Volkswagen Jetta 2005 and earlier

vocus

I didn't think I had mentioned this here. And it will end when I am satisfied. I am with the car now, but not with the way I was treated. The reason the car went back was because they did not fix it right, not because it was my fault.

And furthermore, what do you care? You don't even own a Jetta, so why would it bother you?

vocus

It doesn't seem that you have to press down hard at all on the brake pedal to make the brakes work, not to me anyway. I have to press alot lighter on the pedal than I did in my previous car, and it had 4-wheel ABS discs as well (and good brakes). I had a friend drive my car one time (he has a '94 Cougar), and he stepped on the brakes and almost threw himself through the windshield. He was like, "dang, this pedal is pretty sensitive". After driving his car, I know why he said that.

But I think the brakes only require a light touch, and it's been about the same in all VW products I have driven (never drove a Cabrio).

vocus

I deleted the second post about my occurence. I didn't remember about posting it the one time. Sorry.

justin

loose speaker wire? good to know....thanks.

i think i will let my dad mess with that...if i hear the rattle again.

mdaffron

Goodness, it wasn't even a week ago. And you told us not once, but TWICE.

Posts 7028 AND 7033.

The fact that I don't own a Jetta doesn't mean I can't read and comment here, just as it doesn't prevent you from hanging out and posting comments on the Kia, Protege, Cavalier, and lately even the Nissan Altima discussion.

Note how even your fellow Jetta owners on this discussion voiced a collective sigh of relief when you announced your problems appeared to be solved.

Now it seems you're creating more. Why not just accept that your car has been fixed, vote with your feet and CHANGE DEALERSHIPS for service?

Meade

pat

Meade and Paul, please take this to the Owners Club (Meet the Members) or off-line.

Thanks.

mdaffron

I know of another place we can take it. Paul, if you choose to, meet me there.

Meade

00tahoels

Hey, I have the 174 hp version, and I'm wondering what type of gas I need to use (manual says reg. but I thought I read somewhere the thing sucks premium) It sounds kinda dumb, granted, but I was just wondering
Thnx :P

mdaffron

Read this; it may help shed some light on your decision:

http://theserviceadvisor.com/octane.htm

Meade

8u6hfd

the 2002 Manual says premium...

anyway, the engine has knock sensors...will which tell the ECU to retard the timing if you use regular or mid-grade.

afryar

When you open the fuel door (or whatever that little thing is called) there's a sticker that says something about a minimum of 91, but the manual, without having it in front of me, I believe says 87 is fine. I've never put anything less than 91 in my VR6 though. (Mine's a 2001 - 174 hp)

vocus

The manual says it can take 87, but 91 is recommended. I usually use 89 in the summer in my 1.8T, because the fuel economy seems better. Never any knocking or anything from the engine in almost 19K miles. I use 87 in the winter though, which someone on this board said could be done, via their dealer.

sameern

Hi All,

This is my post on this board. I am looking at 2000 GLS with 67K mi. on it. The dealer is offering a 12mo./15K mi. extended warranty on it and asking for 11K. Is it a good car to buy at that price?

I have checked Edmunds TMV and KBB, they are showing much higher price than what the dealer is asking even after mileage adjustment. Am I missing something or is there some thing fishy I need to be wary of?

Dealer is also offering a free car fax report.

Thanks

vocus

If the Carfax report shows up ok on the car, that is a good sign. I would also go to a VW dealer and take the VIN number of the car with me. Have them pull the service record for the car, to see what kinds of problems the car has been in the shop for (if any). Once you do that, then I would definitely go and purchase the car, especially considering you are also getting a warranty with it.

vocus

I just heard a report on CNN television about resale values of cars. They said VW, Honda, and Toyota hold their value the best of any carmakers' cars. I thought that to be pretty interesting.

vocus

One of my co-workers just went out and purchased the 6th Jetta here at work, a 2002 GLI! It's a really nice looking car as well. Can't wait to get a ride in it and check out the new VR6 engine.

