs/hp
Sorry, but my opinion stands. The GLS is slow as molasses.
Jared
'00 GTI GLX