Picked up a 2002 VR6 I saw on dealer lot with leather and climatronic upgrade/ no sunroof but I didn't mind. Traded in my 2000 VR6 GLX. This one had the new radio with CD built in but I went with the changer too in hatch.I like the new 17in wheels but dispointed I get a 16in full size spare and manual states that is normal :-( Found out the hatch unlocks differently than my old 2000 have to leave key IN when in turned position for handle to open trunk, and if car is "alarmed" the alarm goes off!The transmitter is the way to go for unlocking
I've been wanting to get my hands on a GTI VR6 since I started college and now, finally I am going to buy. My only concern is the VW reliability? My fiancee has a 96 Cabrio with 68k that's already had a new transmission (automatic),a new starter, and a new throttle body. I've visited sites such a myvwlemon.com where some people have horror stories. Recently a good friend of mine bought a Jetta TDI and has had it for 3 months and loves it, however a friend with a Beetle says she wouldn't recommend it. Basically... I am looking for someone with a 2000/2001 GTI VRG or GTI 1.8T that has some positive comments to post. Thanks
I'd recommend it - I sold a 2000 Passat 1.8t that had approx 24k miles on it without a single problem. I realize 24k miles isn't exactly a long term test but no problems whatsoever is an indication of continued reliability IMO. Sold the Passat for a 2002 1.8t GTI. If the 1.8t would have been available in the GTI back then I probably would have gone with the GTI instead of the Passat. My friends that drive VW's have few or no problems with them and plan to buy another when the time comes. Every car maker can have a lemon once in awhile, websites like that are a joke in my opinion. VW reliability has come a long way in the past few years and they have a warranty now to back it up.
A coworker was forced to get a new car when his old Honday gave up the ghost.
He spec'd out a GTI through a dealer here in NJ (Trend? I think it was called), using a very specific options list (Tiptronic, leather, CD changer, Matchstick Red, upgraded rims). They gave him a delivery date, and he got a home equity loan and car insurance to start on that delivery date. Delivery morning they called to say it was the WRONG CAR (5-spd, not the Tiptronic like he wants). For the last 2 weeks this dealer has had his deposit and he still has yet to get this car. They keep telling him "it's here," "it's there," "it came in with the stock rims; we need to order the upgraded ones separately." Today's excuse: "the driver who was supposed to truck it down from Connecticut is sick."
I expect next it'll be "they found white powder in the trunk, so the FBI quarantined the car."
He says "Trend says it's a very rare options list." Anybody know how rare? Is this normal? Or (as I suspect) is this dealer giving him the runaround so they can hang on to his deposit and keep him from shopping around while they scramble to "find the thing they sold him."
didn't make it clear earlier but from sticker on 2002 it appears 17in wheels standard on the VR6,along with Monsoon radio even though I discovered no amplifier mounted in hatch like on my old 2000 GLX? It has standard built-in CD and cassette. The warranty is 4 yr/50k miles but VW dropped the free sched maintenance. I got a good deal now that's why decided to buy now instead of waiting till spring for the 200hp VR6. Maybe when I'm ready to trade again in 2 yrs VW will also offer the 4 motion in the GTI?
I'm interested in pricing for the new 24V VR6 GTI 6-speed with leather, 17" wheels, Monsoon (is this standard?) and Cold Pkg. Don't need Climatronic, Sunroof. Anyone know a ballpark price on this beauty?
Jetta forum guy is saying just under $27k for 24V VR6 Jetta with Tiptronic & Climatronic. Is this for real? That's serious A4 territory, and I'm not paying $25k for a VR6 GTI.
The 24V VR6 isn't supposed to be available until next spring. In the meantime, VR6 equipped GTIs offer less power, but more bells and whistles than the uprated 1.8T GTI.
