Volkswagen Jetta 2005 and earlier

sphereframe

Hey guys, I am looking into purchasing a 1.8T Jetta. I've discovered, however, that the 2002 model will have a more powerful engine and so I am considering waiting until I can get a 2002 model. Does anyone know when the 2002 turbo's will be available at the dealerships? I called VW and they told me late August, early September at the very latest. I've read elsewhere that it will not be until early or even late October. Does anyone here happend to know the approximate release date? Thanks.

blueguydotcom

...Varies from what I've seen on VWvortex. A guy claims to have a 2002 1.8T on the East Coast, while nobody on the West Coast has seen a 2002 1.8T. I called VW a few months ago and they told me the 2002's wouldn't hit So Cal until October/November.

inky

They are in Tulsa--well at least one. This was two weeks ago. 180 hp for the 1.8 Turbo, cruise control light but no CD player as standard yet and of course the much better warranty.
INKY

moira_vw

Sphere frame -- I bought one yesterday in DC, and it's sitting in my garage now, so I know there are at least some available! My thanks to everyone on this forum for advice over the ridiculously long time it took me to get just the car I wanted.

ksdsteve

I drove one myself yesterday with the Tiptronic and then drove the WE. Looking to buy my first VW, and I believe the difference to be substantial. The salesman with me drove the new 1.8T for the first time himself and I quote, "I don't think we'll be getting these for company cars anymore" (referring to the old 1.8T). I'm leaning toward the 5A Tiptronic too, since the 5spd gear ratios I believe are unchanged. I think I could probably get a WE for less than 20K, but with the new HP, Warranty, and Tiptronic for only $500 more than sticker on last years model, how can you not wait?

blackjetta18t1

I just gave in my car today for its 5000 mile service and while there I saw a whole boat load of 2002 Passats with the longer warranties and stuff. There was one and only one 2002 Jetta and it was a 1.8T with 180hps written on the sticker which was a surprise. But there was no CD player and the interior was not revised as far as cupholders and cubby bin but it did have Tiptronic.
Just a thought, I told the Tech to use my own Mobil One Oil becuase I wanted synthetic. But how do I know that they really will use that and not just their own oil and take the synthetic for themselves? Am I being paranoid??

jettaseeker

I’m looking into buying a car this fall and after test-driving a Wolfsburg, I fell in love with it. The handling and feel of the car at speed was excellent. I have found this forum extremely informative in my research of this car, and so I have a two-part question:
1.Has any current owner experienced problems with this package?
2.Will the Wolfsburg be available with the more powerful engine for 2002?
Thanks!

blueguydotcom

From what I've read and been told, the Wolfsburg will only exist in 2001. In the past VW would offer this package for a short period of time - within one set model year. If this is not true, hopefully someone has a link to prove otherwise.

I own a 2001 WE. Fun car. You can read my two reviews of the car thus far at my site http://www.blue-guy.com

Since my last review two rattles have appeared in my car. I've attempted, to no avail, to get them fixed. I've got plans to try again next week. My experience thus far with VW dealerships is rather poor, but I will admit my expectations are higher than most people, as I expect Infiniti level respect and treatment from all dealerships.

blackjetta18t1

i took my car in today at 7:30 for its 5000 serivce along with some rattles that needed looking at which have been fixed and come back many times already. After having the car for 7 hours I call and they ask to keep it overnight because they havent fixed the rattles. These rattles are right in the tweeter and lock areas of the rear doors-not to difficult. I say give me a loaner they say they dont have any so I take the car back. Their excuse is that they have other cars to fix and they need certain specialist to fix rattles-bull.... I was very disappointed

justin

I had a VW Jetta, 99 Gen IV GLS VR6. LOVED IT!

I am noticing that the 02's are going to be little updated? Is that true? What is changing? VR6 HP going up? Any chrome on the outside?

