Bought my first NEW car yesterday! Jetta TDI

[Let It Fall]

For my new wife! I put down her down payment and she pays the notes. regardless I never saw me buying a brand new car.
I for one always come out GREAT on car deals. Im no friend to loosing money. I usually buy my cars out of state. My car history is..

-2001 VW 1.8T Beetle for my girlfriend [now wife] I won it on ebay and flew to florida to pick it up.
-2007 Nissan frontier I was young and stupid on this one, It was 1 year old and I payed 18900 but I sold it about a year later for 1000 less! Not too bad.
-1997 4runner bought for 4k added 50k miles and a bad headgasket and sold it for.. 4k
-1998 Land Rover discovery bought for 4k found on craigslist flew to south carolina to pick it up, did some mods to it, eventaully sunk it up to the windows in water offroading and sold it for 3k
-2006 LR3 Recently flew to dallas to pick this one up

Anyways I was looking for a new car for her as her beetle which litterally gave us 0 problems was really starting to show its age.
It had rough idle
randomly dieing
trunk and gas lid switches going
gas mileage horrible
heated seat going out
battery dieing randomly
needed timing belt
no heat engine heat [replaced thermostat]
airbag light
headlights pointing wayyy the fak up.

So Im looking around and have always been interested in TDI jettas, Well looking around they were only -2000--+1000 more than a new one with around 70k. Yes I was finding them for more than you can get them brand new!

Needless to say I went brand new. So far Im loving the 50MPG over the 16mpg I get in my LR3 It drives GREAT, only two complaints are its a PAIN IN THE ARSE TO GET IN. for me.. and im not tall..

And the wiper started making a clack when returning to the down position. If i can't figure it out ill take it back in.


Of course my wife had her eyes closed..

[Tsal]

Those VW TDI's are great, very popular choice around here for people who drive a lot. But taking pics of your MPG while doing 70 MPH? Tut tut

[()smoke()]

you know you can adjust headlight aim, right?

nice car, I'd like a diesel. question--when the speedometer is reading km/hr, why does the fuel economy readout show mpg?

[Let It Fall]

Im very mechanically inclined and know how to adjust a headlight, it was one of those ran out of adjustments and still shooting straight up situations. I was just finding excuses to justify it.

It says km/h but I just recently realized you can toggle between km/h and trip, Its now set on trip.

[SoonerMatt]

Jettas are indeed awesome and the TDIs are amazing. Enjoy!

[pedroims]

52 MPG!... DAMN I did not know Jettas can give you that much, too bad I jusy bought a 2011 Accord. Congratulations, beatiful car

[()smoke()]

Originally Posted by Let It Fall

Im very mechanically inclined and know how to adjust a headlight, it was one of those ran out of adjustments and still shooting straight up situations. I was just finding excuses to justify it.

It says km/h but I just recently realized you can toggle between km/h and trip, Its now set on trip.

i hear you, just joking with you on the headlights--seems i am nearly blinded almost every day by someone in dallas who isn't mechanically inclined though, hehe

it is a nice car, and seems you have a good sense of value regarding how you buy and how much you spend

[OldDog52]

Originally Posted by Let It Fall

And the wiper started making a clack when returning to the down position.

Not sure if you're aware of this (or it may not be what you're talking about). The "park" position of VW windshield wipers moves *slightly* each time when you turn off the ignition. It'll be up one time, then down the next time, then up, etc. This prevents the rubber blade from taking a "set" and squealing. It makes a little clack noise when it does it.

[Let It Fall]

hmm I dont think thats what im talking about, it was clacking each and every single wipe. Now its not?

[MJ5150]

Nice score on the car, those look sharp. Our family doesn't fit in VW's, or we'd have one too.

-Mike

[jonathan_matos5]

i was gonna say "thats a chick car" but then your first sentence kinda made it ok for the purchase.

[Let It Fall]

Lol just realized I put "new" wife!! Well she is new, married oct 15 but didn't even realize!

[kanonfodr]

Very nice! The Jetta TDI is the only grocery-getter I would buy, simply because it is one of the most technologically advanced cars under $30k. I've been a fan of the VW diesel engines for a while, but now they have the DSG transmission (that's supercar technology) in addition to the conventional manual transmission (NO SLUSHBOXES!!!) . Congrats on the purchase, man!

Peace,
Greg

[edmidlifecrisis]

Originally Posted by kanonfodr

Very nice! The Jetta TDI is the only grocery-getter I would buy, simply because it is one of the most technologically advanced cars under $30k. I've been a fan of the VW diesel engines for a while, but now they have the DSG transmission (that's supercar technology) in addition to the conventional manual transmission (NO SLUSHBOXES!!!) . Congrats on the purchase, man!

