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Don't forget trivia night on Wednesday, February 19, 9-10pm ET/6-7pm PT. Join other members for some trivia and member-to-member chat!
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2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
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I rarely look at either thing. I shift when it feels right and I tend to drive as fast as I feel like going at that moment. I'm usually preoccupied with looking for those black and white devils.
Oh and if I'm on the freeway cruising I may have a hand on the wheel...usually somewhere low. Otherwise, my knee handles things 50% of the time.
Not that I wouldnt like to try, but where I live (NJ) you might get thrown in jail if you get pulled over going that fast. Not to mention I am sure that our auto insurance company treats any speeding ticket where you exceed the speed limit by more than 30mph (95MPH) as a SERIOUS violation similar to drunk driving.
The better question is ... what does the Jetta feel like after been pulled over going 100+ mph?
Otherwise, my knee handles things 50% of the time.
I knew that I could count on you for coming up with something so original and thought provoking. I bet you can read the paper and take a nap to your destitation, also. You must have been an inspiration to your teachers. For a serious person (that's what I gleam from your messages) are so funny and original. You must have a big following where ever you go. I'm LOL so much, I'm crying, the keyboard is all wet. Stay well, a blueguy fan....
Cards, just answering honestly,
Whoa! Take it to an ASE certified mechanic and keep the receipts. You don't need to visit VW for service...and especially not for bend you over the barrel upkeep stuff. That's why you shoud use a real/trustworthy mechanic. Find someone who does quality work and doesn't try to rob you blind. VW can't deny warranty work as long as an ASE certed guy did it and you have proof.
-scott
I am going to get my 18-year old son a new car to replace the old banger he is currently driving, and I am considering a Jetta. I liked the feel of the car in terms of the solidity and safety features. I have the following questions:
The base model 115 hp seems too underpowered and I am thinking the GLS 1.8 would be better. But at 180 hp, it seems a little strong for a teenager [although I am sure he would love it]. Do I see speeding tickets in his future? Will the insurance be a problem here in NJ?
Is manual or Tiptronic automatic for this type of driver? He might need the 'slowing down' of the automatic.
Velour, cloth or leather seats? I hear of 'lint problem' stories with the first two materials.
I hope that the forum talk related to coil replacement is not an issue in the 2003 models. Any opinions?
If not a Jetta, what other similar cars might one want to look at?
I read in some of the messages that one might get a new Jetta for as little as $ 100-200 over invoice, since auto sales are generally slow and it is a buyer's market. Is this reasonable price to any of you?
Thank you, in advance for any responses. I really enjoyed reading many of the informative posts on this message board. Good luck to you all!
Gary
I have a 2003 Jetta 1.8T (2 months old) with just under a 1000 miles on it. No problems yet, thank goodness. I hate squeaks and rattles as well. I read all the posts and I was convinced that my Jetta was going to fall apart. Not yet. I think VW may have gotten all the kinks out for the 2003s. Oh, I hope. It's too early to tell right now, but I probably would buy it over a again. With only a few hundred miles on it I do feel confident in it giving me service for a long time.
Do some more research and then decide. Ask more questions on this forum. The nice thing about this forum, you will get honest answers to your Qs. The people on this forum are very knowledge and they will find something that no one else could find. Some good and some not so good, but that's with any car.
So GOOD LUCK!!!
I live in the Chicago area and I got my 2003 Jetta GLS 1.8T for $200 over invoice. I think the dealers are willing to talk to just about anyone who makes an offer now.
GOOD LUCK!!!
As for the tranny, I would leave that up to him, it probably depends on how much he likes to drive.
The cloth does not attract lint, the velour does. I do have the velour, and I think some people overblow the whole problem. I clean them maybe once a month, and while they are lintier than other seats might be, its not the end of the world or anything, and the fabric feels higher quality than the cloth (only in the GL, GLS gets velour or leather).
I believe the coils are not an issue in all but the early 2003's, so look at the build date on the door. I don't know for sure, because I have a TDI, so I don't even have coils, spark plugs, etc. :-)
Good luck on the car purchase.
As someone younger, I can tell you he wouldn't be happy with the 2.0L. The 1.8T is good, but I'm a VR6 man myself.
And, Girls like guys who drive stick. So get him a manual.
