Volkswagen Jetta 2005 and earlier

nomadnyc

If you are having 60 degree weather I'll detail your car just for the chance to warm up. Raining in NY today and might even get a dusting of snow tomorrow (enough already).

Me and the misses were discussing this morning about getting rubber mats for the car. Walmart....hm?

nomadnyc

My fiance just picked her Jetta 2.0 GLS on Sat.. Prior to this I was doing a lot of research on Jettas and some of their major problems was the coil failures in 2001 & 2002, windows dropping into door, cup holders, and rattles.

As vocus said the coil problems seems to have been corrected as of early 2003 models. I noticed less people complaining of such problems.

On windows, not to sure if this has been corrected but have also noticed less peoplecomplaining about this one.

Cupholders use to be hidden in the dash above the radio. One press and they use to pop out. major complaint was that they were not great at holding drinks and if they did condesantion would drip onto the radio causing it to fail. Cupholders have now been moved between the two front seats.

Rattles...still around. Have not had one yet but only time will tell how bad they are.

Hope this helps

nomadnyc

As I have stated, our brand new Jetta had a scratched windshield. It looks to me like someone turned on the wipers with no rubbers on them (no joke intended). Taking it on Thursday so they can do the work Friday. Seems like they are going to try to compound out the scratch.

Dealership seems very concerned about the phone survey that I am suppoose to have soon. Even got a letter stating that all 5's are very important to the dealership and that if I cannot answer 5 to an of the questions I should contact the manager immediately. Plan on delaying the survey until after the work is done and let it be known that I have taken thi route.

I'll keep everyone posted on how it turns out.

Nomad

blueguydotcom

and yes, the TSX looks nice, especially for a Honda! not sure about a high strung non-forced induction 4 cylinder though.

It's funny all the reviews I read of the TSX praise it for being such a nice little package but when it comes to power, styling and interior space they all mention the car's just not up to the rest of the class. Um, aren't power, styling and space pretty important?!

Most estimates put the car at 25 (base) to 30k (loaded). For that kinda green one can pick up several V6 models that will obliterate the TSX (325i, IS300, Maxima and G35 pop to mind instantly). As usual, Honda missed the mark...their resistance to RWD and V6 power will forever keep acura as an also-ran in the luxo dept.

chmeeee

You do have some OEM options if you want some rubber floormats that will work better than Walmart ones, but they are more expensive. VW sells rubber mats (called Monster Mats) that I have in my car, they snap into the posts on the floor so they wont slide around, and they fit perfectly. Maybe you can get some in exchange for all the troubles you have been through (mention survey)? ;-) I have heard of dealers throwing things like that for free every now and then...

vocus

The mats I have don't slide around, even though they're not clipped. They also were $8, compared to ~$85 for the Monster Mats...

vocus

The window regulators were upgraded to metal parts (from plastic) for 2003, so that's not really a problem anymore. VW also sent letters to owners (I got one) saying that they will warranty the regulators for 7 years, with no mileage limit, if a problem happens.

My car has almost 33K on it (02) and no window regulator problems yet with it (knock on wood!).

hoodornament

I am so surprised to hear of the backlash against the new cupholder design. If its like the Passat, they placed them in an area that wasnt used anyway (right next to emergency brake) For one, I think the old design was really stupid, drinks blocked the stereo controls, werent big enough for anything but a soda can, and risked of spilled on the dash controls. I agree that the old design may have looked better, but doesnt function in this case take precedence over form? VW listened to their customers with the new design.

vocus

In the 02 Jetta, the cupholders were different than the 1999.5-01 models. They were in the same location and had the same operation, but they were extendable to the point where they would hold more than a can. I have had Big Gulp cups in mine with no problem, other than the blocking of the stereo/CD player controls, something I can deal with.