Just a thought, but if you go to sites like myvwlemon.com what do you expect to find but horror stories about VWs? Most online car sites are subjective and thus must be taken with a grain of salt but in particular you have to be wary of sites that are dedicated to problems in a particular vehicle. I have a VW Jetta with over 60,000 miles and have yet to have a serious problem with the car. VWs are not Toyotas, but I think there is enough evidence to suggest that a person buying them is not predestining themselves for having a car that will spend months in the Auto Shop.
I just purchased a 2002 GTI 1.8t. It's reflex silver and has the luxury pkg and 17's with 5 speed manual. The monsoon is a cd/tape combo. But the sound quality is poor. There is a amp in the rear hatch and I checked the connections. The bass response is very poor. Has anyone had any problems like this. Other then this the car is great, Looking forward to seeing a mustang at the next green light!!!!!! Ryan
My fiancee had a 2000 Passat with the Monsson system, and it had very poor sound quality. The factory system in her current car, a Focus ZX3, is much better - go figure.
Just test drove both vehicles. Found the 1.8t to be a little more "fun". Didn't find excessive torque steer so many mentioned here.
I would rather have the VR6 for longevity reasons but no one seems to have a decent color (beige or red doesn't cut it). Since the engine is getting upgraded in the spring the dealer told me the current VR6's are out of production. Anyone know if this is true?
Looks like the 1.8t black with tan leather is the winner. Probably picking it up on friday.
I just picked up a 2002 GTI VR6 with the old engine, the 200hp VR6 is due in the spring but I was satisfied enough with my old 2000 VR6. The sticker was 20,295 and my car had the leather pkg 900.00 and the Climatronic upgrade 755.00. The leather package includes heated seats but I was disappointed no multi-function steering wheel? Also sticker says Monsoon Radio but there is no amplifier in the hatch so no idea if this is Monsoon? My old one when turned on would say MONSOON but this one does not,it includes the built-in CD. I was happy to give up the sunroof and save some $$$. Standard were the 17in Michelin 225/45 tires and I like the alloys a lot
Take a listen to both. I have the monsoon in my car, and it has awesome mid and high sound, but the bass really isn't there. So to fix this, I bought a different head unit, separate amp, and 2 12" eclipse subs and kep the monsoons to handling mid and highs only. Now I have an awesome stereo, didn't have to upgrade the components, and it only cost me 1500 bucks. Not bad....
Just gave my deposit for my new VR6. Black w/tan leather. Got every option possible. Should have it tuesday or wednesday. I'm in NJ and they found it in PA. This dealer was also a good $500 to $700 cheaper than everyone else. Got a nice price on my trade as well.
To jorgb/ you got every option so I assume the sunroof which I believe means the monsoon radio as well. My sticker says "Special Features" includes Monsoon but I got no amp in the hatch and when turned on it does not say Monsoon which I think it should. I DID NOT get the sunroof so I believe that means no Monsoon? Even VW web site reports Monsoon is now part of a OPTION pkg. I got no idea why my sticker reported that Monsoon included, also it reported only the cassette and my radio is the newer type with CD & cassette. weird? looks like they threw in this radio at last moment before they updated the sticker on the window? So if you can check if you got the amp in hatch then you must have the Monsoon radio. Happy Motoring:-)
To Jorgb Thanks I am just curious cause as I said the sticker on my 2002 GTI VR6 says Special Features included Monsoon Sound yet there is no amp in the hatch and wondered if these new radios with the CD built in have the amp built in as well? The manual says Monsoon radio but mentions no amp.
My 2002 GTI 1.8t has the integrated CD and Monsoon (included in the luxury package). It has an amp in the rear hatch area. If "Monsoon" doesn't appear on the head unit display area when you turn it on - you don't have Monsoon.
I've started to upgrade my GTI, it has close to 200 HP now - I've installed an upper stress bar, downpipe and turbo air intake (all Neuspeed) and a low restriction air filter in the factory air box. The turbo intake, downpipe and filter increase air flow by 70% and power by close to 20 HP, very noticable increase in low end torque. I'll be installing the VW Eibach sport springs as soon as the dealer gets them in, I had them throw the springs into the deal when I bought it. I'm setting my GTI up to use in weekend autocross events.
