Is anyone sorry they bought a Turbo?

I was just wondering if anyone bought a 1.8t and was dissatisfied with it regardless of what body type it's in.

Reply to
MatMite
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Reply to
Tim Burr

I have an '02 Passat wagon and find the engine more than adequate for my needs.

It worked just fine hauling 3 adults and all their junk from Minnesota to California and back two summers ago.

I've starting to wince at the price of premium gas lately, but I don't know if the 6cyl engines runs on regular.

Reply to
Bert Hyman

my 02gti vr6 drinks only the best...in south Florida that's 1.90 per gallon

Reply to
DonziGoFast

I had an 02 Jetta GLS 1.8T 5-speed for about a year. I loved the car. It was my 7th front wheel drive VW. Put about 13,000 miles on it while I had it. Very smooth power, very flexible (as long as you kept the revs above 2000 RPM), nice ride though the handling was a little sloppier than some might like, great car on the highway. The only downside to the engine was the requirement for premium fuel.

Unfortunately, I needed more room and better snow traction, so I traded it for an 03 Ford Explorer. Nice vehicle, but I don't like it nearly as much as I did my Jetta. Now, I'm wishing I'd gone for a Passat Wagon GLX with V6 and 4motion instead of the Exploder.

Bob

Reply to
rlbnews

My first VW was a 2002 Jetta GLS 1.8T with Triptronic. I HATED the interaction between the engine and the transmission!!!! Very erratic in shifting. I took it in several times to have the transmission "reset". Never helped.

I had the car for 2 years and could take it no longer. I traded it in on a

2003 Jetta GLS TDI with a manual transmission. I LOVE this car! It is the perfect balance of power and gas mileage. I average 40 MPG.

I honestly think I would have liked the first car better if I would have had a manual 5 speed.

Reply to
Numan

I once owned an '84 turbo Colt. It was more fun than a man's supposed to have after he was married. Hot rodding it was easy -- just unplugged the wastegate and "modified" the exhaust and I had a 135 mph car.

HOWEVER....

  1. Turbos need some different driving techniques. On more that a few occasions I got the RPM's too low, and then I lost boost, and I literally needed to downshift to first to get things going again. I've seen the same happen to other turbo vehicles, including a tractor pull tractor. There is a boost range, and you need to make sure that you keep the RPMs in that range if you're wanting to have fun.

  1. Turbos cost a ton to replace. IN my case, my 00 car had a turbo and

2 cat converters, meaning that I literally had $3500 in exhaust parts. If that thing goes then you're looking at a SERIOUS repair, and no doubt that figured into the resale value equasion. I had to replace one, but it was covered under extended warranty.

  1. I got real religious about changing the oil. Valvolene turbo-V oil, changed at 3000 miles or less. I didn't want to replace a turbo that had coked up bearings. Remember, that thing is running at a bazillion degrees or so when you're having fun.

Personally, as much fun as I had with a turbo rush, I'd prefer the smooth V6 with a wider, flatter torque band. I certainly wouldn't plan on running the turbo as long as the V6 (lease?).

Tim Wohlford

Reply to
Tim Wohlford

IIRC the 2.8V6 is supposed to be fed 90 AKI, which at least in my neck of the woods (Long Island NY) means premium (typically 92 or 93; mid-grade is generally 89 AKI).

-- Mike Smith

Reply to
Mike Smith

Not sure if I'm right here but in the UK our Octane 97 nicest petrol available here by BP, supposed to give better performance and less pollution is $7.17 per gallon? at an exchange rate of 1.88 dollars to the pound.

Cheaper option is the Octane 95 at $6.57 per gallon. You really should count yourselves lucky.

Cleaner diesel at $6.91 per gallon

I use the Octane 97 as I don't mind paying that little extra to forsave the future of my grand children.

Reply to
Joe

Then you are wasting money... higher octane does not give you cleaner burning at all...

Reply to
Eduardo Kaftanski

I kinda wondered what car it was in, mostly because it influences the other engines available and weight...also specify year, since VW changes the offerings every so often.

