1.8t's

[elgarvo616]

one of my friends has a 1.8t jetta wolfsburg edition. he always tries to race me and last night i finally gave in. i had 2 170lbs people in the car not including myself. we stayed dead even on the highway. hes got 3" from the turbo back and my mods are in my sig. my question is, are 1.8t's really that slow? i thought they had like 180 hp.

[themadscientist]

so it would seem. your wideopen exhuast favors high rpm peak HP, I suspect from a stop he would beat you.

[USsil80]

they are also heavy cars....

[lofapoo]

The MK4 Jettas are incredibly heavy, but there motor is very potent. However, unless he has a chip, a HUGE load of power is being held back. Now with a chip his power would increase, by alot.

[240DRFT]

did he have anyone in the car with him?

[elgarvo616]

no

[Dattebayo]

Wow. I thought they only had 150HP, even with the turbo. I think my info was incorrect.

[naed240sx]

damn thats awsome... But im not that surprised. My friend has a 2000 vr6 jetta that makes around 175 hp stock and a similar torque #. Its got a short shifter, full exhaust system, intake, lightweight flywheel, clutch, helical lsd, and a few others. His car will hit 160 before it redlines. Im not sure what year the jetta you raced was, but I know that the vr6 will take an equivalent year 1.8t anyday. Anyway, we raced and were dead even up to 80mph. Ive got an s13 with intake, exhaust, and about 150 pounds removed. And my car is at 150,00 miles, his hasnt even hit 100k. Hes beat modifed mustang gt's, rsx type s, others.go 240's!

[Juujai]

the engine design is pretty nice, individual throttle bodies, turbo, 20valves, dohc not too shabby. it's just german cars tend to be a tad heavier.

[st33f]

i drive one all the time... its peppy... all she has is turbo back 3inch and a chip and a Blowoff valve

it cant hang with SR's or KA-T's tho

[hannibal]

VR6's (200hp) are quicker stock, but its easier to get more power from the 1.8T (chip + more boost).The first 1.8T had 150hp, and the later ones had 180hp. They are very heavy cars for their size and the Wolfsburg with leather and a bunch of other accessories probably wont help much either.

Both cars are 5 speeds??

[azncorruptedo17]

aren't the 1.8t 6speed? haven't looked into the vws since i bought my 240... but i believe the 1.8t is 6speed, my friends is a 6speed but he has a gti... maybe its just on a gti/golf...

you should try to find a race with an vw golf r32

[hannibal]

Yeah, youre right. The 180hp 1.8T have 6 speeds. The older 150hp had a 5spd.

[elgarvo616]

both of them are 5 spd

[Jookmasta]

u know i thought they were quicker but i guess i was wrong. an NA 240 can hang with those things?????? i guess thats one less car for me to waste my gas on when i see em on the road. gotta luv 240s...............

[93Black S13]

Don't let the stock numbers fool you, the 1.8t has alot of potential.1.8t models up to around '01 came with 150 hp stock, and '02 and up come with 180hp. No real diffrence, Chipped +TBE + intake, they both go up to 215hp.

Most 1.8t's come in 5spd, exept the GTI 337/ 20th Aneversary Eddition come with a nice 6spd.

And running a 3" TBE on the stock turbo is a lil big ( unless he plans to upgrade the turbo to a k04, which is an OEM bolt on)

Also, they are usualy good for highway runs too, even the 1.8t Quattro (AWD, came in Audi a4's, and maybe the jetta). And yeah, those german car's are pigs

[JimmyMethod]

Well, with the mods you have, you're prolly at what, 150, at the tires? That Jetta prolly throws down 160 at the tires... Does a Jetta mass 6.6% more than an S14? Actually, it does, almost exactly. So, you SHOULD have been even...If you have a near empty gas tank, that would account for the weight of the extra people...

[sean8564]

wow for the money you spend for a jetta you could build a 400-500 HP 240sx or a 240 with RB26 and all the goodies like silvia front end ect.

[dfw240_EE]

VW's have long since stopped being the cheap car in this country.

And I think the AWD system on the VW's is called "4Motion", instead of quattro. I would bet though that they are either the same or very similar.

[bryanmenard]

What a nice thread. I own a 2001 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition (1.8T) and a 1993 Nissan 240SX.

