New here - First car, Pictures, Current progress

[autobarn]

I'm new here and finally decided to start posting. I've used this site countless times for help so I'm going to try and help others when I can. Anyways, the car is a black 97 Jetta GL with a 2.0 122k miles I bought from a friend in 2010 for $1000. I've done pretty much everything myself, and regret not documenting anything. This car has been through a lot, but instead of listing everything here are some pictures for now. More to come.

When I bought it


After one of its wrecks



Bought these 15x7.5 mesh bmw bbs


Rest of the pictures are all current

[E-RustBox'er]

Lower it.

[autobarn]

That's the plan, thanks for the input.

[autobarn]

Installed coilovers myself this weekend. Yes, they're racelands, but they ride great right now. Way better than stock and ride comfort is good so far. Wanting to go lower in the back once I fix my exhaust clearance over the rear axle, It rattles when I hit bigger bumps. Here are a few pictures.

[veedubbd]

looks good! you should get an aligment so you dont wreck your tires tho. OEM smoked tailights for sale btw

[autobarn]

looks good! you should get an aligment so you dont wreck your tires tho. OEM smoked tailights for sale btw

Thanks, and I heard that I should wait about two weeks for them to settle before getting an alignment so I plan to soon. Another thing is that I'm hoping that the alignment won't make the front wheels poke like they did before I lowered it.

[Country Wide]

Thanks, and I heard that I should wait about two weeks for them to settle before getting an alignment so I plan to soon. Another thing is that I'm hoping that the alignment won't make the front wheels poke like they did before I lowered it.

Whoever said a couple weeks was wayyy off. They'd be settled by the time you got to the alignment shop. And sorry to say, those fronts may end up poking again, that's a lottt of negative camber to correct.

[autobarn]

Whoever said a couple weeks was wayyy off. They'd be settled by the time you got to the alignment shop. And sorry to say, those fronts may end up poking again, that's a lottt of negative camber to correct.

wow okay thanks, and ill just have them adjust my exhaust while it's at the shop, hopefully they understand what I'm talking about and actually fix it.

[PKstrategy]

when are you going to lower it?

wheels look good.

[violentaesthete]

Wait, you put coilovers on it? I'm sorry I can't tell.

[mikeone718]

lower it some more.
clean car otherwise

[autobarn]

took the advice on the alignment, then dropped the front a bit more. Only thing is that I replaced the upper 02 sensor after a code said no activity, and now that code went away and a bank 1 too rich code is showing up kinda tired of it, but want to figure it out seeing that i only get about 300 miles per tank.

[MYGTI_MA]

looks ok. I'd check out the classifieds on here to get some of the parts you are missing to clean up that front end.

[Trevor95VR6]

Good start, looks like a great starting point. Id go for some ecodes next and long fogs

[Mk3 Madness]

Love the wheel

[mk3jet4life]

Lower it.

[autobarn]

yeah definitely looking into ecodes, but not sure about fogs...is it difficult to wire? I've never really dealt with electrical in cars before. I do have one of the reflectors so the cheapest route would be to buy the other side, and get lower bumper inserts. all good advice, Ill browse here before looking elsewhere

[DrP]

need more info on yo rimz................

[Hurt]

Looks good to me, especially since it's your first car. You're doing great, man. If you're looking to make it faster, check out the thread in my sig. If I were you, I would get joey-modded or E-code headlights, GLX tails, paint your badgeless grill, and possibly do some performance mods.

[autobarn]

need more info on yo rimz................

Wheels are bbs 7x15, 24 offset, 4x100 from a bmw e30 m3 possibly...that's all I know, having trouble finding center caps to buy though I've heard them called euroweaves, basketweaves, and even RZ's.

[autobarn]

Looks good to me, especially since it's your first car. You're doing great, man. If you're looking to make it faster, check out the thread in my sig. If I were you, I would get joey-modded or E-code headlights, GLX tails, paint your badgeless grill, and possibly do some performance mods.

