Volkswagen Jetta 2005 and earlier

wntajetta

I was told by my dealer that I had up to twelve months or 12,000 miles to purchase the extended warranty on my 2001 WE. The price is around $1,095 for a 5yr. 72,000 mile deal.

roninjouten

That's not too bad if you figure the first two are already covered. Does that include a zero deductible?

hcorner

Can someone, who is knowledge in on this topic, explain, in detail, why the turbo needs a 1 minute cooling period before turning it off, or, where there is a link where I can read this.

I have a friend with a 1.8 t and he never heard of a need to wait, and I wanna help but I'm sound to dumb in my explaination.

Thanks

kclord

Alright...I went to the dealership and agreed on a price of $21,075 including monsoon, sunroof, cd changer, and cold weather. This doensn't include tax etc.
What do you all think about this? I sign the finance papers tomorrow.

Thanks

smitpat

Hmm. Seems just a little high to me. I paid 20,500 for WE monsoon, sunroof, cold weather and SINGLE CD in dash. If the changer is worth 575, then it's okay, but... Tell the dealer you hate strange numbers and to knock off the $75 to make it 21K.

bluejetta

Yeah...that's a little high IMO. They are charging you FULL PRICE and maybe some change for that changer. You can get one for half that price aftermarket and install it yourself. They need to pop that down to 20,800 and split the diff on the changer.

-Jim

fischda

2000 GLS 1.8T/12K miles - While driving to work this morning, the "check engine" light came on and stayed on. I wasn't blinking. According to the manual, this indicates a possible problem with the emissions system. I called the dealer and made an appointment for a week from now.

The car drove normally. Has anyone had this occur, and what was the diagnosis? How did the dealer fix it, and was the service good? Thanks, everybody!

bluejetta

nCould be any number of minor things. The EC systems in the new cars are ultra sensitive and the littlest thing will set them off. I set mine off when I installed my K&N. I left the MAF sensor unplugged and even when I plugged it back on, the light would not go off. I left a post at Vortex and they told me to go fill up my gas tank. I did that, and the light went off.

Anyway, its nothing to worry about unless it starts blinking.

-Jim

wolfiedriver

This is my first VW so maybe this is normal, but my new Wolfsburg 1.8T after
parking and shutting the engine off, the fuel tank makes a bubbling or
sloshing sound every five seconds or so. I know it's the fuel tank because
I removed the fuel filler cap and the sound is definitely coming from the
fuel cell. It goes on for five-ten minutes after shut off. Any ideas?

wntajetta

I purchased my WE with moonroof, Monsoon, cold pack. and in dash CD for 20,400. That included destination charge but not the tax.

wntajetta

Thinking of getting a front end cover for my white Wolfie maybe some splash guards too. Too much? Do you like having a front end cover? Can I go through a car wash with one? Never had one before...would like some thoughts.

smitpat

I asked myself the same thing, but then I just thought I'd leave well enough alone. I wondered what the purpose of the cover (mask) was: To keep the nose dirt and ding-free? So, when do I get to take it off? Only when mingling with other Jettas? I don't know. Just thought I'd spend the money on other things...like insurance, garage, and gas payments.

french_guy

I would like some input on :

- Buffers (I went on the Maguire's web site and they have a video showing how to do it... with their machine of course)
- Wax
- How often would you wax a black WE to avoid swirl marks
- Wood trim, does Joshua Tree's kit really look good ?
- Do mud guards really help against stone chips ? (I don't really care for the look of them)
- And... I put on chrome tail pipe add-on, since the stock pipe is slightly curved downwards, I am wondering if having a straight piece added-on will restrict the exaust...

Thanks in advance !

P.S. I never had a car with ABS before, I was really impressed when, on a rainy day, I slammed on the brakes... and it just stopped.

fischda

I have both a front end mask and splash guards - they look great on my silver GLS, IMO!! The mask keeps the front end from pitting and chipping - something I hate. It takes more care though. You don't take it through a car wash. You need to remove it when you hand wash, brush it, clean the vinyl side and keep a good coat of wax underneath.

Yes, I think the splash guards help prevent stone chips, and as I said, they look cool.