Let's clear some things up:

1) With the exception of the late 2004-early 2005 Jetta GLI, all manual 1.8T-equipped Jettas were 5-speeds. ONLY the GLI models had 6-speeds. There was also an automatic option.

2) The 150 hp and 180 hp motors are the same with different programming. Same motor.

3) No US or Canadian Jetta ever had AWD. All-wheel-drive (called "4Motion" in VW lingo) was only available in Europe and only on VR6 Jettas. No 1.8T Jetta ever came from the factory with AWD, ever.

4) The Wolfsburg Edition was 2 emblems, a 3-spoke sport leather steering wheel, sport seats (GTI seats to be specific) and BBS RXII wheels. Other than that, it's a Jetta GLS.

That cleared up, I can say that the Jetta is not a car to be modifying. I'm very active in a Houston group of Jetta owners and I watch people time and time again destroy their cars and I've come to some conclusions I'd like to share.

First, the 1.8T is an incredibly fragile motor. It has serious ignition problems, specifically dealing with the ignition coils. A major recall was done last year on the cars that involved complete replacement of all ignition coils on virtually all the 1.8T Jettas through 2003 model year. The new design they replaced them with is already starting to fail on some cars, so it's looking to be a continuing issue. Basically the plastic melts, letting oil get into the electronics, fries the coil, trips the check engine light, then eventually all go and the car stalls and is stuck

The 1.8T requires premium fuel and synthetic oil. The engine has major MAJOR problems with sludge in the oil. VW recommends 40-weight oil and all of their "preferred" oils are synthetic. Use of 30 weight oil is "acceptable" according to the manual, but they don't mention that when running on 10W30, the car will burn 1 quart per thousand miles. They have 5,000 mile oil change intervals and hold 4 quarts of oil. Do the math. So, synthetic and premium required, NO OPTIONS.

The transmission, flywheel, and clutch are in no way built for any power over stock. In fact, they can't handle the power it has. Overboost or otherwise increase the power and you can kiss those all goodbye in 10,000 miles. They simply can't take it. Popular mods are upgraded turbos, exhaust, headers, beefed up clutch, exhaust, flywheel, etc. The standard stuff, basically. Suspension mods are highly effective.

The car handles incredibly well for any car, particularly for a front-wheel drive car. Beefing up the suspension makes an already awesome handling car even better. There's very little lean in turns and it has an almost ridiculous amount of grip. The car is VERY well balanced.

The build-quality is truly superb, especially considering the car is made in Puebla, Mexico. The major issues functionally are plastic pieces in the interior that start peeling...they're coated in rubber and it comes off. Also, the seats attract lint like a mo-fo. Never seen anything like it. It IS a very comfortable car, though and Nissan could take some lessons in seat design.

That being said, I will say the car is like an eggshell. Be VERY gentle. It does NOT like to be abused, modified, or driven hard. It WILL punish you for it. And that's the car's achilles heel...it's simply not durable, reliable, or cheap enough to be modifying. This is why you don't see them on the road long. You'll see a guy with a nice Jetta all riced out and then you never see him again or you see him driving an RSX a year later.

I love my Jetta. I'm active in a local group of Jetta owners and the turnover is VERY high on them. Mine is completely stock and, until it's paid off and I feel like destroying it, it's staying in the garage for the weekends.

As for the power: adequate. I don't consider the car to be particularly quick. My girlfriend has a 2005 Jetta GLI (180 hp 6-speed) and I cannot feel the extra 30 hp. Amazingly, the 6-speed and the 5-speed run IDENTICAL rpm at highway speeds. The car is perfectly adequate, but not abundant, particularly at highway speeds. Passing requires a downshift to fourth or even third to get the turbo spooled up enough to provide the gusto needed.

I pick the 240SX over the Jetta any day of the week. And, In fact, I DO pick it EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK. I take the Jetta to the post office on Saturday, out on dates, maybe a drive in the country. It's NOT a daily driver and I wouldn't recommend it for anyone.
Modified by bryanmenard at 12:11 AM 7/15/2005

[dfw240_EE]

I am certain though that the 4Motion is available on the USDM Passat, and I read on Edmunds that there will be a Station Wagon coming out soon based on the new body design that may have 4Motion.

bryanmenard: What do you think of the new Jettas? They have totally dumped the 1.8T and replaced the whole lineup with a 2.5L 5cyl and the 1.9 TDI only. The 2.5L puts out 150HP and is abit torquier than the 1.8t.

