Volkswagen Jetta 2005 and earlier

sully26

I'm in the Boston area and looking to get into a silver GLS 1.8t auto w/ sport lux pkg and monsoon. I've been to 2 dealers to test drive and talk some numbers. Both dealers told me a silver w/ auto is "impossible to find" and both wanted me to sign off on the deal then they would "look" for my car. Neither could tell me how long it would take for delivery. Is this the case everywhere? If so, how long have you waited for a silver gls w/ auto? And should I expect to pay a premium because of the short supply?

baronsdaddy

I now have crossed the 1K mark with my '01 1.8T..with 5 spd, leather, m/f steering wheel, and s'roof, I paid 20,711. I am happy with the deal. The dealer didn't have the "most sought after" silver...so I got the Baltic Green; a new color for '01. I haven't seen another like it on the roads.

One bit of advice, if the dealer has installed the CD Changer, have them take it out...and get the 8 CD changer from Crutchfield for 209.95 + adapter cable, all totalled 269.95. A lot less than $695.

Any idea on what is causing a "click" noise when I have almost completely released the clutch?

fischda

sacherel - what is a turbo timer?

sully26 - yes, silver is a popular color and sometimes hard to find. If the dealers don't have one on their inventory sheet (either on the lot or expected to be delivered), they can locate one at another dealer and trade for it. They should do this for no charge. Don't sign anything, but you can offer a $500 deposit (fully refundable at your request) to hold the deal.

sacherel

Fischda- A turbo timer is a device that automatically runs your turbo (after you turn your engine off) for a user set period between 30 seconds to 2 minutes. This allows the turbo to cool down. If you didn't let the turbo cool down, basically you would get a build up of oil debris over a period of time, and may need to rebuild the turbo, which is very expensive.

About the silver 1.8t, when I chose my blue, the dealer here in Houston, had 5 silver 1.8t with auto trans on his lot, unsold, they had been there for over a week.

fischda

Sacherel - there's been tak here before about letting your engine run for 30 seconds before turning it off after you park. However, nobody seemed to find anything about cooling down the turbo in the manual. Have you? Has anyone asked a VW mechanic?

curiousbird

I am considering buying a 1999 GLX from a friend. the car is in Excellent condition. 8,500 miles. Black with tinted windows. Tan leather. Seat warmers and 3 memory positions. CD stacker. Spoiler. Moon roof. I have been drooling over this car for 2 years.

$20,000.
Good deal or not? Also, has anyone started seeing any real problems with this model?

justin

Too much in my opinion. Although, i sold my 99 VR6 GLS Black/beige leather/heated seats, etc with 20k miles for about 18,500...so it might not be that bad.

at least you know if the car has been taken care of, right?

Is this the 99 GLX Gen III or Gen IV? There were two diff versions for that year....

curiousbird

The car has had immaculate care - including several leather treatments to keep it nice and well conditioned.
I believe that it is the more recent generation.

I am just worried that the car will hold up long enough for it to be worth the investment. I guess it cannot be any worse than my Mercury which is on its last leg...

Thanks for the input

bluejetta

Unless you are driving the car pretty hard almost everytime you're in it, a turbo-timer is not necessary. This is a low-pressure turbo and not subject to the extreme temperatures that normal driving conditions present. On the other hand, it sure can't hurt and it's a pretty cool feature to have and show off to your friends. ;-)))

$20K for a 1999? Sounds high to me, but that is low mileage. Price it out here at Edmunds.com and also the other sites that offer pricing services. It's also more comforting buying a used car when you know the history firsthand.

As sidenote: the 8-CD changer ONLY works with the standard head unit and not the Monsoon.

Silver Jettas: Premium stuff in most markets. In most areas silver will command sticker prices and even less dealing than with the other colors.

sacherel

Hi,

I think I may have a problem with my 2 day old 1.8t. After a drive, when I finally stop the car and turn it off, there is a burning odour from the right front side. It smells like the brake pads overheating and I'm assuming that this is due to them being new and the glaze just wearing off. Also the right front side by the brake callipers emits a lot of heat compared to any other side of the vehicle. Is this because the wastegate of the turbo is based on this side of the engine and is emitting the excess air?
Could someone please help and shed some light on this problem.

