Volkswagen Jetta 2005 and earlier

vocus

That makes sense with the payments. I usually pay an even dollar amount on my payment every month (extra when I have it), and they take the amount off the bill the next month. You are still saving interest though, like you said.

I hate VW Credit because they told me that I couldn't change my due date on my car payment just because it was on the Driver's Option. That sucks! Oh well, I am going to probably refinance soon anyway to lower my rate. Then they can stick their bullcrap.

justin

i just got back from Pentagon Federal and they said that VW Credit has indeed CASHED the check on the 15th.

I advised VW Credit that they cashed my check - their response - seriously - (this is from a manager no less) - "Oh".

"Oh" is what I got. So glad they are in Illinois somewhere. I would be in jail by now if they were close by.

I am waiting for them to ask me for a copy of the cashed check.....

vocus

That is too funny! It sounds about like the response I got from them when I told them of my last dealership experience. "We are so sorry about that, sir". I told that operator to shove her apology where the sun didn't shine too. And they more than likely didn't do a darn thing about it either.

I am sure they will come back and ask for a copy of the cashed check as well. What dumb people. I mean, really!

afryar

Luckily my ride's (2001 GLX) been pretty mechanically sound but I've had the worst luck. the idiot next door to me was having his house painted (power sprayer) on like the windiest day of the year and now my car is covered in these little white specks, I've had two smashed mirrors, paint scrapped off my bumper, a flat, squeaky shocks and the driver side window doesn't go up
sometimes, my dashboard completly taken apart twice because it rattled so bad and all 4 doors taken apart and lubed because everything was creaking... all that and only 14,000 miles. Aside from that everything's great.

A friend of mine's 1.8t - auto (also a 2001) recently won't get out of park without a lot of messing around. It go so bad that they had to have it towed back to the dealer. At one point they called VW roadside assistance who told them they "knew a little trick for when this happens" which leads me to assume that this happens often... anyways, the woman on the phone said to simultaneously, slam on the brake as hard as you can, turn the key one position and yank the shifter out of park as hard as you can. It takes two people to do... So he got it out of park and into neutral, hung up, and then couldn't get it out of neutral... They said the piece that communicates between the transmission and the brake pedal is shot.

justin

i had a Nissan Altima that wouldn't come out of park. it was funny almost, because i hated the car so much at that point, i thought it must have been a sign. traded it in for my first Jetta. a 1999 Jetta GLS VR6.

VOCUS/PAUL -

has your clock "washed out" lately? mine hasn't done it in forever. i think the dealer was right - it only does it for ONE minute, in really cold weather, then fixes itself. obviously, my car hasn't seen cold weather since march, so that explains it.

strange..

protege_fan

Is it an LCD display? That is common w/ them.

vocus

Justin: My clock nor my odometer/tripmeter hasn't done it in a long time. You are right, the last time it did that, it was cold outside.

PF: On the Jettas, the clock is in the instrument panel, and it's LCD. I never saw that happen before though. Weird.

justin

i wonder what cold weather has to do with it, and why it only does it for one minute exactly.

not that i am going to let the dealer touch it...but curious. are LCD displays in general sensitive to temperature, or just VW LCD's?

vocus

Check out this link...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1852186777

protege_fan

Hope you didn't think I was taking a shot at VW's or Jettas....

LCDs are temperature sensitive. LCD=LIQUID Crystal Display....Liquid+cold=don't mix well

http://www.howstuffworks.com/lcd1.htm

Anakin

So someone is going to pay $6300 so they can be first to pay MSRP?

Man, what I could do with $6300. Sheesh.

vocus

I thought it was like a down-payment thing. I didn't think someone would be dumb enough to pay $6300 just to go on top of that and then pay the MSRP of the car, not if they had sense anyway.

I cannot believe they would do that, but I guess (like my late mother used to say) a fool and their money soon part.

Well, PTs were going for $4000 over MSRP when they first came out, and that's a Chrysler!

justin

believe me, base Mini's are going for $27k around here.

people will pay for the "privelege" of being the first on the block to have something. of course, they also pay for the inevitable problems cars have early in their production run.....

give it a year. the PT is now offered for 0% financing for 60 months.....they practially give 2.0 Beetles away. the Thunderbird will soon be cheaper as well. hopefully

vocus

I saw a new Thunderbird the other day on the road. Those things are ugly as sin, I think. I don't know why, but I like the way the original one looks (from the 50s).