Thanks -

sphereframe

Hey, I am looking into purchasing a WE in the next few days and I've read about a technical service bulletin having been posted somewhere about one of VW's engine's consuming oil very quickly. If anyone knows, which engine is it? Thanks.

akangl

That would probably be the 2.0 4-cyl. The 1.8T in the WE is an excellent engine. I have a 2001 GLS 1.8T, no oil consumption problems here.

tomdav14

My wife and I bought a new Jetta GL when they first came out for $14,900 at Dick Hannah in Vancouver. Great car, but we sold it due to the seats looking like our dogs lived in there, never once had they been in the car.

Now guess what we are looking at for 2002.......yep, a GLS Jetta with moon, etc. (We are upgrading) We had NO problems with our Jetta, great service from our dealership and we soon will be ready to buy one again. The car is fun to drive, peppy and looks awesome.

bluejetta

Hey neighbor! ;-) I bought mine there too.

-Jim

http://www.jettaownowersclub.org

walkabout24

Hey Ali,

I have a 2001 1.8T and I've got about 3500 miles on it. It'll be reaching it's first service soon. I too have been hearing rattles coming from the rear door panels. They are intermittent. They come, they go. Does anyone else have this happening to them?

blackjetta18t1

my rattles are now more like creaks when i accelerate and slow down. when playing music it starts to rattle and buzz loud seeminly getting worse by the minute. i've also got a front passenger seat that shifts and makes noise when i accel and decelerate and my door squeaks like crazy when opening and closing, thats about all my noise related problems...

balticjetta18t

...right where the Tweeter is; even when the Monsoon is off. When the stereo is on, it makes it seem as if the Tweeter itself is buzzing internally but it is obviously from the sound emitting around the upper door panel which is very sneaky of it. I will address this issue at my 10k service in about 40-50 days.

french_guy

Since I got it 6000 km ago, I went to the dealership twice :
- Right rear speaker busted, they changed it.
- Noise coming from the new speaker, (problem fixed for a day, have to go back), dead battery in remote.

The noise is a buzz when the bass kicks in, probably have to change the rivets holding the speaker. Last time they put some foam, didn't do it.

Besides the fact that I would like to fully enjoy the Monsoon sound, I still love my car as much now as the day I got it.

How many km/miles are you guys getting per tank with the 1.8T ? My best so far is 550 km (or 330 miles).

inky

I get 26 consistently in conservative commute driving. Hope for 30 on a 70 mph trip. Using Mobil One 5w30. I use 91 Octane (only 7 cents more per gallon in many tulsa stations)
I have the door creak you all have mentioned. Will try to lubricate or oil. May be silicone needed on door seals. No biggie but I relate.
This car is fun -- will never miss the Accord.
INKY

akangl

My 01 GLS 1.8T 5-speed has a little over 10K on it now and the mileage seems to stay at 28 mpg in mixed driving and 35 mpg on the highway for long trips. In the winter it dropped to 24 mpg if the car was idling a lot but seemed to stay in the 26 range overall.

I also have the door rattle, the clutch squeak, and a squeak in the dash. Then there is the bad hesitation in the engine which is worse if the A/C is on. Other than that the car has been fairly good, only in the shop 3 times so far and I have had the car 6 months.

mgarlow1

Hey everyone. My wife is considering buying a new car in September and we have seen two cars that peak our interests. The first is the Jetta 4 cylinder and the Nissan Altima. I have read many posts about the Jetta and some of the problems with it but in your opinionsm is this car really reliabale and worth the premium price? After test driving it we found it reasonably quiet, the materials are of good quality, nimble and the kind of car that you're proud of when looking in your garage. But I'm not sure of it being made in Mexico.

Our impressions of the Altima are also nimble, quiet and the feeling that the money spent went more into the car then advertising. I'd like your thoughts on this.