Fischda - There's nothing in the manual about using a turbo timer, I am just looking into one as from friends experience they are pretty neccessary with any turbo vehicle.

bluejetta

New cars always emit all kinds of noxious fumes. Everything is new and there will be some burnoff. On the other hand though, no one here can diagnose your problem without seeing it firsthand. Take your car to your dealer and have them take a quick look at it. You are following proper break-in procedures aren't you?

And again, on the Jetta 1.8T a turbo timer is NOT a required item. But, if you drive the car very hard consistently then yes, I would suggest it, but if it was required, then VW would have put one on.

Then again, if I had a 1.8T, I would add one. But, it is not a required add-on.

jwink1

Those smells are normal, there are stickers and other stuff that burns off new items, don't worry, have fun!

wonderwall

do the newer jettas play the little song when you open the door with the key in the ignition?

luke1975

A VW dealer has quoted me a sale on a VW Jetta GLX (no V6 engine), 5-speed and no other options at $18,400 (which includes the destination charge, but without taxes, etc.) with a 6.75% interest rate over 60 months. I am at my first job following law school and I make $43,000 per year, but I pay rent of $855 per month. I have never financed a car on credit nor do I have a mortgage (so I have no strong credit built up). The Jetta I am looking at, with the same exact features, invoices for $17,487. The sales manager is telling me I am getting a good deal because my interest rate is so low at 6.75% Am I getting a good deal?

luke1975

The quote was on a GLS, not a GLX. My fault - big mistake there.

greenguy

Anyone out there have the sports suspension? Are the shocks coil overs? How much does it lower the car?
Thanks.

sacherel

Hi Luke,

Go for the Jetta..to get a 6.75% interest rate is amazing, when I signed the papers for my Jetta during the weekend, VW Credit wanted 8.5% for 60 months, for a person like yourself with no credit, its an amazing rate. If you don't mind me asking, could you tell me who the finance company is and whereabouts your dealership is in the USA.
Thanks and all the best with your Jetta.

PS - Thanks for the help diagonising the problem, I made an appointment with the dealership to get it looked at.

luke1975

I think the finance company is VW itself, or whomever they use. The VW dealership is in Charlotte, NC. What problem are you talking about that the dealership is helping you with?

redline21

Fischda-yes I'm actually glad I got the heated seats, went home for thxsgiving(Chicago area) nice having your butt warm until the rest heats up:) Heard people gripe about seats not being hot enough, but seems plenty fine for me. Seats get toasty before car warms up.
baronsdaddy- you mentioned the same thing(about clutch) I noticed. Took it into the dealer today, mostly to get the rattle from instr. cluster looked at(fixed it, said a wire was barely in the way). About the clutch, they said they couldn't recognize the sound as being anything out of normal, they mentioned it may be a bearing that bounces a bit while not engaged, suposedly normal, I'm not the most technical regarding cars.
I am impressed with service(Tulsa,OK) I didnt think they'd do anything but thought I'd mention them, noticed rear right tweeter was very occasionaly rattling a bit with stereo up, but not too loud. They're replacing it. I noticed just the other night, the pass. side turn signal(by doors) had a crack in it. I thought for sure that wouldn't be covered, blaming it on road damage. But they're replacing that too, all waranteed. I took the car in at 1pm they called me back at 4pm. Not bad at all.

redline21

sully26-this is totally my opinion, and no offense to those who have it. But I wouldn't get the 1.8T with auto. I have a 1.8T stick. Today the dealer gave me a 1.8T auto as a loaner car. Obviously the stick meant getting more out of the engine, quite noticeably. So in comparing the two, I'd go with the 2.0L if you want an auto. The added gains in performance from the 1.8T are kind of lost with the auto IMO. Or go up to VR6 auto. BTW, I ended up getting mine in silver. Although not my first pick, I'm glad I did. I drove to Oklahoma city before getting mine in Tulsa, and there they had a LOT of silver. Just must be one of those regional things.
2 cents deposited

idiot01

I got the same lines about my car being hard to find. They also showed little willingness to tell me when they could get what I want.

I called about a half dozen places and eventually found what I wanted. Since your warranty is good at any VW dealer, I suggest you just call around.

