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VW GTI (All styles)

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Comments

  • nedzelnedzel Member Posts: 787
    The dealers will all say that. "this car is so popular, short supply, yadda, yadda, yadda." If you can find one with the car you want on the lot and you're ready to buy, then you're in a much better bargaining position.

    Don't let them jack up the price for the in-dash cd or cd changer. The cd changer costs $290 at the parts window and the in-dash cd costs $240 at the parts window (or direct from vw at http://www.vw.com). You can install the cd changer with a screwdriver in 5 minutes. The in-dash cd is a bit of a pain to install, but can be done do-it yourself.

    Jared
    '00 GTI GLX
  • irahelicirahelic Member Posts: 2
    Has anyone installed a seperate subwoofer amp yet. I did it myself on my old car but i haven't bothered to check the GTI GLX for pre-amp wires (RCA out cables) in the Monsoon.
  • dhkdhk Member Posts: 49
    You could have the dealer do the upgrade, or just go to any VW shop and have them install lowered sport springs and shocks. My son did this on his 91 Golf when the OE stuff wore out, and the difference in handling and "fun to drive" feel is amazing. Believe VW will offer Eibach springs, but there are several brands of springs and shocks widely available in several different ride heights and spring rates.
  • jmajma Member Posts: 1
    (See Maloner, 11-14-99)

    Seems as though I've spent half my life waiting for VW to come out with things. In Europe they have the Audi A3, that looks much like a Golf GTI, but AWD and a lot sportier. Now they souped it up as the Audi S3. Come to the US? Never, VW says. VW doesn't want to intrude on Audi's market. So probably no GTI AWD at all for a long time. Maybe I'm just an AWD nut ('88 Audi 90Q, now '93 Mitsu Eclipse GSX).

    But I'd buy a GTI GLX if I could fix the vague transmission and the body lean/dive. The GTI is otherwise a marvelous car. Does anyone have experience with the Neuspeed suspension add-ons?

    ==/\/\=i=k=e=============
  • kevinckevinc Member Posts: 51
    Hi Mike.. I have upgraded my '99.5 GTI GLX with H&R springs and Bilstein dampers.. HUGE improvement. Cost was $700 for parts plus about $165 for install + align.

    Neuspeed makes a short-shift kit. It's not cheap as it replaces the entire shifter mechanism. I haven't tried the Mk4 version, but I had one in my Mk3 '97 GTI VR6 (very close to the same setup, also cable-shifted) and it was a nice upgrade, if not very cost effective. I too loathe the cable shifter.. hell my 13 year old Scirocco shifts better. And they call this progress??

    -kc-
  • stevem14stevem14 Member Posts: 8
    I'm the happy owner of a new GLX and wanted to thank everyone at Edmunds generally and this forum in particular for their help and advice. Using Edmunds I wound up paying about $1,000 under MSRP, and had I waited a little longer, could have gotten my calculated invoice + 3% price, $21,900. But I was very pleased with my dealer -- very straight forward, no attempt at any hidden "extras", and even the finance guy was low key -- only tried to sell an extended warranty (offered 795.00 for a 7 year/100,000 no deductible, which actually seemed pretty good), but was happy to give me the offer in writing and send me on my way to think about it, no hassles.

    And the car -- wow!! I love it. It is exactly what I was looking for -- sporty and practical. In earlier posts I mentioned my concerns about the stereo, but I have to say I think it sounds great (and so does everyone else who has heard it). I'm sure over time I may develop an ear for its weaknesses, but right now I'm very happy with it. My last car had a crappy stereo at best, so this is a huge improvement over what I'm used to.

    To folks considering the car: try to test drive at night on a highway without the radio. This car is great at night on the highway -- the dashboard is beautiful, the engine purrs, and the the rear-view mirror automatically adjusts so that you can see what's behind you but all glare is eliminated -- a terrific feature. Plus that quiet engine still has tons of zip at highway speeds so passing is a breeze. All and all a great car and a great car-buying experience -- thanks.
  • davebayerdavebayer Member Posts: 12
    So I botched the approach to a drive-thru car wash
    (I'll never make 'Top Gun' school) and developed a
    flat on an errand the next day. Was right in front
    of my office, thought I'd wuss out and let this
    "roadside assistance" that comes with new VWs deal
    with it? I also started to slowly do the tire
    change as I called on my cell phone. Of course,
    even with all the new car "huh?" experiences, I
    finished as they arrived.

