OH MY GOD, my auto loan app just got approved..........

Bob X

Why don't you go to Consumer Reports[^] and do your research?

RC_Sebastien_C

We can talk about it on Monday :-D

Andrew Bleakley

touche

Link2600

The reason I wanted the 2001 VW Jetta is because I'm driving a 94 Jetta, and I love it. I love the MK4 Jetta's looks and I want a german car and a manual. If I'm getting Japanese, what else could I get for 10,000 with a manual and not boring to drive?

kennster

I love my brand-new $13,500.00 Dodge Neon SXT! $280.00 a month, averages 32 mpg after 11,000 miles. I love it, very comfortable, very peppy, very fun to drive. I have owned 1990 Geo Storm GSI (5 speed) (used, 10K Miles, 14K), 1994 Acura Integra GSR Sedan (5 Speed) (new, 22K), 1999 Chrysler Concorde Lxi (Used, 10K Miles, 18K), and now the Neon (I don't count a minivan I had for just over a year ). I got to say I would have liked the Neon as much as the Acura, and it cost less than any of the cars I bought before it. On top of that, it's got 80,000 mile warranty. Used, you can pick up Neons ultra cheap as there is a weird perception they are crappy cars. -- modified at 21:27 Friday 12th May, 2006 How could I have forgotten my 1994 Camaro Z28???? Got 12 Mpg on premium, mostly driven by my wife as a babymobile, but boy oh boy was she ever fast... http://aciasoftware.com/camaro[^] Plus, after 11 years, her paint looked like my Acura did at 40,000 miles. I bought her at 103,000 and she served me well: I bought Neony to replace her. And I forgot to mention: Neony's stock stereo is very nice. I got an aftermarket kit for 40 bucks on Ebay and used the CD Changer input for direct RCA inputs which I use with my Dell Axim X51v. The stereo is amazingly loud and full ranged: and it wasn't even the top level kicker version, just the standard SXT mid-grade. Keep in mind, whatever you see for prices... new they were 13,000... for SXT Model. I just did a search on Autotrader within 25 miles of my zip code and got 43 matches. The SXT's were averaging 13,000. I talked to a lady who had one just like mine but 2004, she said she paid like $8,500.00 for it used with 20K miles... which seemed about right. Add to that a thriving aftermarket for the Neon ... I love my car: most of the time I have a big smug smile on my face, especially when I drive next to stupid SUV drivers getting 12 mpg.

RC_Sebastien_C

kennster wrote:

there is a weird perception they are crappy cars.

I know what you mean I`ve had an 85 Hyunday til 95, replaced by a new 95 cavalier that is now our 2nd car and both combined have given much much much less troubles than the 2000 Jetta we've had since July 2000.

Link2600

HollyHooo wrote:

that is now our 2nd car and both combined have given much much much less troubles than the 2000 Jetta we've had since July 2000.

Really? What kind of problems did you have, any example? Also which model is that? But the Jetta has better interior and more fun to drive than any of your previous cars, right? :-O

RC_Sebastien_C

Look at my previous post and link. I`ll tell you the rest on Monday. Look at Drew`s post. If you only want nice looking fun to drive while it works and don`t care about reliability, maintenance price and quality of service, go ahead, I unfortunately have nothing to say against it. They`re so close to being great but yet so fat that it hurts.

brianwelsch

Get a '96-'98 3-series BMW if you want a German car. I've had a '96 328i for the past few years and it's been very reliable. BW

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
-- Steven Wright

Link2600

brianwelsch wrote:

Get a '96-'98 3-series BMW if you want a German car. I've had a '96 328i for the past few years and it's been very reliable.

Yes, BMW is my favorite. I have actually looked at that, and Audi too. But 96-98 models of BMWs sure must have high milage on the meter. When I first got my Jetta back in 2001, it had 130k, now it's 193k. This time I want a low-milage car. Now I'm thinking of a Mustang, since it's RWD, but I hate the interior in the Mustang...:^)

Link2600

kennster wrote:

How could I have forgotten my 1994 Camaro Z28???? Got 12 Mpg on premium, mostly driven by my wife as a babymobile, but boy oh boy was she ever fast...

What about a 2000 Ford Mustang V8? I've never owned am American cars before, I had a celica for several weeks before I purchased the Jetta back in 2001. I definitely prefer a german car, and never like american cars except Mustangs. I'm aware of the reliability issues of the 2000/2001 model of Jetta, so I'm looking for the alternative.

Joe Programm3r

Link2006 wrote:

now I'm thinking of buying a 2000 - 2001 VW Jetta

Make sure you do a CarFax check on any used car be purchased. Saved me a bunch of headaches. Especially since a bunch of cars are coming from flood areas (i.e. New Orleans, etc) with salvage titles. $25 for 30 days of unlimited searches.

Link2600

JediCodeWarrior wrote:

Make sure you do a CarFax check on any used car be purchased. Saved me a bunch of headaches. Especially since a bunch of cars are coming from flood areas (i.e. New Orleans, etc) with salvage titles.

But I'm buying from a VW dealer, shouldn't it be safer? If I do the carfax, that means I have to drive to the dealer twice, and it's a 1-hour drive.

Joe Woodbury

My daughter's boyfriend almost bought a 2002 Jetta last weekend. It was a very nice car and he loved how it drove, but as I did more checking I wasn't so thrilled. They have a worse than average repair record, especially with electrical. The model he looked at required premium gas. On top of that, the car salesman made most car salesmen look like angels. After doing more looking, I recommended he look at a Toyota Camry or Honda Civic. Anyone who thinks he has a better idea of what's good for people than people do is a swine. - P.J. O'Rourke

Joe Woodbury

You can get the VIN from the dealer over the phone. They may even have it posted on their web site. If it's a VW dealer, ask if it's a certified pre-owned, which will give you an extra warranty. Anyone who thinks he has a better idea of what's good for people than people do is a swine. - P.J. O'Rourke

Binary Boy

Congratulations! You're in debt! :)

Link2600

Joe Woodbury wrote:

The model he looked at required premium gas.

Both 1.8T and VR6 models require premium gas.

Joe Woodbury wrote:

After doing more looking, I recommended he look at a Toyota Camry or Honda Civic.

They are boring as hell to drive. :sigh:

Andy Brummer

I got a 2000 Jetta and had the same window problem. The random electronic failures were easier to deal with because at least the car actually broke. The window thing was about the most annoying thing because the car still worked yet you now had to park it somewhere safe and dry until it was fixed. Add Texas summer and repeated failures months after it was "repaired" and I danced a jig after I got rid of that lemon. It sure was a great car when it ran though. :((

I can imagine the sinking feeling one would have after ordering my book, only to find a laughably ridiculous theory with demented logic once the book arrives - Mark McCutcheon

Link2600

Andy Brummer wrote:

I got a 2000 Jetta and had the same window problem.

Besides the windows problems, does it have any mechanical problem or rattle noise? Which trim model you got? 2.0? 1.8T? or VR6?

Andy Brummer

I got the VR6 fully loaded. I had electrical problems like crazy, sensors that VW replaced for free every time I took it in for an oil change. The oil filter was a wierd type that required that I buy it ahead of time or only go to VW. The problems were endless. I had a friend that had a '96 Jetta and everything was broken on that model as well. They fixed it all a couple of years later. I'd stay far away from any early 200x models of volkswagen Jetta. One of my co-workers has a Passat and hasn't had any problems. That model seems to have more audi in it then VW. It's Japanese for me from here on out.

I can imagine the sinking feeling one would have after ordering my book, only to find a laughably ridiculous theory with demented logic once the book arrives - Mark McCutcheon