Just wanted to drop a couple of words. First of all: I am a Honda guy ;-) (one of those who does not mind to rev engine, even enjoy it). I drive Prelude and love it. However...
We needed a new car for my wife. She is a big car fan too: we were looking for something sporty and refined. I was biased towards Acura RSX, but we stopped by our VW dealer anyway and asked him to give us the most sporty VW available.
We've got GTI 1.8T with luxury&leather packages. Just to save your time: RSX is out, VW is in. What a great car! I did not expect that from a german manufacturer: it's the best time when they deliver someting at a reasonable price. Unbeleivable, but GTI beats RSX in terms of value... RSX maybe a little sportier, but plastic, plastic, plastic everywhere. Aghhhh.. I appreciate a good engineering (the main reason I'm into japanese products) but here... bravo, VW!
Just thought you'll be pleased to hear some good words from the mouth of a Honda lover.
P.S. I've driven BMW 3-series, and lots of them. The ones biult before 98 were falling apart (very poor build quality, IMHO), the new ones have so numb steering and lots of body roll, and that price... what for?! So.. don't think it was my first experience with a german car. Again, bravo VW!
I'm going with an APR chip (www.goapr.com) once my GTI has a few more miles on it. I'm laying the groundwork for better breathing so the chip will be more effective. I have 1k miles on it now and plan to chip it at 5k miles when I switch to synthetic oil.
i'm getting different answers from different people regarding the correct COLD tire pressure for the 17" alloy wheels on the 2002 GTI ... not the standard tires, but the optional alloy 17" Santa Monicas: P225/45R17H AS Low Profile tires with 225mm width, 17.0" rim . The label on the gas cap says 32 front/38 back. However, dealer told me 40 for all. And I can't make out what it says on the side of the tire itself ... Does anyone out there know, for certain, what's the correct COLD tire pressure for this tire on the 2002 GTI? Thanks in advance.
I would try 36 psi all around and see what kind of ride/handling balance you have. You might try posing this question on the forums at vwvortex.com. Don't look at the tire label for guidance - the pressure listed there is a max inflation pressure, not a recomendation for your particular car!
Well, considering i bought the car about 50 miles from my house i had a good opportunity to give it a go on the way home.
First impression: Many more positives then negatives.
The Positives. The engine is smooth as silk and pulls along with authority. This shifter is equally as smooth, no notchiness as some have indicated. Yes there is some body roll but much less than i expected after reading so much about how "soft" the suspension is. As a matter of fact i hit a few long winding on and off ramps and found it to be a lot of fun but always felt in control. The car looks extremely cool. People were checking it out big time, especially eclipse and celica drivers. I got black over tan leather, this is the optimum color combo in my opinion. The 17's next to the black exterior really work well. I noticed very little torque steer (even though i didn't even come close to the rev limit while turning) and i don't expect to see much more. Lots of creature comforts to make things civilized (i got every option offered). All controls reaked of quality. Liked the "dial an opening" for the sunroof. Love the blue and red dash.
The negatives: Immediately noticable on the highway was how much road noise came through the cabin, it was down right loud! Storage other than the hatch is almost non-existant. The "Monsoon" stereo was just OK listening to the radio, improved quite a bit when listening to a cd. Needs more bass and a cleaner sound at face melting volumes. The seats were firm and supportive, a little too firm in the lumbar but i expect that to break-in.
That's what i learned with 97 miles on the OD. Stay tuned for more, i' headed down the shore tonight. The E-Class is getting a well deserved rest.
what is a good cleaner (a brand name would help)to use on the 17" alloy wheels? some say use a "degreaser" others say an "acid" cleaner, others say soap and water, still others say "windex." Also, does the disk brake need to be cleaned as well as the wheel? thanks in advance.
