99-02 VW Jetta1.8T opinions

[JTEK24]

I am looking into getting another car to play with and I was looking at the Jetta1.8T. I did a little research and I really am considering getting one. I was just wondering what you guys thought about this ride. I also noticed that it had some type of coil problem that could be easily replaced but thats about the only major thing I could find. If anyone knows of anyone who has one, let me know how they are.

[deevergote]

Well, you're spanning 2 generations there. The Mk4 Jetta hit the US market in 1999.5.

I've had 2 friends with Mk4s... One 1.8T auto and one GLI.

The 1.8t was bone stock, and had some weird electrical issues. It kept killing batteries, and nobody could figure out why. She loved the car otherwise, but she ended up trading it for an Ion (she misses the Jetta, though!)

The GLI was heavily modified, returned to stock, and then traded to a Nissan dealership. My friend bought it from that dealership on the pretense that it was "slightly" modified... intake, wheels, lights... But under the hood was a bunch of decals showing other performance parts... and his intercooler wasn't bolted down (which means it had been slapped back on quickly). Also, his engine cover was never on. SO, seeing as the car was heavily modified, it's not fair to say that it was the car's fault for spending 4 out the first 6 months he owned it in the shop... ECU troubles, leaking fuel pump, bad suspension... who knows what else.


I've seen quite a few VWs on fire. They've been the ONLY newer cars I've ever seen up in flames, and I've seen 3 in person (2 Jettas and a Passat... and a golf on the internet. )




For the most part, they're good cars... but it seems that when something goes wrong, something REALLY goes wrong. If you get one, shop very carefully. Get a good one, and you'll be fine. Get a piece of crap, and you're in for a nightmare!

[JTEK24]

Thats not good at all. I've been looking around on autotrader and saw a few with the carfax history report so I looked into those first. But thats kinda messed up that things didnt work out for your friend though deev. I was just gonna find one with the factory specs, no mods or anything. I dont need all that extra stuff, but if I was gonna do anything to it, it would probably be cosmetic like blackhouse or change the headlights and sidemarkers. And engine wise "maybe" just put an HKS SSQV BOV even though I read that the car might run rich at times. I've looked at the jetta forums and found some aspects of what has occured to jettas but its mainly because people are just trying to get extra power without doing all the right things before hand. I guess I was looking for between the 00' - 02' models(MK4 Gen). I saw a few Wolfsburg Jettas, I really don't know whats so special about them though besides the fact that they were built in that town. They are very popular though.

[wed3k]

Tdi.

[deevergote]

Yeah, the diesels are great. Of course, they're slow as balls until you mod them... then you defeat the purpose of having a diesel!

[JTEK24]

Hey deev, i saw the vw on fire, it looks like (assuming from the dash he had quite a few mods) he must have overtuned that car or something. I guess everyone should carry a fire extinguisher in the car, he had one but it did put out the fir to save it. That sux, but that could probably happen to anyone. I've seen a few cb7's in flames too.

[wed3k]

Yeah, the diesels are great. Of course, they're slow as balls until you mod them... then you defeat the purpose of having a diesel!

TURBO diesels.

[deevergote]

Yeah, the golf was definitely modified... I don't count that as one of the ones I saw. I saw a bone stock one on the highway 2 weeks ago, and I also saw a Passat literally blow up... I mean, it jumped 3 feet in the air when the gas tank caught fire!

I like VWs, but I don't think I'd ever own anything but an old Beetle. (I was also in one of those that caught fire... but in the car's defense, we WERE plowing through a corn field when it happened! )

[lil_dcb7]

i only see girls driving them...

hot girls.


are you a hot girl?

[JTEK24]

i only see girls driving them...

hot girls.


are you a hot girl?

Naw Bruh, Im a guy! But I do know alot of hot chicks though! But there is alot of Jetta's around ATL and from the ones I've seen, modded or unmodded with just nice wheels and such. They're pretty nice!

Deev: Man I know that had to be a terrible experience, so in that regard I have a lot of true researching to do. Are parts pretty decent to find?
My dad(r.i.p.) had an old beetle and that thing ran forever, I just wanted to go back to my roots of what car I first remember riding in and sitting in his lap holding the steering wheel. Not a beetle, but atleast a V-dub.
P.S. - I've noticed the post counter isnt working.

[vermicide_esp]

my mom used to have a 2001 jetta gls. it was a good car but as mentioned earlier, when something happened, IT HAPPENED. all of a sudden, we had problems with the electrical system. a while later, it was something with the gas tank and pump. idk. we had a mk3 as well and it had its fair share of minor glitches as well. vw's are good... but bad. so definitely shop around well, do more research and good luck

[vermicide_esp]

P.S. - I've noticed the post counter isnt working.

it doesn't count if you're in off topic.

[JTEK24]

Thanks for the insight man! I just hope I don't get disappointed because from hearing so few but informative posts, the VW's seem to be 50/50 as far as problems go. I am also looking at some 5th gen Maxima's, but I was going for the "forced induction" deal without shelling out the extra cash to take an NA and slapping on the Turbo package. Probably tonight I'll sign up for a VW forum to get the lowdown, that might help but I feel so bad since im a part of the CB7tuner family.

[xczechboyx]

I have 2 friends that have mk4 jettas, one has a 02 vr6 and the other has 03 1.8t. And both of them have had major troubles with them. I know in the vr6 it had a bunch of electrical bugs and the left headlight will always go out, and the tranny went out after 50k. And on the 1.8t, he bought it brand new and after 500 miles the turbo "fell off". Apparently it was missing some bolts or they fell off, dont know how that happened but the dealership fixed it. Plus he has a bunch of electrical problems. I love how those cars look but they seem to have some big electrical problems.

[lummieCB7]

i wouldn't get one. my wife had a 2001 VR6 and it became really unreliable. It had left her stranded many times. The car was maintained regularly at the dealer too. She loved the way it drove when it was working fine but that wasn't happening very often. The final straw for her was a faulthy brake light switch that prevented the car to shift from Park or Neutral into any of the gears. (Recall notice for faulty brake light switch arrived a couple weeks after we traded in the car.) I have another friend who has a 2003 1.8t that is going thru ingniters every 3 months. His check engine light was always on and after taking it in for service the CEL light would come back on a few days later. He thought his car was running fine for a while because his CEL light stopped coming on but it ends up that the CEL light itself broke. Some of these cars are also plagued with the nauseous smell of melted crayons. DON'T DO IT!

Here's a good website to look at if you are still considering the purchase.

http://www.myvwlemon.com/