For instance, in 2000 when I bought my Golf, they offered the 1.8T in a 4 door GLS model, but discontinued it in 2002. I needed 4 doors (really 5 doors, since I didn't want a trunk....and didn't want a Passat Wagon). The choices were 1.9TDI, 1.8T, and 2.0 (no 2.8l VR6 ever offered on 4 door Golf). I ended up going with the 2.0, which probably isn't a popular choice with others, I'm still glad I went that way (but time will tell for sure)... reason being:

- I plan to keep the car a long time, but put relatively few miles on it per year (I don't drive large distances, the TDI wouldn't even get warmed up during my typical commute)

- I plan to work on it as it gets older...no turbo, no injection pump, though I will change timing belt on time, less likely to bend valves if it breaks.

- I would have liked to have the option of a GL with no power windows (and corresponding problems with regulators)...but it wasn't offered in 2000 nor 2001. I do prefer the 10year powertrain warrarnty/ 2 year bumper to bumper vs the current 4 year one. No problem with coilpacks on 2.0, though I did have problem with MAF sensor that I had to replace.

- Though still heavy compared to my A2, the Golf is one of lightest A4s (the NB is probably still lighter)...and with the 5 speed, gives "OK" accelleration, especially around town...so the 2.0 won't win any races, but is good daily driver....it also runs on regular gas (though I know people always say $.10 a gallon shouldn't make much of a difference). Mine's more of a "daily driver" than a performance vehicle.

- My only disappointment (minor) is that around town mileage isn't nearly as good as on my A2 1.8 litre (only 26.5 mpg)...though highway mileage is actually better (probably due to better aerodynamics) around 34MPG (I thought with the differential gearing, highway mileage would be worse than on the A2, but I guess the better aerodynamics makes up the difference. Also wish they offered trip computer on lesser models than the VR6-equipped GTIs.

To each his own...though I like the Golf, I do miss my A2 GTI, wish VW would import smaller, lighter vehicles with good utility (space)...when I take out the rear seatback of my Golf, I can tell why the A4 is so much heftier than the A2...and oddly, the A2 seemed more spacious inside (no airbags, more space for odds and ends). The creature comforts are much better on the A4 (quieter).

--

--------- Tom Flynn '78 Scirocco (sold 1988) '86 GTI (sold 2000) '00 Golf I speak only for myself

Reply to
Tom Flynn

Sounds like market-speak to me. Modern vehicles do not run cleaner on higher octane fuels than what they were designed for. If your car is designed to run on 95, and you use 97, the only thing you're conserving is the bottom line of the oil companies.

-- Mike Smith

Reply to
Mike Smith

Reply to
Rob Guenther

We have a 98 Passat 1.8T 5 speed manual trans with 65K miles. We also have a

2000 1.8T Gti with 45K miles. Both have performed great so far. the Passat is a little slower but then it is a little heaver. This engine, both of mine are the 150hp versions, has so much such a flat tourge curve that driving it is real easy. I often think that al five gears are a waste for the places I drive. I almost never use 4th as by the time I get to needing to shift to 4th I am already going as fast as I want so I skip 4th and go straight to 5th.

I have had a few problems with both cars but nothing big and nothing to do with the engines. I would buy another 1.8T if and when I buy another VW. I can't imagine spending the extra money for the V6 when the Turbo 4 works so well.

Reply to
Clif Cable

We now have a more "basic" Golf GL in 4 door form (it wasn't offered in the US in 2000 when I bought my GLS...only in 2 doors in GL form then)..might be similar, it has no power windows (but does have power locks)...different upholstery, no armrest or console around handbrake, somewhat fewer option choices...but otherwise similar to the GLS...with A/C and normal safety stuff (airbags, ABS, etc)...I probably would have gone with that (especially in hindsight, to avoid the power window regulator problem that has plagued A4s)

The other thing I forgot to mention that I preferred on the A2 was it seemed to be more spacious even in front (maybe the seat tracks went back farther, but the rear legroom seems similar to me)...but what I really don't like about the A4 is the space taken by the dead pedal...I'm not really that tall, but have long legs, and though both cars supposedly have