Way too much power for a kid.
Do I see speeding tickets in his future? Will the insurance be a problem here in NJ?
I'm betting from what i've seen on vortex that insurance for a turbo jetta is high in NJ. Call your agent and get a quote...I'm betting near 2k a year.
Is manual or Tiptronic automatic for this type of driver? He might need the 'slowing down' of the automatic.
The automatic will slow his acceleration (unless he's horrid with a stick).
Velour, cloth or leather seats? I hear of 'lint problem' stories with the first two materials.
Leather. The cloth on the Jetta is horrible - I know, i have it!
I hope that the forum talk related to coil replacement is not an issue in the 2003 models. Any opinions?
Don't bet on 2003s being snafu free. We're talking about VW...they obviously aren't very good at building quality vehicles if you look how they're destroying the faith of young buyers who get shoddy craftsmanship and horrible dealer service. I know i for one will never probably never return to VW and i will do my best to point people elsewhere.
If not a Jetta, what other similar cars might one want to look at?
18 year old boy? Civic DX/LX. Bland, safe, reliable and slow. Mazda Pro - slow, cheap, reliable and relatively safe. Mazda6 - cheap, should be decent for reliability.
I read in some of the messages that one might get a new Jetta for as little as $ 100-200 over invoice, since auto sales are generally slow and it is a buyer's market. Is this reasonable price to any of you?
That's reasonable for just about any non-german luxury car. You can get most mazdas for under invoice and all hondas at it.
If it were my kid and I really felt the need to buy him a car i'd go for a 98-2001 Civic DX/LX sedan. It'll run forever, it's got great crash ratings, holds its value well and it's got decent power but it takes concerted effort to really get into trouble with one. Best car for a teen around. And you can save yourself 4-8k over a new car. I just checked edmunds and a 2001 Civic DX with auto and 20k miles sells for less than 9k. The car has excellent crash ratings too: http://www.edmunds.com/used/2001/honda/civic/100001235/safety.htm- l?tid=edmunds.u.options.leftsidenav..10.Honda*
Let someone else eat the depreciation on a new car. A new Jetta GL 1.8T (with all its problems and power) will set you back at least 18k. Is a Jetta worth 9k more for more problems and mechanical headaches?
10K service: I am bringing my car in tomorrow for this service (I have 10,700 miles now) and they quoted me $80.00 for the entire service.
However, I would recommend a used civic as well for a teenager. It will be very reliable, and hard to get in trouble with.
I have to disagree with chmeee about the seats. I think the lint is HORRIBLE. The first time I took my car to the auto-vac to clean it out, I was dumbfounded. I used the vaccuum and the stuff just wouldn't come off the seats. I scrubbed and scrubbed, and it takes 45 minutes to get the interior somewhat clean. You won't be able to get all the lint off.
My previous Accord would get linty seats too, but after 10 minutes with a vaccuum, the seats were clean. Not so with my Jetta. It's the only thing that really frustrates me about the car. I HATE HATE HATE the *!@!&#@*&# LINT!!!!!!
Having people get into my car and say "Wow, had your dogs in here, eh?" really makes me crazy. My dogs have NEVER been in my car. ARGH!
I have to agree with Blueguy here. I would recommend a used Civic or even a Protege. I had 2 Proteges, and they were great cars to start out with. Very reliable as well, and parts are cheaper than VWs. They are one of the most reliable small cars on the road actually.
Lint might be a problem, but it's more a personal thing. I, personally, couldn't stand it. I have leather in my car anyway, so it's cool.
180hp is too much for me sometimes, and I've been driving 7 years. It took me awhile to learn how to 'harness' the power, but I pretty much got it down now. Still might be a little too much for an 18 year old.
Get the Civic or a Protege, and your child will be fine with it. Shoot, I didn't even have a license at 18, let alone a car..
Car was surprisingly good in the snow, thanks to the ASR. It hates deeper snow though, so I ended up turning it off and trying to spin my way free (to no avail). Also, this 'rutted' street I have to go over it wreaking havoc on the underside of the car too, because of the snow ruts and stuff. Hopefully it will all melt soon...
Our VWs are nice, safe, semi-luxurious and depending on engine fast, but they are not empirically reliable cars vis a vis the competition.