Peace,
Greg

Hi all. I bought a regular Jetta manual for my son to drive about a year ago, a new 2010. I think it is a great car and intend to buy a TDI wagon either Jetta or Passat if available in 18 months when my suv lease runs out. I enjoyed driving it when we first got it and when teaching him to drive it. I drove a Manual for 25 years until I had kids and had to get a minivan.

Unfortunately, he drives somewhat aggressively despite my constant harping and yelling, and wore out the two front tires in about 9k miles and yesterday the clutch went at about 10k. He is in the doghouse now and has to reimburse me for the clutch if he wants it back, grrrrrrr....


PS I drove a 1987 Jetta I bought new for 8 years on one clutch.

Also, one small piece of the tail light lens was cracked by another driver in a lot, replacement cost for assembly is $350.00!!!!!!! Sucks.

[iamlowsound]

Originally Posted by edmidlifecrisis

Hi all. I bought a regular Jetta manual for my son to drive about a year ago, a new 2010. I think it is a great car and intend to buy a TDI wagon either Jetta or Passat if available in 18 months when my suv lease runs out. I enjoyed driving it when we first got it and when teaching him to drive it. I drove a Manual for 25 years until I had kids and had to get a minivan.

Unfortunately, he drives somewhat aggressively despite my constant harping and yelling, and wore out the two front tires in about 9k miles and yesterday the clutch went at about 10k. He is in the doghouse now and has to reimburse me for the clutch if he wants it back, grrrrrrr....


PS I drove a 1987 Jetta I bought new for 8 years on one clutch.

Also, one small piece of the tail light lens was cracked by another driver in a lot, replacement cost for assembly is $350.00!!!!!!! Sucks.

A clutch after 10k! You best be teaching him how to drive a manual again. If you drive a manual correctly, you will never have to replace the clutch. I have 232k on my car, original clutch and still works great.

lowsound

[Atoz]

As a fellow TDI owner, I approve of this purchase.

If you haven't already, check out TDIclub.com.

[edmidlifecrisis]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

A clutch after 10k! You best be teaching him how to drive a manual again. If you drive a manual correctly, you will never have to replace the clutch. I have 232k on my car, original clutch and still works great.

lowsound

No kidding.

[kanonfodr]

Originally Posted by edmidlifecrisis

Hi all. I bought a regular Jetta manual for my son to drive about a year ago, a new 2010. I think it is a great car and intend to buy a TDI wagon either Jetta or Passat if available in 18 months when my suv lease runs out. I enjoyed driving it when we first got it and when teaching him to drive it. I drove a Manual for 25 years until I had kids and had to get a minivan.

Unfortunately, he drives somewhat aggressively despite my constant harping and yelling, and wore out the two front tires in about 9k miles and yesterday the clutch went at about 10k. He is in the doghouse now and has to reimburse me for the clutch if he wants it back, grrrrrrr....


PS I drove a 1987 Jetta I bought new for 8 years on one clutch.

Also, one small piece of the tail light lens was cracked by another driver in a lot, replacement cost for assembly is $350.00!!!!!!! Sucks.

Dude, let him know that Slow is Smooth, and Smooth is Fast. Or get him an automatic (or the DSG, best of both worlds ). I do like your punishment tho. In the meantime, continue to enjoy your Jetta.

Peace,
Greg

[kserg]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

A clutch after 10k! You best be teaching him how to drive a manual again. If you drive a manual correctly, you will never have to replace the clutch. I have 232k on my car, original clutch and still works great.

lowsound

Just use it to get the car into 1st gear and 5th and 6th gear... rest of time, no clutch.

[edmidlifecrisis]

Originally Posted by kserg

Just use it to get the car into 1st gear and 5th and 6th gear... rest of time, no clutch.

Good ideas. It is a 5 speed. I bought it for him as a convenience for me, though, so he could drive himself and his brother to their various obligations such as school, work, martial arts, etc. So I have the dilemma that if I take it away I have to drive them. I just had rotator cuff surgery and my arm is immobilized for six weeks. No guitar or bass. And driving is incredibly uncomfortable, I went out today and it was agony.

A real conundrum.........screwed either way. What to do.......and I cannot drive the Jetta now anyway, have to drive my automatic when I do have to drive.....ughhh......sucks ti be me right now..miss those guitars and basses too....

Oh yeah. My brilliant idea was to get a manual so he could not text and drive. Forgot that clutch is not covered by warranty....duh..lesson learned....