Used car question VW Jetta

ken werner

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3,377
Location
Central NY State
I'm thinking about buying a 2003 Jetta with a 4 cyl gas engine, and 5 spd manual transmission. 70K miles.

Anybody have experience with this or similar vehicle for positive or negative recommendations?
 
My daughter had a new Jetta. Got it when she graduated from college. Around 01, 02 or 03. Engine was relaced at 40,000 transmission at around 50,000 door panels fell off, bumper fell off, and a bunch of interior problems. May have been a lemon but I wouldn't buy it.
 
Had a 04 and while I liked it, it was a lease and there was no way we were going to buy it.
 
I guess the big question is how much do they want for it?
If it's not a rust bucket it's a pretty good car for 1 to 2K or so. :thumb:
Much above that and I would walk on it.
 
Guys, thanks for your input.

Chuck, upon what do you base that valuation? KBB, NADA and Edmunds all put it around $5-7K. I agree that for $1 or 2K I'd jump on it, but I haven't seen any for anywhere near that price, and I've been looking.
 
I base it on the what Chuck thinks is a fair price to pay for the car.
When you see some fella jump out of that book and give you the cash the book says it worth than I'll start believing that:thumb:
 
I usually check common parts costs to see if its expensive to maintain. Compare costs on Craig's list to see what they are going for...that is what the insurance cos doing now days.
 
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We have an '07 right now that we love. Ours has the 2.5L 5-cyl (5 spd) in it and it has plenty of power. I read recently that the VW 2.0L was one of the 10 best engines (of 2010 maybe? not sure what year). The only drawback I've seen so far are the number of things that it has to go back to the dealer for. The computer controls everything, just to get a new key was a trip to the dealer (machined key with immobilizer chip).
 
We've had three Jettas, all diesel though. Gas ones are less common here, due to our higher gas costs. Bought the first one new in '85 and drove it for 775,000km until the body finally fell apart. But a local kid ran it for a couple more years.
In about '02 I looked around for a used one and my trusted VW specialist mechanic said: "get a '99 or older, fewer $500 electronic "modules" to go wrong". Spent a lot of money to get that one to about 400,000km.
In '07 when looking for a new car, my mechanic said: "better go Honda or Toyota". The early 2000's VW's seemed to have a lot of reliability problems after the company sent a lot of their manufacturing off-shore (Brazil I think).
Last summer we got an '02 Jetta as a second car. So far so good.
I hope this is helpful.
Peter
 
I never owned a Jetta, but people that I've known that had them loved them... never paid much attention them myself... I did own a '72 Super Bug that I traded for a '72 VW pop-top Camper bus... it was lots of fun...4 speed on the floor, 4 cylinder enging, but had two carbs??... one of the carbs got one of the fuel jets crimped during a turn up... after 17 trips to the dealer to find out why it stalled every time the wife drove the car, the mechanic finally found the crimp and never had another problem with the way the car ran... it was too light and a high wind made me nervous.. so after a couple of years traded up for a 4 year old Mercedes.
 
I have an 05 Diesel Jetta, I have owned a lot of very expensive sports cars in my life and the car still amazes me to this day. I get 50MPG high way millage and about 43MPG city. It will run 90MPH all day long and still get 40MPG. Mine is a standard and being it is really my wife's car she loves it. Mine has about 150K on it and I am on its second set of tires, second set of brakes, a battery and serpentine belt. I have changed the oil and fuel filter regularly and that is it. I do need to change the timing belt and I will do that this winter. It really should have been done at 100k. when you do that on these VW's you need to put a water pump on at the same time. It is just easier.

The 1.8L engine that is probably in the one you are looking at is a workhorse of an engine and very good. Today most cars can go 200K+ easy if they have been properly maintained. Jetta's are really good cars.

Alan
 
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