Bought a SEL Sportwagen

[Smigelski]

In December, I ordered a JSW from the factory. SEL, Salsa Red, Anthracite interior, and a 6 spd manual. No options or packages whatsoever.

It finally came in, and I picked it up yesterday. The 2.0T pulls very strong, and I expected that it feel similar to my wife's FSI GTI. After playing with it for a while, I realized that there was more cargo nooks and crannies than I knew about. This thing will be able to haul a ton of stuff.

We bought this car for several reasons:

a) We wanted me to have a family-ish car for when we start to have kids
b) We wanted something with more cargo room for home improvement store runs
c) I wanted to a car that I could daily drive while keeping the miles off of my Miata

I wanted the SEL because of the engine. I don't really care about the climate control, leather, homelink, or any other 'luxury' option on the car. That's why I got the Wagen with no options. None appealed to me.

I took some pictures after bringing it home, packed next to my wife's GTI.

So far I've debadged the rear, and I've ordered two sets of clear side marker lights. I'm also going to get the GLI monster mats, and the cargo area mat. Soon I'll get a roof rack for 4x8 plywood carrying, and a rear swaybar. On the far out list are lighter wheels, Golf GT front end, and coils to bring the car down just a bit.

Enjoy

More pictures at: http://gallery.me.com/nyanchik#100090

[bagged bunny]

Looks good congrats on the purchase!

[pch0mey]

Clean, but you know what to do

[leegf]

very nice.

[Smigelski]

Quote, originally posted by pch0mey »

Clean, but you know what to do

Start swapping parts from the GTI? The seats, HIDs, and steering wheel are on the list, and at least the rear sway bar. If only I could figure out a way off swapping them without my wife noticing...

[derekjl]

Lower it, wheels, chip, HIDs even...

[Jay3k4]

just wondering, but why GLI monster mats and not just the jetta ones?

[resnone1]

Congrats! Very exclusive JSW color.

I'd love to see pics of it pulling out of home depot with 4x8's on the roof

[nylinkz797]

Very nice!!
I got mine with the power panorama roof & the rear air bags. If you planing to have kids, maybe you should get the rear air bags.
I put some OEM projectors, and they make the car look very nice!
Congrats on the car! very nice!

[papa_vw]

Quote, originally posted by NicholasJay »

We bought this car for several reasons: a) We wanted me to have a family-ish car for when we start to have kids

Nice! Great looking new car; enjoy it.
Looks like you'll enjoy the ride in the car and on your wife.

[WhiteJettaMK3]

well lets see the Miata! Im a auto-x **** and im dieing to pick up a Miata for a project car

[Pelican18TQA4]

The Avignons looks great on the JSW!

[Y0ungDUB]

swap the grill and fogs

[skyline513]

Lookin good! Good choice on the salsa red!

[Buran]

Quote, originally posted by papa_vw »

Looks like you'll enjoy the ride in the car and on your wife.

[MadJerry]

I am interested to know what you mean by "factory order." I also do not much like the installed options from most of the dealer models and I was wondering how to custom order my own set up. But I have no idea where to start...

[NotherSkiBum]

Sharp new ride. I have a salsa red JSW, but it's a TDI. It also has anthracite interior. I swapped my grille for a GTI so that red stripe acencts the front. Looks good so far; I'm still working on getting the fogs in. You made good decisions on what you wanted. I opted for the sunroof, which my son really likes. He can easily comment on the color of the traffic light as I pass under it. Yep, caught again!
I'm sure your wife won't miss the grille if you just try it out for a day or two. Enjoy.

[Smigelski]

Quote, originally posted by Jay3k4 »

just wondering, but why GLI monster mats and not just the jetta ones?

A few reasons:

1) I hear that the regular 'Jetta' monster mats don't hold up as well as the honeycomb style.
2) I don't refer to my JSW as a 'Jetta'. I don't know why. I as just never a fan of the name. I don't want it on my floor mats.
3) The red of the 'GLI' script would match the exterior a bit.

