Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with VW

VW Jetta: Dreck or no?

dunkadunc — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:43:16 -0800

VolkswagenFilter: I'm going to be looking at a '99 VW Jetta (A4 body) in the next couple days and am wondering what, specifically, I should look for when I'm there. Specifically, the car's a Jetta GLE 2.0l with 130k miles, the owner is asking $2500, and apparently there's nothing wrong with it.
However, in my experience buying cars, there can be no end of problems that aren't readily apparent. Are Jettas of this vintage any good, and is there anything I should check out or look for?

Locking the side-door in a VW Transporter panel van?

knapah — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:33:22 -0800

Is the sliding side-door lockable on the Volkswagen Transporter? I've just rented a VW Transporter (Short wheel base panel van). Is it possible to have the side-door locked while driving the vehicle? There's no keyhole on the outside, no visible lock on the inside, and no lock button in the cab - as far as I can tell anyway.

My Poor Car...

cgg — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:21:45 -0800

How badly am I getting ripped off? By poor, poor car, a '02 VW 1.8T with ~168,000 kms on it, needs a lot of work. $2600 worth. The dealership just called me -- it'll be about $2600 total, taxes (12%) in. I've known my car has needed some structural work for a while -- every time I drive over so much as a crack in the pavement, it creaks and squeaks and otherwise sounds horrible. My ebrake only half works. And my rear brakes are almost done.

What's being done, parts & labour (pardon my lack of car technical knowledge)
* rear breaks replaced (~$400)
* rear calipers replaced (the e-break problem) (~$800)
* new rear shocks and some other big-ass joint thing thats almost totally cracked (sorry... forgot this part) being taken care of. (~$1200)
* regular service, including oil change and inspection, yadda yadda
* they're replacing a burnt out bulb in the back for free. Gee, thanks.

Anyone know how badly I'm getting fleeced here? I know I could go to anywhere else other than a stealership and get this done cheaper, but I like these guys, they've been good to me in the past, and they're close by. I'm willing to pay for the convenience... but how much am I paying? Anyone have any clue? I realize this is one of those overly technical questions that are hard to answer, but hey, it's only a week until my next question! :)

Other than this, I haven't had a lot of problems with this car to date. Had my clutch replaced, one minor little electrical thing, a couple things under warranty and/or recall, and the rest is the usual service. The brakes have only been replaced once previously. It's been good to me, it's getting beat up cosmetically, and its killing me to put this much money is a car thats not worth much anymore... but I do really love my car. Usually.

I can get a toe, what about the shirt?

eytanb — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:10:56 -0800

I shall not rest until I find the shirt donned in the VW "Dudeism" commercial. Without even knowing of the existence of the religion, I have been religiously following everything this suggests and have a feeling this shirt will tie the room together. Anyone know where I can get the DaVinci shirt of the Dude?

2002 Volkswagen Cabrio GLX Trouble Code P0261, P0264, P0267; Cylinder 1-3 Injector Circuit Low

strangelove — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:40:41 -0800

VW Cabrio Filter: 2002 VW Cabrio GLX, in the Californian heat experiencing: Trouble Code P0261, P0264, P0267; Cylinder 1-3 Injector Circuit Low, upon start-up (requiring a second turn of ignition). Is this related to battery voltage (avg 13.50), or other. DIY solutions please. Thanks! :) Have CarChip so can record data and provide data, reset engine light. Thanks again.

Purchasing a used VW Cabrio with a online vs. sticker price discrepancy

strangelove — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:55:18 -0800

I am interested in purchasing a used VW Cabrio which is listed (recently) online at ~$7800, while checking out the car this morning on the lot, it has a sales price of ~$9400. I am hoping to communicate with the dealer today, but am unsure how to proceed with this price discrepancy noted, and in general. Please help, thank you.

Changing a tire on a VW Jetta

Horace Rumpole — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:45:57 -0800

My 2002 VW Jetta has a flat tire, the hubcap requires a special key to remove it, and I can't seem to find the key. Can someone tell or show me what I'm looking for? (It's our first flat in this car, and the manual doesn't show it clearly.) If I call roadside assistance to change the tire, and I can't find the key, will they likely have a key with them?

How do I read a Passat odometer?