I also heard of a special some dealer in the MD/DC area is having until Monday, on the radio this morning. They said they would bring any VW on their lot to your office to test drive. I thought that was pretty convenient. If I hear the commercial again, I might write down the number. I really wanna check out that new VR6 in the GLX/GLI Jetta. Might as well save my gas and time and have them bring the car on my lunch hour or something.

ashutoshsm

If the price is right (use edmunds TMV for used cars and kbb.com to figure this out) and the condition of the car is good, then you have to ask yourself a question - are you ready to go in for a car that (in all probability) needs much more molly-coddling and care, not to mention more expensive service as well as potentially lower reliability than your current car (Honda, from seeing your profile).
If you answer yes, then go for it!

No offense to current Jetta owners, I'm just stating facts (in terms of the higher probability that a VW will need more frequent and expensive service than certain other brands).

Also, 67K in 2 years seems like a lot of miles - was this a fleet or rental car? If so, you have to decide how you feel about hundreds (or more) people having driven the car before, and possibly abused it. If not, it is actually a good thing, because people who own/lease cars and drive a lot for work 'usually' take very good care of the vehicle, and have services done regularly. Of course, both these assumptions are just that - assumptions, and you have to make sure you see the service records for this (or any) used vehicle you purchase, and have it checked out by an independent mechanic!

vocus

You bring up a good point. I wouldn't think the car was used as a rental though. I have rented alot of cars from alot of agencies, but never saw one with any VWs. The car could have possibly belonged to someone who drives alot, like I do (I have 19K almost on my car, and it's 9 months old).

Repairs will be more expensive though, because of the price of parts. That's the way with all European cars though. Another venue to explore is to purchase an extended warranty for the car. That way, everything will be covered at least up to 150K miles.

mdaffron

Breaking news:

http://biz.yahoo.com/djus/020807/200208071314000667_1.html

Meade

vocus

Oh cool! Thanks for the link.

The A4 platform is better than the one that the Cabrio rides now (it's on the old A3 platform still). Also, the sex appeal of the Beetle will help sell more cars for VW in general.

chmeeee

It was rather outdated (based on the Gen 3 Golf), so I don't think too many people will be upset, especially since you could only get it with the 2.0. I imagine they might come out with a new one when the Gen 5 Golf comes out in a couple of years though.

mdaffron

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/020807/dew029_1.html

(Seems this news is breaking pretty fast! This article is less than 115 minutes old as I type this, and less than an hour after the first oone I posted ...)

Meade

afryar

I know we're getting off topic here but nice link. I actually saw a New Beetle convertible on Nantucket last week. I walked right by it and did a double take, walked back and was in awe... Never really a beetle fan but this car looked great. It had to have been an aftermarket job and after closer inspection I saw two little badges on it that said something "Custom Coach builders"... It had the top down (it was parked) and looked great. Probably cost a fortune to do...

Anakin

I thought everyone knew they were replacing the Cabby when they showed the NB Convertible at auto shows early this year.

*shrug*

pat

Some off-topic and/or uncivil posts have been removed.

Let's move on.

Pat
Sedans Host

moparbad

No the current Jetta is not the same platform as Cabrio. The Cabrio is on the MKIII platform.

anonymous02

Hey, I was on Nantucket last week also. I wish I had seen it.

I have never seen so many Jeeps, Defenders, or Beetles all together at one time in my life!

anonymous02

I tried this on the "Jetta Problems" page, but no luck.

I need new brakes.

I bought the parts, and everything OK so far...UNTIL...

The screw on the rotor is not cooperating. Does anyone know if this can just be drilled out? What is it's function?

Thanks.

1997 Jetta GL 4 cylinder 2.0 litre auto tranny front disk brakes

target3

I had the same issue on my 88 Jetta, and I believe the situation would apply to a newer car as well.

