Volkswagen Jetta 2005 and earlier

th83

I'm pretty sure that on the previous generation Jetta the button is underneath the lid of the little center console storage bin between the front seats. I hope this helps...

Tom

justin

28, no kids
2002 GLS 1.8T, Silver/Gray Leather
also had a 99 GLS VR6, Black/Beige Leather

LOVED BOTH OF THEM. But, I don't miss the VR6's thirsty ways...

NOTE:

A friend put a remote starter in his Grand Am. Car has NEVER been the same. Cars that have factory theft deterrant systems don't agree with aftermarket fiddling it seems.

flaca

47 -married - 2 sons (21/16)
2001 GLS 2.0L, silver and grey leather
luxury package - monsoon - auto
I look young and feel even younger driving my baby Jetta around town. And since I coundn't afford the bmw (MIT, private schools, etc) I opted for the Jetta. Dream car: Audi TT. Maybe one day the dream will come true. In the mean time luv my Jetta.

ken_in_austin

33 - married - 1 daughter - 2 rescued greyhounds
2001 GLS TDI - silver with grey lint magnet interior (class action suit vs. VW anyone?) - monsoon & luxury - 5spd
2002 Toyota Highlander - 4cyl 2wd - silver w/ grey leather, won't buy non-leather again!

rlui1

37 going on 25 - that's why I enjoy my 2002 Jetta 1.8T GLS w/ luxury package and Monsoon w/ 6-disk changer. Also, married with one kid. I think the kid prefers our RX-300 - it's a much smoother ride.

vocus

I only had one rattle, and I drive bumpy roads alot in the city. I was able to get my rattle fixed though, so it was no big deal.

I agree about the appliance thing. Honda and Toyota cars are pretty good from what I have heard, but they are boring as anything to drive.

Drive all the contenders and see which one you like better though. That's the only way you are going to know what you prefer.

Also, I traded a 2001 Mazda Protege for the Jetta (said to be more reliable). I DO NOT regret doing so ONE BIT!

galogvi

42, Married, one daughter age 14 (who BTW has already claimed this car as hers when she gets her license.

'02 1.8T Tiptronic, Silver w/Gray leather, luxury package.

My last three vehciles were SUV's ('99 Pathfinder, '98 RAV4, '95.5 Rodeo) and I decided this time around I wanted something fun to drive. I was seriously looking at the A4, but couldn't justify the cost difference between it and the Jetta. And since we spent most of our money last November on an RX300, I opted for the Jetta. Got it in February and after 2,000 still not disappointed.

Also, in the past I've owned all the cars that folks on this forum compare with the Jetta (a Corolla SR5, a Civic, and a Protege) and I have to tell you all that there is no comparison. Jetta wins hands down.

vocus

Do you agree with me that the Jetta just has this "feeling" about it that feels more expensive than the car is? That's how it feels to me, but no one thinks I make sense.

sarah233

i totally agree with you. one of my friends who is snooty about cars was impressed by my jetta once he got inside. i have no problem with the handling or suspension (and maybe that's just because i don't know any better), but i think it would be silly to spend more money for a more expensive car when i can get all the "goodies" plus a fun ride for the price of a jetta.

pagal- i went from the "safety" of a honda civic to the jetta, and i don't regret it at all. the first month or so i was totally paranoid that there was something wrong with my car, but it's been solid so far. i can't speak for the 99 - 00 models, but my 2002 is great. my mom also has a '96 GLS that runs just fine. i would encourage you to drive the jetta and see how you like it. once i drove the 1.8T, there was NO WAY i was getting back in my honda, and i bought the jetta that day.

justin

Yes, I have always maintained that the Jetta feels nicer than the "competition".....it has tons of little details that all add up to a car that is just better, period, than the rest.

it looks like galogvi and i have the EXACT same car.

sarah233

yay jetta!

Anakin

My friend sat in my Jetta for the first time and commented on how he liked that it was a small car, but felt very solid and secure. He has a Corolla that has been a good car, but he says it doesn't feel very safe.

And everyone loves the blue dash lights. :^)

blueguydotcom

Those blue lights...argh. First the damn cartalk thing came out and all my friends had a great time emailing that around. Add in that every girl that rides in my car exclaims: "You have violet lights!" No! They're blue. There is no violet in my car. Oh it's hopeless, the lights are violet. Who am I kidding?

justin

i call the lights indigo, cuz they are dark blue. whatever it is - i know that VW interiors sell the cars regardless of the exterior. the first time you sit in a VW at night, you are mystified and amazed.

the 02 325Ci doesn't have vent indicators that light up. how low-class

vocus

The interior lighting was one of the many things that made me fall in love with the Jetta when it first came out back in 1999.5. I had always wanted one, but the warranty was too short for me (I drive a LOT - have 12,200 miles and got it 11/3/01). They upgraded the warranty for 2002, so I took the plunge and got the car. I have had 2 minor issues (one rattle, one bad fuse that killed the radio), but have been treated excellently by the dealer both times.

