So my mother is considering to match what I can put down on a car up to 3500 so that means my maximum budget is roughly 7 grand give or take. She gave me the option between a VW or a Volvo and I am sick of driving volvos. So yeah, I'm looking for a Jetta, 2002-ish. Black, anyone know any good sites for looking for cars in my area, I've been looking at autotrader a lot. Also, is there anything I should be looking for in regards to problems with the car?

Thanks.

As an ASE certified tech, and long time tuner, I will add one thing.

STAY THE HELLS AWAY FROM VW!!! Electrical NIGHTMARES! We've had a few, and when we had the SAME problems with the '02 Beetle BRAND NEW that we did with my '92 Passat, it was a hint. Oh, and the dealerships were all unable to rectify any of the problems, and the car eventually caught fire.

Bandi?
Samarui?

Posted by Rover Rob As an ASE certified tech, and long time tuner, I will add one thing. STAY THE HELLS AWAY FROM VW!!! Electrical NIGHTMARES! We've had a few, and when we had the SAME problems with the '02 Beetle BRAND NEW that we did with my '92 Passat, it was a hint. Oh, and the dealerships were all unable to rectify any of the problems, and the car eventually caught fire.

Meh, I have one, and it's been great. 98 Golf, 202 000km, no mechanical or electrical problems that I know of.

Posted by Rover Rob As an ASE certified tech, and long time tuner, I will add one thing. STAY THE HELLS AWAY FROM VW!!! Electrical NIGHTMARES! We've had a few, and when we had the SAME problems with the '02 Beetle BRAND NEW that we did with my '92 Passat, it was a hint. Oh, and the dealerships were all unable to rectify any of the problems, and the car eventually caught fire.

unfortunately I don't have much else of a choice as there is no way I am driving a volvo and their newer cars look like shit. Now, I've also been looking at a '67 impala for mild restoration as the initial cost is cheaper, and yes I do know, restoration can run a good 50 grand, but that's over time and I don't plan on restoring it in one sitting. But for now the VW is really my only option as my parents are uptight about what cars I can have as a daily driver and what cars I can not.

As for dealerships, stay the hell away from them. Look for the local guru and he can probably fix it for cheaper and knows he has to get it done right the first time.

Posted by Sinister Crayon unfortunately I don't have much else of a choice as there is no way I am driving a volvo and their newer cars look like shit. Now, I've also been looking at a '67 impala for mild restoration as the initial cost is cheaper, and yes I do know, restoration can run a good 50 grand, but that's over time and I don't plan on restoring it in one sitting. But for now the VW is really my only option as my parents are uptight about what cars I can have as a daily driver and what cars I can not. As for dealerships, stay the hell away from them. Look for the local guru and he can probably fix it for cheaper and knows he has to get it done right the first time.

50g's to restore an Impala? Maybe if you buy all the shit from GM Restoration.

VW's are a nightmare with some miles on them. Their electrical systems, as stated above, are noted for weird failures. Also, the Jetta is not that reliable a machine, in my experience. As I stated in several other posts, at the shops I worked in, we loved to see Volkswagens, BMW's, Audis, and Saabs come in because parts for them were big $$$'s and a majority of failure items were dealer-only.

I do know that the older Jetta 5speeds were known to fail unpredictably. I've seen several fail. As for the generation you're talking about, i drove a friend of mines with the 1.8L T/5gear and it didn't seem all that spunky. It was fast once it got rolling, but it felt like the engine had other things on its mind other than brisk acceleration. It did handle nice and the gage faces were nice at night, but it's not something I would purchase.

Now, a Corrado or a first generation Scirocco with a VR6 swap... now that's a VW with more ass than a weight watchers' convention. My best friend (ltparis on here) had a 98 Golf GTI VR6 and we happened upon a Corrado VR6 one night on VT Route 22A... We ran out to about 140mph and the Golf couldn't pull on the Corrado, but the Corrado couldn't pull more than two car lengths... it was glorious. He had a decal under the hood "GTI= Goodbye To Integras" as the tuning scene was really starting to take off back then.

I suppose that if you parents are going to fork over cash for either a VW or Volvo, well, what can you do? Personally, i am a GM guy and always will be. If it doesn't have GM on it somewhere, I'm not interested. You did know that Volvo is owned by Ford, right?

Samurai

Posted by Sinister Crayon unfortunately I don't have much else of a choice as there is no way I am driving a volvo and their newer cars look like shit. Now, I've also been looking at a '67 impala for mild restoration as the initial cost is cheaper, and yes I do know, restoration can run a good 50 grand, but that's over time and I don't plan on restoring it in one sitting. But for now the VW is really my only option as my parents are uptight about what cars I can have as a daily driver and what cars I can not. As for dealerships, stay the hell away from them. Look for the local guru and he can probably fix it for cheaper and knows he has to get it done right the first time.