    Interesting lessons for anyone not in the gifted
    elite that does their own mods, who likes to
    visualize trouble in advance or amuse themselves
    with the misfortunes of their fellow idiot man:

    [1] Spent something like 20 minutes on hold to "VW
    Roadside Assistance". Lucky my cell battery wasn't
    low. In the end THEY used AAA, to which I still
    belong. Made me realize that in my fantasies, I
    thought some German rocket scientist would soar in
    on a V2. Get over it, and call AAA. They answer
    their phones quicker.

    [2] "VW Roadside Assistance" will want your VIN.
    On a cell phone I read their number off the little
    sticker they suggest you apply to inside rear side
    window, then read the VIN off the car. On a land
    line, have both numbers recorded same place.

    [3] The owner's manual doesn't correctly describe
    how to remove the '00 GTI GLX plastic logo
    do-hickeys from the allow wheels, to expose the
    bolts. Principle: tapping and listening will
    reveal what's plastic, what's alloy, to determine
    what should come off. A phillips head into a hole
    will pry a gap, then a flat screwdriver can pop
    them off from the edge. Perhaps my tire mechanic
    was a great actor, but I felt like much less of an
    idiot the next day when this equally confused him.

    [4] Carry flares. Great time to use them. I was
    parked at night on edge of Manhattan traffic, they
    gave me much improved sense of security against
    becoming road kill. These things must be an
    arsonist's wet dream. You'll use two flares in
    sequence per location, if anything holds you up on
    your change.

    [5] The provided bolt wrench is barely adequate.
    Luckily I carry a crossbar X from a long-gone 60's
    van, that includes the needed 17mm size. My top
    notch tire place supposedly has their power tools
    set to not overtighten the bolts, but it took me
    TWENTY MINUTES of obstinate struggling to loosen
    the bolt that uses the "wheel lock key". Have
    anyone who changes wheels HAND TIGHTEN these
    bolts, or you may have to wuss out and wait for
    help because of this one issue. Also, good time to
    study what a lame wheel lock comes stock, as has
    been noted on other lists. Would be a pretty cheap
    upgrade to go top of the line 3rd party.

    [6] Owner's manual says to block diagonally
    opposite tire, but no block is provided. Of course
    I never considered this till time of need. Buy one
    and carry it! Didn't need it on level asphalt.
    Otherwise, provided jack looks cheesy but works
    great. Remember, a GTI GLX only weighs 2800 lbs.

    After this, the change was the routine breeze it
    should be. The full sized spare is awesome, had
    plenty of pressure.

    [7] Call ahead to your tire place to make sure
    they have your tire in stock, in case your tire is
    a "goner". Mine had one left of my Gislaved
    Nordfrost 2 studded snows, I lucked out. (Great
    tire, but if the 99 mph speed rating is an issue
    for you, go Pirelli snows.)

    I carry a bike pump. At my tire place, a fellow
    patron recommended a 12V compressor than runs off
    any of the many cig outlets on the GTI. On a
    slower leak, he managed to reinflate and drive for
    help without changing the tire! Get one with the
    attachments for basketballs and camping air
    mattresses. Bonus: Can "top off" any given tire
    with an additional 4 psi in under a minute, slow
    but could be less hassle than driving to a filling
    station?
  • debijondebijon Member Posts: 6
    I replaced all 4 wheels with Bridgestone Blizzaks and Borbet alloy wheels (Wheels only $49 per, less than steel with hub caps) from the Tire rack. I used the tool provided for removing the center plastic piece of the VW wheel. Worked well. It is hard to find in the styrofoam tool kit, looks something like a key ring with an extension.
    The wheels wouldn't have been my first choice, but in retrospect add to the unique look of an already unique car. Bought it for all the typical econ / sport / practical reasons. Thought I would blend in more, but I actually get more people stopping me and asking about my VW econo / sport car than I ever did with my Corvette.
    Decided the Sound system is more than adequate at this point, same comments from others re the speaker break in. I will get an in-dash cd, for the convenience
    Car could do with a little less body roll, but no real complaints. I probably won't go for lower spring / shock combo as it is already a bit low for driveway bumps etc. 4wd 204 hp would be nice, but again, it may or may not get here and the existing 174hp fwd is a nice combo.
    Overall... I got exactly what I wanted. Went through carbargains.com I did notice their price has gone up, I paid 21,900 1 month ago.
    Also appreciated this and the other edmunds boards, very informative
  • debijondebijon Member Posts: 6
    I lied,,, I went through carsdirect.com
  • jhalterjhalter Member Posts: 1
    I heard from a friend that a GLS Turbo (not diesel) should be coming out this spring. 150hp, basically the same engine as the Passat. Has anyone else heard anything like this??
  • kevinckevinc Member Posts: 51
    Old news. The 1.8T is definitely coming, Feb-March timeframe should be about right. It will make its debut at the Detroit Auto Show in about 2 weeks.. may possibly be at the LA show as well.

