Volkswagen Jetta 2005 and earlier

c1rybick

Mom's still leery about getting a VR6 powered one. She thinks it's a little too much thrust. Of course, she's half a century old, and has grown to be very conservative. I think I'll be happy with the 1.8T though, especially since it weighs less. But it'll all depend on what we find on the used car lots.

Karen_S

....but it has been brought to my attention that this group may be interested in having a VW Jetta Owner's Club in the Edmumds.com Town Hall. I have set up a folder for you on the Owner's Club board. When you have an opportunity, please take a look and introduce yourself!

Also, I have linked this discussion into the VW Jetta Owners folder. It can now be accessed here in Sedans or in your new Owner's Club.

KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs

moira_vw

The exact Jetta I want has been so hard to find around here that I'm considering buying it while traveling this weekend (the dealers where I'm going say they might be able to get the car for me). If one of them can really get it and gives me a decent price, I'd have to drive the car back about 400 miles one or two days after buying it. How bad is that for a new car? This will be a 5-speed turbo.

vocus

The only thing you should remember is not to take the engine over 4000 rpm, and do NOT drive the same speed constantly. Vary your speed up and down.

To the person who has the BlueLagoonJetta.com site: I noticed on the back of your Jetta near the right taillamp, there is a "2.0" moniker. How come? I have never seen another Jetta 2.0 with that on the back. Did your car come that way or not?

Cooper

"Of course, she's half a century old, and has grown to be very conservative."

Funny, but that doesn't seem old to me anymore.

fischda

Speaking for BlueJetta, the badge is available as an accessory for those who are proud of their little naturally aspirated engine - as well they sould be, it's a great engine!

blackjetta18t1

Hey people, just a few days away from getting my baby. Here's my question though, the car I wanted had monsoon but the delaer doesn't have it anymore and they found one exactly the same except without Monsoon. Now how is the stock stereo with cd player? The most important thing is that the stereo be clear. I listen to techno/dance/club music and want enough bass to compliment the music. Is this stereo good for this, and does it distor when turned up?

akangl

My Jetta GLS doesn't have the Monsoon system and I think it sounds fine. The Quest I traded in on it had a premium audio system ($800 option) and there isn't much difference sound wise between it and the Jetta. I don't have a CD player yet so I can't comment there, but otherwise I am very happy with the sound system.

On another note.......has anyone put a chip in their 1.8T? I am thinking of doing this as soon as I can save up the $500. I am looking at an APR Chip, its supposed to increase the horsepower to 196 hp and the torque to 240 lb/ft. I mean my Jetta is quick but I would like it a bit faster. Any info?

vocus

Be careful about chipping! You should keep the factory original in case there's ever trouble with your computer. Sure as the VW mechanic goes in there and finds an aftermarket chip and something goes wrong, say goodbye to your warranty. I would not advise against it, but just be careful.

Sound system: The CD player in the Jetta should not sound any different than the standard radio, if not better. The CD player is fully integrated. My co-worker has a Jetta GLX with the Monsoon system in it and it ROCKS! from what he said.

akangl

Thanks for the tip. The VW tech at the dealer is a great guy, I have known him for several years. I might ask him what he thinks before I do it, of course I may get thrown out of the service dept......lol. I will still probably do it just because I want more power!!

mellis

VW cannot void your warranty for having a chip unless they can PROVE whatever went wrong was caused by the chip. This is the law.

The 1.8l turbo responds very well to the chip. The two best IMO are APR and GIAC. Go to www.vwvortex.com for more info.

I have the Monsoon system in my 01 Jetta Wolfsburg and am not impressed. Stick with the stock system and upgrade if you want. The Monsoon is VERY difficult to upgrade.

Mark

vocus

My mistake. I thought they could void your warranty for just putting in the chip? See, I was going to modify something on my 1999 Mazda Protege (with the gauges if I remember correctly), and the dealer told me if something went wrong I was reponsible and the warranty would be null and void. Maybe it differs with manufacturers.

akangl

If I remember correctly the only part of the warranty they could void would be if something broke that was in direct corrilation to the aftermarket part, the warranty on the rest of the stuff would be left intact. Example, they can't void the warranty on your CV joint if you have a chip in the ECU. I ran into this because I use extended drain intervals and Amsoil. I was told by the Nissan dealer that the warranty on my Quest would be void, wrong, the only thing they could void would be if the engine failed and it was directly related to lubricant failure, then the amsoil lubricants warranty would take over and the engine fixed at no cost to me. I plan on using amsoil in my Jetta but not sure about drain intervals, those will have to be determined with an oil analysis.

c1rybick

How hard is it to put an aftermarket chip in? With VW's 2 year warranty, if I got a '99 Jetta, it'd soon be void anyway. Is it a simple swap?

moparbad

Based on what I know of other people's experiences, putting a chip in the ecm has voided warranty.
VWoA has refused to fix cars with engine failures due to the addition of performance equipment added to the car.
If you modify anything on the engine you do it at your own risk.
VW only has to prove that there was a modification, you have to prove that the modification did not change the operating parameters of the motor.