I had to drill out a screw on my rotor, and never fixed/replaced it.

The screw merely holds the rotor in place so that the calipers can be installed, followed by the tire. The lug nuts actually keep everything in place, as they go through the rotor.

After drilling out the screw, you could use a lug nut to temporarily hold everything in place. Once the caliper is installed, it will hold the rotor in place. However, before you put the tire on, maker sure the holes in the rotor (for the lug nuts) line up properly.

vocus

The test drive thing I talked about yesterday is from a dealership called Farrish VW in Manassas, Va. I got their address from their webpage (http://www.ferrishauto.com) and did the Mapquest thing. It's over an hour from my office. Since I just wanted to check out the car, I am not going to ask them to bring it all the way here. I know that's not right, and they would be hot. I will make time one weekend to get to the dealership and check out the new VR6 GLX model.

The special where they bring the car to your office is on until the end of this week, the radio ad said this morning.

vocus

Here is a link I copied from the VW Passat discussion that talks about residual values.

http://auto.com/industry/iwirj7_20020807.htm

And I quote, "Among non-luxury brands falling below the average of 41.8 percent residual value were: Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Daewoo, Dodge, Ford, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Mazda, Mercury, Mitsubishi, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Saturn, and Suzuki." What a shame.

What people don't realize is that when automakers have to offer all these rebates and free financing to move their cars, it lowers the resale value dramatically. People think they are getting a good deal, then get kicked in the rear when they go to trade their cars in. I, for one, thought I was getting a great deal on my last car with the rebates and special pricing. Then traded it in after 8 months (I know it was quick) and lost almost 40% of the resale value on it. Ugh, never again.

anonymous02

"I had the same issue on my 88 Jetta, and I believe the situation would apply to a newer car as well.

I had to drill out a screw on my rotor, and never fixed/replaced it.

The screw merely holds the rotor in place so that the calipers can be installed, followed by the tire. The lug nuts actually keep everything in place, as they go through the rotor.

After drilling out the screw, you could use a lug nut to temporarily hold everything in place. Once the caliper is installed, it will hold the rotor in place. However, before you put the tire on, maker sure the holes in the rotor (for the lug nuts) line up properly."

Thanks for confirming this for me. I wasn't 100% sure if I had to retap the hole and put in a new screw. I wasn't sure what its exact function was and knew the lugs held it all on there (until rust takes over the role!).

I'll probably drill mine out tonight and finish the job.

Thanks a bunch!!!

anonymous02

"I, for one, thought I was getting a great deal on my last car with the rebates and special pricing. Then traded it in after 8 months (I know it was quick) and lost almost 40% of the resale value on it. Ugh, never again."

Which is why people hang onto their cars for 10 years. Even better is to buy a used car, and let someone else take the hit on depreciation costs!

blueguydotcom

That's exactly it. With the quality of today's cars buying used is no longer a worrisome proposition.

My bro-in-law wants a 2002 pathfinder LE (28k invoice) but then he saw that a 2001 Pathfinder Le with 25-30k can be had for 22-23k he changed his mind. One year/5k-6k...easy choice.

justin

that is a big gamble though. i figure, an old used car is a scary proposition, because it is old. but, a NEW used car is even scarier to me, cuz you are paying REAL money (financing the car maybe), but you are buying someone elses problem. that person bought the car brand new - knowning they are taking a HUGE hit in depreciation - they must REALLY have wanted to get out of that car.

then you ask yourself - why did they want out so bad that they wasted thousands of dollars?

from my experience, i have traded many cars in less than a year because they ended up being POS's....somebody elses problem now. they thought they were getting a great deal on a new used car. in fact, they inherited my lemon Hondas and Nissans and Mazdas!

i would LOVE to buy used, like the idea a lot, (i mean, an E class MB for $30k? whats not to love?) but my gut instinct won't let me.

blueguydotcom

>>that is a big gamble though. i figure, an old used car is a scary proposition, because it is old. but, a NEW used car is even scarier to me, cuz you are paying REAL money (financing the car maybe), but you are buying someone elses problem. that person bought the car brand new - knowning they are taking a HUGE hit in depreciation - they must REALLY have wanted to get out of that car.<<

I don't see it that way at all. Some people...just keep moving from car to car. Look at Vocus, he hasn't had a real problem with a single car but he keeps changing them.

