Volkswagen Jetta 2005 and earlier

blueguydotcom

It all hinges on what your driving style happens to be. A TDI offers some nice go with miserly gas consumption. It's an excellent choice for people who travel often.

The 2.0 is a rather rough little powerplant that can get you from point a to b but it's well known for burning oil and it's design can only be called archaic.

Finally the 1.8T offers the best of all worlds. It's consistently ranked one of the best engines in the world, it offers superb power (180 hp, 160+ lb-ft of torque), a highly useable powerband, decent mpgs and rock solid reliability. The big downside, turbos can be questionable for reliability 5-6years/100k out and the engine performs best with high octane gas (cheapskates can use low grade gas though).

Happy pat?

harlequin1971

I would agree, your car, if offered 17.5k at the dealer would indicate a likely retail (dealer retail) of around $21k, and a seller retail of around 19-20k. Dealers don't ever give out good money for trades...eats away their profit margins.

From what I read, a VW Jetta will lose about 30% retail value over the first 2 years, and a total of 43-44% over 4 years. That is dealer retail figures though, which is nice if you are buying new, less nice if you don't mind buying slightly used, because you just don't save that much.

Cheers

vocus

I drove ALL the powerplants in the Jetta with the exception of the new 24V VR6 (it wasn't out yet). I think the 1.8T is the best of all combinations. The TDI is a nice engine, but it doesn't have nearly the power of the 1.8T. Of course, its fuel economy is two-fold too.

The 2.0 should be dropped from this car. Slow, thirsty as the 1.8T, and prone to oil burning from what I have heard.

So I would go for the 1.8T engine, but be aware about turbo reliablility, as BlueGuy said. Also, the turbo engine with the automatic is not the happiest combination for low-speed power (turbo lag). I would do like I did, and test drive all combinations before purchasing. That way, you know you got the one you wanted without question.

Pat, sorry that us three are the most popular posters here.

vocus

I have a 2002 with every option but the trunk CD changer. I am sure if I wanted to sell it privately, I could get 21-22K out of the car. That will remain to be seen, maybe.

protege_fan

The 2.0L engine is the only thing that is keeping the Jetta in the economy segment. If they got rid of that engine, they would lose a lot of customers...IMHO of course.

harlequin1971

I too would recommend avoiding the 2.0 I-4. The only advantage this engine gives you is about 15 years of VW know-how and history in the engine. It has been around, with a few modifications for well over a decade now.

The TDI is my personal fave on the frugal side. 90hp doesn't sound like much, but for city driving torque is as important as hp and the TDI engine has a load of torque. If 0-60 stop sign sprints aren't your thing and 40-50 mpg is, the TDI could be the big winner. Only consideration is that diesel engines require a different mindset for maintainence.

Then we step up to the Turbo. Wow, a BMW-esque FWD car with 180hp and 160 torque, all in a package that won't destroy the young working professional's bank account. The turbo is a wonderful, wonderful engine with plenty of get up and go and very reasonable gas mileage. It does like a diet of premium fuels and also requires a bit of detail to properly maintain, most important aspect I can think of is to allow the engine to warm and cool during starts and stops. A 15 second idle before hitting the gas, and a 15 sec idle before shutting it down is a recommendation to help reduce stress on the turbo and extend the life of the engine. If you have the patience to adhere to that...the Turbo is the velvet engine of the pack.

Jetta also can be had with a monstrous 200 hp VR6. But the added weight and reduced fuel economy has me thinking that the turbo four may be the engine to get for most shoppers.

Just stay away from the 2.0l I-4, unless you are buying the Cabriolet (which the I-4 is the ONLY engine available), this engine is past its prime.

Good luck and enjoy your new ride, whatever you choose, I am just a bit jealous.