And PTs are going for 0 financing now. Think of how much money the people who bought them for $4K over MSRP lost on trade-in.

At least the Beetles hold their value better than the Chryslers do, so you get some of it back.

justin

why doesn't Honda put out a CL convertible? we need a nice 4 seat convertible in the market, other than a mustang or sebring. the solara convertible is awful from what i hear.

Honda is missing the boat. loads of cash to be made.

yes, convertibles are still on my mind, even at the end of summer.

vocus

My friend loves 2-door cars. He is always saying he would love to see what a Jetta 2-door would look like. Because of hauling around friends, their kids, and clients from work, there is no way a 2-door car would work for me though.

I have to say (speaking of Acura), I love the new RS-X. I am anxious to drive one, just for the heck of it. But I noticed something. Almost all Japanese cars have this cheapish feeling inside compared to the Jetta. Even though I have had problems with the Jetta, I still like it alot more than anything else I have driven lately.

saturnfreak01

I was wondering since the Jetta was redesigned last for 1999 (I believe) when will the next restyle come about? I like the current style, and am considering purchasing one to replace my Saturn SL1 since I am less than pleased with new models coming from Saturn at this time.
I have been checking prices, and the lowest price I can find is $ 16,800.00 on a new Jetta GL, is this a good price? What about thier reliability? Handling/ etc... I drove a 1998 Jetta and hated the way it handled, heard the new ones are improved.. is this true? any info is appreciated.

fish8

I have a 2002 Jetta GL 5Sp. I love it. I would recommend going and test driving one to see if you like the way it handles. I git a really good lease deal on my Jetta. I'm sure the dealers are looking to get the 2002s off their lots. Visit a dealer and find out.

fish8

I believe the Jetta will be in its current form until the 2004 or 2005 model year. So it will be out for a while longer.

anonymous02

I like the looks of the new VW Bug convertible.

I LOVE the looks of the new Thunderbird convertible.

There used to be a 2 door Jetta.

I just saw a Jappanese convertible, either Toyota or Lexxus (same thing!?), which seemed rather beamy, with high gunwale sort of reminiscent but not as nice as a deuce coupe.

I guess Mercury is coming out with a real MAN'S CONVERTIBLE (RWD, roomy, big motor) now or soon.

anonymous02

I looks like the old ford thunderbird (SC era).

Anakin

oh fine, here's the link.

http://www.vwvortex.com/features/projectx/07_26/xvi_1.jpg

*sigh*

vtripicchio

My 02 jetta after only about 6 months is having problems with the door handles. The rubber coating is chipping off or peeling, has anyone else had this problem?

justin

is a Cabrio thing. EVERY used Cabrio that I looked at that had the rubber door handles instead of the plastic was peeling.

not sure why. can't even imagine what would cause it.

kyleknicks

my gf's 01 jetta's center armrest was peeling.. we suspected that it was the VW cleaner they gave us so we bought it back and they replaced it.

caligrl74

I have been scrolling through all these discussions on the Jetta for the past month and was wondering if everyone truly seems happy with their car? I am in the market and not sure to buy 1 yr old or new but after looking at the problems with the Jetta makes me want to think twice.

I know there are always some bad cookies in the bunch...As I am sure I will find them with any car I look at.

Please let me know.
Thank you.

vocus

I have had problems with my 2002 Jetta 1.8T, but I love the car every time I get behind the wheel. Some might think I am crazy (after all the problems I have had), but would consider (not saying I would buy, but CONSIDER) another Jetta in the future.

I would buy new as well, for the better warranty (4/50K vs. 2/24K), but that's up to you. And even if you didn't like the car, they hold their value pretty well. You would be able to trade the car within 2 years and more than likely not be "upside down" on the loan.

vocus

My friend was just talking about how much he likes 2-door cars, and he might even think about the Jetta if it came with 2 doors. He says my car's styling is "vanilla" though (I think it's nice and elegant), so I am curious to see his reaction to the picture posted above.