Some people have had their warranty voided and most have not had a problem with this, really depends on the dealer, the type of problem, and each situation.

Modifications could cost you major amounts of cash.

mellis

Simply putting in the chip does not void the warranty. VWoA has to prove that the failure was CAUSED by the chip. This is Federal law.

We could debate this all day long. The new GIAC and APR chips are not detectable by the dealer unless they literally pull the chip (no software detect). The VW 1.8l turbo is an Audi engine and the turbo is plenty big enough for the extra HP & torque. This engine is running 225+ HP in the Audi TT. VW programs the chip to de-tune the engine for marketing reasons.

If you go to the 1.8l engine forum at www.vwvortex.com you will find all sorts of people that do extreme mods to this engine. No reported failures of any sort from just the chip mod. Now if you take it past where these chips go it is a different story....

Removal of the chip and replacement is a 10 minute process.

Mark

moparbad

The law being referred to is The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. 2302(C)).

Unfortunately, if VW denies your warranty then you will likely have to prove that the modification did not change the way the engine operated.

Hypothetical situation. Turbo fails and VW says that chip caused failure. Before you can even get to court you will have to go through arbitration in many states. If you do get to court then it will be VW's experts against yours. Who do you think will provide more credible "expert testimony" about the VW turbo?

Magnuson-Moss will protect you if you put an aftermarket part on your car that performs to the same specs. as original, once you start changing the performance of the car then you are not protected.

Mark,

I wonder if the people who paid out of pocket for new engines after denial of warranty were following the advice of people who said they would not affect their warranty. Very expensive lesson.

marimba2

Has any one thought about contacting GIAC and APR and asking if they can, at some cost, of course, provide a warranty that would cover damage to the engine that VW fails to cover. I know it's a long shot, but it might be worth the extra bucks for peace of mind. I'm a new Wolfsburg owner (7 hours 41 minutes) and I'd like to chip it at some point, but there's too much confusion (i.e. risk) over warranty.

sworny

Hello. I have a couple of questons about Jetta GLS,1996.
How does the safety lock system work?
I can't open the trunk. I should have checked
it before I got this car from somebody. I unlocked the central locking system
and pushed the button right behind side brake.
but just could hear some mechanic sound.
even I couldn't open it with car key.

and how can I turn on the audio?
after I start the engine, the LCD says 'SAFE'
and doesn't repond at all if I push mode button.

Except those, everything works perfect. I drove
it back home for two hours on a highway. i love this car.

appreciate it

mellis

Agreed, if the turbo fails on a chipped engine there is going to be a fight. And VWoA will probably win. But only on items directly effected by the chip. If there is a warranty issue anywhere on the car that cannot be related to the chip you are covered. Most people assume that you are not covered at all.

I have yet to find anyone at the VWVortex forums that has had a turbo fail due to the chip. And they are a vocal lot! The 200hp is well within the tolerance of that engine.

I have a week-old Wolfsburg and it is going to be chipped ASAP. To me the risk/reward makes it a great deal. Others may not feel the same.

Mark

mellis

I believe there is a security code that has to be entered if power to radio has been cut off. Check the owners manual it may be in there. If not, then you need to see a VW dealer (assuming it is the stock radio).

No help on the locks, sorry.

Mark

akangl

I agree with you about the risk/rewards of the chip. I plan on chipping my 2001 Jetta GLS 1.8T as soon as I save up the $500. I figure what the dealer doesn't know won't kill them. The VW dealer that I use is very nice, I used to work there so I get away with things that other people wouldn't, like buying a 2001 Jetta GLS 1.8T for $500 back of dealer cost, in other words they lost $500 to sell me the car. I know its true because I saw the computer and also the GSM handed the paperwork to the finance guy and said "No, I'm not an idiot". It was the only GLS turbo that they had too. I doubt there will be any problems with the chip so I am going to go for it.

jetta143

If anyone is interested, there is a new "Jetta Owners" page open. Please everyone check it out, and leave a post. Thanks

Tyler

lspangler

I just installed a Panasonic 6 disc changer in my 2000 jetta. 10 minutes and music appeared. Never seen an easier install, though it's not bolted in yet, I'll have to make some adjustments when it warms up.

hcorner

>And what's wrong with using cheaper labor?