For great tips for caring for your Jetta's paint and interior, so to http://www.carcareonline.com

olesh

I have all but decided to get a 1.8T auto Jetta, now I have to get down to options. I know I want alloy wheels, so I'm not sure whether to go with the 15" in the luxury package, or the 17" in the sports package. So are the bigger wheels and sports suspension worth the extra money (I believe its roughly a $500 difference).
Also I was wondering if the Monsoon Audio system was worth it? What is the difference between it and the standard system?
Finally, should I go with the VW CD player, or get it installed myself? I know I can get it cheaper on my own, but I've also heard that getting it done elsewhere voids all kinds of warranties on the car's electrical system.
Any input would be appreciated. Thanks

sprouty1

Hello all. I own an '01 GLX VR6 w/ 4k miles and, like many of you, volley between feeling great about my wonderful car to worring when I see so many paraniod posts in the "main. & repair" discussion. Things like screwy windows, funky climatronic systems, grumble upon cold starts (which many of you have noticed). So, is the extended warantee worth it, in your opinions?? On a car where so many repairs are big bucks, I say yes, but then again I say for my $24k my car should be fine as is. Help!

flaca

I bought the extended warranty just in case. I have never owned a VW and for 10 bucks a month - I have peace of mind. Hope I never have to use it.

plugbug

Olesh, I don't know how the non-Monsoon system sounds, but I sprung for the Monsoon and I love it. Look through old posts on this board and you'll find people talking about the Monsoon and its technical specs. From what I understand, the Monsoon head unit has a midrange control and a 200 watt amp with crossovers. I think it's worth it. The way I see it, you're getting a fan-freaking-tastic car -- it's worth the extra dough to make it sound as good as it can.

PLUS, you can make up the cost of the Monsoon by installing the CD changer in your trunk yourself. Get the Panasonic CX-DP610 (it's compatible with the VW HU), which you can find at www.cityelectronic.com for a ridiculously low $181.99. Then go to Crutchfield.com and get the changer interface VWPCPN6 for $49.95. Lastly, get a pair of CD changer brackets from your dealer for about $15.

Once you've got all this stuff, go to www.geocities.com/roadsleeper and there you'll find an illustrated, step-by-step guide to installing the changer in your trunk. It's pretty easy -- if you're handy, it takes about a half hour.

Some people get pretty intense and replace the HU and install a compatible trunk changer, but a) it has to be the same brand (i.e., Blaupunkt/Blaupunkt) and b) that takes a lot of work. For my needs, the VW HU works just fine. Keep us posted on what you do...

eck71

Olesh, definitely go with the Sports pkg. The tires alone(Michellin Pilot) are worth nearly $850 themselves, not to mention a set of 17" wheels that would set you back another $1200. In addition, you get a more firm ride, better handling and lower stance with this package. It is well worth the additional $500-600 VW charges for this. The appearance of the car changes dramaticly with the Sport package also. There is no question about that option. Opt for the Monsoon also, that is a given too. As for the Panasonic CX-DP610 changer Plugbug, I mentioned in my last posting that you could get one from refurbdepot.com for $125. That is CHEAP!!!!!! Try local stereo shops and even larger electronics stores(i.e. Circuit City) for the interface other than shopping Crutchfield. I've noticed that the prices for Crutchfield's items are quite high when compared to the others. They tend to price their merchandise as a standard for the industry, not competitively.

obmot

Advice sought!!

Okay I live in houston tx. I could not find a blue/black WE here, and settled on one in Dallas via phone/internet. I planned to go get it in 2 weeks. I put $10,500 down to hold the car, and was approved on financing at 6.9%/5 years - BUT no cold package.

I just saw on a lot 1 mile from me, a Blue/black WE WITH the cold package. THIS is the car I wanted all along. It obviously just arrived, as the white foam/tape is still all over it. I am tempted to call the guy at the dealer tomorrow and try to make a deal. This is the lot where I initially did my WE test drive in the first place.

That would mean I wouldnt have to drive 4H to Dallas and back. But, isnt it "cheesy" to back out of the dallas deal? I never signed any papers up there, but the guy up there has been rather helpful.

I am stuck, my conscience is nagging at me. My question is...what would YOU guys do??

I have to decide by 9am tomorrow. Any input greatly appreciated.

