Purdue University

[OstTrefftWest]

Quote, originally posted by farfromugen »

BTW to those who know, my car was running like crap, but yesterday I received a new MAF and all things are better, my MPG went from like 8 miles a gallon to a more respectable number

Sweet! That car is so totally sickness (or is at least on the verge of it), man -- getting MPG out of the single-digits is just icing on the cake! So what's left to do on it now?

[farfromugen]

well next in line is a polished manifold that should be on its way...not sure, I may get it p&p before I put it on...just depends on the $$$ factor; ahh yes then the underdrive pully set thats sitting in my back hatch, maybe I'll put it on if nothing else after that I want to get the dings out and repaint a few parts on it but money, that bastard is always getting in the way

[heysuperman]

i know auto speciality can do a polish and port matching. there prices are pretty good to boot.

SAT GTG: meet at my house at noon. if you want to drink , ya gonna have to bring it. everything else will be supplied

[OstTrefftWest]

Quote, originally posted by farfromugen »

but money, that bastard is always getting in the way

Well, if you just would've changed jobs back in January or February, I would've bought the GTI through you, and could've helped with the budget. But nooooo -- you had to still be working at the City at a time that I wasn't seriously in the market for any electronics. Now see, if you just would've planned ahead a little better....

As for Saturday, I might be a few minutes late, depending on whether I have the Miata road-force-balanced ($19 per wheel! ) this Saturday morning or next. One way or the other, though, I'll be there!

[vw fiend]

guys, i'm thinking about buying this car:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1025274
i need ideas of questions to ask, things to look for. i've got a pretty big list... it would be a nice step up from what i have, and i think i'll be giving it to my brother here on campus. car is now going for $1600... its:

chipped
big brakes, 5 lug
sport exhaust of some kind
power everything
abs
been in an accident & stolen & recovered
cam
head
electric recaro interior

in baltimore... but it may really be worth the drive. current owner is 33, previous 28. what do i need to do to have a mechanic look at it from a distance to get a good idea without having to travel there?

i'm excited

[OstTrefftWest]

Looks like a great deal! My best suggestion would be to go into whichever regional forum includes Baltimore, and ask for recommendations for a good shop to do a pre-purchase check of an A2. In a city that size, there's bound to be several good VW mechanics who could hook ya up.

Dude, I hope you get it!

[vw fiend]

done and done. why does it seem to be too good to be true? anyone want to take bets as to whats wrong?

[OstTrefftWest]

Quote, originally posted by vw fiend »

done and done. why does it seem to be too good to be true? anyone want to take bets as to whats wrong?

I'm not sure it is "too good to be true":

1. The FS thread notes that at least the odometer (and so probably the speedometer, too) doesn't work, and GLI-specific clusters are hard-to-find/expensive, IIRC. That hurts its value.

2. Also, it's a theft recovery with branded title. Car thieves obviously don't treat cars with respect, which leaves some question about what it's been subjected to. That, and the title brand, also hurt its value.

3. It has collision history -- even if it was repaired correctly, that hurts its value, too.

4. Unless you know Dubs, even a GLI is "just another old Jetta" -- outside the enthusiast market, I'm not sure they hold much more value than a GL in the same condition. That keeps the value down.

5. The seller just plain needs money, it sounds like, which gives him incentive to move the car for less than it might technically be worth. (The flip side is, maybe he's looking at a new car because he's tired of putting money into this one -- but that's what your independent mechanic inspection is for!)

So I don't really think it's too good to be true, assuming it checks out acceptably to a mechanic. A very good deal for a car that smart guys like us know is desirable, yes -- but not too good to be true.


Modified by OstTrefftWest at 11:37 AM 10-10-2003

[vw fiend]

there was a catch:
doorpanels dont match seats
dent in passenger rear door
dent under drivers tail
various oil leaks
couple missing fender flare
"tweaked" drivers seat
and the kicker:
8 salvage reports on the title

john says i should lowball and see if he bights.

[heysuperman]

ok, the GTG has been canceled due to low turn out. will try to arrange something else later.

[vw fiend]

Eric, keep your eyes out for slightly modded cars with reasonable price on them for me, will you?

[heysuperman]

tried call you eric. gimme a call

[OstTrefftWest]

Quote, originally posted by vw fiend »

john says i should lowball and see if he bights.

Under the circumstances, I'd agree. It'd be hard to find an enthusiast-oriented A2 like a GLI that didn't have oil leaks, and mismatched interior trim is just a simple swap assuming you can find someone else in need. But a tweaked driver's seat is trickier, since seats were a desirable "scavenge" item out of GLIs (though my GL was a little tweaked, too). And eight(!) salvage reports is a little worrisome (though I'd still overlook it if it checked out okay and the price was right)....

If they're still asking $1,800, I'd open at an even grand. Probably wouldn't go higher than $1,200 unless I'd already lined up some really good deals for the parts to fix some of the problems....

[ALTRn8]

Hey "OstTrefftWest"...our official Uber Law man !

Whens your next Bar Bee Que ?

[vw fiend]

the price was dropped to $1600. john thinks i could offer around $700ish, in that case, i *may* buy it.