Cause your taking advantage of people's desperate circumstances.....

>If VW's were assembled here, they'd cost more...we'd buy less...and so on.

But wait, if there were more jobs in the US, then employer's would have to pay more for employee's (because of the range of choice for employment) and that could easily balance the scales so the VW cars would cost effectively the same price.

Ah, I don't want to get into economics, I don't even know much anyways. I just want quality worksmanship, is that so much to ask?

>Without knowing more, I'd guess you were French by how rude you are -- kidding, see I'm not too serious!

That's good.

Hey, did anyone check out the reviews and safety stuff on Jetta and Protege I linked here??

justin

have you guys seen the new passat's? SWEET, especially the interior with the chrome trim around the gauges. hopefully that will make it's way to the Jetta, at least the GLX version.

Not sure what I think about the back lights on the new Passat.....overkill for a "family" car maybe? The tasteful chrome on the outside is nice. always wondered why VW and Volvo never had much chrome. The black just gets dry and cracked looking over time I think....

fischda

>desperate circumstances?

No, just market economics - you pay the costs the market demands, and you earn what the market will bear. For all we know, VW could be paying its Mexican assemblers more than any other company operating there.

>balance the scales...VW cars would cost...the same?

I'm not following you. If greater choice of employment forced companies to pay more for employees, then the cost of their product would increase to ensure profit margins. Hence, an American-built VW would cost more than the same Mexican-built VW. Right?

You know, I don't think think either of us qualify as economics experts, so let's go back to the quality issue. Read or re-read the reviews. You'll find the majority of them praise the Mexico Jettas' build quality, tight tolerances, welds and seams. Remember the laundry list of all the sedans I test drove. Well, I wasn't predisposed to the Jetta by any means, but it was by far the most solid car of the lot - IMHO!!

hcorner

>No, just market economics - you pay the costs the market demands, and you earn what the market will bear. For all we know, VW could be paying its Mexican assemblers more than any other company operating there.

Hey, now that you've started I can't stop........

>I'm not following you. If greater choice of employment forced companies to pay more for employees, then the cost of their product would increase to ensure profit margins. Hence, an American-built VW would cost more than the same Mexican-built VW. Right?

(note: slight change of position on my part)
But that can't be right because the reverse isn't right. When an American manufacturer moves to an under-developed country, the money saved on labour isn't passed down to the consumer. It is the owners(including stock holders) and top execs who benefit from the move. So in fact, any way you look at it, it will cost the same price to the consumer.

>You know, I don't think think either of us qualify as economics experts, so let's go back to the quality issue. Read or re-read the reviews. You'll find the majority of them praise the Mexico Jettas' build quality, tight tolerances, welds and seams. Remember the laundry list of all the sedans I test drove. Well, I wasn't predisposed to the Jetta by any means, but it was by far the most solid car of the lot - IMHO!!

Yes, I've read the reviews and the people who love their Jetties, love their Jetties, and that makes me a little skeptical, because they are more likely to over look the fact that this car needs fix-ups within the first two years. If I need a car to get around, then I'll buy used. But, if I want a car that I'll love to drive, then I'll buy new and keep it for as long as I can. I love the look and feel of the Jetta but am worried that I may be the one you gets a goose egg. But, heck, that's with any car. I would just feel better if the car was made in the developed world, were living and labour standards are higher, and where, unlike the under-developed world, the government obeys the law and protects the worker from mistreatment.

Here it is, it's a guilt thing, I'll feel guilty if I'm really enjoying a product -- I mean, REALLY enjoying -- and if someone along the process of the assembly of that product was abused. The odds that happens in Sweden versus Mexico is huge.

Wouldn't you rather that be the case? Is it really that unattainable?

justin

As far as putting cars together, I think that EVERY other country, including Japan and Germany and Sweden/Belgium could learn a few things. My thing is this - the workmanship that is obvious on Jet/Golfs/Beetles shows that the workers in Mexico are proud of what they do, and take their jobs seriously. If they were abused workers, then morale would be non-existent, and products would be crappy. Right? Look at the GERMAN built Passat that is imported to U.S. It has more build quality complaints....parts FALLING off, breaking in your hand, etc. Jetta generally don't have that problem that I know of. It would be nice if GM and Ford transfered their assembly lines to the VW plant in Mexico, huh?

vocus

Just curious. How's your Hyundai holding up anyway?