vocus

I just went to lunch with 2 co-workers and we took my car. They both were very impressed with it. One has a Saturn, and she said she liked my car alot better than her own. They both commented that I must make pretty good money (they are my temp assistants at work, I am permanent) because they know that car cost $25,000 or more. I didn't correct them either. :0

blueguydotcom

Holy crap I can't believe VW would charge 28k msrp for a loaded Jetta! For that many clams someone can get a classier A4 and get 4 years of free maintenance.

vocus

The loaded GLXs do get up there in price. I think that's too much too, that's why I went for the 1.8T, which is pretty reasonably priced. Mine is outfitted like a GLX (leather, Monsoon, Sport Luxury Pkg.) and it MSRPed for $24,675 (I did not pay that for it though). But I am sorry, I think $28K is definitely pushing it for a Jetta.

You all check out the Protege forum lately? There is a new Protege called the Mazdaspeed 3 coming out with a ~170hp 2.0Turbo engine, LSD, and other stuff. Limited run of 2000 for now, price pegged close to $25K! They ARE nuts, charging $25K for a souped up Protege that will probably only be worth $15K or so within a year and 20K miles.

blueguydotcom

Dang. I read about the Mazdaspeed 3 but I figured it'd be like 18-19k. It is afterall a Protege.

vocus

Check out the Protege topic right here in Edmunds', or else the Mazdaspeed 3. There in info in both topics about press releases that came out recently.

justin

Um, maybe for a 250hp Convertible 2 door coupe Jetta

I really do like the new A4's. I also like the G35, front end. Why is it that the Japanese screw up all the back ends of cars???? WHY WHY WHY? The IS300, and the G35. They ruin them. Look at Audi, BMW, VW, M-B, and they are lovely....

vocus

You know, a friend of mine always cracks on the styling of my car. He drives a 1994 Mercury Cougar (it reminds me of a carriage that's pulled by a horse, but I do like its lines though). He said my car has the styling excitement of a plain bowl of oatmeal. I disagree. I know the styling of the Jetta is understated, but I think of it as classic and sophisticated. Any thoughts?

vocus

BTW, that 250hp Convertible Jetta is called the Audi TT for future reference. But it's a little more expensive than that. With the 1.8T Jetta, you can get the same or more hp from it with chipping.

Anakin

A guy with a 94 Cougar is making fun of the styling of your car? Interesting.

Well I suppose Pontiac has to appeal to someone...

galogvi

I know the 1.8T is fast, but it seems that the speedometer is a bit over generous so to speak. I've checked the mile markers and the odometer seems accurate, but it just doesn't seem like I'm doing 80mph when the needle is straight up.

Any comments? Thoughts?

sarah233

I really like the styling. it catches my eye, but it also won't look funny a few years from now. the interior is especially nice at night, and feels very luxurious in my opinion.

justin

i agree, sometimes i look at Jettas and think, compared to the Gen III Jetta, "boring". But, I prefer to have the classic clean lines, not too round, not too creased. So many other cars go overboard. Thank goodness VW is holding the line on going crazy.

That is why even though you see Miatas everyday, I think they are just about perfect. Mazda has one redeeming quality - the Miata. Of course, Mazdas fear of HP applies to the Miata as well, but in that car, it is easily overlooked.

I wonder, why is Mazda so afraid of a nice turbo or a late 90's technology V6?? I guess this Mazda 6 and RX-8 will be a chance for them to try to recover, a la Nissan. Nissan went overboard with HP, and now they are selling like hotcakes.

sarah233

you'd better watch what you say or the protege people are going to jump all over you!! : ) (not that I don't agree with you.)

newcar31

How easily one forgets VW's position in the US marketplace not too long ago.

"Mazda has one redeeming quality - the Miata."

and the Protege sucks? Seems to me that many publications (almost all of them) love it. Before you say it's underpowered, realize what class it's in. In the 15,000-17,000 class, the Jetta has to be the most underpowered.

coolwhite

Coolwhite is 55, retired from Ford Motor of Canada after 32 yrs. as Engineering Manager.
2001 Jetta Wolf Edition, cold weather, power roof, monsoon, CD, roof curtain. Paid $30K Cdn.
last April and I hide the keys from my 3 sons, they love the 1.8T W/5-speed. My wife drives a 2000 Ford Focus ZTS and she can't wait to return this lease back to Ford. It's had 9 recalls, and
15 additional warranty service trips to dealer for major work. My 1st. son is 27 and he drives a 2002 Cabrio. Loves the ride and the 2.0L doesn't use oil. My 2nd. son is 25 and he drives a 2001 Focus SE which is a horrible car! My 3rd. son is 20 and he loves his 2002 Protege 5 but the Jetta disappears frequently.

sarah233

Anakin

I believe Justin was saying that the Miata is the only Mazda that appeals to him.

