Well, I won't be getting a newer van after all.

Suzibeck

Active member
The air conditioning in dh car died and that was the last straw. He got this Chrysler LHS about a year and a half ago and it has been nothing but trouble. We decided to take the money we had been saving toward a newer van and buy a newer car for him.

We got a 2004 Jetta wagon. It has 200,000 highway miles on it from the original owner, who commuted 90 miles, each way, to and from work. We got a really good deal on it. I really like it and think it will last dh a long time, but I'm bummed that I'm stuck with the Silhouette and all of its electrical issues and hidden tether anchors. It has a good engine and the transmission was rebuilt several years ago so it is mechanically sound. I couldn't say that about the LHS, which also had Gen 3 belts, so good riddance!

The Jetta is desiel and they say it gets 50 mpg. We won't do that well as most of our driving is city but it will still be a huge improvement. Dh is gone this morning, but later I'll install seats and see how crowded it is with all 3 girls in the back. It will be my first experience with LATCH and it has 3 tether anchors that are a breeze to get to. At least one car will be an easy install. :thumbsup:
 
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Erika Ruth

New member
That is NO big deal! We had a car with 260,000 and we would have kept it, had it had air conditioning and NOT had vinyl seats (we put 160,000 miles on it). We have one car with 160,000 and we LOVE it, we'll keep driving it until the wheels fall off (NOTHING is wrong with it, and it passes smog GREAT and has to be re-tested because emisions are so low, gets great gas mileage (26mpg). We got it with 50,000 and were really impressed with the LOW mileage on it!

We maintain our cars, so 200,000 with a good price, and a new transmission would be fine by me!!!!!!

Erika
 

Suzibeck

Active member
200,000 sounds like a lot, but with a well maintained Volkswagon, it is not a lot at all. Dh talked to a friend of his who knows these cars and he said it should go at least 100,000 more miles before it starts to have old car troubles. He also told dh "If you don't buy it, I will."

We always have cars with lots of mileage, my van just turned over 180,000, we are a single income family and we don't want a car payment. Anything else in our price range would have been a heap of junk, like the LHS was. I thought it would be much longer before we actually owned a LATCH equipped vehicle.
 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member
Glad you got a good deal! Like the PP's said, 200K on a Volkswagen is no biggie! Heck, DH's Jeep has 200,000 miles on it and it's still going strong!
 

Morganthe

New member
Wow. Maybe I should get me a volkswagon :p

We've had three VWs over the years. All bought used and lasted well over 200,000 miles before we sold them. :D

But I don't know if they've worked out the newer 'made in Mexico' versions, especially the Passat. They've had problems from around 2000 and it's pulling down the reputation of VW. But I miss my VW. My Camry's nowhere as peppy or as comfy. But oh well, it's paid for :shrug-shoulders:

I am impressed -- 200,000 miles in just over 2-3 years. WOW -- that's a lot of driving!

Enjoy :)
 

Suzibeck

Active member
We crammed everyone in, and I do mean crammed, and took it for a family spin. The MA went in like a breeze with LATCH, less than a minute to install!

The 2-1 book of the manual is missing so I didn't have install instructions from the car. There are several separate manuals, not a good design there. Does anyone know if Volkswagon allows middle LATCH? It isn't marked as such and I won't likely use it that way, but I'm curious.

I need to move the HBTB to the center to see if oldest would have more room outboard. I'll do that when we go to church tonight. It has full side curtain airbags so I'm OK with putting oldest outboard if that works better.

I'm loving have a stick shift again. We have had all automatics since we sold my old Mazda 7 years ago, when we bought the van. I love driving a standard transmission!
 

Morganthe

New member
I found out the other day that if you need an owner's manual, contact the dealership parts department. They may have extra or be able to order you one.
hth :)
 

Suzibeck

Active member
Ooops, sorry, I was wrong on the year, it is a 2003. Still, a lot of miles in 4 years!

I've moved seats back to the van. No way can I put the MA and TB side by side so oldest dd must stay in the middle. Fortunately, we won't have to all cram in there very often. On the way home from church, I was hearing "Move your arm." "I don't have anywhere else to put it." kind of things. Don't think we will be driving to NY with the Jetta, lol.
 

oxeye

New member
Wow!! That's a lot of miles for a not old car! I'm sure you'll be thrilled with it, though. :)

My sister has an 02 Jetta with not even 20,000 miles .... she doesn't drive much ;)
 

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