krje

i have a 2000 gls with about 35,000 miles on it and already replaced 2 oxygen sensors. has anyone else had any problems with the sensors? the dealership tried to tell me that it was normal and could be attributed to mobil 87 gas that i was using. they said vw recommends using amoco 87. has anyone else heard this?

riswami

I can't believe the gas could cause them to fail. Sounds like another crappy VW dealership. I had a 88 Jetta; never replaced the 02 sensor. I ran all brands of 87 Octane gas.

rfiglia

Just bought my 7th VW tonight ! A 2001 Jetta GL silver arrow/black interior 5 speed.I paid 16,194 plus tax.Does anyone know the dealer invoice?Edmunds says $15,753.Its hard to find silver here on Long Island.Only 2 dealers had silver with 5 speed in stock.Edmunds says the TMV price is 16,575 plus tax and cars direct price was 16,800 plus tax so I feel we got a good deal.Anybody get a similar price for a GL?Also VW credit has a special this month 5.9 A.P.R. for 60 months or 3.9 for 48,any down payment you want and no early payoff fee, much better than my credit union(7.9)I have owned an 80 Rabbit,85 Jetta GL,87 Golf,87 Gti 8v,88 GTi16v,and a 94 Jetta GL .My favorite was the 88 16v .But im married now and the GL is more my style. Did anyone add their own aftermarket cd changer? I was hoping to put it under the front seat , has anyone done this? Does anyone know of a website to get VW accessories at a cheaper price like partscheap.com does for Honda parts? Thanks for any info...

jazzpants

If it makes you feel any better, the VW dealership told me the oxygen sensor is one the first thing that needs maintenance. He said this would occur between 30,000 and 50,000. I just bought the 2001 LX and that is what they told me when I was checking out the extended warranty plan.

mihai1

Well, my best friend has a 2000 LS. I drove it for 3 months while he was in Europe and let me tell you, there isn't much difference between it and a 3 series BMW. I would buy one too, but it is soooo small in the back, plus I have some quality issues with cars built in Mexico. Mechanically speaking, his car is holding up well, but the power windows has failed once (window would not go up), plus the cup holders keep on breaking. Old Jetta are not really known for their good reliability either. I was hoping that the new Jetta would be a lot better.

bluejetta

Not quite 6 months (young) yet, but just accomplished the 5K serice without a hitch. My dealer has awesome service!

We did (finally) find a glitch in our car. The night before we took it in for service, we noticed that the third brake light was dim. Weird. Anyway, they replaced it at the 5K service and all's good again. ))

The full report is at the Blue Lagoon website...

-Jim
http://www.jettaownersclub.org
http://www.bluelagoonjetta.com

pat

Nice to see you again - you might remember me as "pat455" in M&R. Once upon a time, we were accused of being the same person. ;->

Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards

bluejetta

I thought we were? I looked in the mirror this morning and saw you! j/k LOL... Of course I remember you. Good to see yer still around here. I was wondering where ya went.

-Jim

http://www.jettaownersclub.org
http://www.bluelagoonjetta.com

drmike2

I, too, just had the 5K service for my (green) GLS 1.8. Also very happy with the quality of service at my dealership (Borton Motors in Delray Beach, FL). I flipped out when I returned after one hour to hear, "Your car is ready, sir; they're just washing it now." Never had that before!

I absolutely love my car -- very pleased with fit and finish, performance and overall "feel". Only one problem so far -- the glove box latch came off. They replaced the whole glove box lid and switched out the lock at the 5K service. Granted, this should not have happened at all, but I'm not bent out of shape over it. I hope it's an isolated incident.

Two nitpicks about the car: the spare tire is mounted in the trunk valve side down, which makes it impossible to check or add air without removing it. Dumb. Also, VW still uses those combination lug-bolts to mount the wheels on the car, instead of lugs and lug nuts like everyone else. I remember these un-user-friendly things from as far back as early 70's Beetles. Anyone know why?

But other than those admittedly little things, I think the Jetta is a superb car, and I'm really glad I chose it.