I also decided that I wasn't willing to pay more than $500 for my preferred color -- so I used my best offer (on a non-preferred color) as my bargaining tool. It worked; they matched it.

stockstiming

Has anyone run into this problem? Our 1997 Jetta GLX (VR6) won't start at times.

When the problem first started, the dealer replaced the electrical and switch parts of the ignition switch (where the key goes in). We drove it for a month, then the problem started again. The dealer then replaced just the electrical part of the switch and again it ran for a while before the problem started again. Now the dealer has it and the problem won't occur for him to diagnose it, so the mechanic agreed to replace the switch AGAIN.

Thanks for any help anyone can give.

sacherel

Luke - Thanks for your response. Could you please post the details of the dealership you went to, the salesperson you saw, name and address of the dealership. The reason I ask, is that if their (the dealership you saw) credit company is VW Credit, then I'm going to go and see my dealership to explain why they are giving me their preferential rate of 8.5%.
If you don't want to post the details, maybe you could email me at
sacherel@hotmail.com
Thanks.

platinum22

got a new 2001 jetta gls vr6. red/beige leather interior, BEAUTIFUL CAR!. can't wait to drive it again, in fact.....i'll be back later. going for a drive. byeeeee

bluejetta

For suspension and tuning tweaks and info, go to vwvortex.com

bluejetta

Nothing like a new Jetta in the household platinum22!! ;-) It's like the car is out in the garage constantly whispering: "Drivers wanted...Drivers wanted..."

Drive it like ya stole it!

libra4

What do you guys think a fair price is on a 2000
Jetta GLS with 27,000 miles on it?
Thanks!

justin

congrats!!

Hey Guys and Girls -

I saw a new Jetta this morning in rush hour here in the DC area - it was like a TEAL color. Not green-not blue. What is that? Must be a 2001 color....

Was not too ugly actually...I HATED those teal Accords a few years back, but this one looked okay. Probably cause I only ever see Black or Blue Jet's around here....nice to see a variety. I do see silver - but only four cylinders..no VR's in quite awhile.

greenguy

thanx. i searched the forums and found out that the sports suspention just has stiffer springs that stiffen 15%. they dont lower the car.
I was looking for an inexpensive way to stiffen and lower the car w/o getting new coilovers.

bluejetta

Hey Greenguy,

There is no inexpensive way to lower the Jetta. You can get sports springs that will lower the car, but you really need to do the shock upgrade too. If not then the ride will be really bouncy and the stock shocks will die very quickly.

It's best just to get the entire package than to suffer through an ill handling car.

bluejetta

You should use the used car price calculators here at Edmunds.com and also at other sites to judge that price. What might be a fair price in Iowa might not be in New Jersey. There's a lot to consider.

vocus

The mileage is kinda high and the car is out of basic warranty. Plus, when you buy a used VW, the generous 10 year/100K powertrain warranty is cut in half, to 5 years/60K. I would just break down and get a brand new one. Dealers are dealing on leftover 2000s, so take advantage and get a new one.

jwink1

I have the sport suspension, it is not lower, but looks like it is because of the larger wheels. This is a good option to get, it solves the "too soft" problem that people complain about,gives it a tighter feel.
The "blue-green" is Baltic Green, I don't see many others, but I like it. I could never remember what it is called, so when people asked I would say "something green".

nervous_turbo

I bought a 2000 VW Jetta 1.8T Stick from a Chicago area dealer three days ago. I got a lux pack, cold weather pack, monsoon and in-dash for an out of the door price of $20,575 (incl every damn thing:doc fees, tax, tag,title the works) BUT i got 8.29% for 48mts.

