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I mean it. We are going to move on.
Further posts containing personal slams WILL be removed. If any of you are unable to let this go, then you will have to take it off-line to continue.
Thank you.
Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board
The only thing better about the Jetta would be in a cornering situation that I can see with an upgraded Jetta suspension. Everything else goes to the Passat - space, comfort, quality (consumer reports just gave the Passat a favorable review). The extra couple of inches width you get in a Passat makes all the difference in the world, especially if your a 6 footer, you wont feel like a hulk in little putter car and can actually fit adults in the backseat. And if you really want the sunroof, spend the extra $1300 or so and get the lux package, only a few extra bucks a month. Jetta very nice little car, but you have greater needs than just a little racer, so upgrade to the Passat where you get the best of all worlds, no car comes close for the price - you get style, space, comfort for around 25k loaded (1.8t, leather, lux, monsoon, tip).
Only decision is tip or manual. Since it's 'my' commuter car (15 miles of stop&go traffic) I'm leaning towards the tip...but I did love my manual tranny in my old CRX. If that's the case, I'm going to the lux package.
I stopped by a VW dealer here in NJ after hours. Seems the tip, monsoon and homelink is a standard. Final decision is the financing. I'm looking at the traditional lease or VW's "Driver's Option"..a combo of lease payments with better options to buy later. Anyone have experience with that?
Driver's option is only recommended when state tax laws make regular leasing a more expensive endeavor. Check your tax state laws in regards to leasing to see if Driver's option is the best option for you.
The only difference between a regular lease and driver's option is that in the latter the car is registered IN YOUR NAME, thus you pay insurance premium rates as it you had purchased/financed the car. You also have a pre-determined balloon payment at the end of the contract and the option of paying the balloon outright, re-finance the balloon amount, trade in the car for another new VW or just walk away (After all penalties and lease end costs have been fully satisfied).
For the rest, driver's option works exactly the same as a regular lease contract. Mileage charges and annual limits also apply. If you take a lease/driver's option at 36 months with an allowance of 12k miles per year, you'll pay less per month than going 36K miles with 15K miles per year. Over the mileage charges also apply.
Also check and make sure about down payments and initial lease inception costs. Ask about the money rate and other hidden charges. Leases are pretty complicated if you are not familiar with them or don't have a clear idea of what you are getting yourself into...be extra careful before signing any papers. Edmund's offer pretty good advice on leasing in general.
If you can truly afford the car I would recommend going for traditional finance. Car is yours outright, no mileage limitations, no wear and tear charges, no worries, no nasty surprises at the end of the contract like with a lease.
I see leasing as never ending revolving credit, while purchase/finance you pay for your car and at the end you have something to show for. the Passat and VW's in general have very good resale values. A Passat after 4 years of use still commands 47% value of original sticker MSRP price.
These critters are almost an investment in the long run, so weigh your purchase/lease options carefully.
Again, it is cheaper to buy/finance the car outright than buying later at the pre-determined balloon payment at the end of the lease contract. If you can't comfortably buy the car outright, maybe you are buying more car than you can actually afford, so check your options and keep tabs on extras and tack on packages.
Good luck and have fun.
the next generation jetta is suppose to gain up to eight inches in wheelbase and five inches in overall length. with the 6 speed manuals and 5 speed automatics being phased in more models before the new ones debut. source: consumer guide. take it for what it's worth.
blueguy: have you read edmund's review of the 2003 acura cl type s. replacing the fake wood with the titanium-finish accents helps out the interior a lot. also, edmunds likes what the ATTS does for the car's handling. i know, i'm captain honda around here. teo must be captain impala.
i have the 5 speed vr6 and i think this car is even too busy at 80 mph or higher. cruising at these speeds is really the only time my jetta annoys me. no rattles in my car though.
Yes, the Saab is OLD, but some people swear by Saabs. They have improved a lot reliability wise, and they have always been durable. I personally like them - best bet is to look at a one year old used one as they lose their value even more than Kia and Hyundai.
The Volvo is winning quite a few accolades in the car mags. I know everyone here ADORES the car mags.
I test drove both. Though neither were the Viggen or T-5. Both are nice. Just complete opposites.
Got my first ding in 4200 miles. Actually, more like a deep scratch. These days, is touch up paint still the way to go?