Probably the best source would be the owners manual. Off the top of my head i would say just soap and water, nothing harse. As long as you keep them clean, the brake dust should always come off. The longer you let it sit, the more chance of permanent stain. The same goes for the car exterior. Wash it often and you won't give dirt the chance to set.
I have the 17"wheels on my 2002 GTI, I've found they stay remarkably clean. I wash them along with the rest of the car and don't use anything special. It seems that VW is using brake pads that don't produce a lot of dust. My second car is a BMW X5 that has black wheels after a week of driving, sometimes I'll clean just the wheels on the X between washes. I use a 50/50 mix of Simple Green and water to clean really dirty wheels. Simple Green is a very gentle cleaner /degreaser that doesn't harm alloys. Never use caustic wheel cleaning products, they will ruin the finish on your wheels.
The PSI in the back of the tires needs to be a lower than the front. There is less weight in the back, and if you have a higher pressure the sidewalls won't flex while in a turn and the rear will slide. Trust me. On my 18" wheels I run 35 up front and 32 in the rear. On the gas cap on my 2001 GTI VR6, it says 28/26 f/r tire pressure.
As for the brake dust... you are crazy. The stock pads dust like no other.... How many miles do you have on your car? Also, VW uses a softer compound pad in the rear, so you should have more brake dust in the rear wheels than the front wheels.
What I did was get 12.3" frozen/slotted front rotors and EBC greenstuff pads all around to minimize the dust while increasing braking power.
I own a VR6, and I got the chance to drive my friends 1.8T. I thought the 1.8T handles better in corning (might be due to ligher engine), but has rough idling and 1st gear doesn't give you the G-force VR6 does. On the other hand, 1.8T has smooth shifiting?! (aren't they both the same)? I think it was a great car, but I am still happy I purchased VR6 due to the more luxury gadgets on it! Just my opinion.
I have about 1,200 miles on my GTI - I thought it was odd the wheels weren't picking up much brake dust. Maybe it has something to do with the design of the 17" wheels. I'm about the switch out the brake pads on my X5 with mintex pads for no other reason than the dust issue. The X5 is way worse for brake dust than the GTI, the X has noticable brake dust on the wheels after only a few miles of driving.
I have an '01 GTI VR6 with about 14K miles on it. Has anyone else had a problem with oil burning? I know that it's not leaking out of the pan but can't figure out why I have to refill a quart every 1500 miles or so. The only engine mod is a K & N air filter. Thanks.
Oil burning in VW engines is somewhat common. The 2.0 is the motor that seems to have the most problems. Make a complaint to dealer about the oil consumption and have them provide documentation on what the accepted oil usage is. There may be nothing that you can do about this, but make sure you have documentation of the problem in case it increases in the future. What procedure did you use to break in the engine during the first 1,000 - 1,500 miles? The K&N has nothing to do with the oil consumption, however my personal opinion is that the oiled filters such as K&N can cause MAF problems and allow too much particulate matter to pass into engine.
Thanks for the 411. For the first 1k-1.5k miles, I didn't take it over 65mph, never red-lined it, no WOT, and tried to keep the RPM's varied. Basically, I tried to follow the dealer and owners manual recommendations. However, it's hard to hold the car back... I thought that one of the reasons why K&N filters are popular is because they are supposed to catch more particulates and at the same time increase air flow. I'm not sure now if I want to chip it or do other engine mods if I'm going to have the same oil burning problems. Other than that the VR6 has been a great ride. Just wish that I could get my hands on the 201hp 6-speed...
The above is a link to TSB describing how to evaluate oil consumption. It is very general though it does show that there is a procedure to be followed in trying to solve this problem.
2002, Indigo, 5 speed, black cloth, 17s, Monsoon, tints. Picked it up 1 Dec. Man, what a fun car to drive. Too sweet. Gets noticeably dirty, awfully fast though. errrg.