    -kc-
  • alanforrestalanforrest Member Posts: 2
    When I purchased my 2000 GTI GLX back in November, I opted to wait on installing a sunroof wind deflector. I wanted to drive the car a bit to see if the small factory pop up deflector would suffice without having to clip on a larger version.

    Does anyone have any advice or opinions/ideas as to the pros/cons of installing an add-on unit?

    The last thing that I want to do is to spoil the look of the car or add additional wind noise.
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Alanforrest, I scribbled your double. Bear in mind that users can always scribble or hide their *own* notes. To do so, click on the post number, such as #69 above, and follow the prompts. If you double again, just follow the numbers!

    Hosts are the only ones who can hide or scribble posts that are not their own.

    carlady/host
  • trantitranti Member Posts: 51
    Dear Alanforrrest,
    I installed an air deflector on my sun roof. It reduces noise a lot, a lot...less than factory pop up; Moreover, without the air deflector on the roof likes a man without hat.
    Go ahead, buy a sun roof air deflector and you won't regret.
  • dflordflor Member Posts: 4
    after gettin my 10,000 oil change and tire rotation on my 99 gti, i was told that i did not
    need another oil change till 20,000 miles which
    seemed like a long time.
    i always thought that you should change your oil
    at least every 5000 miles can anyone comment on this?
  • wicketkeeperwicketkeeper Member Posts: 22
    I'm planning to change my oil every 2,500 miles or so. It's only $20 and it can't hurt. 10,000 mile intervals are too long, especially if you want to keep the car for a while.
  • jwgtijwgti Member Posts: 1
    After looking on my own for a VW GTI GLS '00 in the Central Florida area I was told by a local dealer that there were only 16 in the state. I went through CarOrder.com and within 3 weeks they located the GTI I wanted in Tampa and are shipping it to me. My question...just how hard are the GTI GLS's to find? I recently logged onto CarOrder.com and they are no longer offering the GLS and I noticed their price for a GLX has gone up to MSRP.
  • kevinckevinc Member Posts: 51
    I *hope* the GTI GLS you just found is a 1.8T and not the wheezy 2.0 motor?? The 2.0 is now being dropped and anything incoming will be the 1.8T, a **FAR** superior motor...

    -kc-
  • johnparkjohnpark Member Posts: 2
    i have a brand new flash red vr6 (AWESOME) and want to upgrade wheels and suspension. i'm pretty much decided on dunlop sp9K tires, but I have a few questions:
    will i get better performance out of 18" than 17" due to shorter sidewall? is this just splitting hairs? the 18" LOOK pretty sweet but obviously cost more... (harshness of ride is not much of a factor since my last ride was a 99 miata).
    Suspension: am thinking about bilstein sport shocks with H&R springs. But what about Neuspeed springs or Koni shocks. I've read excellent things about all. What are the real differences for street performance?
    Sway bars: Are they really necessary after the above upgrades? And are neuspeed bars beefy enough for the new platform?

    Finally, intake and exhaust (don't want to chip engine). What are good brands beyond Neuspeed?

    Sorry for the long post, but I want to do the upgrades right the first time. My proposed budget for wheels/suspension is $4K.
    Thanks,
    John
  • johnparkjohnpark Member Posts: 2
    i have a brand new flash red vr6 (AWESOME) and want to upgrade wheels and suspension. i'm pretty much decided on dunlop sp9K tires, but I have a few questions:
    will i get better performance out of 18" than 17" due to shorter sidewall? is this just splitting hairs? the 18" LOOK pretty sweet but obviously cost more... (harshness of ride is not much of a factor since my last ride was a 99 miata).
    Suspension: am thinking about bilstein sport shocks with H&R springs. But what about Neuspeed springs or Koni shocks. I've read excellent things about all. What are the real differences for street performance?
    Sway bars: Are they really necessary after the above upgrades? And are neuspeed bars beefy enough for the new platform?