Thanks, and yeah that's a good thread. my favorite source besides this page which is what I used before I joined vwv. If anyone has some good websites to purchase parts let me know I really only know of mjm autohaus, techtonics tuning, and black forest industries.

[Hurt]

Good work.

[autobarn]

Update on the bank 1 too rich code...did some diagnostics and found out the pcv valve is bad, as its an original part. Went to take it off and clean it, but broke one of the plastic stems right off. Looks like ill have to wait for the new one to come in and use my camaro for the week, thats the bright side of it.

[autobarn]

Good work.

thanks, I bookmarked all the sites that you posted before...great help
Did some work on the typical faded door handles...I think I like them.


Dime for the key slot (saw on DIY write up)

Nickel to hold handle open for complete coverage

paint I had laying around





Picked up reflectors for the bumper, moved license plate (scraped a few times, didnt want to think it was something else like the pan)


Hopefully better pictures soon.

[vento86]

Looks good man.. What part of Ill you from?

[autobarn]

Looks good man.. What part of Ill you from?

thanks, nw suburb of chicago, about 20 minutes out. You from the area as well?

[autobarn]

Bored, here are a few pictures of the dirty jetta. Not sure whats next because I'm trying to save $ Should I get the grill and bumper painted already?





Changed the black oil out (last done in december) I'm used to my buddy's low jack, but this is all I had. tight squeeze.


temporary new stance

[Alucard_11]

hey man good job on the work you have done so far! i have a black jetta also. trying to do similar work to mine haha. question, could you link me to the DIY that you followed for the faded door handles?? i have to do mine aswell. please and thank you!

[autobarn]

hey man good job on the work you have done so far! i have a black jetta also. trying to do similar work to mine haha. question, could you link me to the DIY that you followed for the faded door handles?? i have to do mine aswell. please and thank you!

Thanks, I looked at a few sources from here but really just figured it out myself. It is one bolt in the door jam to remove, then you slide the entire handle toward the front of the car, then pull out. reversing that for install. I had to put my key in and turn it left and right when reinstalling the front handles so the locking mechanism would fall back into place. that was the only challenge i ran into. For the nickel coins, they just hold the handle open so that i could hold the blue tape and turn it while i sprayed. I used 280 grit sandpaper, and three light coats of paint. Don't know how mechanically inclined you are but its the easiest work i've ever done on my jetta.

[mk3jet4life]

thanks, I bookmarked all the sites that you posted before...great help
Did some work on the typical faded door handles...I think I like them.


Dime for the key slot (saw on DIY write up)

Nickel to hold handle open for complete coverage

paint I had laying around





Picked up reflectors for the bumper, moved license plate (scraped a few times, didnt want to think it was something else like the pan)


Hopefully better pictures soon.

those handles look great! i need to do that for sure!

[NTmK3]

car is lookin clean man. I like it

[DrP]

nice job, sell me your wheels!

[KeatGLX]

lookin good

[dougsterner]

I too am a newbie with a 100k+ black Jetta as my project. Mine is a 1996 that I picked up a few months back and it has been a handful. The clutch was smoked, struts were hammered, alignment way off and the interior looked as if it was used for feeding time at the zoo. It threw the timing belt after 2 months and that leads me to where I am now.

I will post some pictures of mine as I get moving on it. I have a 50k engine from a 98 now, a stage 2 clutch from Centerforce installed and am currently working on the dysfunctional gauge cluster.

I hope to have the new struts in by the weekend, along with the new tie rod end and then it's off to the alignment shop...and that's probably it until next paycheck :-)

What you have done looks great!!!! If mine turns out 1/2 that nice I'll be ecstatic! Thanks for the tips!!!

[chubbiechasin89]

Thanks, and yeah that's a good thread. my favorite source besides this page which is what I used before I joined vwv. If anyone has some good websites to purchase parts let me know I really only know of mjm autohaus, techtonics tuning, and black forest industries.

urotuning.com