No need to come rolling in here finding negative things to say about the Jetta in return.

protegextwo

"Mazda has one redeeming quality - the Miata."
by justin

vocus

This is a chat forum and people are going to say what they wanna say. And, it's not like someone came over to the Protege room and said something negative, they said it in here.

blueguydotcom

As of this moment, the only positive thing made by Mazda is the Miata.

Hey, that's better than Ford/ GM/ Mopar/ Toyota/ Honda/ Isuzu/ Kia/ Volvo/ Saab/ Acura as not a single one makes a car I find remotely appealing. At least Mazda makes one car I'd be willing to own for more than the week it'd take me to sell if it were a prize from a contest.

venus537

blueguy: you seem to be a person of extremes. things really suck or they're really great, nothing in between for you.:)

may pick up a new jetta on monday. would be going from a 2001 galactic blue (gray interior), 5 speed vr6 gls to a 2002 red (beige interior), tiptronic 1.8t gls. will be screwed big time by having the dealer pay off my lease though. no more leasing for me, especially with today's low interest rates (36 mo @ 3.9%).

Justin: i don't think i'll miss the gas hog vr6 either.

improvements from my POV on the newer jetta:
tiptronic (getting tired of shifting for myself)
better color (the galactic blue was too dark and showed scratches too easily)
1.8t (better gas mileage and not so front end heavy)
velour seats (the newer fabric doesn't seem to collect lint as much)
chrome tip exhausts
monsoon radio (my current jetta is without this)
8 airbags versus 4 airbags
longer warranty (should help with resale value)

the main reason for my desire of getting a new jetta is what happen to my car on my last birthday (not making this up, it's true). my car was keyed on the driver's side and hood. the body shop did a real pathetic job of re-finishing the car and they screwed the door handle mechanism. the body shop never was able to fix it, but they were pretty good at scratching the inside door panel from removing it. the dealership was nice enough to fix it, but the scratches were permenant. and i HATE scratches. i realize i don't have rationale reasons for doing what i'm doing, but cars are my passion.

i'm really looking forward to the redesigned accord, but i don't want to wait that long. i figure if i like it, i'll get it in two years when Honda should have any glitches worked out by then. by the way, i'm thinking about my next car as soon as i drive off the lot with the car i just purchased (well, three or for months anyway).

haven't post in a while. anybody missed me?

katzer

Wrote a check last night for a 2002 Jetta 1.8T GLS, 5-Speed Manual, with Sport/lux.Pkg.,Monsoon, and Leather; Reflex Silver(Ext.) and black interior. Though this is my first post, I found the discussions on this site very helpful. Availed myself of all of the good resources at Edmunds. Thanks. Being prepared made the purchasing experience so much more enjoyable, efficient and tolerable for all parties involved--I think. I am looking forward to sharing some of my own experiences of Jetta ownership with others.

newcar31

I don't get it. Even if you wouldn't buy a Protege, you have to admit it is one of the best cars in it's class for driving fun. It's not a boring appliance (a word I hear a lot from Jetta owners) like a Civic or a Corolla. It truly is fun to drive which is a topic that Jetta owners go on and on about, but it also has this thing called reliability. My question is this: Which car in the Protege's class would you buy instead? A $19K Jetta doesn't count.

dinu01

Seriously, people, these cars are in different classes. Can't compare them. You could justify the price of a loaded Jetta $30.000+ CDN or pay $24.000 taxes ($3.000) and interest ($1.000) included on a Protege ES IN Canada like I did. Same fun to drive feeling, great interior on the 2001+ ES models, but with less "oomph". Oh well... Still the fun on the twisties.

Now for $30.000 CDN tax and interest included, I would rather get a 5spd 4 cyl Accord. Maybe less fun to drive, but still an impressive reliable great car IMO. The shifter on HInda trannies is superb.

Dinu

venus537

i pick up my red bueaty on Monday. hopefully, it will be as sound as my blue jetta was mechanically. took the VW out for a 20 mile test drive and it seem to be tight as a drum. i think i'm going to really like this new engine and tiptronic.

blueguydotcom

I wouldn't make that purchase. Nah, I'd probably settle on something but not the Pro. The Pro is lots of fun to drive, but it's got zero power. The handling is great but as I've seen with a simple adjustment to my car, you can quickly and with minimum expense fix handling woes. Making a car faster on the otherhand is pretty darn pricey. From my past experience with Nissans and from all I've read of the Sentra SE-R (15k) or Spec V (16k), that'd be my choice if I had to spend less than 19k. I love Nissan's torque and from what I've read of the SE-R, it's a fast, great handling little car with an ugly, ugly interior.