What color are you gonna get?

harlequin1971

while it is the cheapest engine choice available in the GL and the GLS trims, it is just not the engine to choose...kind of like getting a Honda Accord with the 4cyl...why not just save thousands and get the Civic? If you are shopping Jetta, spend the $1800 and get the better engines, you are already spending $15-18k, why not have a smile on your face everyday for just an extra $35/month?

my 2 cents on the matter...not that you asked

anonymous02

http://www.magnaflow.com/03cat-vw.htm

protege_fan

Oh, I NEVER said to buy the 2.0L...I was just pointing out that it was the only thing keeping the Jetta in the typical economy price range.

IF (and that's the biggest IF I've ever seen) I were going to buy a Jetta, I would get the 1.8T with full anti-rattle accessory kit.

anonymous02

My wife has a 1996 Jetta GL auto/AC/2.0Liter/4cylinder.

We like it OK, but the fuel pump crapped out once, stranding her at night.

VW has a cheapo reputation, and a spotty reliability record. They look nice, though, to some people, even if just standing still in a lot or the repair bay.

We prefer the older, boxier style over the new jellybean style.

Doubtful I'd buy one today.

Good luck.

justin

welcome to the show!

from what i understand, my turbo has 180 hp and 174 pd ft of torque. where did the 160 number come from? is that the old turbo (2001) number?

i prefer the turbo or VR6 obviously, but i don't knock anyone that buys the 2.0 with the 5 speed. especially in GL form. absolutely the "richest" cheap car you can buy!

that said, if you haven't thought about buying a Jetta, i would recommend it. it takes a unique type of consumer to spend thousands of dollars on something they WANT vs. something they think they need in a car.

i can tell you that my 2002 GLS Turbo is a wonderful little car. almost the perfect car. looks good, safe, performs well, standards features out the wazoo, and just plain feels nice to drive/sit in. take one for a drive!

chmeeee

Wow, its nice to see people actually speaking positively about their Jetta's in here for once. I for one love mine, and its problem free.

The TDI engine has plenty of power, I drove the 1.8T and didn't feel that the added power was worth the huge drop in economy. I also drove the 24v VR6, now that was fun. I think if I were not going to go for the economy of the diesel, I would have gone for the GLI instead. That engine is fantastic, the extra weight really isn't all that noticeable.

blueguydotcom

I said 160+ because I was too lazy to Ctrl+N and find the exact info on the Jetta 1.8T. I knew it was over 160.

If the new V6 is as heavy as the last one, it definitely has a detrimental impact on the Jetta's handling. Imagine a 150 lbs man sitting on the front of your car when you enter a corner...that's what the VR6 did to the Jetta. It took an already sloppy handling car and made it downright piggish. But that's just me and obviously I drive my car much harder than most of the people online.

zalaly

i was surprised i got all these replies in few hours, it has been very informative.i learned a lot. thank you so much for your advice, i really appreciate it .

ziyad

venus537

i know the TDI feels pretty strong for 90hp (with all that low end torque), but there's a noticeable difference between this engine and the 1.8t (say 3+ seconds to 60). The 1.8t performance is on par with the VR6 (without the VR6's thirst for gas and rough vibration at first start up of course).

justin:
CR has been very consistent with the VWs. Even when the Jetta wasn't recommended last year they STILL "liked" the car. Just that the reliability troubles spiked for that period (which has been backed up by other sources).

zalaly: you could be in trouble if you rely on us for information. do your research (C reports, C guide, Car and Driver, whatever ...) and test drive the cars you're interested in. my preference would be any type of jetta gls with the 1.8t (which just happens to be the kind of jetta i owned). good thing you arrived after all the talk about persistent jetta rattles. whatever you do, don't get one of those dreadful proteges.

to our host: in regards to the protege, I'm just wondering if any of those envious protege enthusiasts are lurking around.

meinrad

we continue to lurk. I'm so envious, I can't wait till my dreadful protege falls apart so I can go out and buy the Jetta I really want!

mdaffron

Yep, we continue to monitor our pal Vocus, whose bionic ears have uncovered yet another noise.