KevinSkomsvold — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 11:51:00 -0800

How do I read a 2002 VW Passat odometer? It currently reads 124776. The owner claims it has only 12,477 miles on it and that the 6 is tenths of a mile. Is this correct?

Thanks!

I could fix it myself, but I'd really rather not.

booknerd — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 09:26:00 -0800

VW "Customer Care" isn't exactly screwing me, but they're not doing me any favors, either. What should I do next? The part was poorly designed and faulty, but I didn't get my car to the dealership until two weeks after the expiration of a warranty extension I never knew about. Full story follows: The front passenger's automatic window refused to roll up a few weeks ago. Rent was due, I'm really, really, really poor and in tons of debt and didn't have any money on hand to fix it, so I dismantled the door, stuck some 2x4s inside to hold the window up, and haven't been able to use that door/window since while I was trying to come up with money to fix it.

I drive a 2002 Jetta wagon. The parts that broke are two very shoddy white plastic clips that are attached to some cables, holding the window in place while it rolls along some wires to go up and down. Both of them were just snapped in half, because they're made of cheap, shitty plastic. When I went to the dealership to buy the replacements, I was informed that those plastic pieces had actually been replaced by some nice, sturdy metal pieces instead and they could sell me a repair kit for a substantial chunk of money. Then the parts lady said she'd heard of a warranty extension because this problem happened so often, and sent me off to the service counter.

Service guy was very nice and pointed me to the warranty extension clause which states, essentially, "VW is offering an extended Limited Warranty good for seven years from original vehicle date of sale without mileage limits covering [this problem exactly] on [my car exactly]." I'm ecstatic, of course, because this totally ameliorated my disgust at the fact that I'd be paying a ton of money I couldn't afford because they designed the car with these crappy, faulty parts. Hooray!

Until he punches in all of the information on my car, right before sending me out the door while he fixes it. Service guy just goes "Uh oh, I think we have a problem". It turns out that "original vehicle date of sale" refers to the date my car was delivered originally (I bought it used a few years ago), and that date was 10/16/2001. I'm standing at the service counter on 11/1/2008, after the window had been broken for a month. The dealership said there was nothing they could do about it without authorization from VW, so I called VW Customer Care this morning, but they said they wouldn't do anything for me, even after I very politely and contritely explained the entire situation. Did I just learn a very expensive lesson about taking my car in for service immediately even when I can't afford repairs? Is there anything else I can do?

are the older GTI's still awesome?

alohaliz — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:02:34 -0800

I'm looking for a used car that's fun to drive, nice power, great handling. I've been thinking about the VW GTI, which I hear fits all these criteria, but I've also heard that they don't get totally awesome until 2007. Is this true? Or can I go older and still get something super fun? Also in the running: Mazda3, Honda Civic Si...

VW Beetle wiring riddle

ackptui — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:35:09 -0800

Apropos of nothing, why would the wiring going to the fog lights on a US 2002 VW New Beetle have an extra unattached plug on it? This is not the lowest model, but came with the fog lights standard. I wonder if one of the upscale versions had fog lamps with two bulbs in each light or something that would have required another plug. On second look, it occurs only on the drivers side wiring, the passenger side looks normal. Please stop me from agonizing over this superfluous detail!

My Jetta fails me.

santojulieta — Fri, 30 May 2008 21:30:24 -0800

Where does one take a sick and ailing 98 Jetta in Chicago? My Jetta is on its way out the door, I think. However, it needs some serious attention until we can afford a new car of some sort. I seem to have some electrical problems (ie: the check engine light is on, the horn doesn't work, the wipers don't work, sometimes the vents and air don't work, etc.)

The recommendation for brake repair I got was really good, so I'm hoping that you'll have some equally excellent ideas for electrical system repair.

Essential details:
1. I live in Lincoln Park
2. I work in the South Loop
3. It's a 98 Jetta Wolfsburg automatic

How do I fix my VW golf stereo?

ethel — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:28:04 -0800

How to unlock my VW golf car stereo? I have a 1994 VW golf III gl, and the battery was disconnected (my car alarm was going off because my door was a bit ajar on a busy street and a neighbor disconnected it to save his/her sanity).