They aren't as 'clean looking' as the Passat's cup holders are. That kind of design would have been nice.

vocus

I have a friend who has a pretty heavily modified 2001 GTI 1.8T, he is the person who I got my new wheels from through Vortex. I was talking with him today, and he told me he has invested a good $13,000 in modifying his car. $13,000!!! On top of the ~$20,000 the car cost originally. I can't see spending cash like that for a car, considering how quickly they lose value.

nomadnyc

I agree with you. Prior to delivery of the Jetta, the showroon model had the old cupholders. I thought they were very 'gimicky', something that someone would say "Oooh that's so cool". To me, the cupholders are not that imporatant (never drink in the car)but can undertsand if they then it is important that you get practical ones.

cards28

When I got my Jetta I had the dealer to throw in the Monster Mats. I'm sure I paid something for them in the deal. They do look nice and work like a charm. Deep grooves pick up the snow, gravel and everything else that your feet bring to the car. They are also personalized with Jetta on them. They fit very well and look spiffy, also. Expensive? Yes, but I usually like to keep accessories in the family, because when you sell it down the road it will make a statement to the person looking at it. Maybe, in a subliminal way. It will look good to them but don't really know why.

The new cup holder- I need to take a look at them and see how good or bad they are. The in dash holder looks clean and out of the way, but like (i)hoodornament(/i) said, it's function versus form. It's a personal thing. The good thing about it, VW is listening to us. About time!
I have a very good friend, who has been my mentor over the years, is German and very stubborn. Not saying that all Germans are stubborn, but just, my friend is. He is very dedicated to quality and service. As he always says to me, when something is completed, "over and out". "It's done, next?" Ya know, this cup holder discussion may be all academic if you don't use a cup holder. Most of us do, I would think, except blueguy, of course.

nomadnyc

Good idea on the mats. Might slip it in when I drop the car off for the windshield work

"Really need rubber mats...did I mention that I am reservinf my answers to the survey till after I get the cat back. Did I mention that I haven't made up my mind whether prep of the car was a 3 or a 5?"

cards28

Vocus,
We only got about 6" of snow here in Chicago. I'm getting ready to go out and take a spin in it. See what happens. I might try and beat my 101mph record. Not anywhere close to what you guys got, so I won't complain.

nomadnyc

You should have a long talk with your friend. Throw some slaps in the face from time to time.

Seriously,though, he must really love his car to put that kind of money into it. He must keep it in tip top shape.

Incidently, how does the jetta hold-up in resale value compared to other cars in its class?

cards28

I maybe all wet here, but I gave my dealer top grades in just about every category. From bickering to delivery the transaction was as smooth as silk. We couldn't find 1 fault, except for the F&I guy. Initially, he offered us VW's best interest rate, which was 4.9%, Our credit Union gave us 4.5%, but when we picked up the car, he said that VW Credit gave us 3.99%. Too late because we already had our Credit Union check in hand. He didn't even bother to calls with the 3.99%. We did tell him we were going to check our CU over the weekend for a better rate, which came out to be 4.5%. So much for service there. This guy was really hard to like, even for me.

vocus

I should slap my friend in the head, but his car is definitely pristine. He hardly drives it, it's an 01 with only 12K miles on it I think.

The Jetta's resale value is best in the class. Haven't you heard VW's commercials advertising that? That and the Civic are tops in this class.

vocus

I guess that was his revenge for not choosing the extended warranty and rustproofing he probably tried to shove down your throat...

My F&I transaction was pretty smooth, the guy ended up being a friend I had known from another dealership. His first sentence was, 'you have bought enough cars, you know the drill already'. He already knew the VW was my 2nd new car and 6th car overall, so it cut down on the BS.

nomadnyc

Had a problem with our F&I guy. Initially they told us financing was 2.9%. Car was being bought for about $19,500 (which i thought was a very good price)Fiance's credit not so great so it came back as 9.0%. However, she can get 4.1% if she bought an extended warranty for about $1500 and Anti-depreciation theft insurance for $500. To me this seemed like a scam to recoup some of the purchase price. I asked her to walk out of the dealership (on the phone; she went to dealer when she heard the car came in) and that i would go down there after walk to discuss with them.

"What's this theft insurance?" you ask. Well if the car is stolen VW is concerned that you will not pay them back. So this covers the difference between the sale price and the depreciation of the car. Never heard of such a thing. I thought that was the reason for full coverage. I asked if this was onl if the car was stolen and they said yes. I then asked what happens if the car is totalled (God forbid) in an accident. After a long pause with a confused look on face the answer was "Your full coverage insurance covers it." So the insurance covers if the car is totaled but not stolen.

After this the guy really did not want to engage me too much. I told what rate do we get if put the car in my name and it was 2.9 but my fiance would not be able to build her credit. Told him I appreciated his concern but that it something for her to worry about. Walked out and told them I would think about it. Went back and put the car in my name no questions asked or attempts to sway.

