2013 Jetta....impressions - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

tbomachines · #1 10-23-2012, 04:43 PM

SO my GTI is in for warranty work (recirc flap is stuck) and I've got a Jetta loaner car. Its bright red and first impressions are....cheap in some places. The 2.5 sounds glorious and there's a surprising amount of power but the automatic gearbox saps it badly. Ride is actually very good. Its comfortable, definitely softer than my GTI but still feels light and agile. I wouldn't take it around a track, but I'd still say its got a bit of "fun to drive" in it for sure. I'll be updating as the week goes on.

Interior vinyl/tex is awful. It looks and feels like rubber. Seats themselves are very comfortable though, and the driving position is spot on. Dash material is noticeably cheap.

Also the doors make an unsatisfying closing sound. My GTI has an entirely different (more solid) tone than the Jetta.

iwrock · #2 10-23-2012, 05:07 PM

Eh.

Honda>VW for cheap econoboxes. (Jetta,Passat,etc)

GTI>CivicSI if your a "driver"

TX76513 · #3 10-23-2012, 05:07 PM

What tranny does it have? I found it quite interesting to overcome the 6 speed dual clutch in my Bora. I have found piece with it now.

tbomachines · #4 10-23-2012, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TX76513

What tranny does it have? I found it quite interesting to overcome the 6 speed dual clutch in my Bora. I have found piece with it now.

Auto slushbox

I love the DSG transmissions, they are excellent IMO but do take a bit of getting used to like you said

spdrun · #5 10-23-2012, 05:18 PM

Other than as a loaner or rental, why would anyone want a VW with a gearbox designed for amputees? Slushbox saps power. Let's see: pope's Catholic. Bear s**ts in the woods.

TX76513 · #6 10-23-2012, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbomachines

Auto slushbox

I love the DSG transmissions, they are excellent IMO but do take a bit of getting used to like you said

I almost threw the towel in on the Bora

But have a genuine novice mastery now

The odd thing is that there is no instruction on how to "properly use that tranny". The only comment that I read was VW response to people having issues was, "Owners will learn to operate the transmission".

Hatterasguy · #7 10-23-2012, 05:23 PM

Meh its a VW.

My Jetta was only entertaining when I red lined it and did forward and reverse neutral drops, try that on the DSG, I couldn't blow up the transmission in mine even if the fluid looked like chocolate milk, and smelled like death.

Another entertaining option is to try to catch every single gear including park and reverse as your going along, park makes a bit of noise at 40mph...

TX76513 · #8 10-23-2012, 05:29 PM

My DSG only allows + or - shift No P or R once you move the stick Left it goes back into normal AT.

Hatterasguy · #9 10-23-2012, 05:32 PM

Darn, than I'd just turn it into a shooting car.

Fulcrum525 · #10 10-23-2012, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TX76513

My DSG only allows + or - shift No P or R once you move the stick Left it goes back into normal AT.

Could be worse. I found out a few days ago that on a BMW X5 you absolutely cannot go into drive with the front door opened. You can attempt to put it into drive but the stupid computer will just put it right back into park again. (I only wanted to move forward an extra 2 feet

)

I guess that just means that it's no good for drive by's

Top Gear US Special - Drive-By Shooting - YouTube

spdrun · #11 10-23-2012, 10:08 PM

Nothing a bit of superglue on the door switch won't fix

JB3 · #12 10-24-2012, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fulcrum525

Could be worse. I found out a few days ago that on a BMW X5 you absolutely cannot go into drive with the front door opened. You can attempt to put it into drive but the stupid computer will just put it right back into park again. (I only wanted to move forward an extra 2 feet

)

I guess that just means that it's no good for drive by's

Top Gear US Special - Drive-By Shooting - YouTube

I wonder what PITA egghead thought that little trick up? What measurable percentage of door open disasters with BMW caused them to wire the door to the shifter?

I can think of one thing this would hamper. Being able to open the door a bit and verify the line of the tires is pretty useful for driving a car onto a lift, but this would make that impossible. Yet another engineering marvel than makes it more difficult to work on the car for the long term.

barry12345 · #13 10-24-2012, 10:37 AM

Nice you develop a marginal or intermittent door switch and that is quite common and your transmission drops into neutral?

My feeling is the ability to work with many of these things is going to be brand specific knowledge only.

barry12345 · #14 10-24-2012, 10:42 AM

A neighbour of mine states that the local dealer maintenance costs on his recent diesel jetta are greater than any fuel savings he is experiencing. That is in comparison to the hondas and toyotas he has owned.

Benz Fan · #15 10-24-2012, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dropnosky

I wonder what PITA egghead thought that little trick up? What measurable percentage of door open disasters with BMW caused them to wire the door to the shifter?

I can think of one thing this would hamper. Being able to open the door a bit and verify the line of the tires is pretty useful for driving a car onto a lift, but this would make that impossible. Yet another engineering marvel than makes it more difficult to work on the car for the long term.

Put it into Drive first, then open the door.