newcar31

Well, I did have to make that purchase. I was waiting for the SE-R to come out. I really didn't like the styling of the back end of the Sentra and the rear beam axle, but I figured I could live with those things if it had the claimed 180 hp. Then I saw the interior. The interior, the rear end styling, and the beam axle were just too much for me to live with. So the SE-R was nixed. It didn't turn out to be as fast as it was supposed to be anyway. Mazda had 0% financing for 48 months on Proteges (my second choice) so I couldn't pass it up. I've had really fast cars before and I don't think the Protege's power is THAT bad. For me, the independent rear suspension, handling, 16 inch wheels with nice rubber, roominess and reliability were enough to win me over. OTOH, if the Jetta would have had respectable reliability ratings, I would have bought one instead of the Protege or Sentra. I test drove a Jetta and I really liked it, but all of the things I've heard about VWs were verified in the reliability rankings. I needed a car that would do 100,000 miles + with relatively few problems. No doubt it's possible to do that in a Jetta, but I'm a bettin man and I don't play those odds. I'm lucky that you don't need to sacrifice driving fun in order to get a reliable car.

sarah233

i will admit fun to drive and inexpensive are a plus. but even if they aren't in the same class, i compare my jetta to EVERY car i see, and right now it's the only car i want to drive. i have wanted one since the new style came out (even though i liked the old ones too), but was wary of getting one right away. i think i did right with the 2002...it seems to have fewer issues than previous years. Plus every time i get in the car it's exciting.

i don't totally hate mazda. like i said before, i had an '88 B2000 pickup that my mom gave me when i was in high school, and it was a blast to drive. so i guess i like the miata, and my old truck. : )

katzer

As I mentioned above (Post# 4239), I put down a check yesterday evening on a new Jetta. Learned some lessons about negotiating and sales transactions. First, after settling on a price for my car, using Edmunds' TMV as a guide, I was told that the dealer would have to order the vehicle from the factory--I knew he didn't have one like it on the lot. At that point I demanded a re-negotiation on the price, considering my wait and the 2% holdback on VW's (see Edmunds' discussion on "Holdbacks"). Managed to knock-off $290.00 in cash and add-ons from the price. Advise No.1: Be prepared to re-negotiated the deal as circumstances change. Secondly, today when I returned to the dealer to finalize the contract I saw a "Dealers Administrative Handling Fee" of $399.90 on the paper work. Well, I had expected tax, title, and registration and other such fees, but not this. A shipping and handling fee of $550.00 is standard for VW, but this came as a complete surprise. My sales person's claim of this being a standard fee for all their customers not withstanding, I demanded to see the manager, and we renegotiated the deal once again--to the satisfaction of everyone. Advise No.2: Don't get too attached to the car until all aspects of the deal are settled. The process of sales works in stages (not my doing) and the buyer should be prepared to renegotiate at every turn to their own satisfaction. Until all is said and done, don't be afraid to walk away. Satisfied, for now, and waiting.

Anakin

It's a good thing all you Protege drivers are lurking in the Jetta topic just in case someone says something less-than-positive about Mazda. You can sure set us straight.

There's a Protege vs Jetta topic, remember?

I still don't see what was so bad about Justin's comment. The Miata is the only Mazda he likes. Big deal. Get over it.

newcar31

"It's a good thing all you Protege drivers are lurking in the Jetta topic just in case someone says something less-than-positive about Mazda. You can sure set us straight"

Thanks. I'm glad I could help.

vocus

Congrats on your new cars. The 1.8T is a solid, quiet, smooth, and fast engine. Wish you both the best of luck with your cars.

And even if there is a problem, you have a 50K warranty (or 4 years), the best in its price class. Also, good VW service (from what I have experienced) as well.

Sarah: If you are worried about the car as it ages, get an extended warranty for it. You can do that right up to the point where your factory warranty expires.

stockstiming

This is a black car with black leather and Eibach springs. I've ordered another car that will take 2-3 months to "build." What do you think I should ask for the Jetta?

protegextwo

Did I pass ANY judgement or even state an opinion in post #4235? True enough, claiming Mazda has only one redeeming quality - the Miata; is Justin's opinion. However, many folks might construe his opinion as a flame in regards to the Mazda brand? I'm being honest are you?

On the other hand, IMHO, VeeDub has several (redeeming quality???) well made cars. I like the Passat, Jet, and the Golf. I don't care for the Beetle or Euro Van. Paul, I honestly stop by here to learn more about the Jet and to here how your 1.8T is doing.

-love train

venus537

"I saw a 'Dealers Administrative Handling Fee' of $399.90 on the paper work"

i hope in your re-negotiation that you had ALL of that $399.90 eliminated. Did you feel like taking a shower after leaving the dealer?