The dealership worked on it because I absolutely REFUSE to fix a car under warranty on my time/dollar. We bought the Beetle new for that reason, I didn't want to deal with it.

As for local shops, I am the local guru. I've been working on oddball cars for quite a while. I handle most local Porsche, BMW, and Land Rover owners, as well as a lot of old british cars. I also used to be a tech for a local dealership, although not VW.

Posted by Samurai You did know that Volvo is owned by Ford, right? Samurai

And your point is... ;)

Personally, I'll drive just about any brand. Old VW's are awesome, especially with the 1600 dual port!

GM is running short of good cars, but I do have to say my '97 GTP took one SEVERE beating and still runs like clockwork(with a much nicer owner..lol).

I am more of a ford guy though. Don't know why, but I always seem to like the way they drive better. Could also be the Mustang freak in me though.

Posted by Samurai 50g's to restore an Impala? Maybe if you buy all the shit from GM Restoration. VW's are a nightmare with some miles on them. Their electrical systems, as stated above, are noted for weird failures. Also, the Jetta is not that reliable a machine, in my experience. As I stated in several other posts, at the shops I worked in, we loved to see Volkswagens, BMW's, Audis, and Saabs come in because parts for them were big $$$'s and a majority of failure items were dealer-only. I do know that the older Jetta 5speeds were known to fail unpredictably. I've seen several fail. As for the generation you're talking about, i drove a friend of mines with the 1.8L T/5gear and it didn't seem all that spunky. It was fast once it got rolling, but it felt like the engine had other things on its mind other than brisk acceleration. It did handle nice and the gage faces were nice at night, but it's not something I would purchase. Now, a Corrado or a first generation Scirocco with a VR6 swap... now that's a VW with more ass than a weight watchers' convention. My best friend (ltparis on here) had a 98 Golf GTI VR6 and we happened upon a Corrado VR6 one night on VT Route 22A... We ran out to about 140mph and the Golf couldn't pull on the Corrado, but the Corrado couldn't pull more than two car lengths... it was glorious. He had a decal under the hood "GTI= Goodbye To Integras" as the tuning scene was really starting to take off back then. I suppose that if you parents are going to fork over cash for either a VW or Volvo, well, what can you do? Personally, i am a GM guy and always will be. If it doesn't have GM on it somewhere, I'm not interested. You did know that Volvo is owned by Ford, right? Samurai

Yeah, ford bought volvo for the side airbag technology back in 04 which is why it appeared in their '05 lineup which is one reason why I don't want a volvo. I hate ford. Plus, VW is never going to be bought by an american car manufacturer due to german law, so unless german law changes, VW will always be from germany.

As for a Scirocco and the Corrado, I can't afford insurance on a two door car here in colorado. I don't need anything for speed as I don't race and honestly don't plan on it for the first couple of years I have my license and by then I'll probably have a decent job and be able to buy something raceable.

As for restoring an impala, the 50 g statement was a bit overkill for a normal restoration, I was just quoting what a ex-neighbor put into his as he practically rebuilt the thing from the ground up with performance parts. So yeah, I have no idea how much a restoration would cost me though.

Posted by Rover Rob And your point is... ;) Personally, I'll drive just about any brand. Old VW's are awesome, especially with the 1600 dual port! GM is running short of good cars, but I do have to say my '97 GTP took one SEVERE beating and still runs like clockwork(with a much nicer owner..lol). I am more of a ford guy though. Don't know why, but I always seem to like the way they drive better. Could also be the Mustang freak in me though.

Back in the day, I was all about Ford. It was what my father drove exclusively and that was what we bought. But, in 1996, after tiring of working on my Fords and the one Chrysler product I'd had, I decided to buy a 91 Chevrolet Cavalier RS coupe with 45,000 miles on the odometer. One owner car, nice shape, perfect for what I needed. To say that I beat that car unmercifully was an understatement. I drove it anywhere, anytime in any weather. It went all over the east coast, Quebec, and Ontario. I retired it in Tennessee with 201,000 miles on it. As far as I know, the engine is still going.

After that, it was all FWD GM. I've had 6 Cavaliers, my mom and her 2nd husband had one. My friends bought them after they saw the beating that mine took, especially up here in northern New York! They were 91 Cavalier RS coupe, 88 Cavalier RS coupe, 84 Cavalier Type 10 coupe, 96 Cavalier coupe, 98 Cavalier RS clone coupe, and an 85 Cavalier Type 10 hatchback. On top of that, I've had an 81 Citation X11 hatchback, 84 Celebrity, and the current winter beater, a 93 Lumina sedan. I traded the 98 Cavalier RS for a 2005 Cobalt coupe in June of 05 and then traded that in for a 2007 Cobalt SS/SC coupe in September of 2006... We know GM!