    Finally, intake and exhaust (don't want to chip engine). What are good brands beyond Neuspeed?

    Sorry for the long post, but I want to do the upgrades right the first time. My proposed budget for wheels/suspension is $4K.
    Thanks,
    John
  • kevinckevinc Member Posts: 51
    Hi John.. I have a '99 and I went with 17" BBS RC's and SP9k's, and for suspension I have Bilstein Sports and H&R Sport springs. Drop was about 1", ride quality is firmer (natch) but VERY comfortable as a daily driver. The RC's are actually lighter than the stock wheels despite the increased size. I don't recommend 18's - handling is actually going to be negatively affected by the additional weight and ride quality will definitely suffer (which isn't important to you anyways, but..).

    As for intake/exhaust, there ain't a whole lot of horses to be gained here, and the open element stuff makes a lot of racket (music to some - not I!) and in hot weather will just suck in a lot of hot air and decrease performance, unless you have one with a nice heatshield setup of some kind. The stock exhaust is stainless and will last virtually forever so I'm sticking with it too. I "upgraded" the exhaust in my '97 GTI VR6 and regretted it dearly, because it created resonance inside the car that was almost unbearable - despite not being particularly loud outside.

    Good luck!

    -kc-
    '99 GTI GLX
    '86.5 Scirocco 16V 2.0
    http://www.geocities.com/klcoll
  • brian115brian115 Member Posts: 1
    I hope everyone understands that not only are the VW GTI's hard to find at a dealer, factory replacement parts are extremely hard to get. I cracked up my 99 GTI on Dec. 15th and I still don't have it back because of problems getting factory replacement parts!!! To top it off, VW has acknowledged the problem but expects their customers to pay out of pocket for extended rental charges up front....then they will review the circumstances and decide whether or not to reimburse....THIS IS A NIGHTMARE!!! My rental bill is at $2000 already and I still don't have my car back.....is anyone else having this problem? The VW "customer Care Center" is of absolutely no help and has been evasive at best....BEWARE!
  • mznmzn Member Posts: 727
    Sounds like the trouble Ford Focus owners are encountering!

    carlady/host
  • gti_pissedgti_pissed Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2000 GTI GLX, and I have managed to damage the oilpan twice. The first time my dealer told me that it happen to another owner. The dealer had my car for three weeks. A week after getting it back, the same thing happened. Both times losing all of the oil. VW Roadside assistance said that the car sits lower than most and that they have had an increase of this type of damage. If anyone out there (Jetta GLX owners as well) has also damaged the oilpan, please let me know. VW has told me that there is a skid plate there just for this reason, as far as I can tell it doesn't cover the oilpan well enough to prevent this damage. I am starting the Lemon law process. I feel that the design of the car lends itself to this type of damage.
  • stevem14stevem14 Member Posts: 8
    There have been a number of threads at vwvortex about the oil pan problem -- a lot of people have had it.
  • kevinckevinc Member Posts: 51
    The problem is not only the lousy ground clearance, but the WOEFULLY soft Buick-like suspension on the Golf/GTI/Jetta. Of all the people on VWVortex who have smashed a pan, they're all on stock suspensions. There are a TON of us there with aftermarket setups, most of which are lowered to some degree - and none of us has had a problem (knock on wood) - which I attribute to the fact that once some decent shocks are on the front, you're far less likely to smash the thing..

    -kc-
  • peter41peter41 Member Posts: 15
    Dilemma: 1) buy the new Golf 1.8t or 2) the bmw
    318ti '98 model with 10K miles. About the same
    price. The BMW is like new, and has over two years
    left on warranty (more than VW new!) and full
    maintenance until 36K miles.

    Any thoughts on this? I want a fun, well-built,
    safe hatchback for under 20K. Few choices out
    there... Thanks.

    PS: I don't really care about chipping, mods, and which has better 0-60 stats. Handling, reliability/durability, safety etc. more important.
  • kevinckevinc Member Posts: 51
    ..the Golf. Why? It's a new car, for one thing. You can't beat a 10 yr/100k mile powertrain warranty. Also the 318ti is a really cheapo car for a BMW - they REALLY cut corners on that thing to keep the cost down. Rear suspension is from previous generation, dashboard was cheapened, etc.