>>then you ask yourself - why did they want out so bad that they wasted thousands of dollars?<<

Beyond Vocus I know many people who can only be called mercurial when it comes to cars. They buy a car, then trade it in 18 months later for a totally different kind of car. Or what about someone who needs to move out of the country? Happens in San diego often. You see ads for cars where military people need to split. Maybe a financial difficulty, they bought the car but can't keep up with payments, especially after losing a job. Maybe a family change or a personal change...a friend's mom dies in an SUV rollover, get a different car. Pregnant with a new spouse, get rid of the sports car for something bigger. And on and on...

>>i would LOVE to buy used, like the idea a lot, (i mean, an E class MB for $30k? whats not to love?) but my gut instinct won't let me. <<

Funny but part of the problem the auto industry is having comes from the quality of cars today. 20 years ago people kept cars for 2-3 years, sometimes as long as 4-5. Now 6-7 is becoming the norm. Why get rid of the car at 100k miles? It's still got life. Many new cars don't even require maintenance until after 100k miles.

And consider the certified programs now. Manufacturers are giving huge warranties on certified cars. It's not a gamble any longer.

hoodornament

I have always bought new (atleast the past 10 years or so). I actually traded in my Ford Exploder after 1.5 years for the exact reason that Justin states. DUMP IT AND ITS PROBLEMS. I ate almost $4k in depreciation to get into a Passat, but between the recalls, the stalling, and overall "bad" sounds coming that from car/truck, my gut tells me it was "a wash" considering what I would have spent in fixing that piece of Ford garbage. Plus, now I am actually driving a car I still love and have no desire to dump after almost a year.
JMHO
HO

vocus

Makes sense to me. I had problems with my 1996 Cavalier that I bought used. It was in 1999 that I got it, and the car only had 31K on it. The thing spent all its time in the shop. I thought I was getting a low-mileage car for a good price. Boy, did I get fooled. The only good thing was that the problems were covered under warranty. The bad thing was that by the time I spent the money for a rental car 2x a month, I could afford a brand new car. So I traded it in on a 1999 Protege.

I never had problems with it, traded to a 2001 Protege because I liked the car, and wanted to upgrade from the DX to the ES model.

I traded the 2001 Protege because I have always wanted a Jetta 1.8T since they came out, and so I got it. I got a raise at work, my financing rates lowered a little, and I wanted the car. So I did it.

blueguydotcom

>>I traded the 2001 Protege because I have always wanted a Jetta 1.8T since they came out, and so I got it. I got a raise at work, my financing rates lowered a little, and I wanted the car. So I did it. <<

So by everyone else's logic, they wouldn't buy either of your Pros as they were too new to be sold.

Plus everyone seems to be forgetting off-lease cars.

justin

everything you say is TRUE. but, i personally, just can't take that chance. i keep going back to the reason I get rid of cars.

i guess if i bought from a private seller and could threaten them to tell me the truth about the car it might work. kidding. i threaten people all of the time and it never works, darn it!! haha.....

crafty04

im about to buy a car for my self a college student. I was thinking about getting a 2002 ford focus, a 99 jetta or a 2002 hyundai accent. I always wanted a jetta but from what i read on the boards i may have a problem with it with it have 32k on it. What should i do?