- tommy

bluejetta

Well, for one thing YOU should not feel guilty, YOU are the one spending $20K-plus, not your salesguy. Go to him and tell him what you're thinking and see how fast he warms up the deal he already has with you. Maybe them butt-warmers might not mean so much then...

-Jim

vocus

Get the dealers to trade cars and get the one you want. That might work as well.

obmot

Well here is what I *finally* got...

I signed today for that Blue WE/Black interior, cold - monsoon - moonroof. Final price: $20,700 before TT/L. 5.9% @ 60 months.

I paid a bit more than others here seem to be, but this is the ONLY Blue/black WE in TX with cold package, trust me (it arrived at their dealership by accident, was destined for IL). Also, since blue/black are very scarce here even without cold package, and they sell in <1 week, I didnt have much wiggle room left to negotiate. 5.9% also makes the slightly higher price come out even with my previous deal of $20,500 sans cold package. This dealer is a mere 2 miles from my house. I pick up the car Tuesday! It will have 11 miles on it when I roll into my garage!

I am happy about this deal. I feel that I have "arrived" now that I have a car with bum warmers. I know that's cheesy, but I have always wanted seat heaters (drive a lot in Wisconsin) so they'll be used. I also pay WI tax which is a less than TX, so I make out a bit there too. Also no annual state inspection fee. Tags and title are less in WI, not to mention moogoo savings on insurance. I just gotta' watch out for the drunk Bushes roaming our roadways.

Cant wait til' tuesday! Oi!

- t

balticjetta18t

Nothing to be embarrassed about wanting the CW package which includes the heated rear-view mirrors and the heated washer nozzles. I never had leather or heated seats myself but enjoyed the added comfort as this past winter for me was windy and frigid to the bone. Getting what YOU really wanted puts a greater value on your big purchase. Good Luck and have fun...

vwguild

Congratulations!!! And welcome to the VW Family!

As I have posted here several times before...No one here is going to write
that check to VCI every month; you are, and if you are happy...that is ALL
that matters...Enjoy!!!

wolfiedriver

I've had my blue WE since Tuesday and love it. Same options as you've got but with beige interior. Not sure why they send a WE with Cold Pkg to hot n' sunny Phoenix, but it'll come in handy now and then.

Oh, the PDI guys will do a test drive of the car, so add a few miles for that.

The blue looks sweet as long as it is clean. I'm now very paranoid about where I park and I find myself looking at overpriced VW website options like bra, molded rubber trunk mat, etc...

You'll love it!

tgunnocs

I have a 2000 LS that I have had MANY problems with. I have found the WV Dealers to be fairly incompetent when servicing these vehicles as well. I just recently spent $1400 over two months to repair this car. I have 46000 miles. I posted the whole story in the maintenance forum. I love the car, when working, just not so sure the WV is a good value because of the cost to keep it running and the continued repairs. If I wanted to spend a hundred bucks a month more on a car, I would have in the first place. If you are looking at a Jetta, I would definitely spend the money for a longer warranty. Also, make sure you can find a dealer with some decent service hours. We, FINALLY have ONE dealer who is open on Saturdays (9-12 AM). As long as you don't mind scheduling an apt two months in advance, you can get in on a Saturday. Its either that, or work with their 8-5 hours. What a pain!

pilotnm

Hi guys! I have a 2000 GLS VR6 Altanic Blue/Beige cloth, sunroof, Monsoon, etc..anyway, the problem that has occured is that the CD player (factory 6 disk in trunk) will not play ANY CD. I keep getting that dang "Beep" and "CD ERR" in the stereo face through all 6 disks. Before, it would play the CD and mute itself out for a second or two for the first :30 seconds of a track, now, it doesn't even read the CD! My friends say it might have been CD-R's that I played at one point, but I don't see how that could have affected it.
Has anyone had anything like this happen to them? I have close to 37,000 miles and have the extended warranty, but I don't think it covers radio/CD player stuff.

roninjouten

Repair shops aren't open weekends and late into the evening. A local Nissan dealership now is open until midnight for repairs and on weekends. That's pretty customer-service friendly I'd say. And about darn time too.

now, when can we convince the nimrods who run Cable TV that most people are NOT home between 8-5. Any customer service friendly place knows, offer service when people are HOME. Weekends and evenings - heck even charge $5 extra for it and see how much people will do for something more convenient.