Also does anyone know of any good dealers in Southern Ontario because the dealers we visited on these cars seemed extremely ignorant to the mechanical features of these cars and were a tad arrogant. Thanks

kyleknicks

Mgarlow, did you know that the 2002 Altima is a muchhhhhh different car? it's totally redesigned for 2002, it could be had with a 4cyl producing 180hp (not turbo), and a v6 producing 240hp. the car should be in showrooms around sept which is the timeframe u looking to purchase. I have a maxima and my gf has a 01 wolfsburg, i would highly recommend checking out the new altima before making a purchase. She was also comparing the current altima with the jetta. i'm assuming that you were referring to the current altima when you said you were comparing cars. i think the current one is a hunk of junk -Kyle check out www.nissannews.com for pictures of the 2002 altima

sphereframe

Hey you all, I just got a WE on saturday and I got it 85 dollars above invoice Anyhow, not 10 miles off the dealers lot the malfunction indicator light came on. I took the vechicle back in yesterday morning, they had it all day and fixed it. They told me my light came on because my gas cap was not as tight as it should have been. The service guy said you've got to turn the gas cap until it clicks three times or else you run the risk of your malfuction indicating light turning on because a sensor detects gas fumes. Has anyone ever heard of this before? Its not in the owner's manual, I suspect that someone's nose was growing. Thanks.

inky

yes, this is as common as apple pie. Fuel systems are pressurized and a loose cap screws up everything including emissions. Always turn until click. I thougth the gas cap itself says this also. No worries.
INKY

inky

Wow 35 on the highway, what octane do you use?
How fast for that mileage. I have never been on a trip and just decided that the high rpm gearing in this little rocket would never produce anything better than 30 mpg. It really needs a 6 th gear for overdrive.
INKY

moparbad

Regulations mandating OBD and emissions controls are responsible for many of the causes of MIL coming on. Don't get me wrong, I support lowering emissions, but sometimes OBD can be a PITA.
to sphereframe- noses are not growing, loose gas cap causes a light to come on for many types of cars and trucks, not just VW.

blueguydotcom

Yeah at freeway speeds (80-85) the engine's turning a deafening 3600-3800 rpms. It's obnoxious as all get out and I wish they had geared the Jetta correctly.

BTW, my car's in the shop today. 2045 miles and it's already getting 1 rattle (driver's window), 1 buzz (passenger door) and 1 recurring thunk (right frontend) fixed. To say I'm displeased is not really elaborating enough.

Anyone want to buy a two month old Jetta WE with 2045 miles?

akangl

I use 90 octane because that's the highest I can get in the state of Alaska. I usually set the cruise at 74 mph but when I get the best mileage is when I set it at 70 mph. I have a couple times gotten as much as 39 mpg but that was in the cars younger days, before the throttle body control unit was replaced. I guess I haven't paid much attention to where the rpms run, of course I am used to driving hubby's diesel truck so my car is very quiet compared to that.

balticjetta18t

I was cruising home last night and had entered a local expwy. in 4th gear for high speed merging and forgot to shift into 5th and I was going 65-75 avg. for 3-4 miles before I even noticed that I forgot to upshift because that 1.8t motor is so smooth and quiet even at 3-5k rpms. I only noticed it as the shift lever was not in the usual 5th as I reached over to the radio controls on the dash. Even doing 80-90 on the way to work today in 5th with only the a/c on (no radio) the engine had a silky smooth hum muffled to a very quiet tone.
PS TO BLUEGUY: YOU ARE TOO SUPER CRITICAL ABOUT YOUR JETTA... IT'S A FRICKIN $20K CAR FOR GOODNESS SAKE SO QUIT YOUR BELLY-ACHING AND GO GET YOURSELF A DAMN BMW OR MERCEDES OR A LEXUS FOR $30K - $60K AND YOU'LL STILL COMPLAIN ABOUT THEM TOO FOR THOSE PRICED AUTOS.
BTW...Have a Nice Day !

waitnon2002

Hi all...After reading some of these posts, I am a little concerned about rattles, squeaks, and other minor annoyances. I decided to go with a Jetta over similar vehicles because I was so impressed with the quality, solid feel to the car and interior but I wonder if I have been fooled. If these things are common, I hope WV has looked into fixing them for the 2002 year. Along that note, I drove a '01 GLS VR6 today and loved it, but was told by the salesman that the 2002's are due to come in anytime now so I am going to wait until then. Does anyone have any definitive info on the changes to the GLS VR6 for '02? I have seen other posts speculating that it will have a standard cd player and possibly a 6 speed while another 2002 owner denies the cd player made it this year. Didn't mention the 6 speed either. I can't find any info from VW yet so hopefully someone knows where to look? Please let me know. Thanks

waitnon2002

I answered part of my question after checking vwvortex. They have a summary of the changes to the 2002 VW's. Among the Jetta changes according to what I read is a new 24 valve VR6 and a 6 speed manual transmission although both changes are later in the model year. It also mentions an upgrade to standard cd player. I would still like to find the prices on the 2002's and any ideas if some of squeaking doors and rattling dashboards have been addressed.