[Smigelski]

Quote, originally posted by nylinkz797 »

Very nice!! I got mine with the power panorama roof & the rear air bags. If you planing to have kids, maybe you should get the rear air bags. I put some OEM projectors, and they make the car look very nice! Congrats on the car! very nice!

I've read that side air bags aren't the greatest things to have with car seats. I don't know how true that was. Otherwise I wouldn't mind them.

[Smigelski]

Quote, originally posted by MadJerry »

I am interested to know what you mean by "factory order." I also do not much like the installed options from most of the dealer models and I was wondering how to custom order my own set up. But I have no idea where to start...

I went into the dealer with a specific set of requirements for my car. Some weren't required, but wanted. In the VWhub system, we looked at all SEL with stick in our region and the surrounding regions. There were about 3 in the eastern half of the country. All had the pano sunroof, which I didn't want. Eventually one popped up in Atlanta that had the nav, and I definitely didn't want that. I told the dealer exactly what I wanted, and they put an order in to the factory. About two and a half months later, the vwhub system told the dealer the car was built & had a VIN. A month later it arrived at the dealer.

The car was marked 'sold' in vwhub when it was ordered, so it was 'preallocated' to me. I negotiated the price on the day of ordering, and when the car came in, all I had to do was make sure everything was OK, and sign the paperwork. Drove out with the exact car I wanted.

[Smigelski]

Quote, originally posted by NotherSkiBum »

Sharp new ride. I have a salsa red JSW, but it's a TDI. It also has anthracite interior. I swapped my grille for a GTI so that red stripe acencts the front. Looks good so far; I'm still working on getting the fogs in. You made good decisions on what you wanted. I opted for the sunroof, which my son really likes. He can easily comment on the color of the traffic light as I pass under it. Yep, caught again! I'm sure your wife won't miss the grille if you just try it out for a day or two. Enjoy.

I think I would rather the GTI front end. I has the effect I want, and it's cheaper to buy new. The only problem is that the honeycomb lower side grilles don't come without fog light holes. I have no desire for fog lights because I only use them in fog, and even then they don't help at all.

Do you have any picture of how your car is now? (With the GTI grille but without foglights?) I'd be really interested in seeing it.

The sunroof is really impressive & useful. I just didn't want the additional weight & complexity of having it. At least, not while I have a convertible. Plus I just never used the sunroofs on my previous cars that much.

I was thinking about getting a TDI instead of the SEL just for the neatness of having the diesel, but no diesels could be ordered (at least then) from the factory, and they did have any for me to test drive anyway.


Modified by NicholasJay at 6:42 AM 3-19-2009

[Smigelski]

Quote, originally posted by Pelican18TQA4 »

The Avignons looks great on the JSW!

Thanks. I really like them, and I don't see them on other cars too often. I was thinking about picking up a set of Classix at some point, or BBS CO's, because I think either would look nice on the wagon body style.

[Smigelski]

Quote, originally posted by WhiteJettaMK3 »

well lets see the Miata! Im a auto-x **** and im dieing to pick up a Miata for a project car

Here's a picture I look in the fall when I got the hard top. Strange that two picture days (for the Miata and JSW) were equally dreary outside.

[Smigelski]

Quote, originally posted by resnone1 »

Congrats! Very exclusive JSW color. I'd love to see pics of it pulling out of home depot with 4x8's on the roof

I like the color a lot. My second choice would've been Laser Blue. That seems like it is the ultimate rare color for the JSW now.

As soon as I need a 4x8 sheet, you'll have your picture. The next thinks I'll need are bags of mulch and fertilizer. ( On a side note, I can fit 9 big bags of mulch in the GTI with the rear seats down. I wonder how many can fit in the JSW?)

[Pelican18TQA4]

Quote, originally posted by NicholasJay »

Thanks. I really like them, and I don't see them on other cars too often. I was thinking about picking up a set of Classix at some point, or BBS CO's, because I think either would look nice on the wagon body style.

Agreed, you don't see them that often on Jettas or JSWs and that's why I ordered them on my TDI. Can't beat 17" wheels/tires for $350! Here's a piece of useless information pertaining to your car, the Avignons are made by Borbet.