moira_vw

moira_vw

eck71 -- Up above you recommended that Olesh go with the Sports pkg, saying "The tires alone(Michellin Pilot) are worth nearly $850 themselves, not to mention a set of 17" wheels that would set you back another $1200." Doesn't that also mean that when it's time to get new tires it'll cost a lot more? That's one of the things I'm worried about. You also said that the appearance of the car changes dramaticly with the Sport package. Can you describe it? It sounds like the dealer might have the car I want but with the sports package, and I'll need to decide whether to spring for that, even though it's not an option I was after.

roninjouten

Yes replacement is FAR more expensive and far more frequent than with 16's or 15's. On the other hand, handling is markedly improved over the floaty Cadillac-like ride of the normal Jetta and the wheel wells are filled nicely by 17's, though increased lowering is necessary to really make the car look attractive.

olesh

I was set on getting a 01 1.8T Auto car in either galactic blue or black. However, at this point in the year, I have found that the selection on those is minimal. I've gone to about 7 dealers now, and total, there's only about 4 auto 1.8s, with none of them being my preferred color with the options I want. There is however, one Baltic green and beige interior, which I could live with, but is far from my ideal choice.

Given the scarcity of these cars and the fact that dealers claim they aren't getting any more of them, should I jump on this Baltic Green one, should I wait till the 2002s come out, or should I maybe try to get a 2001 V6 leftover when the 2002s come out, because there seem to be many of them on every lot.

Anyway, does anyone know when the 2002s are supposed to come out? What new features or improvements will be on them? Will the price be going up? And will the dealers be expecting me to pay practically sticker price when the time the 2002s come out? Also, does anyone know how WV dealers traditionally deal on leftovers? Finally, should I even consider the V6, because I've heard the handling is suspect, and the engine has been less reliable than the 1.8s. Thanks in advance for any help.

nuride

I had no idea that this car burns so much gas but i still love it. According to the vehicle manual this car should not use anything less than 91 octane since its a turbo. A friend of mine suggested mixing gas to save money. For example half premium and half regular or half regular and half silver. Is this dangerous to the the engine ? He says he did this with his maxima. Any advice would be helpful.

akangl

I wouldn't mix the gas. I own a 01 GLS 1.8T and it gets great gas mileage. What is yours getting? Mine averages 30 mpg in mixed driving, 36 mpg on the highway. My car has 7800 miles on it.

obmot

Hi everyone -

Well tonight at 6:10 I got a call, my salesman said my car was ready 1 day early (Galcactic Blue WE/black) and...did I want to come get it, since there is a 70% chance of rain tomorrow?

I was surprised, and said sure I'll have a friend drop me off at the dealership at 6:30. I got there and he spent 5 minutes or so on the last details of the sale (keys, manual, yada yada yada). He offered to go over operational stuff but I just wanted to GO!

I got in to drive home, 17 miles on the odo. (pardon me while I get excited here...).

I drove home 2 miles, the long way (3.2 miles). I was so damn excited to be in MY first new car. I almost shot my load it was so great! I got home, grabbed my digital cam to take some new car pics. Got some with 20 miles on the odo - who likes that!?

I am SO happy with this car. I paid too much, the dealer screwed me at 20,700 but the screw feels great! I picked up a friend to go cruisin' and grab some dinner, then out for a celebratory beer (just one as not to crash the new car). I just got home, and luckily the car fits in my tiny garage.

I LOVE IT! It is SO tight and so quiet. The pep is so-so (coming from Mustang 5.0 which will toast just about everything out there) but the lack of power is entirely made up by the handling and solidness. I dont know how to operate the lights or buttons (got stuck in my garage with the lights off, couldn't see a darn thing!) but I'll get to the manual later. I love this car already and it only has 30 miles on it. Pure addiction. I will sell my soul to make the damn payment each month on this car. Viva Wolfsburg oi oi!!

- tommy

PS if you were the papi cholo in the del sol tailgaiting me tonight, so sorry - hope you enjoyed eating my dust!