Anakin

I've had my 2002 1.8T since last September and it has been flawless. I'm very happy.

People tend to post a lot if they have problems. Misery loves company.

justin

if you are looking for promises of a 100% perfect car, then you shouldn't be driving a VW. not the car for you, I am afraid.

have you checked out Toyota Camry or Corolla? Outside of tranmission and engine problems, they are rated EXCELLENT. you could also try Honda/Acura. they get stolen a lot, but i guess that is a good thing - it means everyone likes the car, right?

outside of those two, i can't think of any car maker that is actually known for being reliable to the general population. but VW is definitely more controversial than say a Subaru. of course, VW is also purchased by a different breed of human....

good luck, and let us know what you got!

also, if you are looking for a bit of personality, the new Saab 9-3 looks pretty darn good. and their reliability ratings have been improving quite a bit.

donnabgood

I don't know what problems you are reading about that is scaring you off a Jetta. The poorly designed cupholders? Even the windows that have been known to drop -- though the problem has since been fixed..Well me personally, if there was a set of problems to choose from those are the problems I would choose, and leave the air bags going off without warning, the rollovers, the engine fires to Ford and other companies car owners.

There is a reason Jettas hold their resale value. They are good trsutworthy cars that are fun and safe to drive.

Since I am rather new here myself, I'd be curious what all of Vocous problems were? I just heard about the rattle dash -- while annoying not life threatening.

pat

Oh, please, for the sake of all of us who have heard and re-heard and heard some more about those problems, just scroll back and read the older messages -- they are all here for your reading pleasure!

;-)

welst10

I test drove a 2002 Jetta 1.8T and a 2002 Nissan Altima 2.5S today. The Jetta felt a little faster and quieter than the Altima, but Jetta steering wheel vibrates when applying braking. So I don't think I'll buy this car (considering that it only has 20 miles) According to sticker, Jetta's engine and assembly is made in Mexico, but transmission is made in Germany. 35% parts are from germany. While Passat is all german made with 90% parts from germany. Now I am going to test drive the GTI 1.8T! I was told GTI drives better than Jetta. We'll see. Interesting thing is that GTI is assembled in Brazil with engine made in germany and transmission made in japan! Hopefully GTI is more reliable than Jetta...

vocus

Pat: Gee, thanks for the help. I will provide a very quick summary of the problems though.

Donna: Alot of rattles, poor customer service, and the stereo dying was the extent of the problems. Also, the climate control backlighting burned out too. The rattles trouble me so much because this is a $25K car we are talking about here. I don't expect that from something that costs that much.

To VW's credit, I will say we have had quite a few 100-degree days here in MD recently, and none of my windows have dropped yet. My co-worker's 2001 dropped one window though, parked in the same place and in the sun as my 2002. I think the problem has been largely fixed now with the 2002s.

vocus

To elaborate on the window regulator problem mentioned above (windows dropping), it happens because the old regulators are made of plastic and melt in the intense heat. That's what causes the window to drop. The new part is made of metal and not plastic in the 2002s, so I think that has solved the problems. Also, VW is slowly replacing the 2001 and older regulators with the new design.

justin

you drove an Altima AND a Jetta? why? one car for you and one car for someone else?

welst10

I drove both Altima and Jetta for me. I am not a fan of particularly Jetta or Altima (my current and 1st car is 92 corolla). I am shopping for a car that's relatively fast, reliable, practical, and under 20K (well, I can be a little flexible on that, but under no circumstance over $25K since this will be my first new car purchase). Any car that possibly fits the profile will be taken for a test drive I won't consider those "common cars" like Accord, Camry though. They're so boring! I considered Altima because it's not a common car. Well, I think I'll test drive GTI and Maxima in the next week or two...

vocus

I had a rental Maxima for a day, and liked the car except for the seats. This was a 2002 SE, and the power was incredible. So was the torque steer and traction loss when using that power though. Also, I found the seats very uncomfortable for some reason. I played with the 8-way power and lumbar support for about 20 mintues, and still couldn't find a comfortable position. Also, beware that a new Maxima is coming, and the car will lose alot of value when you take it off the lot. I have recently seen Maxima SEs in rental fleets, so that never bodes well for resale values. Neither do high rebates either.

