YACT: Any thoughts on the 2002 VW Jetta 1.8T?

[arcenite]

Originally posted by: aRCeNiTe

Originally posted by: Excelsior

Originally posted by: HajikuFlip

Originally posted by: Excelsior

Originally posted by: HajikuFlip
I'm also looking into getting a 2002 Jetta 1.8t or V6. I was wondering, since I lack much knowledge of cars atm, what exactly do I need to get the turbo 'swoosh' you hear in souped up cars? I am under the impression that the 1.8t is different from the turbo used in performance. Or am I wrong? And how much would this cost?

Teh swoosh? I am confused. 😕

If you play racing games, or watch street racing videos you should be familiar with this. I don't blame you, I blame my poor-ass description skills tonight 🙂. I mean when you switch gears, there is some sort of blow-out valve or something that gives off a 'swoosh' sound. This is something to do with a turbo system, I'm just not sure how they mean it. Anybody know what I'm talking about?

Heh, someone may know, I certainly don't.

In my experience, it's not as audible with low pressure turbo systems... For example, in my uncle's GN, you can hear the whine while it goes through the gear, but when it shifts, there's no noise.. Maybe cause it's an auto



Bill

 

[SweetSweetLeroyBrown]

here's a secret for you: inside the driver's side rear tail light there is a handle that will open the driver's side door.

 

[IgoByte]

Thanks for all the replies, folks.

Is the $500 a worthwhile upgrade for this car?
I thought I read that the 2002 Jetta has a tiptronic transmission.
As for size and price point, yes, the Passat is definitely roomier, but I'm not really looking for a big car. The nice thing about the Jetta/Golf is that the rear seats fold completely flat and you can haul pretty much anything... Also, yes, a Corolla or Civic would be wise purchases, but I prefer the Jetta/Golf look to either. Also, unmodified, both cars are fairly weak compared to the 1.8T.

 

[alexruiz]

My brother drives a 2002 5-speed manual 1.8T, and so far the car has given ZERO problems..... quite different to the 91 golf we had some time ago.....

 

[lancestorm]

I love VWs. It might be because my dad has been a technician for over 20 years with them and I grew up with Vdubs in the driveway.

I bought the exact same 2002 1.8T jetta when I got out of college in May of 2002. After about 5 months I had problems. My dad replaced the coil packs. Still problems starting a few weeks later. Tried new spark plugs. Failing again. Basically was in the shop one more time and the problem wasn't fixed. And this is coming from my father who has worked on these for years! VW had no fix to the problem and so my father tried everything he could. We ended up getting his work to write it off as a lemon and I got a brand new 2003 exchanged for free. It has been running like a charm.

I am kinda surprised that I have had no problems (knock on wood) with the 2003. It has the same design and everything as the 2002.

SOOO...make sure those coil packs are good. Check the plugs. You might be okay.

 

[IgoByte]

Sorry for the delay, guys... I've certainly had lots to do...

Anyway, yesterday morning, I test-drove the Jetta. I must say it drove nicely and I missed driving it rightaway. The only thing is it didn't have alloy wheels (I thought it did) and it also didn't have a moon/sunroof. Other than that, it was great and felt like a brand new car. I thought about it and thought about it, and I ended up, get this...picking up a '95 Mercury Cougar XR-7 on ebay late yesterday. It's an 8-cylinder, has 86K miles on the clock and is located near Pittsburgh, PA (it's actually a dealer). It looks nearly mint, even in white (a color I generally dislike), and even the interior looks really nice. Came out to $2650. KBB lists it for ~$4200. If it drives the way it looks, I'll be able to drive it for two to three years and then get something newer.

I figured that since it's my very first own car, I might as well not get into financing and full insurance on a nearly new car and get something I won't worry about too much. Like this, I won't worry if anyone bangs it up on the street, which is inevitable here in Brooklyn. I was planning to finance $10K over 48 months for the Jetta, btw.

The Cougar may have been a strange choice, especially after being so set on a Jetta and you're probably asking yourselves why in the world I bought one. Well, when I first came to the US, my cousin was driving a '92 Cougar (it was a 6-cylinder model), and I got to spend a lot of time in the passenger seat of that car. He was around 19 then and he abused that car. Yet, I was so impressed by the way it drove and handled that it stayed with me 'til this day. He would drive down these small streets and make really sharp turns very quickly and I didn't feel like the car was even tilting to the side. I found it to be very stable on the road and even with the 6-cylinder engine that car was fast. My aunt and my younger cousin are still driving that car today (and this is after it's been abused and crashed and driven for nearly 200K miles), so I figured it'd be a good first car...one that's realatively inexpensive to fix if anything went bad.

Anyway... I'll probably drive it for about two years and than pass it on or sell it, at which point I may decide to get an used 2004 Jetta GLI or something like that... So, expect another one of these "what do you think about this Jetta" threads again in 2006. 😉

Meanwhile, thanks to all for their input and happy holidays...

 

[StageLeft]

Wouldn't touch it with an 8 foot poll. VW's reliability is total crap.

Well, I've been driving a 99 Maxima SE Ltd., which has 220hp

All of the 99's had 190 horsepower and 205 ft/lbs torque.