When I tried to turn on my stereo after the battery was reconnected, there is nothing in the field that usually says the station - and when the battery is reconnected after being disconnected, it normally says "SAFE" to keep the radio from being used (by someone without the code to turn it back on). I have the code that I am supposed to input, I just can't seem to get to the "SAFE" display where there is usually a procedure to input that code (which I, uh, also can't remember).

So, my question - why is there no SAFE mode displayed? Is the battery not connecting to my stereo somehow? Am I screwed because of this? And is there another procedure to get my car stereo to work?

thanks all!

p.s. If there's a "car repair" or VW forum you recommend, where I can pose the same question, would appreciate that too..

kind of like Little Miss Sunshine - all the people + camera equipment - bus + ecological sensitivity

sully75 — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 07:29:44 -0800

What's the modern, ecological equivalent of a Volkswagon Bus (oh yeah and make it cheap, please). So I'm a photographer. 20 years ago I think I'd be the type of photographer who would have a VW bus and would take a couple of months a year to roam from town to town. I might have a darkroom in that ol' bus. It would be a pretty cool experience.

Problem is now, gas is $insane. VW campers cost $insane. And my guilt over just driving around aimlessly for my 'art' would make me no fun.

The good news is that with digital, no darkroom. Equipment packs well. Everything runs off a laptop. I can even take some basic video and audio equipment. Sweet.

So what's my solution? I need a place to sleep (motels are way to expensive). A place to cook. I need to carry some gear, which I could probably get most of into 1 big rubbermaid tub, and a camera bag. I need clothes enough to not look like a total hobo.

Oh yeah and I'm poor. I hate to say that "bicycle with BOB trailer on the back' seems to be what I'm pointing at, but are there any other solutions? I'm not so insanely crazy about biking and I'd like to travel at, say, 40-50 mph, without burning a hell of a lot of gas. Moped with trailer? Some crazy car thing I build myself?

I'm moderately handy.

Rear bike rack for a VW New Beetle

ackptui — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:07:56 -0800

Anybody know the make and model of a bike rack that can be used on the rear end of a VW New Beetle? I know Volkswagen makes a top-mounted rack accessory, but I don't want to be lifting my heavy bikes up that high. Bonus points if you have successfully mounted it on your own Beetle in this lifetime. Holding 2 bikes would be fine, 3 would be even better.

Help us get our crappy cars fixed.

santojulieta — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:37:38 -0800

Where in Chicago can I get the brakes on a '99 VW Jetta and '98 Ford Escort replaced reliably and cheaply? Do you love your Chicago mechanic? Does he/she do work on both Fords and VWs? We're in Lincoln Park (but willing to drive a bit for great service), and both of our cars desperately need brakes, though it's only crucial to fix one car this weekend. Where do you other MeFite Chicagoans take your own cars? Where do you NOT take your own cars?

Is my manual '02 GTI going to roll away?

cgg — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 08:11:43 -0800

Is my manual '02 VW GTI going to roll away? My emergency brake appears to still be working, but all of a sudden it now requires me to pull it up so it's almost vertical in order to feel it engage. Previously, I've never had to yank it up more than a couple inches. I've already made an appointment to get my car looked at (it's almost due for an oil change anyway), but the earliest I could get an appointment is on Thursday. Meanwhile, I'm a little leary of driving my car. Actually, no - i'm leary of parking my car. I've got visions of the ebrake not holding and my car rolling away across the parking lot, or worse. Obviously, i'm checking that the car's in gear and okay when I leave it (it doesn't move when i try to rock it, or try to push it) but I'm still a little nervous.

Does anyone know what would cause this? Is it a big fix? Should I actually be worried about my car rolling away, or is it all in my head?

New VW camper van?

toastchee — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 06:17:01 -0800

What is today's equivalent of a VW Westfalia camper? I think VW discontinued the Weekender and Camper models. What is a good equivalent for weekend camping that you can buy new?

VW Golf wants to stall after A/C repair. Fixable?

odinsdream — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 06:10:12 -0800

After having the A/C compressor replaced in our VW Golf, the engine idle speed drops way down to near-stalling whenever the clutch is released while driving. It pops right back up, but it's a bit unnerving. Last week the A/C stopped blowing cold air. I took the car to our local mechanic who suggested replacing the expansion valve first, then the compressor if that didn't fix it. After the operation, I have a new expansion valve and compressor.