    -kc-
  • nimalexnimalex Member Posts: 2
    Well, I am on my way to buy the GTI 1.8T and was surprised to find out that the air conditioning is not automatic on that model. I come from Europe and there (besides other little differences) the GTI 1.8T comes standard with climatronic.

    The GLX is way to powerful for the US( In third gear you already are above the maximum possible speed), I don't want leather and is too expensive in comparison with the 1.8T. Therefore I chose the 1.8T.

    However, I like the automatic A/C. Do you know if there is a way to have the GTI 1.8T with automatic A/C in the US?

    Thanks
  • nimalexnimalex Member Posts: 2
    Well, I am on my way to buy the GTI 1.8T and was surprised to find out that the air conditioning is not automatic on that model. I come from Europe and there (besides other little differences) the GTI 1.8T comes standard with climatronic.

    The GLX is way to powerful for the US( In third gear you already are above the maximum possible speed), I don't want leather and is too expensive in comparison with the 1.8T. Therefore I chose the 1.8T.

    However, I like the automatic A/C. Do you know if there is a way to have the GTI 1.8T with automatic A/C in the US?

    Thanks
  • kevinckevinc Member Posts: 51
    Too bad we can't swap - I have a GTI GLX and I absolutely HATE the Climatronic, and would give my left nut to have "normal" manual controls. I hate getting into the car in 60 degree weather at dusk and having the AC blast me in the face! It works "ok" in cold weather, keeping the car comfortably warm, but in average/warm/hot weather, I HATE the stupid decisions the thing makes. And the buttomns are too small, too low on the dash, and impossible to fiddle with (safely) with the car moving. And the display is hard to read in daylight, and too low to look down at in any light.

    Can you tell I don't care for it? :0

    To answer your question - you're stuck. The only way to get it in a Golf or Jetta here is in a GLX model, and that means VR6, wood trim, and all the other GLX stuff.

    -kc-
  • johnny282johnny282 Member Posts: 34
    Hi, first I should say that I'm a convert, I was planning to get a Subaru 2.5 RS until I found out that the GTI is now offered with the 1.8T. Why the change of heart? $3000 price reduction from the GLX, that's why! Also, no one is sure what Subaru is bringing to the States in 2001. So, as you can tell I'm pretty excited. I took my wife to our dealer in Tucson to show her a golf, so she could see the body/interior styling. The salesman asks if we would walk with him. In the very back, right off the truck, was a black GTI 1.8t with all the protective film etc. still on. My wife was shocked that this car with leather and the monsoon system was $20,999! He let us sit in and turn on the stereo, and showed us some of the features. Tomorrow if it's ready, he's gonna let me drive it. I've never driven a car with that motor in it so I'm really curious as to how it compares to my 96 Neon Sport Coupe DOHC. Too bad it's black, I wouldn't have a black car in Arizona, especially if it has a black leather interior! After I drive it I'll post again to let you know my humble opinion. Oh, I've heard rumors that VW dealers are marking their cars up tremendously. Our dealer doesn't do that, they charge only MSRP. $500 will start the ordering process, puts you on a list, kinda like they did with the New Beatles.
    -John
  • johnny282johnny282 Member Posts: 34
    Well, I got to drive the car, and man, what a screamer! The article here at Edmunds says it's an 8 sec 0-60 car, there's no way, this thing is much faster. The scary thing is that it's also very quiet. 70 MPH snuck up on me in a hurry, totally caught me off guard. I also loved cruising at 45 in 5th, punching the gas, feeling the turbo spool up, and going to 70 in an instant. This car makes my Neon feel like a pinto. I want to wait till the 2001 comes out so I can get the better suspension, but I don't know if I can wait that long. I haven't had that much fun in a car in quite a while. If I could change one thing, I would put the 16" wheels from the GLX on this car, would probably sharpen the steering feel a little, but then again the sport suspension in 2001 might do the same. I want a red one, where do I sign...
    :-)
    -John
  • brooks10brooks10 Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone have experience in purchasing a VW GTI in Europe, and having it shipped to the US? I noticed that there are some differences in the US and Euro versions, most of which would be nice to have here (such as a trip computer on the GTI 1.8T)
    Any idea when the 2001's come out?