I'm not envious; my Protege is just a few miles shy of 40,000 miles and is doing just fine. I must admit I haven't been lurking here very much in the last day or so; the Jetta Problems discussion is much more interesting with one car that's been at the dealer for 19 months and now an Edmunds host having problems with her Jetta. I tried to offer what suggestions I could, but you guys own Jettas. You should go over there and help those poor folks out with their real problems instead of talking about rattles and whistles over here.

Meade

kish13

My Jetta has a factory defect in the clear bumpy gel underneath the doors. It is some sort of weather strip for rocks and dirt. About a 2 inch part of it is missing and looks funny if you see it. VW said it is under warranty. My question is, should I let them repaint it? They will have to strip a 12 inch section oalong the bottom beneath the door, repaint, and reapply the bumpy stuff.

dudleyr

re: Noticeable diff to 60 in diesel vs 1.8t
If you are flooring the car the 1.8t accelerates much faster, however not everybody floors the car all the time (some do). If you give both cars half throttle they really are about the same. Of course the TDI will beat the 1.8t if you shift both at 2,000 to 2,500 rpm, an acceptable practice in the TDI ; ^ ).

My point is that in real world driving conditions the TDI feels very peppy. It just doesn't go that much faster when you really rev it up.

vocus

Actually, the noise was uncovered before. But thank you for pointing it out anyway.

vocus

I was on my way to work this morning, and really glad I had such good brakes in the Jetta. I might not have made it past my neighborhood if I hadn't.

I was going down the street at about 25mph (the limit around there), and this dummy pulls out of a side alley in a cargo van without even looking. I hit the brakes not even that hard (or so I thought), and the ABS system kicks in and the car stops dead. Also, I was 1 1/2 cars lengths away from the van who had pulled out in front of me. I was really shocked that the brakes are that good.

In my previous cars, the brakes weren't bad, but hte pedal feel sucked. With this car, the pedal is definitely alot more progressive feeling, and makes the car stop shorter with little effort.

Kirstie_H

meade, I really can't complain since this is the very first problem I've had with the car, and it's got around 35,000 miles on it. I just wish I could at least drive it to the shop!!

kirstie_h
Roving Host
Edmunds.com

vocus

Too bad it's the old model with the 24K warranty on it. Hopefully, you will be lucky enough to have the powertrain warranty cover your problem.

If I would have bought the old model, I would have gotten the extended warranty. Depending whether or not I keep this car for a long time, I will definitely get it for my car, up to 100K miles.

mdaffron

It's going to cost you more buying it later.

Meade

vocus

I was going to buy the extended warranty with the used Cavalier I bought, but didn't. I went to GM, and they told me it would be the same price, and I could make payments on the total, or pay it all at once.

Also, I don't know how long I am going to keep this car yet. If I don't keep it past the 50K basic warranty period, then I am not going to get the extended warranty. I more than likely will keep it because I like it alot, but I will decide that when the time comes though.

Kirstie_H

Yeah, I bought it used and had a bad dealership experience, otherwise I would've purchased the extended warranty.

kirstie_h
Roving Host
Edmunds.com

vocus

My co-worker bought a used 2000 Focus with 40K on it about 5 months ago, against my advice, for $10,000 or so. She had alot of problems with it (key getting stuck in it, brakes, etc.) and decided to trade it after those 5 months. She was happy about showing her new car off to everyone in my dept. today. She bought a leftover 2002 Kia Sportage. I hope she keeps it for a long time, because it won't be worth anything if she goes to trade it in.

I told her to get a Protege, a Jetta, or a Corolla the first time. Maybe she will listen next time, but probably not.

vocus

You can get an aftermarket extended warranty for the car. Try some of the links right here from the site, or go to VW and see if you can buy the extended warranty for it. Since it's out of the basic warranty period, then you probably can't though.

