VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (?'s)

[colt22]

Hey, I am helping someone purchase a car and we are about to look at a 1999 Volkswagen Jetta with 150,000 kms.

For all you VW people,
-what are the key things i should look for in a model of this age to determine whether i SHOULD or SHOULDNT purchaser the car?

-What normal problems with the car should I expect

-What parts can I visually check to insure the cars integrity

Thanks very much!

[euro_racer]

the early models of the mk4 have been known to be not as reliable and not as powerful as the later years. personally i would not go for a 99 but instead for a 02 and up...

what model are you looking for (what engine) and how much are you willing to spend?

[colt22]

Well the car is going to be lady driven. So power is not a factor. our price range is max 8,000

The reason we picked the 99 is we wanted the lowest km german car that matched our price range. anything abut 99 seems to be out of price range, or too many kms

[A790]

I would look for maintenance really. The base four cylinder has 115 horsepower (I think- correct me if I'm wrong) and is fairly reliable.

[Klobi-1-Kinobi]

Not sure about the '99s, but the 2000, 2001 1.8t's have a more reliable coilpack, beefier piston rods, better gearing, and (if this matters to you) are built in Germany.

The early mk4's with auto are something to avoid.

[euro_racer]

my friend has a 99 2.0 jetta and she is having nothing but troubles with it :thumbsdow

[TimG]

early mk4 2.0 4-bangers are notorious for drinking oil.

this also applies to all early mk4s:

be on the lookout for bad window regulators, MAFs, and coil packs. the starters also tend to stick when the temperature drops. manuals are also notorious for the 2nd gear grind during spirited shifting. an early mk4 should have also had it's timing belt and water pump replaced by now. If it hasn't, expect another 800-1000$ to get that done.

there are some 1999.5/2000 models that were built in germany. If it was, the VIN will start with WVW (or VWV.. i don't remember)