2001jetta

Well I have had my 2001 Jetta for about 5 days now. Great car!! I have put about 700 miles on it in the past few days. I am considering on putting on a k-n Airfilter however the local parts store does not have them for the 2001 1.8T engine. Has anyone else put one on the 1.8T and is it even worth it. Well that is it for now!

kayteach

I am buying my first new car after 20 years of driving someone else's hand-me-downs. I want something sporty, fun to drive, but safe for my teen age daughter to drive. What else is there that fits that description but a Jetta?
I have heard so many negative things about them - something is always going wrong, expensive to repair, the dealers are difficult to deal with, it takes a month to get an appointment for repairs... on and on. I still think they are the best looking and driving car, but I can't be without a car for a month! Any comments that would be positive would help. I am thinking of a LS with a V6 and a manual transmission. How are the turbos?

akangl

I bought a 2001 Jetta GLS 1.8T 12 days ago and so far the car has 1700 miles on it. The only thing that is wrong with it is a bad turn signal relay, no big deal, the dealer has the part and its up to me to get the car up there to them. I can usually call and get an appointment at the dealer within a couple days. This is my second VW, I used to own a 94 Jetta GL, I bought it used with 30,000 miles and several accidents under its belt. I drove it for 3 months, put 10,000 miles on it and never really had a problem with it. I loved the car, solid and fast, still kicking myself for selling it. I have found that people who have problems with their cars tend to voice that where people who are happy with their cars don't say much. I used to sell VW's and find them to be a great car. The service department told me that they won't start in the cold and are a pain to deal with. Well, I never had a problem with my 94 Jetta and the temp has dipped to -15 since I have had my 01 Jetta and it started right up. So much for their "its terrible in the cold" theory. Yes, Jettas can be spendy to repair, but so are Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. If you are worried about the cost of repairs, get an extended warranty. I also considered the VR6 engine, but wanted fuel economy, that's why I went with the 1.8T......its great, very powerful and has been getting 36 mpg on the highway. Both engines are good though. Good luck to you.

rfiglia

Just bought my 7th VW tonight ! A 2001 Jetta GL silver arrow/black interior 5 speed.I paid 16,194 plus tax.Does anyone know the dealer invoice?Edmunds says $15,753.Its hard to find silver here on Long Island.Only 2 dealers had silver with 5 speed in stock.Edmunds says the TMV price is 16,575 plus tax and cars direct price was 16,800 plus tax so I feel we got a good deal.Anybody get a similar price for a GL?Also VW credit has a special this month 5.9 A.P.R. for 60 months or 3.9 for 48,any down payment you want and no early payoff fee, much better than my credit union(7.9)I have owned an 80 Rabbit,85 Jetta GL,87 Golf,87 Gti 8v,88 GTi16v,and a 94 Jetta GL .My favorite was the 88 16v .But im married now and the GL is more my style. Did anyone add their own aftermarket cd changer? I was hoping to put it under the front seat , has anyone done this? Does anyone know of a website to get VW accessories at a cheaper price like partscheap.com does for Honda parts? Thanks for any info...

fischda

You still haven't given me any reason to believe there's anything wrong with the Mexican plant, and I have my perfect Jetta to prove it. What do you have? Nothing but a perspective. So go buy a Jetta - I know you want one!

vwguild

If anyone is interested in learning about this state of the art facility and it's impact on the
City of Puebla...please feel free to contact me.

I just returned from a visit to this Plant at the
end of October 2000...

gregj777

Hey I'd love to hear about it!! I'd love to have some pics too.... Thanks!

markulies

how about posting some of the highlights!!

jeffinboston

I can't say that I'm impressed about the workings of the GLX Climatronic system in the 2001's that I've test I've test driven so far. I believe that the system only has 2 room temperature sensors by the climate control panel, lacking an important one on top of the dashboard to detect sunlight heating. This is most problematic on cold sunny days when you need heat from the floor wells as well as much cooler air in your face from the panel vents. As an example, I've had to set the temp at a ridiculously low setting of 65 to stay comfortable on a 39 degree day. I can envision having to fiddle with the temp up & down depending on sun conditions, which defeats the whole purpose of having climate control (setting 1 number that you like and forgetting it). When I had set it at 65, it was more like 70-72 in the car which is what I wanted in the 1st place. Also, when I set it as low as it would go, it didn't run the fan at high like the book says it does. I believe this to be the case on most that I've test driven which is about 5 by this point. Do the rest of you have to change your preferred temp depending on sunlight and other conditions? I live in Boston but may move to California once I buy the car. Otherwise, I love all the features of the car. I am, however, leary of problems I've seen here & in Consumer Reports. Comments on those as well? Thanks.

newzone88

Does anyone know whether VW has a 3.9% financing for 48 months for the Jetta and 5.9% for 60 months? I saw on a message board that this is so, but when I called the dealer, he only mentioned that it is 5.9% for 48 and 60 months.

bradkn57

Although my wife loves her 2000 Jetta TDI It is likely to be back in VW's hands soon. I've had it in 5 times for the turbos failing to work. The last time dealer had for three weeks, changed the Turbos and we still have the problem... Has anyone else had a problem??