Already have a problem with my speakers though. Was fidgeting with the fade and balance knobbys. Guess what? No sound out of the driver side middle/rear. Sheesh. Maybe I just have to read the encyclopedic owners manual and fidget some more. Otherwise, I'll be making my first trip back to the dealer. What a pain that would be - drop off/pick up. Probably just for some stinkin' loose speaker wire somewhere.
Hat - when did you do your first oil change? Did you wait for 5k miles for the first change? Doing the first oil change before 5k miles can cause excess consumption.
This summer I purchased a new GTI VR6 in Houston after hearing all of the great things about them and test driving one for myself. And what a great car it was. I could drive to college and back in ultimate luxury while still being able carry all of my luggage. Unfortunately, two months ago I was hit in the drivers side of my car while making a legal left turn at an intersection. The crash caused my head to impact and break my left door window. Now anyone familiar with new Volkswagens should know that this is not supposed to happen as the new GTI comes equipped with six airbags, including side curtain airbags, which are designed to keep peoples heads from taking trips through windows. This safety feature was one of the main selling points for my purchase, and I was very dissapointed that not a single airbag deployed in my accident. I wrote to volkswagen and consulted dealerships, but as of yet have had no positive reply. It is now going on two months and my car is still at a volkswagen dealership, requiring a new door, seat, side panels, dash, transmission, etc. and my insurance hasn't been much more helpful, though they said they were taking care of things and are wasting money paying for my rental car. I thouroughly enjoyed having the GTI, but after this incedent I believe it would be very difficult to buy another volkswagen considering their lack of care for their customers.
I was in a pretty serious accident ($9K+ in repairs) last June and none of the airbags in my Golf 1.8T (I know it's not GTI, but close enough) deployed. Neither I or my passenger was injured, though. So I assumed somehow the impact must not have been enough to triger the newer generation airbags which are rigged not to deploy in low impact crashes.
But then a couple of days ago a large commercial truck lost control and crashed into my passenger side. Again, none of the airbags deployed. Now, nobody was significantly injured, but I must say I find it difficult to believe that such impact (almost entire passenger side has been crushed in 4-6") did not warrant at least the side airbags to deploy.
I'm a bit dumbfounded by it. I haven't had a chance to talked to anyone affiliated with VW regarding this issue. But I do wonder...
Anyhow, they're totaling my beloved Golf 1.8T. So I've been reading/researching to find a replacement and I got to say there just doesn't seem to be any other small cars with the Golf/GTI value and build quality.
So despite my misgivings about the non-deploying airbags (I'm just assuming that it knew it did not need to deploy since there were no serious injuries in neither of the accidents, though I think I'll look into it a bit more this time around) I think I'm going to purchase a GTI 1.8T (since they no longer offer that wonderful engine in Golf).
Besides, other safty engineering that went into it probably saved me from serious injuries or even worse. I probably couldn't say that if I was driving some other small cars.
I own a 2002 1.8T which I bought in September and so far has been a blast to drive, no problems so far except for a squeaky air vent in the dash on the drivers side. I'm told this is a common problem and it is easy to fix.
I when back to Ireland over the holidays and while walking down the road seen a 2.8 V6 4 motion golf. Since this car is availible in the rest of the world does anyone know if VW will import it into the US.
I have a 2001 GTI 1.8T and the thing rattles so much I think it's on the verge of falling apart. Does anyone else have similar problems? My rear leather seats and the passenger side dash and the driver side door all sqeak something fierce. Please somebody tell me there is a quick fix...like tightening some easily accesible loose bolts!!
Other than this the cars is fun to drive, gets good gas mileage, and looks great.
I have narrowed down my choices to two cars. The 2002 Honda Civic SI or the 2002 GTI 1.8t both w/ manual tranmissions. I was going to get a stripped version(no options) if I can find one. The MSRP for this is 19,460 and Edmund's TMV is 18,651. I was wondering what other people have paid for this version or other 2002 GTI 1.8Ts. Also did anyone get special financing or other incentives. Thanks for any feedback.