You should be able to get a 99 maxima for $11,500 very easily, if a max is what you want. It's definitely got a lot more reliability than that POS VW.

Ah, I see you already bought a car. Do not consider a late model VW in the future until they get their quality control under control.

 

[FuZoR]

Originally posted by: IgoByte

I figured that since it's my very first own car, I might as well not get into financing and full insurance on a nearly new car and get something I won't worry about too much. Like this, I won't worry if anyone bangs it up on the street, which is inevitable here in Brooklyn. I was planning to finance $10K over 48 months for the Jetta, btw.

BAHHAHA its true!! NYC = hell on your car.

Last week some freaking asshole on a bike thought he could squeeze through my parked car with another car doubleparked beside me and FREAKING HITS my driver side mirror.. and he just bikes off to the distance. OMG I was ready to turn get in my car and RUN THE BASTARD OVER!! Nothing happen to the mirror luckily. It was just pushed back.

Cars here really take a beating.

 

[Murphy Durphy]

I'm looking at getting a V6 in place of the 1.8t. Any of you know how much more this will cost me, and if it's really worth it? Is there much sound difference between the 1.8t and the V6?

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: HajikuFlip
I'm looking at getting a V6 in place of the 1.8t. Any of you know how much more this will cost me, and if it's really worth it? Is there much sound difference between the 1.8t and the V6?

For the cost, the worse handling (VR6 is heavy), the lower gas milage, and lower potential to upgrade, I'd stick with the 1.8t personally. The VR6 has a VERY nice sounding engine growl and the exhaust is unmistakeble, but those aren't worth the premiums you have to pay to get it. The 1.8t is a wonderful engine and very peppy when put in a car the Jetta's size.

And for $400 hit up APR and chip it for even more power.

 

[Murphy Durphy]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: HajikuFlip
I'm looking at getting a V6 in place of the 1.8t. Any of you know how much more this will cost me, and if it's really worth it? Is there much sound difference between the 1.8t and the V6?

For the cost, the worse handling (VR6 is heavy), the lower gas milage, and lower potential to upgrade, I'd stick with the 1.8t personally. The VR6 has a VERY nice sounding engine growl and the exhaust is unmistakeble, but those aren't worth the premiums you have to pay to get it. The 1.8t is a wonderful engine and very peppy when put in a car the Jetta's size.

And for $400 hit up APR and chip it for even more power.

Hmm..interesting. And how exactly do the chips work? I've always heard people talk about them in vague terms so I've never quite understood what they were.

 

[IgoByte]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Wouldn't touch it with an 8 foot poll. VW's reliability is total crap.

Well, I've been driving a 99 Maxima SE Ltd., which has 220hp

All of the 99's had 190 horsepower and 205 ft/lbs torque.

You should be able to get a 99 maxima for $11,500 very easily, if a max is what you want. It's definitely got a lot more reliability than that POS VW.

Ah, I see you already bought a car. Do not consider a late model VW in the future until they get their quality control under control.

I do believe the 99 SE Limited was Limited because it had a chip in the engine, which brought it up to 220hp... Not certain though...

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: IgoByte

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Wouldn't touch it with an 8 foot poll. VW's reliability is total crap.

Well, I've been driving a 99 Maxima SE Ltd., which has 220hp

All of the 99's had 190 horsepower and 205 ft/lbs torque.

You should be able to get a 99 maxima for $11,500 very easily, if a max is what you want. It's definitely got a lot more reliability than that POS VW.

Ah, I see you already bought a car. Do not consider a late model VW in the future until they get their quality control under control.

I do believe the 99 SE Limited was Limited because it had a chip in the engine, which brought it up to 220hp... Not certain though...

I've never heard anything about that...I do know that you can't just chip the maximas like you could a turbo car to raise compression for easy horses. It's possible that the 99 SE LE introduced the 222 horsepower engine from the 00 maximas, but I highly doubt it, and edmunds specifications don't say that this is the case...

 

[IgoByte]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: IgoByte

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Wouldn't touch it with an 8 foot poll. VW's reliability is total crap.

Well, I've been driving a 99 Maxima SE Ltd., which has 220hp

All of the 99's had 190 horsepower and 205 ft/lbs torque.

You should be able to get a 99 maxima for $11,500 very easily, if a max is what you want. It's definitely got a lot more reliability than that POS VW.

Ah, I see you already bought a car. Do not consider a late model VW in the future until they get their quality control under control.

I do believe the 99 SE Limited was Limited because it had a chip in the engine, which brought it up to 220hp... Not certain though...

I've never heard anything about that...I do know that you can't just chip the maximas like you could a turbo car to raise compression for easy horses. It's possible that the 99 SE LE introduced the 222 horsepower engine from the 00 maximas, but I highly doubt it, and edmunds specifications don't say that this is the case...

You're right; it doesn't look that way from what I read... I don't know what made me think that...

 

[IgoByte]

BTW, any thoughts on the '95 Cougar?

Link to ebay auction

 

[CraigRT]

the 1.8T looks nice, but VW is junk, IMO.