1) Is this a good deal? I thought it was. (Note the odometer read 202 Mi though the Dealer swore it was not titled or anything, must have been a demo or so he alluded)
2) When i went to see the car there was no sticker and the dealer said he will mail me another copy soon? Is that ok or suspecious?
3) I got the In-dash CD installed the day after i bought the car i.e day before. And since yesterday my air-bag light has come on when i m driving? Is this normal or what?
4) What if i put regular gas in it and not the premium as reccomended for the turbo??
Please advice..

junior75

For those considering a 1.8t Jetta:
Starting at the end of this month VW is going to be offering a wolfsburg version of the Jetta GLS 1.8t. This is a good way to save money and still get the performance. I believe it is only $300-400 more than the base 1.8t GLS, but includes over $1,000 worth of performance upgrades.

bluejetta

An airbag light is not normal. Visit your service center. Some T-owners report that running regular gas is okay. My fear would be detonation. That was the reason I didn't even consider the turbo. I, personally, would not run regular gas in my car. Just like I would not run 20-50w oil. It's against the manufacturer's recommendations.

bluejetta

"I, personally, would not run regular gas in my car," if I had a turbo.

venus537

I have very slight scratches on my clear cover for the gauges. I suspect all cars have them. You can only see them when the light shines on it at a certain angle. But I hate scratches and I am wondering if anybody knows if there is a way to remove them?

bluejetta

I hate when that happens! My truck has that, but our Jetta does not. Anyway, the only way I can think of to get them out is with a plexiglass scratch removal kit. If you don't have a plastics store in your town, then you can try a glass company or an aquarium supply store. You can also use toothpaste. The only problem is that these methods are messy and considering the tight quarters there I don't know if it would be worth the hassle. The ideal thing would be to remove the cover, but that's a whole 'nuther deal. ;-)

platinum22

are there any chips out there for the jetta vr6's and where would i start my search, thanx

bluejetta

vwvortex.com is chuck full of VW tuners. There's a group of seasoned, experienced tuners there, in addition to the 'let's go faster than a civic' crowd.

jericho1

where do you find the invoice prices? i'm looking for a 5 speed gls jetta tdi with leather, monsoon system and the luxury package that incudes the 15" alloy wheels. also, i wanted to know if anyone knows of a honest dealer in the indianapolis area.

thanks.

scottrickard

Nervous Turbo,

I also bought a 2000 Jetta last April in the Chicago area, and our airbag light has been on since September.

Just had it corrected when I took it in for the 5k service.

They replace the tension spring on the srs sensor and reset the codes - that's it. In the meantime, that light being on means no airbag will deploy. Just so you know.

bluejetta

Go to: http://www.edmunds.com/newcars/2001/volkswagen/

rpm9

When the new body style of the VW Jetta first came out, I thought it was beautiful. But as time went on, it started looking boring because everybody seemed to have went out and bought one. When I was in the market for a new car, and after careful considerations, I narrowed it down to either the 4-door Jetta V6 or the 2-door Grand Am V6. They both drove real nice, but the Grand Am won because the styling and the overall ride quality was superior to the Jetta. Don't get me wrong, the Jetta is an awesome vehicle. But the Grand Am is much more fun to drive and looks much more muscular and stylish than the Jetta.

justin

The Grand Am more muscular? I guess so, for a "girl" car....:) Kidding, but seriously, they are completely different. The Jetta is classy and elegant with a hint of cuteness. The Grand Am is like a sporty, kind of "american" car. In the Camaro and Trans Am kind of way. Most Jetta drivers would not be caught dead in a Pontiac, and vice versa.

bluejetta

You really should have checked out that Grand Am before buying it. It has one of the worst records in crash tests on the market. Side crashes are especially bad.

On the other hand, the Jetta got a 5-star rating.

And yes, the Grand Am is truly an American car. I rented one about a year ago and it is definitely a true American car.

It does have a pretty powerful engine and does look 'muscular' but, it drives like the typical American boat. No feel of the road. No feedback. Good tuned exhaust and yeah, it looks 'muscular.' But, not a drivers car like the Jetta, or other German cars.

rpm9

I like you guys.

fischda

What, no retort? And in what way do you like bluejetta and justin?

Anyway, I had a Grand Am rental car once, and it was the biggest P.O.S. I had ever driven. Loud engine, poor radio, cheap interior parts, and the transmission was just plain crap. I would never buy GM. By the way, did you all hear that Oldsmobile is soon to be no more? Too bad, 'cause I liked their sedans of the '70s and '80s - you know, my father's Oldsmobile!!

fischda

jericho1 - If you don't like Indianapolis dealers, there's a good one in Dayton, OH: www.frankzimports.com