The Altima is a nice enough car, but I find it too large for me. I never drove one, so I don't know how it handles. The interior, compared to the Jetta, looks like it belong in a child's toy though.

veryfull

Jetta owners/lovers:

What have you found is the extent of the comfort for a Jetta as far as people and time traveled? That is, in your experience, how many adults can comfortably travel in the Jetta and for what amount of time? Would four adults be comfortable on a 3 hour trip? A 6 hour trip? Is fitting three adults in the back seat for 2 hours out of the question?

Please advise.

vcjumper

Anyone know if getting much of a discount off MSRP on one of these is possible?

vocus

There is currently a $1200 dealer incentive on all 2002 models (at least there was a couple weeks ago). You should have no problem getting a discount, as dealers wanna move leftover 2002s to make room for the 2003s.

vocus

The back seat is not a good place for adults over about 5-foot-8 or so. My dad is 5'6 and can ride back there and be comfortable, but no one else I know can. There isn't enough head room, and leg room is scarce with the front seats pushed more than about halfway back. This is defnitely not a car for 4-adult cross-country trips, at least if you wanna stay on speaking terms with the rear passengers.

donnabgood

that no one mentions the stadium seating in the rear seats of the Jetta. Not here, not even in VW brochures that I have seen. It is such a great feature, and when I have back seat passengers it is one of the first things they comment on -- how nice it is to be able to see the road and scenery not just the back of a headrest, like most other cars. Have any of you sat in the back of your cars to check out how cool that is? My boy friend has a Lincoln Navigator with this feature also, and they even include the feature on the sticker (standard of course). I guess VW is just modest. lol.

justin

i will be honest, i am the only one i know out of my group of friends that likes my car for long trips. everyone complains that the seats are too hard.

i think that is hogwash. besides, with the turbo, the car is soooo responsive at illegal highway speeds. one little touch of the pedal, and the car immediately, and quite literally, rockets forward. not suddenly, but you learn to expect how it builds up. happens fast. but, taking it out on back roads in VA doing 80-100 is just the best! so, for long trips, i love it. if i am driving

welst10 - thats cool. i just never thought anyone would consider a Jetta and an Altima. totally different cars. the Jetta is small. Altima large. Jetta German. Altima Japanese. etc etc.

let us know what you get for your $25k! if you like Japanese, i would also point you to the IS300. only $5k more, and you get a true sports sedan

budwhite

Just wanted to get a little feedback on this... I've got a 2001 v6, had it over a year, and have been using 93 octane for every fill-up since i've had it. Would there be any significant loss in performance if i use regular or 89 octane? BTW, only have 7600 miles on the odometer after 13 months of ownership. Thanks!!!

justin

no loss in performance or MPG's at all with the 12v VR6. but, see for yourself! do an experiment i do not recommend switching back and forth however. use what you want, and be consistent.

newcar31

Look in your owner's manual. Use whatever gas VW recommends. If they recommend high octane and you use a lower octane you will lose some performance. If they recommend 87, there is no need to use anything more because you won't get any performance gain.

newcar31

Sounds like fun. I love shopping for cars and you have many excellent cars to chose from under $25K. You don't want a common car huh? Well, you're already in the Jetta board, so obviously you're thinking about that. I'd also check out the Altima V6, WRX, GTI, Mazda 6 (if you're willing to wait), RSX type-S, Mazdaspeed Protege (if you can find one for sticker), Sentra SE-R, and Focus SVT.

You have a lot of test driving to do. Get to work.

justin

...if you are going to try the WRX and Sentra SE-R and those types of "hot rods", then you owe it to yourself to check out the new Tiburon. See the Motor Trend article called "Shark Attack". Doesn't perform as well as the RSX Type S, but out performs the Celica GT-S. And looks better than any car out there for that kind of money.

Only drawback - the interior. No silver door handles.

vocus

I thought the seats in my car were too hard as well when I first got it, but now they are nothing but firm and comfortable, even for long trips.

I have taken 2 trips thus far in it, one at 275 miles and one at nearly 600 miles (with a break about halfway going, but straight back). I found that if you turn the seat heater on "1", it makes your muscles relax on a long trip (I have back problems). Definitely cool.