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Comments
There has been much debate over the door creak at www.vwvortex.com .. The typical fix for this problem is to really grease up the door latch mechanisms on the offending doors. I've had to do that to my car several times, and the noises immediately disappear. It takes about 2 minutes of your time, and solves the problem for a few months.
An easy way to find suitable topics is to use the Topic Search feature on the left side of this page once for each vehicle you are interested in.
Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
thanks
PR
conference. People in that conference are always having the same debate that you are having with yourself: "Honda Civic or VW Golf".
Your host, Bruce
Accord that could pull my jet ski just fine, but I
am now driving a smaller car, but with more power.
The manufacturer's specs say that the max tongue
weight for the Jetta is 165lbs. The tongue weight
that I am dealing with is 3/4th of the max or
125lbs. My question is there anyone out there that
pulls anything with their Jetta, especially a 5spd
GLX? I am not going to mount any hitch on the car
untill I am fully comfortable that I have broken-in
the car with the VW specs. Thanks
Someone around here may have some advice for you, but you will be sure to find lots of recent purchasers of this vehicle in that topic.
You can click on the highlighted link to go there.
Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
I think I agree. I'd prefer a fun to drive car, but not at the cost of reliability. Given that I can't fit in a Maxima, I think I'm going for a Camry LE V6 5-speed (to maintain at least SOME fun factor! ;-) When it comes time to buy, I'll look forward to dusting Jettas in my deceptively fast, and rock solid reliable Camry sports sedan. heh heh.
Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
They have no intention of doing anything for you, take them to lemon law NOW and get a refund. Then go and by a car with less problems.
BTW My complaint was also the transmission.
and fly wheel."
And that's not considered trouble?! holy cow...
it prolly comes with crappy tires. All OE tires suck!
Tony
Info that may be relevant:
1) Purchased the car about 1 year ago
2) 25,000 miles on it
3) Most of the driving is on the highway, however I do take it to NYC every weekend and put on about 150 on it per month in NYC.
4) Have run over a handful of pot holes and bumps throughout the year
I've recently had my 2000 Jetta GLS in the VW shop and had to replace 1) Rear brake rotors and pads (made low screaching sound when braking) and 2) fan belt (engine seemed louder than usual).
Question: Is the recommended work acceptable with the problems I've specified in parenthesis. I paid almos $700 for parts and labor, is this reasonable and common to the maintenance of Jettas or am I getting ripped-off?
thank you in advance for any insights you can give?
I was going to buy a TDI Jetta for a commuter. I'm starting to lean against that decision.
Jim
Thanks Much,
Claire
Lemon Laws: Links to Most State Laws
I think that topic will connect you up with everything you need, but there are other topics throughout Town Hall on this subject that may be of interest to you. You can find them by using the Topic Search feature on the left side of this page for lemon law.
Good luck.
Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference
any idea of a free site and/or organization to call where i can enter parts and labor and the site/org. will generate a fair estimate so this will not happen again?
also, besides bitching at the dealership and VW maintenance manager, is there any other suggested actions I can take to get my $$$ back and avoid having others go through the same situation...
is it me or are the 2000 models are a piece of *$&@?
Last week I brought my Jetta in for the 12month maintenance and because my air conditioner BROKE! They claimed they fixed it but the very next day it broke again! Has anyone had this problem?
After reading everyone else's problems and having some problems myself with a one year old car I am ready to sell it. I think I would do better with a more reliable car like Acura or Honda.
Janeen
About 1.5 years ago, while turning the key, the battery exploded. The dealership never figured out why this happened, but somehow they ruled out the starter or the electrical system. VWoA was totally indifferent about the situation, despite the obvious safety concerns I had. I might add that these guys have some major customer service issues to deal with - WOW. Nevertheless, I went along with their conclusion, thinking that it could possibly have been the battery (even though it was factory installed).
Well, wouldn't you know it; last week while my dad was driving my car, the battery again exploded when he turned the key. Unbelievable! Once again the dealership is dumbfounded. They would like me to believe that it was another faulty battery. I can't even imagine the odds of having two faulty (VW!) batteries blow up in the same car. Oh, and by the way, the check engine light came on 2 days later. I haven't been able to figure out that one yet because the service dept. has been closed for the holiday weekend.
Anyway, I haven't had the opportunity to share this new experience with VWoA, but I'm not really expecting them to be very helpful. If anyone has an explanation as to why my batteries are blowing up, I'd like to hear it. This makes me very nervous. I've only heard of this happening 2 other times in 96 Jettas. Once, the battery exploded and the car caught on fire (from the nhtsa website). The second was post #439.
On a personal note, I have to say that Jettas are fun to drive, but it'll be a cold day in hell before I purchase another VW. It's just not worth all the headaches and safety issues.
First of all, I LOVE my new Jetta!!! Got a 2000 GLS VR6 w. black leather and spoiler about 2 months ago. Man, it's an awesome car!