[heysuperman]

if he parted it. i don't see him getting more than 1k

[vw fiend]

yeah, what he said

[dalasdhn]

hey guys, lemme know what yall think about this lights bulbs, i might be able to hook yall up with them!!

http://www.stealthauto.com

i meet the owner a few days ago and he had the lights on a mazda rx8 and they look very nice!!


Modified by dalasdhn at 12:20 AM 10-12-2003

[vw fiend]

i never heard back from the guy in MD, or got pictures from him, so screw it i'm done with that. heres what i'm in love with now:

yeah, a "jolf" i think the jetta front end looks really good on there, but only with 4 doors... sorta like an old school jetta wagon. so, i'm going to keep my eyes out for the right golf or gti. if i go gti, the front end stays that way. if i go 4 door golf, and i can come across the parts, i want a jolf. i think the mille wheels finish off the deal, as well as the dark color. i think i'd want to add a vented fender on the airbox side.

i might save through the winter, and start the project in the spring, but if the right car comes along... i want to get something thats been treated nicely, but i also want some of the cool stuff done to it by the previous owner. that jolf was for sale, but i would have never been able to make it to NJ to see it, but it was loaded with nice stuff, for only $2000! http://forums.vwvortex.com/zer...age=1

[perf311]

i got rear-ended on my way home for the long weekend on the interstate. i was the middle car of 5 cars involved. a new nissan altima rear ended an mid-90's laser (totaled i bet) which ran into me. i hit a saab and sent him into a plymouth van.
$1057 in damages. entire rear bumper is trash, my trunk doesn't seal completely anymore (can be re-aligned) and the bar beneath my rear bumper needs to be replaced as well.
in the front, my license plate/holder ripped out, but good thinking on vw's part they put that in the rub-strips. so only the front rub-strip needs to be replaced. i won't be getting her fixed until xmas break.

[heysuperman]

why aren't you going to get it fixed here? insurance is paying right?

[farfromugen]

Quote, originally posted by vw fiend »

Eric, keep your eyes out for slightly modded cars with reasonable price on them for me, will you?

Yeah, I can do that...we have a really cool Saturn with mods right now

[OstTrefftWest]

Quote, originally posted by farfromugen »

Yeah, I can do that...we have a really cool Saturn with mods right now

Yeah, I'd seen it around town here and there before it hit your lot. Honestly, I'm surprised that you didn't just put it at Mall Motors (or even dump it at auction). It looks to be on good shape -- but a Saturn SL2 with gaudy aluminum wing, oversized tach with shift light, and lowering kit (or maybe just cut springs, for all I know)?!?

That's the kind of thing the icon was made for!

[farfromugen]

haha...yeah

well Jon looks like today is out for IRP

[vw fiend]

hey eric, is there a good time i could stop by and look at your car someday? what are the different engines that come in the A3 body? i've heard of the vr6, a 2.0L 8v, a crossflow, and maybe a 16v, but i dont know if all these are stock, or even referring to the same thing...

[OstTrefftWest]

Well, AFAIK, "2.0 8v" and "crossflow" are the same thing.... As for 16v, I'll have to defer to Eric about whether it ever made it into a MkIII....

Still, I still sometimes wonder whether I shouldn't have just tried to find a clean A2 and stayed with it -- nothing else, not even the MkIIIs I've test-driven, feels the same....

[farfromugen]

The 115 hp 129 lb/ft 2.0L 8 valve in that body are the same as the old 8v engines found in previous years, what makes it a 'crossflow' is that the intake manifold has longer runners.

174 hp 169 lb ft 2.8L VR6 was also a choice on the GTI and Jetta (GLX);

90hp 149 lb/ft1.9L TDI turbo Diesel in Golf and Jetta chasis;

I think there was a 1.8L 8 valve on the early US Jetta/Golfs, not 100% on that, and the Golf 16V never made it for production in the US, it was availible in Europe and Canada I think

[vw fiend]

so unless i get a 4 door golf with an engine swap, i'm getting roughly 115hp?

looks like i'll be looking for a VR6 forsale, maybe i'll find someone in the paper who doesnt know what they have for sale.

i love the jetta, but i dont want to deal with an engine swap now, replacing the clutch would cost as much as its worth, and i want something new... probably for the same reasons jason got the new golf in place of the jetta. but i will be keeping it in the family by giving it to my brother. then someday, i'll get it back and i can do what i want with it. or, who knows, my urge for a new car may die...

[vw fiend]

Quote, originally posted by vw fiend »

john says i should lowball and see if he bights.

did i really type "bights"? jeeeeez...

[OstTrefftWest]

Quote, originally posted by vw fiend »

did i really type "bights"? jeeeeez...

We'll let it slide this time.... After all, since you haven't announced GLI ownership yet, we'd already pretty well figured that the seller hasn't "baighten" on your offer yet!

[vw fiend]

haha, "baighten". that made my night. phew...

[vw fiend]

HA!

[perf311]

goddamned cubs. who's watchin it.

[vw fiend]

jeeez.

[OstTrefftWest]

So the Cubbies snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, eh? At least Jeb Bush is offering three-month asylum(!) the fan whose foul-ball grab wrecked Game 6. (Unfortunately, because of my stupid digital dish, I still don't have local channels, so I couldn't watch any of the games.... )