Okay back to earth now, I am calm til mornin' :>

balticjetta18t

Of course an automatic tranny will not always have better mileage than a manual, but automatics for more city driving and stop and go of course will yield less MPG's. Akangl lives in AK and has a lot of open highway driving and has a 5speed I believe, so her mileage will be higher. Your mileage should also go up as your odometer does. As far as the fuel is concerned, stick with the 93. See if any of your local fuel stations have a 91 available. I myself have tried to mix 87/89 with 93 and got worse mileage and performance. I have tracked my mileage with the octane (91 or 93) and the source. I have found that the 93 is a tad better on mileage but a good leap ahead as far as performance is concerned. Last thing to note is that 93 octane at one station won't always provide the same MPG's and performance than another station. Experiment and keep track. Don't be afraid to spend an extra nickel a gallon if that specific fuel is kicking [non-permissible content removed].

smitpat

Congratulations! I got my WE black/black two weeks ago, and I love it, too! Welcome to the club. (My first new car, too. My first car ever!)

roninjouten

Rumormill says 02's will have 170 HP, standard CD player and some say the warranty will become a more respectable 3/36k.

BTW, asking anywhere near MSRP on a Jetta is insane. Figure 100-300 over invoice is reasonable. If you must get an 01, e-mail around to all the dealers..I like to do so for a 100 mile radius. You'll get FAR better offers from the Internet Sales Managers than you'll get from the bums on the lots.

strickmath

I have been looking around for a new car and a Jetta is one of the few cars I have narrowed it down to. This past weekend, I went to a lot to test drive what I wanted: GLS 1.8t, leather pkg, sport luxury pkg with standard trans. However, the guy there told me that VW doesn't make this configuration anymore, and that I could only get those packages with an automatic, or I could get something like a WE which has the sports sus. and the stick, but no leather seats.

Is there any truth to this? The VW website allows you to "build your own" the way that I want, and the guy seemed pretty ignorant.

obmot

I think the MSRP/ final price depends a LOT on location and color package.

As I've said, blue/black Jetta WEs here in Texas are very scarce - and any that make it to the lots here sell in <1 week at near sticker. You are right though, the internet guys do give better deals than the lot guys, in my experience.

Okay I drove the car to work today and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Question though, do WEs have the lumbar support knob? My only complaint is that the lumbar doesnt fit my back as is, and a lumbar adjustment would be cool. The a/c feels sooooooo good here in Houston, I think I am moving out of my house into the Jetta :>

- t

obmot

I think the MSRP/ final price depends a LOT on location and color package.

As I've said, blue/black Jetta WEs here in Texas are very scarce - and any that make it to the lots here sell in <1 week at near sticker. You are right though, the internet guys do give better deals than the lot guys, in my experience.

Okay I drove the car to work today and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Question though, do WEs have the lumbar support knob? My only complaint is that the lumbar doesnt fit my back as is, and a lumbar adjustment would be cool. The a/c feels sooooooo good here in Houston, I think I am moving out of my house into the Jetta :>

- t

roninjouten

I ran into the same problem. I wanted a leather, sport package 1.8T with stick in Silver or Galactic Blue. Couldn't find one ANYWHERE in CA. I looked and looked for two months. Nothing. Finally, I gave up. I figure in 2002 I should be able to find one, but now I'm questioning if I want a car with 17's. All of my friends with 17 inchers love them but hate the yearly cost of replacement.

fischda

I agree, it is much better to deal with the internet sales guys. I think $100-300 over invoice is a little optimistic. $300-800 sounds more like it. I paid $400 over and was happy - because I'm military, I didn't have to pay sales tax, so that was a big help, too.

I'm surprised that 1.8T/luxury/leather is hard to find - that's the most popular combination! They must be depleted and waiting for the '02's. Keep trying, though. A salesman needing an end-of-moth sale to make quota will go far to get a car you want. So if one salesman says it can't be found, call others in the same dealer - I think you'll find different levels of eagerness to help you.

