Saturday, July 24, 2004
Love - Hate Relationship
I have loved my VW Jetta from day one and I still do. While they have become very common among the gen x'ers and other twenty-somethings, I still find my car to be appealing. I got the car in February 2000, and currently it only has about 62,000 miles on it. I love the exterior, and I love the stylings of the interior. The chrome around the gear shift, the unique blue lights on the dashboard, it's all cool.
After a few months of owning the car, I realized one (of many things) that I didn't like about my car: There was no center armrest. I know some of the models do have armrests, but for some reason, mine didn't. (At the time, I think I was just ecstatic withthe fact that I was getting a brand new car!) While this isn't a big deal for everyday use, long road trips become a little tiresome.
During the first summer of owning the car, I realized that there was always a black grease-like discharge that lined the bottom panel under each door. I would always be embarrassed when people would get out of my car leaving a black grease stain on the lower half of their pants. Later I found out that the underside of the car is coated with a waxy substance that in our heat melts (imagine that) and mixes with some common door grease.
After driving around the valley, you notice that many of the entrances to business are very steep, and many cars tend to bottom out. The VW's front end is extremely low and always bottoms out. Additionally, the bottom plastic piece tends to snag on curbs when parking if you park too close. In the early days of owning the car, I snagged the front end several times and since it has turned into a full rip up the entire plastic piece... just something else I hate about the Jettas.
At the time when I got my car, VW had just came out with their new line of Jettas (2nd year in production.) They were popular from the get-go and were flying out the door. So unfortunately they offered no real incentives to purchase the car: No rebates, no free upgrades, no extended warranties (crappy 2 year/ 24000 mile warranty.)
After 2 years of owning my jetta (25 months after orignal purchase) my AC went out on me. Arizona in the summer without AC is not fun!!! I went to the dealership where I purchased the car hoping that they would just honor the warranty since it was only a month later. Nope... they wouldn't do anything for me. I was pissed... what bullshit! I had to get it fixed - so I left it there. While at home, I was about to write a letter to VW and the dealership's management when I got a call from the dealership saying that instead of the $600 that it was going to cost me, they would bring it down to $300 (pay for part and labor would be on them.) Fair, but I still wasn't too happy about it.
Since then, I've haven't had too many problems with the car (it still oozes grease below the door and once in a while loses it's alignment.) I've changed all the tires at least twice now - that's regular maintenance. All the oil changes have been done within 3,000-8,000 miles (not too bad.) Otherwise, I've had to change a belt or two.
Even when it comes to regular maintenance, it always seems that the VW needs something "special": special filter or special spark plugs or a special whatever! Just another added expense. Damn those germans!
I just got my car back from the shop after an oil change, and they're telling me that I need to replace my cv joints (or my front axial.) Replacing either will cost the same, so I may as well replace the axial - all new hardware and will include the cv joints/boot.) That's another $200, which isn't bad, but what a freakin hassle! On top of that the wheel well will need to be replaced from all the times I accidentally snagged the front end. I guess it came loose or something cause every once in a while I hear a rattling noise coming from a loose panel.
I still love my car... it's taken us to California a number of times, up to Vegas several times, to New Mexico, and even Mexico - all without a problem. But it's all the little things that really bug the shit outta me about the car.
Will I ever get another VW?
The answer is probably not.
:n(
¶ 1:01 PM
I have loved my VW Jetta from day one and I still do. While they have become very common among the gen x'ers and other twenty-somethings, I still find my car to be appealing. I got the car in February 2000, and currently it only has about 62,000 miles on it. I love the exterior, and I love the stylings of the interior. The chrome around the gear shift, the unique blue lights on the dashboard, it's all cool.
After a few months of owning the car, I realized one (of many things) that I didn't like about my car: There was no center armrest. I know some of the models do have armrests, but for some reason, mine didn't. (At the time, I think I was just ecstatic withthe fact that I was getting a brand new car!) While this isn't a big deal for everyday use, long road trips become a little tiresome.
During the first summer of owning the car, I realized that there was always a black grease-like discharge that lined the bottom panel under each door. I would always be embarrassed when people would get out of my car leaving a black grease stain on the lower half of their pants. Later I found out that the underside of the car is coated with a waxy substance that in our heat melts (imagine that) and mixes with some common door grease.
After driving around the valley, you notice that many of the entrances to business are very steep, and many cars tend to bottom out. The VW's front end is extremely low and always bottoms out. Additionally, the bottom plastic piece tends to snag on curbs when parking if you park too close. In the early days of owning the car, I snagged the front end several times and since it has turned into a full rip up the entire plastic piece... just something else I hate about the Jettas.
At the time when I got my car, VW had just came out with their new line of Jettas (2nd year in production.) They were popular from the get-go and were flying out the door. So unfortunately they offered no real incentives to purchase the car: No rebates, no free upgrades, no extended warranties (crappy 2 year/ 24000 mile warranty.)
After 2 years of owning my jetta (25 months after orignal purchase) my AC went out on me. Arizona in the summer without AC is not fun!!! I went to the dealership where I purchased the car hoping that they would just honor the warranty since it was only a month later. Nope... they wouldn't do anything for me. I was pissed... what bullshit! I had to get it fixed - so I left it there. While at home, I was about to write a letter to VW and the dealership's management when I got a call from the dealership saying that instead of the $600 that it was going to cost me, they would bring it down to $300 (pay for part and labor would be on them.) Fair, but I still wasn't too happy about it.
Since then, I've haven't had too many problems with the car (it still oozes grease below the door and once in a while loses it's alignment.) I've changed all the tires at least twice now - that's regular maintenance. All the oil changes have been done within 3,000-8,000 miles (not too bad.) Otherwise, I've had to change a belt or two.
Even when it comes to regular maintenance, it always seems that the VW needs something "special": special filter or special spark plugs or a special whatever! Just another added expense. Damn those germans!
I just got my car back from the shop after an oil change, and they're telling me that I need to replace my cv joints (or my front axial.) Replacing either will cost the same, so I may as well replace the axial - all new hardware and will include the cv joints/boot.) That's another $200, which isn't bad, but what a freakin hassle! On top of that the wheel well will need to be replaced from all the times I accidentally snagged the front end. I guess it came loose or something cause every once in a while I hear a rattling noise coming from a loose panel.
I still love my car... it's taken us to California a number of times, up to Vegas several times, to New Mexico, and even Mexico - all without a problem. But it's all the little things that really bug the shit outta me about the car.
Will I ever get another VW?
The answer is probably not.
:n(
¶ 1:01 PM
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You've heard me say it before.....Honda's kick ass. My last one lasted over 140,000 miles with ZERO problems....you take of them and they take care of you.
Good luck (or better luck) with the next car you get....you looking soon?
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Good luck (or better luck) with the next car you get....you looking soon?
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