I've found a number of used GTI's and turbo'd Jetta's in my area. They are mostly 02-03's. I really like the body style of both of these cars, but I have my fears. I have been reading several consumer reports as well as forums stating that VW's should be stayed away from when buying used. And even when new they seem to have a lot of electrical gremlins.
How bad are they? Can anyone put in some personal experience? This will be a daily driver I'll mildly mod(just bolt ons).
I really like these cars, and they'd fill my needs pretty well...but I don't even want to go to the dealerships to attempt a trade in with my truck until I know it's worth doing.
Today I had an 03 Jetta with 48,000 miles on it... they brought it in complaining that the wipers wouldn't turn off, headlights didn't work, the brights stayed on, turn signals didn't work, the wipers would stop if you put the parking brake. It was kinda entertaining, if you put the hazards on the wipers went backwards and if you used the horn it didn't work but it made the wipers go full speed and the front side marker lights and front turn signals would light up solid, neither the turn signal switch or the wiper switch controlled anything. Hell you could take the key out of the ignition, lock the doors and arm the alarm and the wipers were still going LOL.
True story.
Darkstars wrote:Today I had an 03 Jetta with 48,000 miles on it... they brought it in complaining that the wipers wouldn't turn off, headlights didn't work, the brights stayed on, turn signals didn't work, the wipers would stop if you put the parking brake. It was kinda entertaining, if you put the hazards on the wipers went backwards and if you used the horn it didn't work but it made the wipers go full speed and the front side marker lights and front turn signals would light up solid, neither the turn signal switch or the wiper switch controlled anything. Hell you could take the key out of the ignition, lock the doors and arm the alarm and the wipers were still going LOL.
True story.
That's exactly the kind of stories I've been reading. I'd like to think most of that would get worked out in the first 50K miles(most of the cars I'm looking at are in the 60-80K range..but honestly, it looks like it's hit or miss.
I bet that was entertaining, lol. However, as a potential VW buyer..that scares the HELL out of me.
we have a 2000 passat 1.8l turbo and hate the engine.... the secondary air pump has been replaced 3 times and now their saying its the kombi value and this and that and aaaahhh... (i am now an expert at gettin that dam pump out... lol) their hoses suck!! very brittle and break easily.
her tail light doesnt work properly, her headlight (lows) suck... the fogs are brighter!!
i'd stay away...
Friend's motor went in his '01 Jetta 1.8T leaving the driveway. The timing belt was the cause. Second the engine was replaced the car was traded in ASAP.
Yea Dubs are nice cars... some are crazy fast so i don't hate them.
However I can truthfully say that every buddy I know that has a dub and even lightly modded it, has trouble.
heck best friends girlfriend has a 2002? might be 01 wolfsberg edt. jette. 1.8T, Timing chain went one day.. had to pretty much swap out the engine.
I like dubs and the scene of people is massive... but there a pain in the arse, I don't even own one and have helped fixed stupid sh*t that just cost's money.
" Aint nothin' but a Peanut!"
Quote:
no it didn't
I'll be honest I ma not that savy with engine terms. Somthing timing chain? something causing the block to crack?
I don't know, kinda work with me here darkstars lol
" Aint nothin' but a Peanut!"
I didn't think the 1.8T was a interference engine, and it uses a timing belt. They are known for the water pumps melting which are driven by the timing belt.
2009 Ford Mustang V6
i cruze the vw sites in search of solutions to our problems and i saw another indy member with one of the best stickers on his rear window. it was just a simple replica of the engine light display!! hahahaha i laughed..... if it were my car, i'd get one too!
the older 2.0 N/A motors are non interference, the rest are. They are driven by timing belts, the VR6 had/has, the 4 cylinders are belts up until the brand new 2.0T in the 09's (no more FSI engine, that was belt as well). The water pumps were off the timing belt and they didn't melt, they were made out of plastic, the impeller would crack and fall apart.
I agree with Darkstars. I had a nbs 2006 gti and ended having the dealership buying it back after about 5 airbag faults and some not so nice service from VWOA. I know they have a TSB for it now, but i was fed up with it being in the shop more than in my garage. If I was going to buy any VW these days it would be a used phaeton (can be had for a little over 22 grand) or a 2008.5 GTI with the TSI? engine with the chain.
00 cavalier (5 speed, 2200) 84 chevy c-10 (v-8, 700r4) 64 volvo 122 ( everything......)
Phaeton is a HUGE failure (a $100,000 pile of @!#$) avoid them unless your very wealthy. Out of warranty cost to own is insane.
I have a 2004 GLI with 41xxx on it. Never had an electrical problem. The only issue I had was when my water pump went out, but its under warranty so the dealer fixed it.
No complaints about my dub, I love everything about it.
I own an audi, which is basically the same thing, bought it with 100k, a clutch, transmission, new engine,rear sub frame, abs unit and wheel bearings later the car runs like its brand new
Owned two Jettas. No problem whatsoever.