I put this forward so people don't get suckered into paying for something that I consider to be total bs. There are always options around everything

nomadnyc

Does anyone here know what this is? Suposedely only Dealers that have satisfied these requirements that are being implemented now will get new cars like the Phaeton.

Wonder if this has to do with the delaer scoring all 5s on the surveys.

vocus

First of all, your F&I guy is a sack of crap. GAP insurance, as it's typically called, covers the difference between the value of the car and what's owed to the finance company incase the car is a total loss (be it theft, accident, flood, etc.) I know, because I have GAP insurance on my car.

As for not being able to let your fiance get the best interest rate because she didn't buy an extended warranty, I don't know how that would affect the financing rate. I definitely wouldn't give the dealership all 5s on the surveys.

The 'standards initiative' you speak of, I believe, means a dealership has to have a certain level of customer service score before being 'rewarded' the Phaeton. If their scores are consistently poor, then they wouldn't get the car. Based on reading and experience, I assume that not many VW dealers will be getting the Phaeton...

nomadnyc

F&I was a very interesting experience. I just felt it was scam, plain and simple. If she did not already put a $500 deposit and really loved the car I would have walked away from the entire deal. I tell the car saleman upfront to give it to me straight. Give your best offer and be done with it. I also include that if I feel I'm being BSed I'll walk (and I will).

On the standards, that's what it seems like to me. That not every dealer will have the Phaeton. It is a nice looking car but not sure how well it will do with attached price tag.

vocus

Considering they couldn't get the W8 Passat to sell for MSRP (I saw them cut down to $32,500 at dealers' lots), I don't know how they are going to sell a $50K+ car and call it a VW.

cards28

I forgot to mention about our encounter with the F&I, he asked what we did for a living. I don't think that was idle conversation because they like to pry. They are paid to pry. I have about 26 years as an accountant and my wife has about the same time spent as a teacher. He said that he never had a combination of accountant and teacher before. He looked up at us a couple times not sure how much he should pry. You have to know my wife, because when she puts her teacher face on, it can make a grown man cry. Her voice has a gymnasium resonance to it. It can be scary. She is really sweet, but I don't fall for it any more. I just won't balance her ledger. Why did I say that? C'mon now....Anyway, the guy looked just like Dukkie(?) Howser, but taller. When we handed him our check for the car and said that we were going with our CU, he couldn't get out our application with VW fast enough. He said, "see here I'm tearing it up right here, see" and "don't forget to tear your copy up". He couldn't get us out of his office fast enough. That's a victory! Many years ago I applied for a regional F&I position with Ford Motor Company. During the interview I could smell some things that I didn't like. I didn't get the job because I do have some ethics. That was OK by me. I didn't want to relocate anyway.

I threw this out yesterday, about Jetta/Bora scale models. What, no one's interested??? They really do look smart. Were' re trying to get a GB going. Let's go....

Now, ITF? (Isn't This Fun?)

cards28

Paul,
I have a computer question for you. What email address should I use?
Thanks,
Frank

Anakin

I'd be happy to buy a scale model, but not for $80

I don't need one that much.

adg44

I am sure he didn't mean to spend $13,000 when he started.

I dropped just over $10,000 into my 01 GTI VR6 by the time I was finished with it. Once you start modifying heavily, you can't stop. And then when you do one mod, you need to upgrade something else to support the extra power, etc. It's a viscious circle.

Paul, who was the person in MD you were referring to?

venus537

the good news about the tsx engine is that it's suppose to have a broad torque band with the 5 speed auto doing a very good job at extracting its power. i know, a real enthusiast would think nothing less that the 6 speed. a v6 would hurt its wonderful handling dynamics (being fwd). the cost of a bmw 3 series is well north of a tsx and for the maxima, please... nissan is clueless when it comes to powerful v6s and fwd.

sorry for not talking about the jetta, but not much is happening with the car except for the new cup holders. i'm pleased that i have had no problems so far with my car.

blueguydotcom

the good news about the tsx engine is that it's suppose to have a broad torque band with the 5 speed auto doing a very good job at extracting its power.