blueguydotcom

They managed to only fix one issue. The left window no longer rattles. However, the right passenger door panel buzzes even louder and the front end still makes a disconcerting thumping sound when taking lefts. On a bright note, they washed the car and gave me a liter of water!

Baltic...why are you so bugged that I expect quality? That's great that you're willing to put up with the car's little "quirks" but after 2 months with this car and four problems noted so far, I can honestly say I would be delighted if somehow someone would steal it or total it in a parking lot. ANY problem within two months is major cause for concern in my book. And yes, the car's still fun to drive.

moparbad

Seems to me that blueguy is negative toward ALL cars. I think he just posts "troll" posts to get people angry and irritated.

Quotes of blueguy-
about the Impreza WRX "seats made of fabric that Subaru must have stolen from a Salvation Army burn pile". "Only a box of Legos contains more rigid plastics than the interior of the Rex".

about the Acura RSX "The moment one lays eyes on this over-priced claptrap there exists no doubt it’s a Civic coupe with slightly sporty styling".
"Speaking of those seats, Honda must have cut a deal with a plastic lawn chair manufacturer" "The car’s soft to a degree that I felt maybe I might be piloting an Oldsmobile with an Acura logo".
end quotes.

So you see, the negativity is not solely limited to the Jetta, blueguy has plenty of complaints to go around.

blueguydotcom

You neglect to mention that all of this comes within reivews of those cars. I also praise the WRX for a wonderful engine and essentially being the most fun one can purchase for under 25k. The Acura also receives kudos for nice fit and finish.

I try to honestly review a car's strengths and weakenesses. There exists in my mind's eye a holy grail of what a car should be and all cars are measured against that elusive paragon of automobile engineering. So the WRX is a terrific performer but the interior materials are not of a quality that pleases me. Is that negative? Not really, as it's an observation. Should I just heap praise upon the car and neglect elements that may offend others?

As for my VW, it pains me that my brand new car rattles more than a box of nuts carried by a chimp. It's a fun engine, but alas, there is no excuse for the number of problems I've encountered thus far in a mere two months of ownership.

kyleknicks

i applaud you for giving your honest opinion on the jetta. To be honest with you, i would rather have someone point out both, the good and the bad about a car rather than just "sugarcoating" and praising it to no ends. i expect there are people out there that are looking into buying these cars and would like to hear both sides of the story. at the same time, they should also keep in mind that they do get what they pay for. so dont expect a $30K car for $19K.

i got reamed awhile back because i mentioned that the dial to put the seat back was the most horrible feature that the jetta has. i mean, my 91 gmc jimmy, which cost me $16K brand new wayyyyy back in 1990, had better way of putting the seat back. it's called a lever that you pull upward and recline your seat. i would've expected something like this in the jetta instead of that idiotic dial that u have to reach around with your left hand.. what if u're a righty? then you have to twist your way around! hmph!!

skinnypoo

if ya dont like them...get a GLX (power seats)...ugh...shut up.

blueguydotcom

n/m

blackjetta18t1

hey people I'm working on getting a good deal for a 2002 Jetta GLS 1.8T with auto transmission, leather, sport luxury and monsoon. I was wondeirng what kind fo tires the 17"'s are and how they are in snow. We live in Northern NJ and winters aren't horribly bad but we can have a fair amount of rain, snow and ice. Are they ok enough with the assistance of EDL and ASR or does he need snow tires?

blackjetta18t1

hows the tread life? Will is last 39000 miles?

vwguild

Think bigger *Contact Patch* always a good thing...Keep them aligned, balanced,
rotated, and properly inflated and you will be just Fine...."Essex Fells advice"

balticjetta18t

The Sport Lux Wheel Tires I received were the 225/45HR-17 Michelin Pilot HX XSE MXM4. (whew!) They are all season and have a very high traction and wear rating. I experienced them in some ice and they did good. (ABS & T/C did it's part too) Have not had a snow experience yet.

zmanusaf

Any of you out there that have the upgraded Monsoon System and the Sunroof, how to you like it? Is the Monsoon worth getting? I have heard that it wasn't all that? And as far as the Sunroof, and wind noise?