My sister in law has a 1.8t Beetle. On hers the plastic fuse box for the battery melted. It's also been in numerous times for faulty wiring.

[bryanmenard]

I was referring to 4motion on the JETTA. I am aware it is available on other models here.

The 1.8T allegedly will be available on the new Mk.5 Jetta, but as a bored-out 2.0T. I'm not entirely enthusiastic about the direction the Jetta is going, particularly with the huge waterfall grille (some CHROME!!) or the Corolla-clone looks. I test-drove one and it drove very well, but is softer than the old one.

I'm a very happy Jetta owner, don't get me wrong, but I'm a realist, and a serious 240SX enthusiast. When I bought my Jetta, I was well aware of the problems the car had and have done everything I can to keep the car in good shape.

Funny you mention electrical problems... I keep an entire inventory of light bulbs in the trunk at all times. The car blows bulbs contantly. Brake lights, tail lights, license plate lights, turn signals. Everything blows constantly. What's worse, the car uses European-style bulbs (P21W, P21/5W, etc.) that cost more and can be hard to find.

The car is simply inferior to the 240SX in every way I can think of. I love the way the car drives, but I would never rely on it on a long trip. I drove my 240SX on a 1400 mile trip recently (one way) without even batting an eye. I would never do that in the Jetta.

Overall, the Jetta is not a disappointment to me. I knew exactly what I was getting into when I bought it and I'm happy. It is what it is: NOT a Japanese car.

It's a nice balance in the garage having both. It has snob-appeal, which can be fun. I don't want to frighten the other Jetta enthusiasts, but it's also the most popular car in gay America...YES, VW actually advertises that in The Advocate. So if you're a male and you're driving a Jetta, you must be comfortable with the idea that you're going to be assumed to be gay by most people. Doesn't bother me one bit. I think it's hilarious.

[dfw240_EE]

I should buy a pink or rainbow Jetta for the fun of it Imagine the looks then!!!!

I more meant with the new engine choice do you think that the 2.5L 5cyl might be more durable than the 1.8t? It seems that may be where they are going with this. The power of a turbo with a larger non turbo engine to improve longevity.

[bryanmenard]

The 2.5 is the base engine, and replaces the 2.Oh-my-gawd engine in the Mk.4 Jetta.

The Jetta I drove was a 2.5 and, without knowing the numbers, can say the engine is both sluggish-feeling and suffers from rather harsh vibration that's noticable at idle mostly.

This new Jetta is a lot heavier than the old one. I'd say it weighs as much as a BMW 3-series, but I'm basing that just on the overall feel. It feels like it's firmly planted on the ground, for sure.

240SX runs circles around it.

[Pencil Shavings]

i agree that the jettas have gona downhill. im driving a mk3(1997) jetta right now (vr6 170hp) and before that i drove a mk2(1992) jetta. compared to other 'everyday' cars, the vr6 handles nice. i was recently on a road trip with my friend cutting through PA on rt 15 and there was a stretch of about 20 to 25 min i didnt drop below 90..and a good 5 to 10 min of that i was right at 100. (cruised great that fast btw) 15 is a bendy road, and any turn feels sharp at 100, but it felt great cruising through the whole time, the suspension is deffinatly up to par. on slower corners it does have some roll but it does perform better then most other everyday cars like i said.

i think the newer jettas look more like the passats, and the brand new ones are just ugly looking. my sister has a 1.8t passat, and i sure whouldnt have guessed it had a turbo if i drove it without knowing..its pathetic

[bryanmenard]

You know, I'm straddling a line here obviously. I love both my cars. I think the Mk4 Jetta was the best one yet. The new Jetta is as big as (and weighs more than) the previous generation Passat and that sums it up.

Bottom line, and to get this thread back on topic, the 1.8T Jetta is NOT a fast vehicle and, furthermore, is front-wheel drive. I drive one, I'm a member of a club with numerous Jettas and GTI/Golfs in it. They're NOT fast. You've got to sink some serious coin into one of them to get them to even come close to fast...and then you have a vehicle that's not only front-wheel drive, but equipped with an inferior drivetrain. Further, it's laden with traction control and stability control. All that has to be disabled.

All-in-all, it's a great vehicle in stock form that's perfectly decent. I wouldn't risk modifying it.

I'll still take my 240SX 5 days a week.