Your powertrain warranty is still good though, for 5 years or 50,000 miles I think. Check and see if that warranty will cover your repair. But call VWoA, because you are the second owner and the warranty might not have transferred. Not sure.

justin

I have to say, the Jettas really don't have problems. It is all in your imagination. You have been "chipped" by aliens from Planet Protege (a very gassy atmosphere there) and you are now programmed to find problems with your Jetta.

The only way to rid yourself of the problem is to go test drive a Protege after driving your Jetta. See if you can possibly find anything wrong with the Jetta after driving the Mazda for a few minutes.

Venus -

Do you NOT have a Jetta anymore? I am confused...

Kirstie_H

Warranty did indeed transfer, and I am calling VW roadside assistance at the request of the dealership. It is not even the money that's an aggravation, because one expects to spend a certain amount on repairs annually -- it's just the inconvenience of having a car that simply won't move!

Of course they need my VIN number to tow, and it's sitting in my car at home, since I had to run out of the house in a flurry to get Mr. kirstie_h to take me to work.

kirstie_h
Roving Host
Edmunds.com

Kirstie_H

Not that we're going to start (no, we aren't) the Protege v Jetta argument again (yes, i did see the smilies), but I probably put a grand total of $500 into my Protege over a 4-year period. Nothing if not reliable.

kirstie_h
Roving Host
Edmunds.com

vocus

The Protege comment was totally uncalled for. It's your opinion that you do not like the Protege, so let's leave it at that. We don't need to start any flame wars in this room again over that Protege vs. Jetta issue.

vocus

Do you have your registration with you? I know in MD, the number is on our reg. cards. Is it the same there where you live? Just a thought...

Also, you work for Edmund's, take one of their cars!

pat

Protege lurkers, just smile quietly to yourselves, please.



Pat
Sedans Host

protege_fan

Do you not have any insurance info on you? Even if you have your insurance company's name and phone number, they may be able to get you your VIN...of course they'd have to ask you some verification questions, but that may be a quick, if not easy, route to go.

Pat: I'm smiling so hard my face hurts

Kirstie_H

Yeah, I suppose I could do that... also, if I called the dealership, they should have it since they have done warranty work on my car. Thanks for the suggestions, as I was just slightly too flustered this morning to think straight.

Take one of Edmunds' cars? Gee, that would require a quick trip of about 2,000 miles for me

kirstie_h
Roving Host
Edmunds.com

nyccarguy

Forgive me if this has been posted before, but my sister has a 2000 Jetta GLS VR6 with a little over 30,000 miles on it. She rolled her driver's side window down the other day and the window fell into the door? Has this happened to anyone before? Any suggestions to what the probloem is? Thanks in advance for your help!

protege_fan

Check in the Jetta problems (maintenence and repair) board. This has happened to more than a few people.

anonymous02

Why don't you just tell them to write it down when they get there?

Duh?

:-)

blueguydotcom

The window regulator problem was common in the 99 and 00 models. By 01 it became a pretty rare thing. I've not heard of one person with an 02 getting a window-drop.

protege_fan

I think they need the VIN to prove that it is your car.

Can you imagine...
Me: "Hello sir, can you tow my car?"
Towing: "Sure...what's the address?"
Me: "1234 Jedduh St"
Towing: "Ok, we'll go get it"
Me: "Don't you want my name?"
Towing: "Nah...we don't need to prove who you are or who owns it"

So they go, tow the car and don't verify who owns it? Wow...just think of the people that would have cars stolen that way.

pat

An easy way to find it is to click on "Volkswagen Owners Club" link at the top of this page - you'll find it listed there along with other discussions that may interest you.

Also there is the new Search on the left sidebar - you can look for all Jetta discussions that way, as well.

mdaffron

C'mon, let us leave the playpen and romp around a little!