Also, a sales person told me today that if I get a performance muffler on my Jetta TDI that I'm buying, that it will increase the horsepower? Does anyone know if this is true? Or is this just a ploy for them to earn some more money on the sale?

inky

I like the roof, It was fine as it came but I added a wind deflector, actually took it off my Toyota Sienna van. Little noise. I lower the passenger rear window a few inches to make circulation of air. Pretty quiet without deflector, I like the look. I added a stitched leather steering wheel cover(01 1.8T). Two hours to sew on in cross stitch but looks very classy. Dealer was impressed when I took it in for alignment. $15 from pep boys.
INKY

kyleknicks

here's my thoughts about the monsoon (gf has it in her 01 wolfsburg), it is definitely alot better than most stock radio....it can get pretty loud but there is a lack of bass. IF it's possible, i would rather use the money i spend on the monsoon and purchase an aftermarket system but from what i understand, there are issues with the alarm system connected to the headunit. i have a bose system in my maxima and THAT sounds pretty nice. then again, my bose cost 700bucks too. you get what u pay for i guess... -Audiofan

blueguydotcom

Love it. Most days after work I like to drop all my windows, zip back the moonroof and enjoy the San Diego sun. With all the windows down the buffeting gets pretty intense at 85 but thankfully (yeah right), with San Diego rush hour I rarely get over 70 at night. At 75 or so with the front windows up there's next to no buffeting or wind noise . . . of course I come from a family that owns convertibles, so one man's peaceful ride is another man's hurricane.

blackjetta18t1

I'm wokring on getting a deal for my cousin on a 2002 Jetta GLS 1.8T with tiptronic, sport luxury, leather, monsoon. I got a deal of $326 a month for 39 months with 12000 miles per year and 1500 due at signing. I think it's a pretty decent deal but here is my problem. I am paying 316 a month for a 2001 Jetta GLS with auto, luxury, and leather. A car $3000 cheaper than my cousins. Now does anyone know if it is possible to kind of switch leases and give my car back and upgrade to the kind my cousin may get? Is the termination fee big? Do you think the better sound, transmission, nicer wheels and much better engine are worth it?

inky

Leasing is a way to free money up. the total paid is predictable at $14,214 due for the 39 months lease including the down $. Really $365 per month. Not bad by leasing standards. If this car is actually purchased for say $21,500, a 5 year loan at 7 % would yield a payment of $430 per month and you own the car free and clear in 5 years. If you sell at year 3 you most likely will have equity depending on Jetta resale. Matter of choice. I hate leasing. Too restrictive, the other VW program is more attractive to me with the deal really being a loan with ballon payment and return the car at the end or buy it. Leasing has higher insurance requirements and you loose control in event of accident--say a near total or something like that. BTW, you will find you a stuck in that lease unless you have willingness to role about $4,000 into you new lease for about another $100 per month. Leasing stinks you have proven it in your example.
INKY

inky

Make a stuck "are stuck" and make role "roll"
INKY
Regardless, enjoy your car! My leasing opinions stem from my only two leases. One OK and one bad.

blackjetta18t1

flaca

Nine days ago I had my first oil change at the VW dealership. Today, when I checked the dipstick it was above the full level by 1/4 inch. I read in the manual to never fill above the full line. I took the car to the dealership - they checked the dipstick and said it was OK. I think they are wrong. Is this acceptable? Any advise will be appreciated. I am trying to baby this car as much as possible.
They also didn't fix the seat belt as it sometimes gets stuck while I am driving or just putting in on.