When we first got the car I noticed the idle speed was a little low and jumpy, but it wasn't anything unnerving. Now, though, whenever you cut the A/C on the engine idles extremely low. The especially disturbing part is when driving around and pressing the clutch to shift. When you press the clutch, the engine drops down in speed, of course, but instead of hovering around 1200, it drops all the way toward zero, then bounces back up to jump around 1000.

All of this goes away when the A/C is turned off. What's the problem? Can I have it adjusted or fixed? What can I suggest to the mechanic on Monday?

To van or not to van?

punkfloyd — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 16:06:41 -0800

I am looking at a 1985 VW Westfalia camper van. Does anybody have experience with this year and model? Pros? Cons? Reliability? It is in great shape, everything works and the price is right. THANKS!

Shuold my "o5 VW GTI windows roll down all the way?

wmeredith — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 08:43:43 -0800

Autofilter: Should the windows on my '05 Volkswagen GTI roll all the way down? My '05 GTI windows never rolled down all the way. They would always stop about a half-centimeter short. I thought this was normal since they both behaved in the same manner. Then one of the window motors broke and I had it fixed under warranty. Now the one window rolls down all the way. How "should" they roll down?

Do I really need my TDI's turbocharger replaced, and if so, how much should it cost?

gesamtkunstwerk — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:56:33 -0800

TDI filter. My Toronto mechanic says my 2002 Beetle TDI needs a new turbocharger, and parts and labour should come to about $2,228. Is this a good price, and can anyone recommend a place for a second opinion? What questions should I ask to see if these guys are telling the truth? Please help this clueless girlie man fix his much loved gay car! I am one of those people who drive too little to justify owning a car. Today I was told that my car needs a new turbocharger. So help me, I have no idea what this is, but the price, $2,228 Canadian (between $2000- $2,227 US in today's markets) seems high. Occassionally the 'check engine' light goes on at high speeds. When I restart the car, all is well.

It's 2002 with 28,000km on it. (yeah, I know, as I said, I don't drive enough to justify owning a car, it's an independence issue I have from growing up in the suburbs) Should I sell it and cut bait? Fix it? Or better yet, does anyone know a great place in the GTA to get a v.w. fixed?

Animal or acronym

strangelove — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 16:01:45 -0800

Any comments/reviews from drivers on the new Canadian VW 2007 Rabbit and GTI? I am looking to purchase one or the other within the next 2 months.

Is my car dealer violating federal law?

Wet Spot — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 11:19:29 -0800

Do car repairs done at a non-authorized facility void the warranty? My 2001 VW with about 80K miles suffered catastrophic engine failure last week. It's going to need a new engine. The dealer says the cause was an incorrectly installed timing belt tensioner which caused the timing belt to slip.

The timing belt was replaced around 65K miles at an independent garage. The car has been driven for over a year since the timing belt was replaced, so I'm not sure this was the proximate cause of the current problem, but it's probably difficult to prove this one way or the other.

The car has a 100,000 mile drive train warranty. The dealer is trying to get out of repairing it under warranty (and stick me for the $10,000 bill) by saying the belt replacement was not done at an authorized repair facility.

Am I screwed? I was under the impression that (US) federal warranty law (Magnuson-Moss) does not permit the warranty to lapse for having repairs done elsewhere. If not federal law, how about state law (Virginia)?

MeFi lawyers, help me please!

Advice for buying an old VW?

cholly — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 01:16:35 -0800

I'm looking for tips and/or advice on buying a ~~used~~ pre-loved 1960's Volkswagen Beetle. I am in love with VW Beetles and am in a postion to buy one.
The one I am currently looking at is a 1966 model, 2 door, 4 speed manual. It has a four-year-old 1600cc engine with 30,000kms and is newly serviced with a brand new fuel pump. It also has new tyres and registration until August next year. It also has a fairly new interior and has a rather anal owner (who has had it for 12 years), so the car is more or less immaculate, with very little rust.

My questions are:
- How 'reliable' are these cars?
- Will it send me broke in repairs?
- The owner is asking $6,000 for this car. There is an element of emotional attachment to the vehicle. What would be a fair price, given the specs above? I was thinking somewhere in the range of $3,000-$4,000.

Any other advice would be dearly appreciated.

If you need any other info, let me know, email is in profile.