41.5 inches of legroom, it is not evenly distributed around the footbox on the A4. Guess they had to increase wheelwell dimensions to avoid scraping on some larger wheel/tire combinations, but wish they had increased wheelbase more to compensate. Plus the normal stuff, like kneebars where there used to be open dash or storage, and of course the airbag mounting takes space from the passenger (I don't mind the more raked windshield, though). Another thing I noticed is that you seem to sit lower in an A4 than in the A2, not sure if that is backed up by measurements, but the A4 seat seems much lower than the A2 (I'd like it higher). Other capacities are greater on the A4 Golf (luggage) but you have to pack "higher" to take advantage of it...plus I miss the open storage around the wheelwells in the back...though overall capacity is greater on the A4. Guess all the safety equipment adds weight too...it is over 500 pounds heavier than my GTI (some of it attributable to having 4 doors rather than 2). Compared to my '78 it is about 1000 pounds more (I think it was like 1700 pounds total back then). --------- Tom Flynn '78 Scirocco (sold 1988) '86 GTI (sold 2000) '00 Golf I speak only for myself
Reply to
Tom Flynn

I have the 180hp 1.8T in a Jetta with a manual transmission. This engine is fun! I love seeing other cars disappear in the rear view mirror. The traction control that come standard is a great feature for those in snow zones. My mother has the same car in tiptronic and she loves it!

My only complaits have zero to do with the engine

1.size of the jetta (we have two carseats in the back and are constantly getting kicked in the back)
  1. cheap 4 season tires that lasted 3 seasons (1 spring, 1 summer, 1 fall) i will run them this spring but expect to have to change them before i put my winter tires on.

I use to own the 2.0L in a Golf A3 and I was power deprived. Although the

1.8T costs a little bit more in gas (versus the 2.0L) the real dif is between the reglar and premium fuel. It costs me about 43$ CND to fill it up and we get around 500KM to the tank. (about what my 2.0L got me)

At work we have a 170hp tiptronic Passat. I would say that this config leaves me slightly unsatisfied in auto mode but is acceptable in tiptronic mode. regardless, i would save the xbucks over the v6 and stay with the 1.8t in the passat as well.

my in laws had an audi a4 quattro with automatic in a 150hp config. although a great winter car the auto tranny and the all wheel driuve robbed that engine of all it was worth. stay away from the 150hp in that config. (I would be careful with the new passat 4motion with 1.8t if you need power to keep you happy)

The 180hp 1.8T in the beetle must be amazing!

Reply to
Inbetween Days

Reply to
Rob Guenther

Reply to
Rob Guenther

I believe they are michelin pilots if i'm not mistaken. I wanted to trade them in when i bought my winter tires, but they just laughed at me and said that they would take them but i would have to pay them to do so!

When i bought my A3 1999 golf wolfsburg my tires were also fast to wear out.

On my jetta I do put the tires to the test, but not abuse them. I have also heard others complain about these tires.

when i replace them i will be sure to get something that will last me at least two "mid spring to mid fall" seasons

I wish i had the $ to buy that 17 inch tire package when i signed for the jetta...

Reply to
Inbetween Days

We don't get the CL in the US, but the GL has the different seat material (I'm no fan of the Velour in the GLS either, nobody seems to like how it attracts lint). Used to be (2000) that you could order the GL with the

2.0 or the 1.9TDI, but not the 1.8T (had to go GLS)...but they withdrew the 1.8T on the GLS (Golf) in 2002...and the cold weather and luxury package was optional on the GLS. But now they've made the former "luxury package (sunroof and alloy wheels) standard on the GLS, but still no 1.8T option. VW seems to be going the route of "option packages" instead of a la carte options, guess it costs less to have fewer variations (but if you want alloy wheels but no sunroof, doesn't work too well for you).

Wow...maybe they should have an option to delete the power hatch lock (or maybe some setting in the locking system to turn it off). I thought the power locks standard had something to do with the standard security system (switchblade keys, etc)...though I kind of like having power locks on a 4 door, I never missed them on my 2 door GTI (and like you probably did, often left my rear hatch unlocked but latched ;-) I hate not being able to open the hatch without opening the drivers door to flip the switch if I just forgot my keys inside (even though it wasn't secure).

--------- Tom Flynn '78 Scirocco (sold 1988) '86 GTI (sold 2000) '00 Golf I speak only for myself

Reply to
Tom Flynn

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