VW's quality control problems will effectively erode the younger-skewing buyer demo they've built over the past 5 years. Everybody in the auto industry babbles about how envious they are of VW's ability to grab young upwardly mobile buyers. Well they need not fret because in the next 2 to 3 years all of those buyers will shift away from VW. Five bucks says BMW, Infiniti, MB and Lexus will benefit the most from the exodus.
And no, most VWs are not as reliable as their Japanese counterparts. That's very well known. A handful of people on this site seem to be lucky with their Jettas, but alot aren't. Unfortunately, majority rules.
If I had to pick a car today, right now, it would more than likely be a Lexus or MB. They have their fair share of problems, but they seem to be less than VW, and their customer service (Lexus especially) is impeccable.
The 2.0 is bad on fuel economy, it's rough, sounds like a diesel, and drinks oil like none other. Stick with the 1.8T.
- Anthony
Vocus: I am sorry, but you are wrong. The majority of people on this site or in general probably do not have problems (coil packs excepted, but that has been corrected). The problem is that very few people will come onto a board like this to say, "Hey, I have a Jetta, and it works fine!" People that have a problem will come here straight away though, to ask for help and have somebody to complain to.
Also, for every good 2.0, there seems to be 3 bad ones. The same for Jettas in general, it seems.
I am sorry to have to say it, but for reliability purposes VW would not be my top pick. A shame too, because the car does almost everything better than any car I have had.
You know what you can't do well in a 2.0...drag. You can try, but that's like drag racing in a pinto. What's the 0-60 on that dog, 10 seconds? With an auto it'll drop more. Regardless, I'd never wish a 2.0 on the poor kid.
Dad should save some coin, buy a 2 year old civic and put his kid in a safe, slow, reliable Civic or Pro. No need to get an exepensive, new, unreliable Jetta.
I'm one of those few people to say that my 2003 Jetta (built 11/02) works just fine. But, I'm an information junkie. I need a daily information fix. I would be here either way, though. It really is fun to read opinions that have a healthy interchange of opinions, ideas and experiences.
When my Jetta fails you will be the first people I'll talk to before I go anywhere else.
Vocus---I heard that the only people allowed on the streets there were emergency personnel and bowlers. Is that right??? :-)))
Of course it'll take longer to drag in a 2.0, but if someone wants to do it, then they will. Instead of sticking the son with a severely under powered engine, you should talk to him, explain the consequences of racing and speeding etc, and have some faith in the kid that he'll do what's right. And if he does get caught and he loses his license for 6 months or a year, then you'll have a nice car to drive.
So, to the father, don't get your son the 1.8T because it's a lot of car in a small package. He doesn't need that kind of car until he gets more experience in driving. Good Luck, Dad! ;-)
In MD, Phase 3 of the snow emergency plan was in effect. 4WD on the roads only, and only for official business. If you were caught driving on state roads, you were subject to a $1000 fine and/or jail time. You also can't park on snow emergency routes, or you may come back to find your car towed away. This makes it really hard. Some cars on my street are still covered in about 2-3 feet (yes, FEET) of snow.
Actually, a defensive driving school is good for any new driver regardless what kind of car they are driving.
- Anthony
I have to ask. Where are these driving schools? Are they in public schools or private companies? Through out the country?
Sounds like a good idea. I could learn a few things. My first mode of transportation was a horse and buggy. 1hp and no torque. But, always willing to learn something new.
There are plenty of big name ones like you see in Motor Trend and such.
- Anthony
I don't even own a Jetta, but I was wondering about something I've seen. I bet it's a stupid question, but is there a VW Bora? And if not, why have I seen quite a few of them?
Thanks,
ajl1000
It's all about being different.
just messing with you Paul
as far as a Jetta for a kid, i say go for it. a Civic's insurance in NJ will be more than the actual car. in my opinion, Civic's in urban areas, or even close to urban areas, do not mix. i say get the kid a base Jetta, if he wants more power, he can pay the difference in cost and insurance rates. 115 HP is plenty fast. my first car, a 1980 Volvo DL 4 speed was SLOW, and i still managed to get a few reckless driving tickets for speeding.
supposed to be funny. guess i bombed
I don't think the 15s make much difference in handling (with the sport suspension anyway), but of course it's been too messy lately to really push the car to find out.