    thanks,
    Jack
  • brooks10brooks10 Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone have experience in purchasing a VW GTI in Europe, and having it shipped to the US? I noticed that there are some differences in the US and Euro versions, most of which would be nice to have here (such as a trip computer on the GTI 1.8T)
    Any idea when the 2001's come out?

    thanks,
    Jack
  • nedzelnedzel Member Posts: 787
    Jack: Sorry but you can't do it. VW does not have a European delivery program and you can't import a European model into the US. Some manufacturers (e.g., Mercedes, Porsche, BMW) have a European delivery program where you buy it in the US, you pick up a US model in Europe, drive it for a week or two, then they ship it over. But the European models are not the same as the US models and EPA/DOT will not let you import a European model. Jared
  • buzzword1buzzword1 Member Posts: 2
    My `97 Jetta GT is my 8th VW, my 9th according to the VW dealer was built last week in Wolfsburg. I drove the GTI VR6, GTI 1.8T auto, and a Jetta 1.8T stick. Ordered a Tropic Orange 1.8T stick. On balance, for performance and cost, the $10K I saved on the Audi TT I originally wanted will easily fund the chip, fuel pressure module, and 2.5 inch exhaust system, suspension mods and tire upgrades and still save me $5K. There seems to be a very active discussion on the merits of Ford's Focus vs. the GTI. Here is the bottom line, I totalled my `83 Scirocco and the `79 Olds Cutlass that I ran into so hard that the entire front of my VW was folded-up back and broke the engine mounts. As for me, I unfastened my seatbelt and walked away without a scratch. I seriously doubt that a lightweight inexpensive Focus would have taken a hit of that magnitude. There is a very real reason that Volkswagens cost more, THEY ARE WORTH IT. Beware cheap substitutions.
  • markjkmarkjk Member Posts: 1
    My new GTI is one fantastic car. Only problem is
    the lights (internal/external)occasionally go out for a split second, especially whenever I slow down or shift. The car is about 6 months old, has 3600 miles. I've also noticed that when I lower or raise the windows (electric) that the headlights dim, even when cruising down the 'bahn.
    Anyone else experienced this type of problem or have any suggestions? thanks................
  • ceff7ceff7 Member Posts: 5
    I have a 2000 GTI/GLX (purchased in Oct.99). Last
    week, I took it in for a 'slight' hesitation
    problem, and I was told that they would have to
    look inside of the engine. I was told that the
    something was wrong with the pistons (they kept
    using the term, "Out of Round"). Yesterday, I went
    in, and was told that "piston slap" was taking
    place.

    They use these terms freely and authoritatively at
    the service center, and I'm curious to know if
    anyone has had an engine problem like this (or
    heard of it).

    I'm not worried about the whole thing, because the
    car is only 10,000 miles old, and I KNOW how well
    it operated before this MAJOR maintenance. I plan
    to practically LIVE at the service center, if they
    don't fix it properly.

    Also, if I have to go into the LEMON-LAW stuff,
    what is the best way to approach that whole thing?
    I don't "expect" to have to do that, but I would
    like to know nevertheless.

    Thanks in advance for your input.

    Cef
  • ceff7ceff7 Member Posts: 5
    I agree! I really like this car!! The most fun I have had driving, since my '83 Rabbit/GTI.

    I have seen all of those symptoms. I attributed those things to the operation of Hi-current devices (like the windows and/or air conditioner). It happens very rarely in my GLX, and it is no more severe than other cars I have owned. Whatever is causing it, my be more severe in some cars than others.

    Cef
  • daveengdaveeng Member Posts: 2
    I have a 96 Passat GLX. I've experienced the headlights dimming when I lower the window or when the engine fan kicks in. I don't know if that has any effect to the battery, but my battery died after 3.5 years. The Volkswagen service said that's pretty normal for a battery to die after 3.5 years, especially in the Northeast (NJ) where we experience severe cold weather in the winter.

    Sorry to get off the subject, but I have to tell you that don't let Volkswagen sell you a battery. It costs me close to $200 including labor. They claim its genuine VW oem, but the battery they installed was black without any (brand) markings. When I asked what happened to the genuine VW oem they said that this is much better that it carries a 5 year no restriction guarantee, which sounds like bullcrap. Anyway, buy your batteries from someplace other than VW, unless they guarantee oem, otherwise you are paying premium price for nothing. I didn't argue with them since I really needed a battery and it was already installed. BUt, I learned my lesson.