I gave up trying to find a 1.8T GTI with no options -- basically, all the dealers I called said you can't get one. I don't want leather, ugly 17" wheels, etc., so I took my money elsewhere. I'm waiting to see what kind of BS my local Honda dealers spew when the Si hits the ground. Am I the only person tired of being "bent over" by greedy dealers every time a desirable car arrives?
Love the 2002 GTI 1.8T but find that it ofen doesn't downshift when climbing kills without a kickdown on the gas pedal. Anyone else had similar problems?
I have a 2001 GTI VR6 and it had the rear seat squeek. I finally traced it to the seat latch (the loop on the body that the seat latches to). I put some light greese (non graphite) on it and havn't heard a peep since. I have no other noises at this time. Hope this helps fix one of your squeeks.
I got about $1,300 off MSRP my Reflex Silver 2002 GTI 1.8t (thanks Edmunds) with luxury package $1,240(sunroof, monsoon) and 17" wheels - that I really like and a steal at $400 for wheels and Michelin Pilots.
Silver_Bullet - If you think VW dealers are "greedy", they are nothing compared to a Honda dealer with a high demand car. I don't think VW dealers are greedy at all, you can get great deals, my options were almost free and VW has killer financing and lease deals on the GTI.
You won't get anywhere with any dealer just calling them on the phone. You have to go in and work with them - If I absolutely had to have a GTI with no options my dealer would have ordered or located one for me. VW dealers do locate and order odd cars for customers - you will have to give them a deposit, ususally $500 to show them you are serious about buying it once it comes in. Most people that buy GTI's don't want stripped ones, that's why they aren't ususally stocked at a dealer. I would never, under any circumstances purchase a Honda Civic SI.
Rickrover, I agree about Honda dealer obnoxiousness - I dread going in to look at an Si when they appear - but what are your thoughts about the Si? Seems like it would be a pretty well assembled car, and not prone to all the glitches that tend to plague VWs.
Comments
states that is normal :-( Found out the hatch unlocks differently than my old 2000 have to leave key IN when in turned position for handle to open trunk, and if car is "alarmed" the alarm goes off!The transmitter is the way to go for unlocking
He spec'd out a GTI through a dealer here in NJ (Trend? I think it was called), using a very specific options list (Tiptronic, leather, CD changer, Matchstick Red, upgraded rims). They gave him a delivery date, and he got a home equity loan and car insurance to start on that delivery date. Delivery morning they called to say it was the WRONG CAR (5-spd, not the Tiptronic like he wants). For the last 2 weeks this dealer has had his deposit and he still has yet to get this car. They keep telling him "it's here," "it's there," "it came in with the stock rims; we need to order the upgraded ones separately." Today's excuse: "the driver who was supposed to truck it down from Connecticut is sick."
I expect next it'll be "they found white powder in the trunk, so the FBI quarantined the car."
He says "Trend says it's a very rare options list." Anybody know how rare? Is this normal? Or (as I suspect) is this dealer giving him the runaround so they can hang on to his deposit and keep him from shopping around while they scramble to "find the thing they sold him."
Feel free to email me at dbeman@aptegrity.com
TIA
DjB
dropped the free sched maintenance. I got a good deal now that's why decided to buy now instead of waiting till spring for the 200hp VR6. Maybe when I'm ready to trade again in 2 yrs VW will also offer the 4 motion in the GTI?
Jetta forum guy is saying just under $27k for 24V VR6 Jetta with Tiptronic & Climatronic. Is this for real? That's serious A4 territory, and I'm not paying $25k for a VR6 GTI.
I would rather have the VR6 for longevity reasons but no one seems to have a decent color (beige or red doesn't cut it). Since the engine is getting upgraded in the spring the dealer told me the current VR6's are out of production. Anyone know if this is true?