Meade

P.S. I guess you really do hate me ... that or you're not checking your e-mail ...

nyccarguy

I did a quick browse of the Jetta Problems board and found out it was the regulators. I think my sister had an autoglass place fix it because she didn't want to go to the dealer due to the fact that her car is out of warranty. Thanks for your help!

BTW I'm a big fan of the Jetta! I've never driven a GLI or 1.8T (180hp version). I can't wait to get my hands on one of these! My sister has the 174hp VR6 (slushbox) and I think it is a great motor. The car rides nice and stiff, the seats are hard, and I love all the soft touch plastics on the interior. Fit and finish are great!

My parents and sister took a road trip from NY to Pittsburgh last summer. My Dad had a choice between his Infiniti QX4, My Mom's CLK 320, My Saab 9-3, or My sister's Jetta. They took the Jetta.

harlequin1971

I am glad I am not in the middle of it (Pat, please don't tell them about the 330 vs G35 thread....ooops). Interesting that so many Protege fans are lurking the Jetta page. Not wanting to catch up over 1600 posts, I will just have to come in mid season and try to figure it out.

Is the Protege thing a direct relation? Was it either purchasing an "expensive" Jetta or settling for the cheaper but ultra reliable protege? Or do the Protege fans think they have better cars? Not flaming, just curious what the history is on this inside subtopic.

VeeDubs have always had a few sqeaks and ratts. Shouldn't be such a notorious problem these days in the age of CAD design and precision manufacturing, but...I would rather have a rattling VW then a Chevy Malibu.

Back to engine: I am considering a TDI Jetta or Golf. I agree that the Diesel doesn't exhibit a huge performance drop-off for most normal driving situations, and I am now an auto-only customer, so performance will always take a back seat. The TDIs I have driven have been loads of fun, and plenty spunky. But, you wouldn't want to try any quarter-mile pink slip races with it.

My current dream involves BMW bringing their 2.0L diesel to the states in the new 1-series. With a possible price under $25k, and a 2L diesel that cranks 145hp and 220+ torque...this would put a little pressure on VW to upgrade (after 6 years of production without a performance enhancement) and some additional pressure on the US to get on the Low-Sulfur Diesel bandwagon, opening the doors for some of Europe's amazing diesel engines. MB, VW, and BMW all have some intense diesels that will never see the US soils unless we alter our diesel fuels (similar to leaded vs unleaded gas). If BMW brings the 2L diesel, I will be robbing gas stations until I can afford one, lol, or just finding a way.

Last add for the diesel, the TDI clubs all seem to be in love with a performance chip available for the TDI. Guess it boosts performance nicely and doesn't lose much MPG, if any. So, a chipped TDI may be even closer to the 1.8T engine. Of course, a chipped car under warranty is a dangerous thing should any of the effected parts fail. Just a warning.

Would be nice if VW would offer a performance shop like BMW does. If you chip a BMW at an authorized BMW service center, the warranty is not affected at all, and the chip usually carries a warranty as well.

the H-clown

anonymous02

"I think they need the VIN to prove that it is your car."

I'd think you could give them the color and make of the car and that would be the only one like it in your driveway!

If not, give them the plate number.

Really, now!

vocus

I am glad your dad liked the Jetta the best, but he probably took it because it provided the best fuel economy. Just kidding.

vocus

The reason they need the VIN number is to prove it's your car and the roadside assistance program did not expire on it yet. I asked when I called for them to come change my flat tire why they wanted all that information.

When I did call, the first question the operator asked me was, "Are you safe?". I said yes of course, because I was in my friend's apartment. What was she going to do if I said no? Maybe next time I will say no, because it took them THREE damn hours to get to me for a flat tire! I would have changed it myself, but I never jacked up the car before, and didn't know how. Also, the owner's manual was at home.

anonymous02

"...Of course, a chipped car under warranty is a dangerous thing should any of the effected parts fail."

Of course, you can just take the chip back out and reset the computer again! Duh!

:-)

anonymous02

Maybe she was hitting on you!

;-)