Is Volkswagen Jetta GL good for first car?

Question 1
Is Volkswagen Jetta GL good for first car?...  Please Help! I am really would like to buy an good, reliable, cheap, car because I go to work and college everyday and need easy transportation and over 2 weeks of browsing and doing research I finally came across with 1999 Volkswagen Jetta GL for $2500.00 the miles on the car is 104,370. It is automatic transmission (That's what transmission I want not Manuel). Perfect condition no dents, rips, and etc and interior is clean too. It's an 4 door car and drive tran is FWD. I understand Honda, Nissan, Toyota are the best but they are too expensive and also I am new driver on the road and don't want to think about expensive car. What you think will it be good car??

Answers
1)   its good if you take care of it. but if the parts break its costly - The Situation

2)   have it checked out by a mechanic before you buy - pickmefirstplz

3)   Generally VW's are more expensive to repair than Japanese cars. And you're wrong about Toyotas and Hondas being more expensive. Generally VW is more expensive at retail price than Japanese auto makers. I just test drove a Honda civic that was also $2500. But a car is a car, and if you found something with that kind of mileage for such a low price, well first I would check it to make sure everything is working correctly, and NOT if the paint is good or there aren't any dents. You need something that WORKS, not necessarily something that's pretty.

But if it works and doesn't need repairs, I'd say go for it. I would go check it out in a heartbeat if I saw a deal like that. - Chris L

4)   You also should compare car insurance quotes for cars before buying one, for example here - carinsurance.yoll.net - Richard

5)   yeah its a decent car, especially as a first. i have a jetta gls and its pretty nice.
mine was 3000 and it had about the same miles. it lasts quite a long time. but recently it started having problems.

first your gonna want to replace the clips on the coolant hoses and such as they "always" get worn out and cause dripping. this is just standard.
but my cars hose broke so i almost overheated the engine.

recently my dad tried starting the car when we ran out of gas, and supposely corroded the fuel pump. we took it to the dealer and they said that may be the problem if its not something with the ignition. so we paid 325 for the ignition since we couldnt do it ourselves. that wasnt it so we replaced the fuel pump ourselves. still wasnt it so the dealer said theyd look at it and fix it for free. well they looked at it for free and said that the timing belt was messed up, which i thought was fishy cuz i thought theyd notice something like that the first time around when they did the diagnostic. so that cost like 750$
and then the car started a handful of times but was shaky when it started. and it would die out right away unless you started driving literlly right away. now it stopped starting again. and my dad thinks its cuz we need to replace the distributor cap cuz he thinks the spark is getting out of a little hole where theres a black mark on the cap. i hope hes right.

but keep in mind i put like 40k miles on my car in a year and a half maybe a little longer - Shaun diZle


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Question 2
how can i watch dvd in my vw routan while in drive?...  

Answers
1)   And you think anyone will fall for such a silly question? - Motorhead

2)   I honestly hope that you're not serious. - LeAnne

3)   You are kidding right? Shouldn't you keep your eyes on the road, and your hands upon the wheel? - djaca70

4)   Besides being extremely dangerous to do while driving, in many states it is illegal to play a movie within the the driver's view while the vehicle is in motion.

That is why many vehicles require that the emergency brake be activated before the dvd will operate.

Also, note that most in-vehicle entertainment systems are placed behind the driver's seat for the passenger's enjoyment, not the driver's. - Thomas


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Question 3
how would i find out what "mark" my golf is?...  how would i find out what "mark" my golf is? I am trying to hunt down Various parts for my p reg golf 1.4 but while looking online for an exhaust but they all say to fit mark 1 or mark 2 and so on please help thanks

Answers
1)   its a mark 2 mark 1s are well old - Paul

2)   Yours is a MK3.

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081120130724AA4sNis - Sim

3)   Have a look on here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Golf and you will be able to judge for yourself by the pictures of each mark - Timbo is here

4)   Yours is a 1996 which makes it a Mk III. - "isitme"


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Question 4
Is a VW beetle safe for a beginner driver?...  Hello!
So, i am going to begin driving soon and my family has an old VW Slug bug. My mom got this car when she was 18 years old and so that would make it 34 years old. There isn't and real problems with it except its been sitting for a long time, and needs to be fixed up. I very badly want to drive it but my concern is the safety that it has. As far as i'm concerned it has no airbags and i want to know if it would actually be safe for me to drive and how the crash test ratings are or any personal experiences with crashes that i could know about before putting myself in danger!

Thank you for your help!