I was trained in 94-95 to be a GM mechanic, picked up my certification but realized that there was no money in it up here after working at it for a little bit. No one wants to pay you what you're worth and the cars are so rotten due to the salt and tailings, it's more trouble than it's worth. I think that's why my experiences with most foreign makes is different than the rest of the country. Our cars are absolutely pummeled from either the road conditions or the terrain. Frost heaves that you don't hit so much as drive into and out of! Megadoses of salt on the roads and this nasty black stuff called tailings. It's one step away from being sandblasting material! It just tears the paint right off cars.

Anyways... um, wow...

Samurai

Posted by Rover Rob As an ASE certified tech, and long time tuner, I will add one thing. STAY THE HELLS AWAY FROM VW!!! Electrical NIGHTMARES! We've had a few, and when we had the SAME problems with the '02 Beetle BRAND NEW that we did with my '92 Passat, it was a hint. Oh, and the dealerships were all unable to rectify any of the problems, and the car eventually caught fire.

I'm also an ASE certified tech... and I'd have to disagree.

My dad's '99 New Beetle currently has 435,000 km on it - repairs have been limited to a starter, a steering rack, and 3 sets of brakes.

The late 80's/early 90's VWs WERE crap, I'll admit that, but being a mechanic that primarily works on european vehicles... I'd have to say they are a pretty damn good car. Plus, although the 80s/90s VWs had a ton of electrical problems, the engines are bullit proof. (Although I've also seen some 5 speed tranny failures.)

Posted by Samurai No one wants to pay you what you're worth and the cars are so rotten due to the salt and tailings, it's more trouble than it's worth. I think that's why my experiences with most foreign makes is different than the rest of the country. Our cars are absolutely pummeled from either the road conditions or the terrain. Frost heaves that you don't hit so much as drive into and out of! Megadoses of salt on the roads and this nasty black stuff called tailings. It's one step away from being sandblasting material! It just tears the paint right off cars.

I'm just a glutton for punishment. Cars here seem to be tortured daily. I nearly lost my Toyota in a pothole in Peterborough last night.

Posted by bandi Plus, although the 80s/90s VWs had a ton of electrical problems, the engines are bullit proof. (Although I've also seen some 5 speed tranny failures.)

Yeah that small 1.8 8 is one tough fucker.

Posted by Professor Chaos Yeah that small 1.8 8 is one tough fucker.

maybe, but the 2.0L was a boat anchor.

now, picture hitting potholes with 18" wheels and 215/45/ZR18 tires...


Samurai

Worse comes to worse...just push start the VW

Posted by Agent Skelly Worse comes to worse...just push start the VW

Thats a weekly occurence for the volvo I'm driving. I don't think a VW would be much worse. Plus, the transmission doesn't let you put it into first gear unless the engine is turned off and the car is not moving; the oil light pulsates, none of the internal electrics work including horn, windshield wipers, radio, overhead light, etc unless I jiggle the keys every-time I go over the slightest bump; steering wheel only turns one and 1/4 when it is supposed to be able to turn a full two rotations; it's rusted to hell; the shifter knob falls off daily, which requires me to cross two wires in order to get overdrive which is necessary to go over 55 MPH; the interior is cracking, crumbling, or sometimes just missing; no air conditioning; the idle seems to go higher every time I turn the engine over; can't shift without grinding even when the clutch is to the floor; the door buzzes even when it is closed; the passenger seatbelt locks up and refuses to give slack when you are trying to put it on, but once you get it on, it is loose as hell, which seems to be a problem on all volvos of that generation; none of the windows seal including the useless annoying hand crank sunroof that leaks; back axle acts weird when going over 85 mph; and more. God I need a new car.

I wired up "5th gear" to a toggle switch and duct taped it on the side of the shifter on my old 242GT turbo since the shift knob kept firing off. Sounds like your car definitely needs some love.

Posted by Rover Rob As an ASE certified tech, and long time tuner, I will add one thing. STAY THE HELLS AWAY FROM VW!!! Electrical NIGHTMARES! We've had a few, and when we had the SAME problems with the '02 Beetle BRAND NEW that we did with my '92 Passat, it was a hint. Oh, and the dealerships were all unable to rectify any of the problems, and the car eventually caught fire.

My parents had a 92 Passat which didn't have any electrical problems. After 10 years of ownership the problems started. The biggest of which was from the alternator and area. The car also developed vibration issues. But first ten years it was fine.
VWs are nice because they have so many little engineering tricks and use quality materials. Reliability can be hit or miss.

I swear by VW. get yourself a 2001 1.8T and chip it nad youl be plenty happy. Ive put 20 000 KMS on my VW since august and the only thing to fuck up was a cable clutch, so im pro VW for you

Posted by Nismo I swear by VW. get yourself a 2001 1.8T and chip it nad youl be plenty happy. Ive put 20 000 KMS on my VW since august and the only thing to fuck up was a cable clutch, so im pro VW for you

Yeah, looking at one of those right now. What do you mean by "chip it"?

I know the 2.0 is junk, but what about the 2.8?