Piston Slap: The Case For Saving a 4th Gen Jetta

Sajeev Mehta
by Sajeev Mehta

Scott writes:

Sajeev: I am 31 years old, married, no kids, and I have a 1999.5 VW Jetta, 2.slow, 150K miles. The 5-speed deserves at least a nod. Dealer-installed lowering kit and rims another. Bought in 2005, sunk $1000 into it that year (timing belt, ABS) then another $1500 in ’08 (CV joint, wheel bearing, etc), plus the odd $100 or $200. Or $300. Well, since last year I’ve let it go south. Window fell into the door so I propped it up with a stick. Check engine light and ABS light are annoying, so black tape on the dash. Keyless entry, heated seats, interior lights. The dings have turned into little rust spots on the body. Things I can live with (yes I’d like ABS but the mere thought may cause me to go postal).

As of right now it needs a wheel alignment and front rotors and pads, which I should tend to for safety’s sake. But I was also told a year ago that I need new shocks. And when I turn the steering wheel, some other bearing makes noise. It idles a bit rough. Starting to burn oil. Squealing sound, front right, once in awhile, might be another bearing.

Thing is, I like it anyway. It starts fine every time. I can do on-ramps at three times the yellow sign. Up on the hoist, the bottom is free of rust and scratches. It looks cool, black as night, and I still get compliments on it. The wife says that when I trade it in to get something more practical-she also has a compact car. I can budget up to 20K or more.

Or zero, I’m also cheap.

What say you? Is this it? Did I drive it until the wheels fell off? I know, I know, ’07 Mazda 6, but really?

Sajeev Answers:

So you are cheap and you like this car. Which I understand, as this Jetta re-invented VW’s place in the USA, universally admired on styling alone: durability and component cost notwithstanding. My recent (Christmas Eve) jaunt to the junkyard included a brief moment with a Jetta of this vintage. It was my favorite color for this body, silver. This unit was just too wonderful to be there: like many of the sedans from our past, making us long for a pretty little four-door to get us off the high and mighty CUV crackpipe.

Dare I admit it, I frowned more than a little at the sight of that car: it’s elegant and clean lines, sitting on the wheels of another crushed car, fairly worked over by the yard and wearing the residue of where the “Jetta VR6” decklid badging used to live. No, I didn’t shed a tear…I didn’t hang around that long. Plus, a Ford guy normally runs out of tears with all the company-saving Sable/Taurus products and hot-roddy Fox-Panthers that no longer have a home to love them. But I digress…

You see where this is going: advice to keep your Jetta alive, should you choose to be less “cheap.” Because owning an older (yet still late model) vehicle is an exercise in wise, calculated investments. The cash spent either makes the car safe/legal or more exciting. The first includes fixing the wheel bearing noise and black tape “mod” on your dash. The latter includes those (infamous) broken window regulators, Bilstein-esque shocks and a better stereo. Spend your money in the right places and you’ll be both safe and unbelievably happy.

Now the tough part: don’t be passive. You don’t have kids, but pretend this is one. Take an active role in your Jetta’s life. Know your mechanic. If he doesn’t let you put a wrench on your own car when it’s on the lift and/or curse freely about your POS car, consider another, more self-aware mechanic. But most of all, read the VW forums, VWVortex is an awesome one. I read it and I own a 15-year-old Lincoln, so you have no excuse.

So yes, be yourself and own one of the “cool” Jettas. But it takes much more effort and a bit more money. Otherwise, that Mazda6 looks better and better everyday.

Send your queries to mehta@ttac.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Sajeev Mehta
Sajeev Mehta

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  • J Mendez J Mendez on Jan 04, 2011

    I beleive that is not a matter on where they built them, but that it is a different car, heavier with the same powerplant and slightly different suspension. I really don't like how they handle and after a few years they develop a lot more noises than their competition (Nissan or Honda). Here is the "New Jetta Clasico" comparative specs for Mexico, check that on the entry levels there is the same 2Slow engine with its impressive 115 HP. http://mx.volkswagen.com/vwcms/master_public/virtualmaster/es_mx/models/Clasico2/ficha.variants-0_1_4.html Saludos

  • Mzs Mzs on Jan 04, 2011

    To add to what others have stated, the interior lights and keyless entry not working is likely the CCM (comfort control module). Check fuse 14 (if I recall correctly). I had a short in a tail light assembly, just yank the offending bulb. Somehow that short would pop the fuse to the CCM periodically. Then you need to retrain the CCM, just work everything a few times. But it could be that there are leaves plugging-up the drains at the bottom of the car near where your feet are, the CCM could be getting wet. The odd noise when steering could be a broken spring in the front suspension, take a good look. If it broke cleanly enough you can yank the broken end out and then it should make less noise. About the oil, see if it's frothy at the filler. If so, keep an eye on your coolant too. Now see if you can make it to 200K miles after you do what others suggested. Or just sell the thing, but don't get into a car payment. Me I got so fed-up with my MkIV Golf that I sold it and hunted for a decent car to replace it with for months later. Eventually I bought a '67 Volvo. That VW was the only car I ever bought new for myself. I loved it, but I hated it toward the end. I never regretted a car purchase more, and I bought a bunch of terrible barely running crap when I was young, so that's saying something. When I think about all that I could have bought with how much I put into that car, it makes me sick.

  • Rochester "better than Vinfast" is a pretty low bar.
  • TheMrFreeze That new Ferrari looks nice but other than that, nothing.And VW having to put an air-cooled Beetle in its display to try and make the ID.Buzz look cool makes this classic VW owner sad 😢
  • Wolfwagen Is it me or have auto shows just turned to meh? To me, there isn't much excitement anymore. it's like we have hit a second malaise era. Every new vehicle is some cookie-cutter CUV. No cutting-edge designs. No talk of any great powertrains, or technological achievements. It's sort of expected with the push to EVs but there is no news on that front either. No new battery tech, no new charging tech. Nothing.
  • CanadaCraig You can just imagine how quickly the tires are going to wear out on a 5,800 lbs AWD 2024 Dodge Charger.
  • Luke42 I tried FSD for a month in December 2022 on my Model Y and wasn’t impressed.The building-blocks were amazing but sum of the all of those amazing parts was about as useful as Honda Sensing in terms of reducing the driver’s workload.I have a list of fixes I need to see in Autopilot before I blow another $200 renting FSD. But I will try it for free for a month.I would love it if FSD v12 lived up to the hype and my mind were changed. But I have no reason to believe I might be wrong at this point, based on the reviews I’ve read so far. [shrug]. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about it once I get to test it.
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