    Oh, back to your question - no, I've never experienced the internal lights going out when slowing down (I have an auto transmision).
  • johnny282johnny282 Member Posts: 34
    Just returned home from visiting a friend who happens to have a '96 GTI VR6. His engine has a piston that is "slapping" which I understand is that the piston is actually slapping the side of the cylinder or perhaps the top, although I don't think that's likely. The thing is, he has 75500 miles on his car and has driven it very, very hard. Lots of racing, revving into the limiter, and running close to 130 MPH on the highway. Having seen the car, I came to the conclusion that he hasn't taken very good care of it either. If your motor is that new and has piston slap, it's probably a defect in the manufacturing of either the pistons or the block, i doubt, even if you drove the snot out of it, that you did anything to cause this damage over the couse of 10k miles.
    -John
  • tkawtkaw Member Posts: 1
    I am ordering a GTI VR6 with Green exterior and Tan interior. After a quick computer search, the dealer told me only Green/Black was available and that it would take 3 months to order a new one in Green/Tan colors. Does anyone have experience on this? Do the dealers know what color cars are in the pipeline from Germany? Don't know if I can last 12 weeks waiting for the right colors? Is 12 weeks a worst case or best case wait based on their experience.

    Also the dealer quoted the in-dash CD unit at $350 and vw.com says it is $250. Does anyone know if the price went up?

    Thanks Very Much in Advance.........Tom
  • wicketkeeperwicketkeeper Member Posts: 22
    Does anyone have the URL for the VW service memo for 4th gear vibration on the GTI GLX?
  • vwgti2000vwgti2000 Member Posts: 4
    Here is the URL for the VW service memo:http://tech.vw.com/pdf/v349904.pdf
    I had the same problem with my silver 2000 GTI GLX w/10.5k miles on. It took two trips to the dealer to get this problem fixed. The first time they didn't have the part to do the work.I just actually got the car back from the dealer yesterday they fixed the problem,but a new problem has occured. Now when shifting into either 3rd or 4th gear it has difficult going into those gears. So I believe i will be heading back to the dealership soon. Good Luck to response #102
  • manwamanwa Member Posts: 6
    Hi. I have a 2000 GTI GLX, and I would like to do some upgrade jobs. I am interested in replacing a stiffer suspension. I have been reading and noticed that K & N spring + bilstein shocks will do the best job. Can you tell me where I can get them?

    This question may sound stupid. I have been surfing the web. When they say the price for a Bilstein shock is $299.95, does it mean 4 shocks or just one? What about the spring? They said front is $229.00 and rear is $119.00. Do they mean a pair or just one?

    Also, I would like to upgrade the intake. Which brand is better? How is Neuspeed?

    Thanks in advance.

    Manwa
  • sjuhawkssjuhawks Member Posts: 13
    Tkaw:

    I just recently bought a 2000 Jetta but I can tell you that everyone (except me) wanted a silver Jetta and they told me it takes AT LEAST 3 months to get them in, and they have no idea where they are in the pipeline at any point. Plus I was reading in the Jetta townhall's and a couple people waited for the right color and they receieved a car with either more or less options than they wanted. VW sends them the closest match that they have, so even if you wait, you may not get exactly what you want, unless it's the GLX in which case there really aren't any options anyway. But your best bet is to take a green/black combo or switch to blue, because there are plenty dark blue/tan interiors available.

    I got a CD changer in my Jetta and it does cost $350, the price went up in February. They had an excess of them in December-January and blew them out with the $250 price. So they raised them back to $350. Still worth it though.
  • crboracrbora Member Posts: 1
    I own a 2000 Black GTI GLX. I wanted Silver, but was told it would be three months, or I could buy the black right away. The reason was that because the new Golfs are made in Germany and not Mexico, and VW has given a small allotment to US. Past weak sales comparitively. I got the black, but hate it. Anybody else think that the suspension is soft in these cars? I get a ton of body roll. I cannot believe that I am going too fast.
  • nautikernautiker Member Posts: 32
    Of the people who have already purchased a 2000 GTI GLX, have any of you been able to buy below msrp??? I am going to be buying a GTI GLX in late July/early August and refuse to pay list+freight. . any thoughts??
  • nedzelnedzel Member Posts: 787
    I got my 2000 GTI GLX in 8/1999 for about $1000 below MSRP. Jared
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