[Smigelski]

Quote, originally posted by Pelican18TQA4 »

Here's a piece of useless information pertaining to your car, the Avignons are made by Borbet.

I did not know that. I've always considered Borbet as sort of a 'second tier' brand. I'm sure the wheels are fine, but it just not a wheel people aspire to own, in my opinion.

[Pelican18TQA4]

Quote, originally posted by NicholasJay »

I did not know that. I've always considered Borbet as sort of a 'second tier' brand. I'm sure the wheels are fine, but it just not a wheel people aspire to own, in my opinion.

I share a similar opinion. But, in an OEM application I'm sure they're fine.

[brian81]

Quote, originally posted by NicholasJay »

I've read that side air bags aren't the greatest things to have with car seats. I don't know how true that was. Otherwise I wouldn't mind them.

Also, they are very dangerous to a passenger that falls asleep leaning on the door, which older kids are apt to do. My dad, (an ER/trauma doc) saw a few bad cases from this.

[nylinkz797]

Quote, originally posted by NicholasJay »

I've read that side air bags aren't the greatest things to have with car seats. I don't know how true that was. Otherwise I wouldn't mind them.

Don't know how true it is, never heard of that, but sounds possible, just like i heard about front air bags exploiting on people faces.

I got a nice Recaro car seat and i have it positioned in the middle of the back seat and it anchors nicely in the cargo area. Highly recommend it!

[SilverRubicon]

Glad you finally received your car. Ahead of schedule too? Still waiting on my laser blue SEL. I went the opposite direction on options, everything but the kitchen sink (ie, the nav).

I know I've hassled you about this enough, but I'm curious as to how things turn out once you install a new rear sway bar.

[iDubber.com]

Congrats on new car

[moveingfaster]

I was looking into getting one with the TDI but did not want to pay the dealer markup of $5k.

[haunted reality]

Quote, originally posted by nylinkz797 »

Don't know how true it is, never heard of that, but sounds possible, just like i heard about front air bags exploiting on people faces. I got a nice Recaro car seat and i have it positioned in the middle of the back seat and it anchors nicely in the cargo area. Highly recommend it!

I was told by my local FD not to use the middle for the car seat in a VW. He said VW does not recommend it. I also just got a Recaro Young Sport for my son and it's a great seat!

[feels_road]

to your car! Good to see you finally got yours.

Quote, originally posted by NicholasJay »

I've read that side air bags aren't the greatest things to have with car seats. I don't know how true that was. Otherwise I wouldn't mind them.

That's an urban legend. VW participates in a voluntary program that makes sure the side airbags are designed to protect without doing harm. I would always choose a car with rear side bags over one with none, while carrying children. Not to do so is akin saying "but in case I am trapped, I may not be able to open my seat belts" to justify not wearing those. Sure, there is a 1:100,000 chance not wearing a seat belt helps a person, under very strange and particular circumstances - while the other 999,999 cases enter certain death without them...

No offense to the OP, but I wished these stupid misconceptions would not be propagated through the internet, ad infinitum.


Modified by feels_road at 1:57 AM 3-20-2009

[Smigelski]

Quote, originally posted by SilverRubicon »

Glad you finally received your car. Ahead of schedule too? Still waiting on my laser blue SEL. I went the opposite direction on options, everything but the kitchen sink (ie, the nav). I know I've hassled you about this enough, but I'm curious as to how things turn out once you install a new rear sway bar.

You should get your car pretty soon. I think you ordered your car not long after I ordered mine. It was scheduled to come in the week of 3/23, and it came in Monday the 16th. So, it came in about one to two weeks early depending on how you look at it.

I'll try to remember IMing you when I get the sway bar, but I'd like to drive the car around for a while with the stock one so I can get a feel for the difference when the new one goes on. I still haven't decided which one I want. Either the GTI rear bar bit from Bud, or the H&R 22mm, or the H&R 24mm bar from ECS. I wouldn't mind just getting the 22mm bar, but its over $100 more than the 21mm GTI bar. The 24mm bar seems like it would be too big for what I want.