Looks like the 1.8t black with tan leather is the winner. Probably picking it up on friday.
the 200hp VR6 is due in the spring but I was satisfied enough with my old 2000 VR6. The sticker
was 20,295 and my car had the leather pkg 900.00 and the Climatronic upgrade 755.00. The leather package includes heated seats but I was disappointed no multi-function steering wheel? Also sticker says Monsoon Radio but there is no amplifier in the hatch so no idea if this is Monsoon? My old one when turned on would say MONSOON but this one does not,it includes the built-in CD. I was happy to give up the sunroof and save some $$$. Standard were the 17in Michelin
225/45 tires and I like the alloys a lot
- Anthony
Stay tuned and i'll tell you how it goes.
g.
- Luxury Package
- Leather Package
- Technology Package
Only other charges would be emmissions and destinations.
I won't be driving the car off the lot if it dosent' have the amp, but i'll let you know.
Thanks I am just curious cause as I said the sticker on my 2002 GTI VR6 says Special Features included Monsoon Sound yet there is no amp in the hatch and wondered if these new radios with the CD built in have the amp built in as well? The manual says Monsoon radio but mentions no amp.
I've started to upgrade my GTI, it has close to 200 HP now - I've installed an upper stress bar, downpipe and turbo air intake (all Neuspeed) and a low restriction air filter in the factory air box. The turbo intake, downpipe and filter increase air flow by 70% and power by close to 20 HP, very noticable increase in low end torque. I'll be installing the VW Eibach sport springs as soon as the dealer gets them in, I had them throw the springs into the deal when I bought it. I'm setting my GTI up to use in weekend autocross events.
Just wanted to drop a couple of words. First of all: I am a Honda guy ;-) (one of those who does not mind to rev engine, even enjoy it). I drive Prelude and love it. However...
We needed a new car for my wife. She is a big car fan too: we were looking for something sporty and refined. I was biased towards Acura RSX, but we stopped by our VW dealer anyway and asked him to give us the most sporty VW available.
We've got GTI 1.8T with luxury&leather packages. Just to save your time: RSX is out, VW is in. What a great car! I did not expect that from a german manufacturer: it's the best time when they deliver someting at a reasonable price. Unbeleivable, but GTI beats RSX in terms of value... RSX maybe a little sportier, but plastic, plastic, plastic everywhere. Aghhhh.. I appreciate a good engineering (the main reason I'm into japanese products) but here... bravo, VW!
Just thought you'll be pleased to hear some good words from the mouth of a Honda lover.
P.S. I've driven BMW 3-series, and lots of them. The ones biult before 98 were falling apart (very poor build quality, IMHO), the new ones have so numb steering and lots of body roll, and that price... what for?! So.. don't think it was my first experience with a german car. Again, bravo VW!
Low Profile tires with 225mm width, 17.0" rim .
The label on the gas cap says 32 front/38 back.
However, dealer told me 40 for all. And I can't make out what it says on the side of the tire itself ...
Does anyone out there know, for certain, what's the correct COLD tire pressure for this tire on the 2002 GTI?
Thanks in advance.
First impression: Many more positives then negatives.
The Positives. The engine is smooth as silk and pulls along with authority. This shifter is equally as smooth, no notchiness as some have indicated. Yes there is some body roll but much less than i expected after reading so much about how "soft" the suspension is. As a matter of fact i hit a few long winding on and off ramps and found it to be a lot of fun but always felt in control. The car looks extremely cool. People were checking it out big time, especially eclipse and celica drivers. I got black over tan leather, this is the optimum color combo in my opinion. The 17's next to the black exterior really work well. I noticed very little torque steer (even though i didn't even come close to the rev limit while turning) and i don't expect to see much more. Lots of creature comforts to make things civilized (i got every option offered).
All controls reaked of quality. Liked the "dial an opening" for the sunroof. Love the blue and red dash.
The negatives: Immediately noticable on the highway was how much road noise came through the cabin, it was down right loud! Storage other than the hatch is almost non-existant. The "Monsoon" stereo was just OK listening to the radio, improved quite a bit when listening to a cd. Needs more bass and a cleaner sound at face melting volumes. The seats were firm and supportive, a little too firm in the lumbar but i expect that to break-in.