When I bought my Jetta last year, it was the same case. I bought it under the college grad program which gave me 5.9%APR vs the Passat's 9.9%. Basically it meant that we could drive a loaded Jetta cheaper than a bargain base Passat. The Jetta GLX can anyday impress back-seaters than the base Passat,maybe making them forget the loss of leg-room :-)
http://www.autosite.com/new/grabbag/rebatet.asp
The Passat's interest rates are 2.90% 4.50% 4.90% 5.50%, obviously in ascending order.
I was at the dealership this morning getting my 10k checkup and I looked over a 1.8T Passat with lux, leather and tip. They wanted 25k for it (26k MSRP). Weird thing is, the Passat comes with really small wheels. Like 15 inchers! Otherwise, darn is that car nice.
Justin, nah man the Saab's a GM and I've tested them before. My sister looked at them a year ago when she was car shopping. I test drove every car she drove. Saab was among them.
I've got a whopper of a scratch on my front lower bumper. I'm not sure if something struck my car while driving or if a a friend did it when borrowing the car, either way it stands out when the car's clean. Oh well. Maybe it'll buff out.
Is it roomy enough ?
Road noise ?
Fit & finish ?
Any recall problems ?
Thanks in advance
Hope to hear from you before Feb 22 via the Talk to the Press discussion or at jfallon@edmunds.com with your thoughts and contact information.
Thanks as always,
Jeannine Fallon
PR Director, Edmunds.com
roomy enough for what?
i am not aware of any recalls for 2002 Jettas. At least not in my VIN range.
Road noise - average. Same as any other car outside of Lexus. Fit and Finish is excellent!
Bought a 2001 new Civic DX for the wife at invoice and need to get a good sound system in it. We love the Monsoon on the Jetta so something comparable...
Budget is $350-$400. No DIY kits from Crutchfield(which is what a couple of chaps at the other forum recommended.) Basically looking to go to someone where I can pick a CD player (and speakers too if you chaps feel are needed). Else might get it from Crutchfield and have someone (Pep Boys?) do it.
Note: The DX has 4 speakers, while the EX has 6 which give quite good sound.
Any recommendations?
Also, chant or pray or whatever you need to do so that my planes don't crash. Hate flying...
I'm happy with the 25mm, and I plan to buy H&R Sport springs and the Bilstein Sport shock/strut set. This setup was recommended to me as a nice balance between sport and comfort.
Once all of that is finished, I'm going to get some 17" wheels and tires.
Too many toys, not enough money. ;^)
The 2.0 is a very reliable, if a bit noisey, engine. The 1.8T eats more gas and turbos are not known to be as durable as non-turbos. The VR6 is FAST but it gulps lots of fuel and makes the car front heavy which impacts cornering.
What transmission you get also depends upon what you want the car for. If you don't care about performance, get the Tiptronic. The Jetta clutch is very difficult to get used to (at least mine was). It does not catch until the last inch and then it catches fast. When matched with the five speed's gear ratios this makes for a very touchy combination. It easy to stall and easy to accidentally squeel the tires in first gear. Both first and second gear top out very quickly. They make the car feel quick without using a big engine to produce the effect.(Remember the Golf commercial with the car in the tree?) Things tame down quite a bit after second gear. If you like to get going quickly and enjoy using a combination of gears and gas to take hills and curves, then the five speed will give you lots of fun!
The salesman will tell you that the Tiptronic gives you both the fun of the 5 speed and the easy driving that comes with an automatic. IMHO its an automatic pure and simple. The tiptronic feature does not really replicate a five speed and most drives stop playing with it after a couple of months and just drive it in automatic mode.
Whatever choice you make, you will find the Jetta is a fun little car.
I test drove several different 1.8T's and 2 had door rattle's and 3 didn't. I purchased one that didn't.
The day I drove it out of the lot, not one block away, the driver's side door started up. I turned right around and told the business manager I wouldn't take this car the way it was. It must have happened during the prep.
Thanks to Justin I new about the "foils" and told the service manager who had his trusty roll of 3M tape. He spend about 45 minutes and 3 test drives, but managed to rid the car of the door creaks.
I say they are not rattles because the noise is caused by the doors rubbing against the odd material VW uses for the door seals. Something like a rubberized felt.
Anyhow, 2 days later and those annoying creaks were back. Not to worry, however. Just a quick trip to the local Home Depot fixed the problem. Forget about "foils", which is just clear tape that they use to prevent the rubbing. (Actually, they sell this stuff at Home Depot) Go out and pick up some Frost King "X-Treme Rubber Weatherseal (3/8"x1/8"x17'). $4.98 + tax. I got it to match the paint (Grey) and ran it along the groove in the upper door panel on all the doors. One pack covers all 4 doors.