I've read the exact opposite. with only 166 lb-ft of torque the TSX's engine matches the 1.8T but the torque comes on FAR later. We drive a smaller, cheaper car (1.8T) with torque that's immediate. The TSX engine can't hold a candle to that. And considering the 1.8T's engine doesn't feel nearly strong enough for my liking, then I'm positive an Accord with the same torque later won't make me happy. Bump it to 240 and then we're in business. anything less than 200 is anemic for me.

a v6 would hurt its wonderful handling dynamics (being fwd).

Yeah being FWD...ie being a car that's not well built for handling.

the cost of a bmw 3 series is well north of a tsx

Oh, sorry a 325i for ED can be purchased for 24k before the $1200 dealer profit. Add in the profit on a euro delivery and a base 325i starts at 25k. With a handful of options you're looking at Sport and Premium package still won't get the car over 30k. try again.

and for the maxima, please... nissan is clueless when it comes to powerful v6s and fwd.

Yeah, so clueless you get a 2004 3.5 SE 5 speed auto, tons more space, 265 HP and 255 lb-ft of torque. Starting price: 27500 before the ubiquitous nissan discounts. Gosh, Acura's smaller, less powerful 4 cylinder powered car has it all over the Max. LOL

BTW, you've forgotten the G35 sedan with MT. Leather MT G35 is 29600 (again before the ubiquitous Nissan discount). That's 260 HP, 260 ft-lbs of torque and RWD. We're talking about 65+ MPH through the slalom and 0-60 sprints in 6 seconds and under. That car will obliterate the TSX in every way...handling, passenger room, acceleration, warranty, reliability (Infiniti is #2 after Lexus), etc.

vocus

I can't remember his Vortex SN, but he lives in Ellicott City and has an 01 GTI in silver (aren't they all?).

vocus

Use the email address in my profile here. I have sent you a couple emails to the address in your profile, but never get an answer. I'm starting to take it personally.. j/k

8u6hfd

adg44

justin

if this message comes several times, sorry. something screwy is going on right now.

venus -

i understand where you are coming from - you are a Honda fan. nothing wrong with that. you would see things a little differently.

but i have to agree - to get a BMW with sport and lux package with leather and 5 speed auto, you spend $37k. i know unfortunately. mine also has HID lights and the harmon cardon and the sportiest of the sport package, and it is a coupe, but still. the only 325 you can get for under $30k has hubcaps, ugly paint, and a funky interior. no sound system or cruise control. gross. Still not sure that i would pay 25k for a four cylinder Honda though. i would get a 240HP Accord first...

not familiar with euro delivery though. it might cut the cost by several thousand, but i don't have time, or any desire at all, to travel to Germany. especially now. different story though

blue - nothing wrong with a FWD car. you have one too, don't forget! and doesn't the Max have the awful rear suspension? does the I35 have the same rear as the Max, or is it different?

washed my Jetta yesterday. today it is raining. yay.

adg44

You wanted to tell me something???

8u6hfd

it was a post on what's your vortex screen name?

nomadnyc

please have your car in the driveway so that I may detail it. As I dream of detailing the cars IT IS SNOWING HERE IN NY!!!. Coming to MD for warmer weather.

Saw some poor guy smack his Maxima into a telephone pole. Seemed like he hit a patch of ice and lost control. Got out of my car to help and thankfully so did he. Was in good shape but was in utter disbelief of what had just happened.

So evryone being affected by bad weather please be careful out there.

vocus

The nice weather has gone away. It's raining here today, and about 35 degrees. The temp was 47 when I left for work this morning, and went down gradually throughout the day. I hate winter.

blueguydotcom

Justin wrote:

but i have to agree - to get a BMW with sport and lux package with leather and 5 speed auto, you spend $37k.

Um, ED on a 325i with sport, lux, leather and auto still won't break 32k.

not familiar with euro delivery though. it might cut the cost by several thousand, but i don't have time, or any desire at all, to travel to Germany. especially now.

LOL. It's a fact that ED cuts thousands off the price of the car. as for time to go there...whatever. You can fly to Germany and back within one weekend. That's not an issue. Living on the East coast the flight would be peanuts and fast. For those of us over here...it's a hike. Still a 2 day thing though.

you have one too, don't forget!

How could I? It's miserable.

doesn't the Max have the awful rear suspension?