That's what i learned with 97 miles on the OD. Stay tuned for more, i' headed down the shore tonight. The E-Class is getting a well deserved rest.
g.
as well as the wheel?
thanks in advance.
Good luck.
g.
As for the brake dust... you are crazy. The stock pads dust like no other.... How many miles do you have on your car? Also, VW uses a softer compound pad in the rear, so you should have more brake dust in the rear wheels than the front wheels.
What I did was get 12.3" frozen/slotted front rotors and EBC greenstuff pads all around to minimize the dust while increasing braking power.
What procedure did you use to break in the engine during the first 1,000 - 1,500 miles? The K&N has nothing to do with the oil consumption, however my personal opinion is that the oiled filters such as K&N can cause MAF problems and allow too much particulate matter to pass into engine.
The above is a link to TSB describing how to evaluate oil consumption. It is very general though it does show that there is a procedure to be followed in trying to solve this problem.
Already have a problem with my speakers though. Was fidgeting with the fade and balance knobbys. Guess what? No sound out of the driver side middle/rear. Sheesh. Maybe I just have to read the encyclopedic owners manual and fidget some more. Otherwise, I'll be making my first trip back to the dealer. What a pain that would be - drop off/pick up. Probably just for some stinkin' loose speaker wire somewhere.
Other than that I have one sweet ride.
-John
But then a couple of days ago a large commercial truck lost control and crashed into my passenger side. Again, none of the airbags deployed. Now, nobody was significantly injured, but I must say I find it difficult to believe that such impact (almost entire passenger side has been crushed in 4-6") did not warrant at least the side airbags to deploy.
I'm a bit dumbfounded by it. I haven't had a chance to talked to anyone affiliated with VW regarding this issue. But I do wonder...
Anyhow, they're totaling my beloved Golf 1.8T. So I've been reading/researching to find a replacement and I got to say there just doesn't seem to be any other small cars with the Golf/GTI value and build quality.
So despite my misgivings about the non-deploying airbags (I'm just assuming that it knew it did not need to deploy since there were no serious injuries in neither of the accidents, though I think I'll look into it a bit more this time around) I think I'm going to purchase a GTI 1.8T (since they no longer offer that wonderful engine in Golf).
Besides, other safty engineering that went into it probably saved me from serious injuries or even worse. I probably couldn't say that if I was driving some other small cars.
- Jin
2003 ?????
Here is one article http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=4528&sid=178&n=156
The US typically receives new models 1 to 2 years after they are available in Europe when it comes to VW.
I when back to Ireland over the holidays and while walking down the road seen a 2.8 V6 4 motion golf. Since this car is availible in the rest of the world does anyone know if VW will import it into the US.
Other than this the cars is fun to drive, gets good gas mileage, and looks great.
2002 Honda Civic SI or the 2002 GTI 1.8t both w/ manual tranmissions.
I was going to get a stripped version(no options) if I can find one. The MSRP for this is 19,460 and Edmund's TMV is 18,651. I was wondering what other people have paid for this version or other 2002 GTI 1.8Ts. Also did anyone get special financing or other incentives. Thanks for any feedback.
Silver_Bullet - If you think VW dealers are "greedy", they are nothing compared to a Honda dealer with a high demand car. I don't think VW dealers are greedy at all, you can get great deals, my options were almost free and VW has killer financing and lease deals on the GTI.
You won't get anywhere with any dealer just calling them on the phone. You have to go in and work with them - If I absolutely had to have a GTI with no options my dealer would have ordered or located one for me. VW dealers do locate and order odd cars for customers - you will have to give them a deposit, ususally $500 to show them you are serious about buying it once it comes in. Most people that buy GTI's don't want stripped ones, that's why they aren't ususally stocked at a dealer. I would never, under any circumstances purchase a Honda Civic SI.