chmeeee

I wouldn't worry too much about those problems, it is the current body style, right? I think the problems with the Jetta are blown way out of proportion by a small percentage of the population on the message boards. Do you get a warranty with the used car? The biggest problems you are likely to have would be the window regulators, but even out of warranty it seems VW is pretty good about paying for those. Other than that, if was going to have any rattles, you would probably notice them on the test drive, so as long as you like it, I would say go for it!

fish8

I wished I heard my rattles on the test drive. They suddenly appeared at about 600 miles. BUT, I have learned to live with them since they are not constant. Sometimes they can be heard and other time no rattles are present.

vocus

Did you test drive the car you actually bought? See, I didn't do that. They brought my car from another dealership about 120 miles away, and that's why I didn't test it. I didn't really hear the rattles in the car when it was new though either, it took a couple hundred miles of the beat down streets and roads in Maryland before they were evident.

fish8

Same here. The car that my dealer had on their lot had almost 400 miles on it. I requested that they try to find the same car with fewer miles. So, they had to drive the car from another dealer 120-130 miles away. Like I said, my dash noises appeared at about 600 miles. Other than those noises(dash, rear door speakers and drivers door lock) my car is fine. And those noises raise their heads every once in a while. Not often......

vocus

If you can afford a new car, I would go for it. You will get a better financing rate, and a new car warranty on top of it. And the Jetta you are looking at might be the 2.0L engine. They seem to have alot of trouble with burning oil, etc., so keep that in mind. If you wanna save costs on parts and repairs though, I would go for a new car with a warranty on it (Hyundai's is 10 years/100K on the engine).

If you do decide to get the Jetta, buy an extended warranty on the car. Also, check the title history on it (http://www.carfax.com can help you there). And, lastly, call a VW dealer and ask them to run the VIN number through their system to check on the service done on the car, etc.

The Jetta is a much better car than the Focus and Hyundai. It drives and feels like a much more expensive car actually. So it might be worth the risk for you.

Also, I wouldn't recommend the Focus. They are a good car, but too many recalls and reliability concerns. Instead, consider a Mazda Protege. I had two, and they are pretty reliable economy cars.

vocus

I know what you mean. At least you didn't have the problems with your car that I had with mine. If I had known that, I would have gotten the car on the dang lot!

All my noises are gone, but a little headliner creek will appear when I hit a really hard bump, maybe like once a week or something. But that's it.

Next time though, I will ask them if I can take the car home with me and drive it for a day or two before purchasing it. If they say no, then I will take my business somewhere else.

Saturn has a good deal going. If you don't like your car within 30 days/1500 miles, you take it back and either get another one or get a full refund. I think all automakers should have that plan going, it's pretty cool.

anonymous02

"...I wouldn't recommend the Focus. They are a good car, but too many recalls and reliability concerns. Instead, consider a Mazda Protege. I had two, and they are pretty reliable economy cars."

If only VW had a recall on the window regulator problem, they might have a greater reputation for reliability. Instead, it seems (from here) that people only bring them back under warranty if that happens to affect them.

A recall is not a bad thing.

That said, I really liked the Hyundai GT (not sure of model) with the "fastback" hatch. It was a nice, solid car at a great price!

Let us know what you decide on.

justin

stay away from used Jettas. there is a reason someone got rid of it. and besides, most VW's are driven HARD. heaps of abuse no doubt.

stay away from the Focus. my grandmother of all people bought one. Ford gave her another one after months of lemon law stuff. she still has problems. she likes the way it drives, when she gets to drive it.

the Accent is not worth it. i agree with anonymous - go for the Elantra GT! excellent looking car! decent engine and handling too.

vocus

I have a co-worker whose girlfriend has a 2000 Jetta GLS. He said his right back window fell into the door, and they took the car to VW. VW is going to replace the regulator for free. He also said that VW pretty much recalled all its cars now for the window regulator problem. I don't know if this is a TSB type thing, or an actual recall.

And you are right, recalls are not a bad thing. I just would have a hard time trusting a car that's been recalled so many times, personally. And for such safety related things as well.