Answers
1)   I have a baja bug and that would have to be the safest thing ive ever driven. - David

2)   I so love those old Beetles!
My 1st car was a 1972 Beetle; drove the Arctic White Bug all over the East Coast for many memorable years. Never once let me down.
Reliability, economy, easy to work on, were its strong points.
However, safety was mediocre . Just like all cars built during this time, safety was not paramount . Nowadays it is hyped interminably. The Beetle was a stout, robust car for its time.
As you say it has no airbags. It also does not have any of the modern significant safety features; ABS brakes, etc.
Besides, its been idle for a long time. Brake lines and master cylinders dont take kindly to the moisture accumilation that comes with idleness. Have them checked and have the brake fluid replaced. Check the condition of the shocks too.
It hurts to say this but I would not drive an old Bug . OK maybe just on Saturday or Sunday mornings to visit Starbucks. Limited miles; In my opinion, it just isnt safe enough to protect me from an encounter with a SUV or truck.....
But I still miss my ol' Bug. So when the New Beetle came out in 1998, we test drove one and loved it. We bought a 1999 . It had all the safety features we wanted; a steel shell with steel bars in the doors, ABS brakes, airbags, impactless steering column, crumple zones, etc. We had the best of both worlds! The New Beetle was as trustworthy as my ol' 72 was. Enjoyed many years of happy motoring.
So that might be an option for you too. If you feel the 1976 Beetle is'nt up to your standards, I suggest a New Beetle...... - fenton

3)   The VW bug was designed originally for military off road use.
It is probably the single strongest vehicle made for its weight.
The pan on the bottom is incredibly strong, yet the whole front of the car can crush and absorb a 50 mph impact so that passengers survive unharmed.
The rounded shape if the strongest design anyone has ever come up with.

And airbags make no sense at all.
They are powered by an explosive device that has been known to kill hundreds of people.
Seat belts are just as good, and have never killed anyone.
Nor do seatbelts cost $400 to replace every time you have a fender bender.

If you are worried about putting yourself in danger, never ride in the front seat of a car with airbags.

And ABS is almost as foolish.
Any good driver can stop shorter than the automated ABS system. There is on way ABS can know what the right pedal pressure is, so it wildly oscillates from one extreme to the other. It is not hard to do better than that.

I have not only owned dozens of bugs, but I have bought dozens more totaled in accidents, for parts. And I can tell you they survived high speed crashes better than any other car made. It is the weight of heavier cars that crush them and kill the passengers. It is the fact the VW is light that makes it safer.

It is true that if a heavy cars will fare better than a light one when they hit together head on, but that is a reason to make heavy cars illegal, not anything against light cars. Light cars do much better if you hit an immobile object.

And a new Beetle is not a good suggestion. They are much more expensive to maintain than an older bug. A young student can't afford it. The old bugs are very simple, anyone can work on them, and parts are dirt cheap. New Beetles have things like ABS, automatic transmission, AC, and airbags, which make them far more difficult and expensive to maintain. The cost of changing a thermostat on a new Beetle will be over $400, and cost more than a complete brake hydraulic replacement on an old beetle. - Motorhead

4)   its prob not that safe. but according to the person before me the design is safe and the weight makes it safe too. you dont need abs breaks, just remember to pump the breaks and not slam on them.

also considering this is your first car, your prob 16. therefore your probably only gonna be driving this car around your home town. when i first started driving i only went like 15 miles north on the free way at the farthest. and i thought that was far. since your most likely driving on the street i doubt youll have to worry about hitting something at top speeds. so yes its prob safe for that

now i drive daily 50 miles to get to school and 50 miles back. well every other day but still haha. - Shaun diZle


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Question 5
where to get copy made of vw beetle key made?...  i just bought a 2001 vw new beetle and i want a spare key! but i'm not sure where to get it made... i know where there is a vw dealership, but i'm not sure if thats where i would go. i went online and i couldve ordered one, but then where do i get it cut to match my key? please help! i just want a copy!

Answers
1)   WalMart Automotive - I just had one made for my Nissan. You DON'T have to deal with a dealer all the time. My key ran me $1.86.

Hope you get your copy soon! - Jeriseau

2)   I HAD to have the dealer make mine. - ottovonflea

3)   Oooh, that will run around $3-4 hundred dollars, VW=Expensive. I have a Jetta, and was going to get a key made, the car will not start without the sensor in the key, thus dealership. - nnik

4)   A really good locksmith can cut your key and "clone it," so that it doesn't have to be programmed to the ignition/computer of the car. The machine isn't cheap; they run from $1500 or so all the way up $10,000, depending upon what the machine can do (some of the machines can also cut a "lazer key") so only the better locksmiths have it. Your car is equipped with anti-theft ignition system, in some places called a "electronic dead bolt," and key is "chipped" and normally needs to be programmed to the vehicle in order to start it. Since you have an existing key that works, you can either take it to the dealership or VW independent specialist, have them cut the key and programme both keys to the vehicle so that will both start the car. The good thing about the "chipped key" is that if you loose it, the other key(s) can be programmed to the car again and the lost key (if found) won't be able to start the car. The lost key will still be able to open the door and possibly the boot and/or the glove box (depending upon the cut) but won't start it.

Normally, I suggest you have three keys (that's what the car came with); 2 switch blade keys that have the keyless remote system on them and a valet key that will only open the door and start the car, won't open the glove box and/or release the fuel door switch (on the door) to operate. The dealership or a good locksmith can make you a valet key so that you can give that to people who park your car. If you programme one or up to six keys, usually the labour charge is the same (at least at the dealerships I've worked at), so it makes sense to make as many keys as you might actually want and save programming costs. Most places charge between .5 to 1.5 hours of labour at the posted hourly labour rate to programme the keys...

Hope this helps, a car - a car nut


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