Someone a few posts back really flamed the 15" wheels/tires. I have a 1.8T with standard suspension and 15" 195's. The ride is smoother than the higher performing tires, just won't pull as many lateral G's and gives a little more body roll. But unless you really race it, the Jetta suspension is above average. It's still amazingly fun to drive. So unless your butt has a racer's sense, I don't think the difference will matter as much to you.

gwd17

Quick question for you guys and gals. I purchased a bra for my Jetta about a year ago from Le Bra. When I first bought it and used it for about a week, I noticed that the clips on the bra were scratching the car around the wheel well. Should've removed it for good at that point but I figured the damage was already done. Unfortunately, I took it off a couple of days ago for the first time in a long while and the clips have done some pretty good damage to my paint, wearing it down to the metal in a couple of places. Anybody out there have a bra from LeBra and had the same problem? Any suggestions on what I can do now to help the situation (besides taking the bra off for good, which I've done finally)? Thanks.

roninjouten

Throughout the west dealers I contacted could only find 1.8T/Leather/Sports 5 speeds in maroon. All the 1.8T sticks ended up in the WE's from what I've been told by all the dealers. The WE is fun but it's not a car that I'm sold on as it lacks leather.

Oh well, the 02's should have more power and finally a CD player.

obmot

Bad luck, however, my experience says check inventories at dealers on a DAILY or every other day basis. I was able to find a blue/black WE in Houston with the cold package (a true feat), and thats only because I checked every day. The blues go really fast, at least here, so you have to jump on them practically as soon as they unload them from the truck. You can also ask dealers to check the central inventory computer to see whats arriving at the port of Houston (or already sitting there) and have them swap a car for delivery with another dealership.

Well I finally sat in my car in the garage and gave it a thorough looking over. I love the simplicity yet functionality of the interior. I wish the trunk light was brighter. I like that little "flap" betwixt the rearview mirror and windshield to flip down when the sun is hitting your eyes from just the right position - that was someone obviously thinking about details!

Dash lights even on highest setting arent bright enough, but that's just me and my nyctalopia. No lumbar support but I love that you can work the radio and windows after shutting the car off. I also like the audible "boop" when you set a radio station memory button. I do wish there was a 'mute' button to instantly kill volume for at drive thrus, etc.

As far as driving, I'm slowly learning the pep-curve better. The 1.8 has a very tangible "lag" from 0-10mph but then it really hits a nice power curve (must be the turbo kicking in). I do wish the dash had a "turbo-meter" LOL.

The trunk is simply huge (compared to mustang convertible).

But here is a question: when the car is OFF and in the garage, and I open the drivers side door, I hear a 2-3 second "whirring" like some sort of servo or pump. What is that?

It's hot and yucky here in Houston, I'm hoping a 30 degree cold front moves thru (yeah right!) so I can test the bum warmers!

All I can say is if you're on the fence about a WE or a Jetta, I couldnt be happier! But when you pick it up, dont ask for a "demo" discount when there are 17 miles on the odo, they won't go for it :>

- tommy

roninjouten

We did the check supposedly at a dealer and he told me no dice. No big deal. I'm awaiting the 02's now as there is little reason to rush. I've owned my current car for 6 years today (seems like forever), so another 3 months won't hurt. Of course when the 02's arrive, I'm gonna have to check out the Sentra Spec-V and the Altima SE.

As for turbo lag, chipping the 1.8T hasn't seemed to change lag for my friends but good golly when the turbo hits the car is a monster now. In a friend's 1.8T Golf I was hitting 60 in a blink. Nice, nice, nice.

If the WE had come with leather, odds are good I'd own one now. It's a really fun car and I love the wheels. Just not the seats...I find cloth too hot here in San Diego. Leather on the other hand feels just right.

fischda

obmot - the "whirring" sound you hear when you open your driver's door is the fuel pump priming itself - completely normal. To me, it's my car saying hello.

roninjouten - I bought my car just before the WE's came out, so I guess people are right that VW saved all the 1.8T's for them. You mentioned '02s will have 170 ponies. Yes, I read that, and I also read that the 1.8T's always had 160-170 hp but listed it as 150 so as not to take sales away from the VR-6 Jettas and Passats.

Also, are your friends with chipped engines willing to talk via email? I'd love to ask them some questions as I'm thinking of chipping mine!

wolfiedriver

Where did you read that 1.8T's made 160+HP?! That's pretty cool if it's true!

What changes is VW making to the '02s to get the "official" 170HP, does anybody know yet?

The stock 1.8T is a blast, but I too think the chip sounds interesting. What are some good brands of chip, and where's a good place to order them at a good price? Finally, should the work be done by a dealer or aftermarket, more modification-oriented shop?

Won't the chip void my warranty coverage?