Possibly lookin' for a new(ish) cage (NEW issue page 6: now in White!)

[Le Pirate]

Oddly...  4-5 y.o. Jetta GLI's can be had for sub-$10K...  Hmmm...

As much as I love VW's...I'd avoid a used one unless you get GOOD service records with it.


If they have good records...go for it. Be aware of the timing belt change at 80 or 100k.

As for the new GLI, I checked one out when the wife was shopping for her new car. Pretty Damn Awesome.

BTW--we got her TDI jetta, with the DSG, and leather seats out the door for 25k...including TTL. Get the manual instead and you could probably get out for around 23k. Though, the GLI drives much better than the ole oil burner 

[Duck-Stew]

one thing to watch out for, the earlier engines had cam follower issues

2006 & newer has the 2.0T engine I was looking at...  Does that motor have the cam follower issues?

(6-speed manual trans as well...)

[Duck-Stew]

As much as I love VW's...I'd avoid a used one unless you get GOOD service records with it.


If they have good records...go for it. Be aware of the timing belt change at 80 or 100k.

As for the new GLI, I checked one out when the wife was shopping for her new car. Pretty Damn Awesome.

BTW--we got her TDI jetta, with the DSG, and leather seats out the door for 25k...including TTL. Get the manual instead and you could probably get out for around 23k. Though, the GLI drives much better than the ole oil burner 

Been looking at 2007-09's w/50-80K on them and they're around $8K - $10K. 

Service records: noted, thanks!

Looked at the TDI, but would rather have the GLI as I'm around town a lot and mileage isn't a big concern for me.

[lethe]

2006 & newer has the 2.0T engine I was looking at...  Does that motor have the cam follower issues?

(6-speed manual trans as well...)

yes, I should have specified it was the earlier 2.0T
something like if it is the FSI as opposed to the TFSI or something like that
the "newer" one would be something like '08 up
I'm hardly an expert on it as the '06 GTI we had didn't develop an issue while we had it but a guy at work had to deal with it on his '06 A3. Since I never had to deal with it, I'm not too up on the full info. Pretty sure it was a warranty fix thing, not sure if ones that got that fixed had problems again afterward. The only issue we ever had with our GTI was failing coil packs.
I think the current VWs and the A3 are up to something like the third major revision of the engine. We have a Q5 with the 2.0T but I think there is supposedly yet even more differences with what we have besides the obvious 90 degree difference in how it's mounted in there. 
I have loved that engine in anything I've ever driven that has it regardless of what version of the engine it was. 

[zooom]

Stew...when I get back to work on Monday...PM me and I'll fill you in as best as I can since I work at a VW dealer and stuffs...

[Le Pirate]

So this may sound silly,

But I drove a friends 08 GTI about a week ago, when we were picking it up, and then again last night.

Only difference? He took off those stock wheels, and put on some OZ superleggras (I think?)...Same size and same tires.

Holy Crap. I didn't know the weight of a wheel made such a difference. He's always talking about centrifical force/weight/ sprung weight (I usually zone out as most people do when engineers talk about such things...). But honestly...that little change made the car feel a lot more lively.

I can't explain exactly why. Chuck was trying to explain to me why it felt different...and I zoned out again 

That said, I don't think the wheels on the GLI probably weight as much...it has to have something to do with the design of the GTI wheels...the big circle cut outs and what not.

[Speedbag]

That'd be unsprung weight and, yes, it makes a shit-ton of difference.  

Yeah, the 2.0T is a great little engine, definitely an overachiever.

[Le Pirate]

That'd be unsprung weight and, yes, it makes a shit-ton of difference.  

Yeah, the 2.0T is a great little engine, definitely an overachiever.

yeah yeah

unsprung weight. Ask me a biology question, or a water quality question...I'm your man. Physics? F you. 

[ducpainter]

yeah yeah

unsprung weight. Ask me a biology question, or a water quality question...I'm your man. Physics? F you. 

Why can't dogs fly?

[KnightofNi]

Why can't dogs fly?

[Speedbag]

yeah yeah

unsprung weight. Ask me a biology question, or a water quality question...I'm your man. Physics? F you. 

[derby]

yeah yeah

unsprung weight. Ask me a biology question, or a water quality question...I'm your man. Physics? F you. 

lemme make it easy for ya... you've got the springs in the suspension, see? the things above the springs (frame/motor/bodywork) are sprung weight... and the things below them (wheels/brakes) are unsprung.

[lethe]

lemme make it easy for ya... you've got the springs in the suspension, see? the things above the springs (frame/motor/bodywork) are sprung weight... and the things below them (wheels/brakes) are unsprung.

and don't forget roughly half the weight of the suspension components themselves.

love the 2.0T and it's funny how the different versions of can have such varying "personalities"
the one in the GTI we had was impatient and high strung. You'd go to pass someone who had slowed you down on a back road for a bit and just giving a little throttle pressure would make the tires spin and the car take off like it was angry. You'd see the other driver stare at you like you're an impatient asshole. "Sorry, guy, it's the car that's impatient not me." 

The one now in her Audi, seems more mature but laying into the throttle, it will jump, but seemingly just saying, "Ok, sir, we will get by this impedance and then return to a comfortable cruising speed."

[Le Pirate]

love the 2.0T and it's funny how the different versions of can have such varying "personalities"
the one in the GTI we had was impatient and high strung. You'd go to pass someone who had slowed you down on a back road for a bit and just giving a little throttle pressure would make the tires spin and the car take off like it was angry. You'd see the other driver stare at you like you're an impatient asshole. "Sorry, guy, it's the car that's impatient not me." 

The one now in her Audi, seems more mature but laying into the throttle, it will jump, but seemingly just saying, "Ok, sir, we will get by this impedance and then return to a comfortable cruising speed."

I won't say that it's by any means up to the caliber of the 2.0T, but I've been incredibly happy with the 2.5 5cyl in my rabbit. It's not the most fuel efficient...by any means (I get 27-29 most the time) for a car that size, but with the 5 speed, it's punchy. From a dead stop, it's no rocket ship, but passing someone going 65-75, it'll up and move without even downshifting. I can push the pedal down to pass someone, and when I look down at the speedo i'm hitting 95 without even thinking about it.

I guess what I'm saying is...if you don't want to go all out on the cash, I don't think there is anything wrong with the 2.5....as long as it's the stick.

Oh...and with the miles I have on mine, I feel fully justified in saying that there is nothing wrong with the reliability of that engine. I've never done a thing, other than normal maint.

[Duck-Stew]

2012 VW Jetta GLI in my driveway.  6-speed, Autobahn package, sunroof, black on black...

Damn is that car quick!  And fun to drive as well...

Didn't originally want all the bells/whistles but they made an attractive deal on this one b/c it was in stock...