You're talking 2003 Max, which is now officially defunct. The 2004 has a multilink rear suspension, 265 HP, 5 speed auto and more luxury than any previous version.

does the I35 have the same rear as the Max, or is it different?

I35 is dead.

justin

that BMW knows that the American market will eat up anything they put out. they charge $19k for a 115hp Mini with plastic seats. for that you can get a Miata! oh well. i am a sucker for the Mini's exterior details, i must admit.

VW of America just called me. i can take my car in to get the other two coils replaced with new ones. IF i get my $20k service done at the dealer. not sure...i might wait for the official recall (the guy said still about a month away).

vocus

I called the dealer a couple weeks ago, and asked about the replacement coils. They told me they were still only fixing the broken ones, and knew nothing about the replacement of all of them. The one service guy is too smart though, that's why I got one free oil change from that dealership already...

I will get the coils done, hopefully, with my 35K mile service. Alomost at 33K now, so another month maybe. I never had any trouble but the one (#3) coil, knock on wood.

chmeeee

Hey Justin, the Mini is 16k base price, the 19k is for the Cooper S (163hp). I think for what you get, its a bargain.

sntx

This is for whoever was asking about cleaning the leather. I'm sorry if this has already been covered. Only the seating surfaces are leather. It is a good idea to use leather cleaner and protectant on the seating surfaces only. The sides and the backs of the seat are vinyl and should be cleaned as such. On all plastic, rubber, and vinyl surfaces I recomend using a little soap and water if soiled followed by 303 protectant. 303 is also the only thing I would put on my tires as none of the so called tire treatments protect against UV, which causes tires to deteriorate and turn grey.

edit: Please don't let armour all near any VW!!!

nomadnyc

So only the places your butt and back touch are leather? Or is only where your butt touches that is leather? The rest is vinyl. Very interesting. Thanks for the info, as I was planning on using leather conditioner on the entire seat. Not sure if that would damage the vinyl.

303 is the way to go. One of the few (if not only) products that provides UV protection and recommend to everyone if you want to keep your vinyl looking good.

vocus

No, the seat faces themselves are leather. The backs and sides of the front seats are vinyl. The door inserts are leather as well. What about the headrests though?

I HATE armor-all! It's fake shine, its smell, everything about it. Also, it's not good for the plastics on the Jetta's dash, as told to me by a dealer. I have Meguiar's Gold Glass leather cleaner, and like the way it cleans up my interior. It was $6 or so at Wal-Mart for a bottle big enough to do the interior 2-3 times.

hoodornament

I can personally vouche for the claim that Armor All ruins some of the interior dash surfaces, specifically the rubberish material on the window controls and around the climate control areas. I used it ONCE on my Passat and about one month later the rubbery material started peeling and looked awful. I have since added wood-dash kit to cover these areas (which I liked anyway)

vocus

I was thinking about getting the silver trim dash kit and putting it in my car. If my dash ever starts to peel, that's what I'll do I think. It would look nice with my black leather interior.

sntx

By seating surfaces I am referring to the places that your back and butt rest. Vocus is correct about the door inserts as well. I am not sure about the headrests. I will take a look at mine and see if I can tell. I don't think leather products will damage vinyl, it is just a waste of resources.

nomadnyc

Armor All is not that bad. Just use it on the inside of your garbage can. Works very well there.

Thanks sntx and Vocus for clearing that up for me.

vocus

Inside of the garbage can... LOL!!!

dag57

looking to buy a Jetta GLS 1.8T with Tiptronic auto in a month or two but cant decide between the velour or spending the extra $900 or so for the leather pkg...never had leather before but wouldn't velour be abit cooler in the hot weather and warmer in the winter to sit on...also is the ESP(electronic stabilization pkg) worth the money($280 option) though not completely sure what it really does. Haven't heard anyone talking about it...If velour was picked over leather, is it really
 all that bad to keep clean as ive read here and is the lumbar adjustability on the velour seating the same as on the leather ones or different. Is the seat heating & heated washer nozzles (winter pkg option) really worth the extra money...Hoping for some answers...like the forum folks,very informative!!! Keep up the great work....And lastly haven't talked with my insurance agent yet, but does having the 1.8T engine place one into the sports car class category thus making your car insurance premiun higher....My sister many years back had sub-compact with a turbo and her insurance rate was significantly higher because of it...