First Gear- 07 VW Jetta

"Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey" (dingersghost)
02/09/2015 at 15:11 • Filed to: First Gear, Volkswagen, Jetta

Das Junk.

2007 VW Jetta, admittedly the first Volks I have any time with. It's a Wolfsburg edition, I don't know what that means. It's a manual, and it's pretty bad. It just seems really stiff and the gears can be hard to find. I'm sure thats because the car is far from perfect. The center stack just looked really plain to me. The most exciting thing was the hole in the exhaust. BRAP BRAP. BRAP. Wait, what was that? BRAP. Oh and only the driver's door works. So that's interesting. THAT CAN ONLY MEAN ONE THING: RACECAR. It all makes sense now. It even had natural weight reduction! Plus the clutch disengaged right near the top of pedal travel, making it easy to rev it a little to get it out of the snow. Wheelspin!

I don't care much for this car. Probably the least fun I've had making a First Gear post.

First Gear is a new column, about a kid, a car lot full of new cars, and a habit of noticing random things. It's written from the view of a Ford dealer's lot attendent who for some reason thinks you care about the cars he spends very little time in. He also thinks you actually care about his random thoughts and will randomly post them to Oppositelock at his leisure. Just don't give him an excuse to break into full reviews. He can't handle that level of greatness.

DISCUSSION (27)

thebigbossyboss > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
02/09/2015 at 15:21

Hey man as someone who not once but twice had the drivers door rendered inoperable, you don't know how much you miss that until it's gone!!

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
02/09/2015 at 15:22

I don't really get it. I see all these US posts about VW/Audi being shit, whilst here in Europe we hardly have a problem with them. Are they made at different factories?

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > thebigbossyboss
02/09/2015 at 15:24

Oh I believe it. Trust me, I had that feeling recently when my transmission lost reverse.

GhostZ > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
02/09/2015 at 15:24

Depends. We don't get a lot of the more simplified economy versions, most of our cars come with lots of standard electronics to go bad and the more reliable subcompacts are virtually nonexistent. Also, most VWs of that vintage by now are pushing 100,000 miles or more.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
02/09/2015 at 15:24

I'm not sure that all VWs are junk, just this one. I think it was beat hard in its life.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
02/09/2015 at 15:27

But still, the amount of shit I see about VAG products in the US is immense compared to what I see here in Europe.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > GhostZ
02/09/2015 at 15:30

But still, 160k KM should not be a problem. I really don't get it. That said, most Europeans would never buy a 'murican car though..We had our fair share of Chevy G30's and G20's, and they all sucked :P

thebigbossyboss > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
02/09/2015 at 15:34

I once had a 3 speed auto that lost 3rd gear. Made the top speed 55 mph haha.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > thebigbossyboss
02/09/2015 at 15:36

Ugh, that would be miserable. It was bad enough sometimes my second wouldn't work, but at least I could do (a little) more than 55.

jkm7680 > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
02/09/2015 at 16:05

Exactly this.

dogisbadob > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
02/09/2015 at 16:26

Yeah, most VW's are shit. German "engineering"

newsmctado > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
02/09/2015 at 16:30

The Wolfsburg is a trim package.

I have an '09 Wolfsburg and love it. But, my 2009 has the 2.0 liter 4-cylinder turbo engine (rather than the 2.5 NA 5-cylinder), the 6 speed DSG gearbox, and (I have been told) the lower stiffer suspension from the GLI. The reason for this (again, as I have been told) is this that the 2009 Wolfsburgs were simply rebadged 2008 GLIs that couldn't be sold before the body style changed from the Mark V to the VI. I would love some confirmation on this.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
02/09/2015 at 17:08

Which engine does it have? The 2.5L I5 or the 2L turbo? How much mileage? Can you fit in the trunk?

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
02/09/2015 at 17:20

Nah... they're shit in Europe too:

http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/volksw…

But now that you mention it, a lot of stuff VW sells in North America is built in Mexico. But the quality of what is built in Mexico hasn't been a problem since the early to mid 1990s.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
02/09/2015 at 17:26

Huh.. well. how would a chevy or a ford of the same year do then? Just curious :)

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
02/09/2015 at 18:00

It had the I5. Mileage was over 100K, probably over 150K, didn't really notice. And I'm sure I could fit in the trunk, but I haven't gotten that committed to this "Reviewing" game yet.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > newsmctado
02/09/2015 at 18:02

So Wolfsburg basically means parts bin?

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > dogisbadob
02/09/2015 at 18:02

Engineered to be difficult and expensive to fix. Doesn't help that this one seems like it was beat on throughout it's life.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
02/09/2015 at 18:40

Overall, I'd say it's the same or slightly better for a Chevy or Ford... depending on what specific models you're comparing. If you're comparing a Ford Windstar (which was crap) to a basic manual Golf TDI, the TDI is usually the better bet.

Manual Ford Focus vs a Golf? I'd say the Focus is a little better overall with the parts being cheaper... but I'd rather have a manual Golf with either the TDI or the 2L SOHC non-turbo 4 cyl over an automatic Focus.

When I was shopping for cars, two cars on my shopping list were the Jetta Wagon or Golf 5 door with the TDI engine and manual transmission... with as few options as possible. I actually found one and would have bought it... but when I went to look at it, it wouldn't start.

I ended up with a manual Ford Focus wagon with more options than I would have preferred.

You increase your chances of having a good ownership experience with a VW if you stick with the manual transmission and stay away from models with lots of electrical options.

Also part of the problem at least in some areas is that VWs have dealers that are expensive and incompetent.

Where I live though, I know there are VW specialists I could go to for anything I couldn't do myself.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
02/09/2015 at 18:42

Well get committed mister!!

:-)

DasWauto > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
02/09/2015 at 18:54

Wolfsburg is a trim package usually brought out for the last model year of a generation for a model.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > DasWauto
02/09/2015 at 19:05

Ohh I see. Makes sense. I don't know VWs.

DasWauto > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
02/09/2015 at 19:09

Heh, neither do I, really, despite my screen-name and owning one.

I should expand though: Wolfsburg is actually one of the better trim levels, it's usually fairly loaded and sold at a better price than you would've paid for those options separately before. It's sort of meant to celebrate the end of a generation for that car.

orcim > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
02/10/2015 at 02:26

Working under the dash of my old Jetta, found the manufacturing designation. Made on a Monday (was told never Monday or Friday) and in the US. Leaked like a sieve.

orcim > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
02/10/2015 at 02:31

Manuals. I've had manual dashers and jettas in my time and they all needed the shift guide to be adjusted. Why? I dunno - it doesn't make sense. Maybe wear in linkage travel, maybe something else, but I wonder if the shifting problem isn't that. Not saying that's it, but it's been it for me for my old cars.

Remove the boot around the shifter and there should be a plate underneath that can be adjusted that guides the shift lever. You'll need specific instructions to make sure it's correct, then tighten it down. It can be the reason "your tranny is going" when in fact, putting it "into gear" isn't really putting it into gear is all that's happening.

And of course, it could just piece of pos.

newsmctado > Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
02/10/2015 at 15:25

Works for me. Honestly, I love mine. It's no GT-R, but I also have no real complaints about its performance. It's the same engine from the GTI, which should go down as one of the best four cylinders ever made: torque all over the power band and will keep pulling right up to around 6800 RPM.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > orcim
02/10/2015 at 15:46

I think the former is what's true. The car was sent to the auction now, so I don't know what will become of it.