To keep them I needed to get my electric / electronic degree wich I did not. LOL
Ohhh and by the way, 3 head gaskets in 11 months on the VR6.
VW Diesel fan here. YES half the @!#$ on my diesel does not work, but there is something just warming about the put put of the little 1.9 turbo diesel.... (Stock Turbo with 350,000km on it and still making boost !).
My Cav
I give up...
i'm buying a VW those people love trees, so they should love eachother too... "Andy"
[quote=¤FactoryPhreak¤]Owned two Jettas. No problem whatsoever.
To keep them I needed to get my electric / electronic degree wich I did not. LOL
Ohhh and by the way, 3 head gaskets in 11 months on the VR6.
How exactly does replacing 3 head gaskets in less than a year, and requiring an electrical degree equal out to "no problems whatsoever"?!?!?!
On the other hand....you have other fingers.
In my family we teach that boys have a God-stick and girls have a Shame Cave. -John Stewart
^^^^^
The head gasket problem on the VR was an extra problem in fact. It ALSO had electric / eletronic @!#$-ups here and there, wich was WAY beyond my skills of repairing/understanding.
Besides this, by no problem whatsoever I meant NO suspension,braking,body,interior problems. LOL
This is like VW from hell week. First the one I was talking about earlier.
Plus I got a golf sitting there all @!#$ up, they slid in the snow hit something, broke the front core support, lower front lip, wheel liner, wheel, tire, wheel bearing, tie rod, fuel lines, cracked the gas tank, busted a huge hole in the oil pan, hit hard enough to brake the oil pump in half and smash the gear causing the chain to walk itself off and seized up the engine and smashed the rocker panel up into the bottom of the door. I'm gonna be pissed if they don't @!#$ total it.
and then today I got an 04 Passat 1.8T with 33K miles on it with a check engine light, oil change, recalls, and wipers. I scan it and it has charger pressure drop, bank 1 sensor 1 circuit lean, long term fuel trim lean, sparadic misfires on all 4 cylinders, small evap leak and something else, I forgot. So I start with the recalls one if which requires an ECM software update. So I start the flash and it gets half way through and the car losses communication and fry's the ECM. I try to get back in and everythign is @!#$ up, can't talk to any modules, no communication. So I start messing with things and trying things out, DLC fuses are good, both power wires are getting power, both ground wires have ground, the ground point is clean, no corrosion, which leave 2 data bus wires and the K wire. I pulled the radio out to disable the K wire and the it starts talking to the cluster only and nothing else. Which means there's a problem with the K wire itself, the gateway is @!#$ which is in the very expensive cluster, I'm gonna have to reprogram all the keys, replace and reprogram the ECM, replace and reprogram the cluster then I can get back to square one and finish the recall LOL.
I @!#$ hate VW's.
Darkstars wrote:
and then today I got an 04 Passat 1.8T with 33K miles on it with a check engine light, oil change, recalls, and wipers. I scan it and it has charger pressure drop, bank 1 sensor 1 circuit lean, long term fuel trim lean, sparadic misfires on all 4 cylinders, small evap leak and something else, I forgot.
Sounds like a vacuum leak....
It's not but thanks anyway, this is what I do for a living, I'll take it from here
Darkstars wrote:This is like VW from hell week. First the one I was talking about earlier.
Plus I got a golf sitting there all @!#$ up, they slid in the snow hit something, broke the front core support, lower front lip, wheel liner, wheel, tire, wheel bearing, tie rod, fuel lines, cracked the gas tank, busted a huge hole in the oil pan, hit hard enough to brake the oil pump in half and smash the gear causing the chain to walk itself off and seized up the engine and smashed the rocker panel up into the bottom of the door. I'm gonna be pissed if they don't @!#$ total it.
and then today I got an 04 Passat 1.8T with 33K miles on it with a check engine light, oil change, recalls, and wipers. I scan it and it has charger pressure drop, bank 1 sensor 1 circuit lean, long term fuel trim lean, sparadic misfires on all 4 cylinders, small evap leak and something else, I forgot. So I start with the recalls one if which requires an ECM software update. So I start the flash and it gets half way through and the car losses communication and fry's the ECM. I try to get back in and everythign is @!#$ up, can't talk to any modules, no communication. So I start messing with things and trying things out, DLC fuses are good, both power wires are getting power, both ground wires have ground, the ground point is clean, no corrosion, which leave 2 data bus wires and the K wire. I pulled the radio out to disable the K wire and the it starts talking to the cluster only and nothing else. Which means there's a problem with the K wire itself, the gateway is @!#$ which is in the very expensive cluster, I'm gonna have to reprogram all the keys, replace and reprogram the ECM, replace and reprogram the cluster then I can get back to square one and finish the recall LOL.
I @!#$ hate VW's.
So HOW the HELL do you read the track wiring diagrams??
Btw we had a Jetta come in today with a melted fuse block on top of the battery... it almost melted a hole in the battery case LOL
That's actually pretty colon for the fuse block on battery to melt on the golf beetle jetta gti