Otherwise, the car is awesome. I've had Toyota's, Mazda's, Honda's and Nissan's, not to mention some of those American brands, and have had good luck as well as bad luck with all. I'm hoping to have a good experience with this one. After all, I opted for the Millenium Extended warranty package (84/100,000). I'll try to keep you all posted.
The issue is that car makers have made engines basically oil leak proof, which gives the average American (I don't have time to check) a sense of security until their engine freezes. Thank God for competition, or this would be a common occurrence. If you check Lexus's owner's manual, it will tell you to check the oil level. The only cars that you do not have to physically check the oil level are most brand new Mercedes (they have a sensor that performs this, now - no dipstick) and electrics!
Just like what is an unacceptable to one owner, is just a minor annoyance to another. And, of course, there are those who DO get Lemons, and a feel for them. I just hope mine doesn't turn into a lemon. Just do your research, decided what is important to you in a car and TEST DRIVE what you like a few times. Then take the plunge. I'm happy with my decision, with the options I've chosen. It all comes down to your personal preferences and tastes. Everyone will have an opinion and it is a good thing to gather and weigh the opinions of others, but in the end it is your money and your car so YOUR opinion is the ultimate end all be all of the car buying process. (Unless your married, then the wife's opinion is the end all be all...
When is the next re-design scheduled? I believe '03 will be the fifth year of this body style, and I hate getting a car and having the car re-designed the next year. Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks.
A Major redesign of this car in the next year or two, to me, is not a reality...tweaks, some mods
are certainly possible, but what I would suggest
you that you will see first is a 2 Door version or
a Cabrio...
In August, the New Beetle Cabrio will finally be
introduced, and the Cabrio, as we know it today, will go away...
On what planet is that la-la land? On Earth, living in the USA, that's not a pipe dream, that's EXPECTED. Hondas, Toyotas, Lexus, Infiniti, Acura all arrive with nearly zero problems. Look at the initial quality stuff from JD Power and you'll see that you can buy a car and expect for it to be problem free.
And PLEASE don't offer rejoinder like "I had a friend who had a civic that was nothing but problems" or "Well those cars have their problems too" or "Well the interiors aren't as nice" or "what do you expect for 20k?".
The empirical evidence suggests that the Jetta is far below good cars and is in the middle of the pack (some studies indicate bottom). And no, average is not good. Rating in the 50% percentile, at least where I attended school, always got one an "F".
Thank you.
"Hey, check out my new Samsung 27 inch TV. Sure its got muted colors, the speakers buzz, its S-video and component inputs don't work but that's what I expected because I spent $800 on this TV instead of buying a 27 inch Sony for $600. I'm hoping the remote breaks soon."
I am really sorry, but that to me represents poor quality. I have had 2 Mazdas, a Chevy, 2 Pontiacs, and a Dodge and not even those cars (except the Chevy, which I bought used) rattled. It makes no sense for a $25K car to do so. Perhaps if it were built better, it would not rattle.
And if getting a better built car means leaving VW and going to another manufacturer, then so be it.
Also, the dealer said that they were starting to get in V6's with 200hp versus 174hp from the factory and that there'd be a good size upcharge ($750 - $1,000 range) if that's what I got. Does anyone know what the deal is with the increased hp? Are they shipping both the 174 and 200 for a while, or are they now just shipping the 200 and what the price increase might be, if any? Perhaps he was just trying to flim-flam me into paying more.
As soon as we see if the three carseats (4 yr old and 5 month old twins) can be crammed into the back when the Suburban is in the shop, we're ready to buy. Not sure what we'll do if they don't. They did fit into my brother's Passat and I don't think the Jetta's that much narrower.
Question- When turning and getting my foot off the brake, or doing that when turning onto a driveway or entrance of sorts, I hear a scraping tpye sound from underneath the car....anyone got any ideas?
Upgraded engine = mo' money. That's how it is everywhere, so he wasn't really sticking it to you personally.
Good luck with your decision.
Not going to spend 19k on a car that requires $5
in duct tape to make it a quiet ride.
I was encouraged by the upgrade to a 4 year 5ok warranty...VW was wimping out with the old 2 yr 24k warranty. I am wondering if a Honda Accord is any bigger than the Jetta.
It was *yawn* very *yawwwwwn* reliable.
I sure do enjoy driving my Jetta, however. I've had more fun in 6000 miles and 6 months of ownership than I did in three years with the *yawn* Accord.