Anyway, I'm pretty new on stick, but I feel I'm doing quite well with it now. The problem I have seemed to pop up this weekend. All of a sudden, I can't seem to shift from 1st to 2nd without grinding the gears. You get that horrible noise and can feel it through the shifter. I can't figure out what I'm doing differently from the past 2 months, but a friend drove it last night (not for very long, though), and didn't have that problem. I haven't seen anything related to this on this list, so the evidence seems to point to me. But I have to shift SOOO carefully into 2nd (cringing as I do), and the rest of the gears are fine. Any ideas on what I might be doing wrong? And I'm about due for my 5k mi. oil change. Should I have them check it out while it's at the dealership?
-Jeff
There was happiness.
I purchased my VW Jetta IV in June of 1999...a decision that was very well researched...(as much as a new car can be). I test drove every car that fit within my price range and appeal list...
The finalists: 1999 Jeep Cherokee Sport, 1999 Volkswagen Jetta
Well, after 4 days of ebb and flow on price negotiations at the Jeep dealership, I said the hell with this and went to my local VW dealership (Rusty Walis - Dallas, TX). I again test drove a Jetta...base model...no frills....got a mile away from the dealership and said..."this is my car". Loved it!! Got back to the dealership and picked out a Bright Green 5-spd GLS with the in-dash CD player and the sunroof/Avus rim package. I didn't even know about the "indiglo" lights. Loved the car...LOVED IT!!!
then...stuff started happening.
Some sunroof issues...
Headliner cleanings from the sunroof issues...
nothing big.
Until I was doing 80 on 635 (psychotic expressway in Dallas) and my serv. eng light came on, the car's power shut down leaving no acceleration, little on the brakes and no steering...took the car out of gear...every light in the car flashed on and everything went back to normal (tell-tale first sign). Took it into the dealership...turned out to be the on-board chip...replaced...everything fine (from that point, I lost the new cool car under 5,000 mile delirium).
then...
1. more problems with the headliner. (cleaned)
2. the rear seatbelt locked mysteriously
(replaced...with one that sags and looks like
they pulled it off of a salvage vehicle)
3. The in-dash CD player was loose...(fixed-so I
thought)
4. CD-player again...(replaced clips - so I
thought)
5. Rear drink holder and ashtray broke...
(replaced)
6. Driver side power window mount broken...
(replaced)
7. Driver side window...chipped from falling from
its cradle...(unrepaired/unreplaced)
8. Cd PLayer III...the revenge...(switched
places with the stereo...seems to be fixed)
All of these problems, and barely over a year...great!! Called VWoA...no help, no care, no nothing...just basically asked me what I expected them to do. I said very calmly..."I don't know...maybe stand behind something that you sell..." ... dial tone. They hung up!!
Talked to the General manager at the dealership (that would be Rusty Walis - Dallas, TX). Told him about my problems...his response...(note the quotations) "Wow!! That sucks. Yeah, that normally doesn't happen, but...you know...they've got you're car back there in wash and prep...maybe you'll feel a little different towards it when it's cleaned up".
What is that crap...
Besides, I got it back and it looked worse than when I brought it in.
Which brings us to today...
A/C is going out. Jetta is at 24,043 on the odometer. Called and talked with a "service consultant" to ask if I could get my car in and still get the work done under warranty...(called the week before...they couldn't get me in...which I mentioned) His response (again note the quotes)..."No, sir...no extention on your warranty" (I pleed my case further) "Well, looks to me like you should have bought the extended warranty...you know...that is why they offer that at the time of purchase"
You're right...If I'd known I was buying problem filled car, I wouldn't have bought it. He ended up hanging up on me, too!
The major point to all of this is, this information wasn't available to me when I purchased my vehicle...had it have been...I probably wouldn't have. I love the car, just hate the head-ache.
Yes, a portion of these complaints are simply cosmetic...but...that's one to two days off of work or struggling to make other arrangements to my schedule/my life that I thought I was avoiding by buying a new car. (20 days without my car due to repair/service)
The service definitely did not come close to expectation...
the car has already littered the road of my expectaion with several let-downs.
Thanks for the insight.
Paul
pyahnig@home.com
GET THE CHIP!
I just had the Garret chip installed in my 1.8T. If you thought your 1.8T was quick then think again. Completely different car (193 HP with only the chip). Absolutely smoke the VR6's - not even close. Feel the power the engine was designed to produce. Remember this is the same block, injectors, and turbo running in the Audi TT's. Can't push the pedal all the way down without spinning the wheels - insane. Had a socket installed also which allow me to replace my stock chip (a must if your dealer is not "chip friendly") Takes about 30 minutes to swap chips from start to finish. I let the salesman who sold me my car drive it today and it blew him away - had a grin from ear to ear.
WHEELS FOR SALE - Can't keep the tires from spinning! Upgrading to 17 inchers. Selling my stock 15 inch alloys with Michelan tires mounted. Rims and tires have 5K on them. Accepting offers. Easy upgrade for those silly 14 inch wheels. E-mail me with questions or for pictures.
Lex YellowJacket@mailroom.com
Good luck.
Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference