[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by airforce1

Congratulations iliketurtles ! Wishing you a happy and safe motoring.I too took delivery of my jetta on 14th february.Enjoying every moment driving it.

Thanks airforce1! We're Jetta Bros, I guess! Now you have a jet for on-ground travel that matches your high-flying username too. Congrats on your Jetta, and may the miles ahead of you be filled with smiles unlimited.

Originally Posted by Chethan B G

Hi!

Needed some information on the head lights..

Akshay to the rescue! He beat me to the punch, it's exactly as he said. I was unsure as to how much the fog lights would be beneficial when cornering at lower speeds, but it's quite sufficient IMO. The headlight swap would involve quite some cosmetic surgery, if you pull it off please fill in everyone with info and pics!

Originally Posted by akshay1234

This headlight has xenons for both low and high beam, and the xenon light itself has auto levelling and a corner feature, while the fogs provide the cornering light at lower speeds. Headlight swap isn't that easy, quite a few sensors will be needed.

Thanks for saving me the hassle of typing Star 3D mats came in just now, BTW. I'll shoot some pics and an unboxing video too.

Originally Posted by delta5

If your rambling is so good, I can't wait till you write a proper travelogue!!

Haha many, many thanks for the kind words delta5! What happened to the previous 4 deltas, btw?

Originally Posted by delta5

Your car comparisons had me in splits, More reliable than Rahul Dravid, Forgetful/forgettable Fuence(I love it though, I guess have a thing for French flair) and Elantra - the supermodel.

Nice! Maybe that career in standup comedy isn't so improbable after all...

Originally Posted by delta5

This is the most F-word filled initial ownership thread I have read in recent times and you sir, have made my lazy Saturday morning awesomely cheerful. There is nothing like reading about Man's love for car and all the emotions involved in getting hitched with one or to quote you to get to 'our day of love', rated the thread a full 5 stars.

I hope we're thinking of the same 'F' Word! Glad I made your Saturday morning slightly brimful with cheer. I love writing and I love the car, and I just wanted to do justice to articulating the ups, downs and everything in between about the buying process. Thanks for the 5 star rating, much, much appreciated

Originally Posted by delta5

My favourite colour for a Jetta would have been silver, but a well maintained black looks cooler anyday (though not literally). I know how hard it is to go easy on such a beast of a ride, or maybe you could tamper with the Odo and get ahead.

The problem with the black is solely about maintaining its luster, nothing else. The issue with it is two-fold; the black on the outside is a dust magnet, and the beige interiors need constant caring on the inside too. I have my hands full, but I'm looking forward to it. Sundays just got a whole lot busier.

No tampering with the odo btw, I'll baby it until 2000 kms. Even so, it's plenty of fun to drive right about now. Had to make a run from home to Film City and had a nice time driving through Aarey Colony. Can't wait to complete the run-in and let rip, have a trip to Nashik lined up!

Originally Posted by delta5

You have not done justice to your ride with the pictures, a looker like Jetta calls for a dedicated photoshoot, please not just interior pics but better exterior pics as well.

Take good care of her and have a great ownership experience.

P.S.: Super-liked your narration on rooftops part.

Unfortunately, I am as poor shooting pictures as I am half-decent with a pen or keyboard in hand. I'll be adding some interior pics in some time, but I'll have to hand the camera over to some camera-friendly buddy to do full justice to the gaadi.

I'll take care of her, thanks for the thoughts and thanks for the bit on the rooftop. Just between you and me, it was my favorite part too. Don't tell anyone though.

[M00M]

Congratulations on the Jetta DSG Highline. A few questions if i may, i am in the market for a new car as well and have been looking at the Jetta DSG Highline. One, i saw a lot of people had service issues with Volkswagen on their twitter helpline and even a lot of people i know who have gone and bought a Vento and Jetta have advised against buying it because they have had horrible service. They all say the Jetta is a great drive but service is horrible. Have you had any experience in this ? I am very close to finalising the car but this service aspect is holding me back. Do advice. Two, is the DSG on this problem free and not like the problematic DSG of the Superb ? Three did you get any deal ? i am being offered a 40000 discount and 20000 exchange bonus.

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by M00M

A few questions if i may...

One, i saw a lot of people had service issues with Volkswagen...Have you had any experience in this ? I am very close to finalising the car but this service aspect is holding me back. Do advice.

First off, thanks for the congratulations. Let me try and answer your questions. The car is brand new, so I have no service experience whatsoever. Some have had issues with Volkswagen, but perhaps more prominently with skoda. Service is more of an issue with respect to the lead time needed to procure spares. Service can definitely be an issue, especially if you compare it to the Japanese and Koreans for service standards. So far my experience with VW has been good, will update it as the years roll on. I hope for the best.

Originally Posted by M00M

Two, is the DSG on this problem free and not like the problematic DSG of the Superb ?

The DSG issues have mostly been with petrol engined cars, Diesel engined DSG cars have been far more reliable. No worries on that front, in fact I'm very seriously considering a remap to bump up power figures after two years. I'm calmly confident about reliability of the DSG.

Originally Posted by M00M

Three did you get any deal ? i am being offered a 40000 discount and 20000 exchange bonus.

I got a discount of 30k, 15k corporate discount, a discount on the insurance (you can try to take this yourself from outside) of of 15-20% plus a waiver on the handling charges (I was firm on this).

Hope that helps, and good luck with your car hunt. With the excise cuts, it becomes an even more appealing prospect!

[iliketurtles]

Disclaimer: I am a rubbish photographer by any standard. If you are offended by my sub-standard camera skills, please send your complaints to youdontknowhowtotake@photo.com

I had promised a few interior pics, and so here they are. Mind you, it's not a comprehensive shoot because

a) I don't do comprehensive photo shoots
b) It was a lazy Saturday morning
c) the Team-BHP review will do more justice to a comprehensive shoot than I ever could.

That said, I stepped down and fired up the camera. Time to fire away!

These are the el-cheapo mats. I was wondering when I'd be rid of them. I had no idea how soon I'd get to replace them, but more on that later. The quality and fit of the mats are just really an injustice when it comes to selling a car of this size and segment. I have voiced my opinion to VW, but I doubt anything will come of it. At least I did my bit, can't say I didn't try.

Space at the back is not bad at all. That's the seat adjusted for me (a near 6 footer) and there's plenty of space behind me for the rest of the family. On a separate note, the wifey forgot some spaghetti in the car. I now know what's for lunch!

Here's the rear armrest fully down...

...and the little console behind it removed so that you can put your hand through and access the boot. Very thoughtful, especially for all those times when the mother-in-law is traveling along with us and I need to pass her something after locking her up in the boot. Thoughtful German engineering at its best!

The roof is lined with a lovely fabric, and I mistakenly believed the B-pillar to used the same fabric. Hah, it was an optical illusion. It's merely high quality plastic.

The glove-box is cooled and lockable, but storage space is about standard. Not much you can stow here besides the usual.

Oddly, they continue to give an iPhone/iPod cable, but what rankles is that it's useless for the iPhone 5/5s. It would have been most useful if they gave a USB cable.

This here is the new ACC system, synced at the moment the photo was clicked. Clicking on sync would simply allow each zone to have a separate temperature.

That cluster makes for a nice sight at night with the buttons lit up.

Here's the Optical Parking System view by itself. It can be turned on and off at will, although it turns on automatically each time you slot it into reverse and remains on for a few seconds even after you slot it into D. The sensors are a boon when it comes to parking the car, and it is really accurate with its readouts too.

Behold, the magic of electrical seat adjustment! Makes adjusting things on the go a piece of cake.

The American spec Jetta, if I remember correctly, uses the metallic insert on the dash instead of the faux wood. I wasn't too fond of that particular look, but up close and personal the door handle looks rather nice. Perhaps my judgment of that dash was wrong...

The first time I sat in the Jetta after taking delivery, I placed the phone in the "compartment" next to the drivers seat and it promptly fell through into the doorwell below! I was so used to the door handle having a bottom that held my phone, I just assumed it was similar on the Jetta. A small miss, especially since there's only a cup holder between the front seats and the space designated for the phone is a bit far-off, below the head unit to be precise.

Each sunvisor has a mirror accessed by sliding the cover along...

...and doing so activates a light. Ladies and metrosexual men will greatly appreciate this!

Even the rear passengers get a place to store their phones for easy access. Makes the lack of an easily accessible cubbyhole for the driver all the more galling!

The cavernous boot, in which I curled up and slept to demo to the family just how much space is actually available. True story.

I thought that would be it for the "photoshoot", but when I got back up and was sipping on a cup of good ol' chai along with the morning paper. Just then the pooch went bonkers (very normal) and the doorbell rang (not so normal on a Saturday morning). It was a delivery guy from Blue Dart and he had something big for me. I won’t bore you by going on and on. Below is a pic of the 3D mats I ordered next to a 2.5 foot tall teddy for size comparison. Before you ask, no, the teddy isn’t mine. Marvel and weep at how I have expertly hidden my name on the package. You will never be as awesome at MS Paint!

I thought of going with the 3D Kagu Mats, but there were so many people across forums saying their mats had starting showing signs of wear and tear after a year, sometimes less. That coupled with the price made me wary of going for them. I’ve never even seen one in the flesh, far less owned one, and I was going to be taking a punt on it. Quite a few folks had some good things to say about the Star 3D mats, and I had a quick chat with askhay1234 (thanks buddy!) about the mats, which he recommended. At rs. 2400 all inclusive for a set of 5, it was worth a punt and so here are my initial thoughts about it.

a) It’s not as contoured as I would like it to be, which is to say the edges aren’t as raised as I had imagined it to be. It still fits quite well, I’ll just come to that
b) It’s definitely of good quality, no questions there. I’m satisfied on that front
c) It was delivered very quickly. I got it in about 2 days, so that’s a big plus
d) Fit is good. It’s not great, but it is more than adequate, most definitely got my money’s worth
e) The Kagu apparently comes with Velcro on the bottom, which helps hold it in place. Only time will tell if it moves around too much. In the one day that I have used it, it’s not moved around noticeably at all, so no complaints there
f) It looks great, especially when placed in the car. Gels with the beige interiors nicely

The Star 3D Mats for the Jetta are available in 2 different materials: the first uses TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber ), which is a flexible, soft-touch material and another series called Sigma whose top layer is made up of Short Tufted Carpet, which just seems to have more of an OEM look since it looks and feels like a carpet. What I have to also say is what I saw on the site was what I got; the images I zoomed into to get an idea of the look of the mats were very accurate, so props to the seller for that too. It feels nice to the touch and I’m a very happy birdy right now.

Enough blabbering. I’ll try to let the pics do some talking now.

Driver’s side mat. Fits nicely, covers the dead pedal too. Doesn’t move about much and the metal insert is positioned perfectly. Mats the way, aha aha, I like it, aha aha!

RHS rear passenger mat.

View of the three mats across the back.

LHS rear passenger mat.

Co-passenger’s mat.

All in all, I'd say these mats are great value for money. Would I recommend it? Most definitely. If that were to change somewhere down the road, I’ll keep you guys posted. See ya!

[Baddychat]

Congratulations on your new ride and wishing you thousands of happy and safe miles ! Brilliant review too, one of the better ones I have read in a while on T-BHP.

Cheers

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by Baddychat

Congratulations on your new ride and wishing you thousands of happy and safe miles ! Brilliant review too, one of the better ones I have read in a while on T-BHP.

Cheers

For a baddy, you're rather polite. Thanks for the wishes, and many thanks for the praise, mighty pleased to hear your opinion!

[car.lover]

Nice mats. And great post(s) with a wicked sense of humour (Mother in law)

Does your car number end with 1200 by any chance? Was tailing a black Jetta and a Black A4 on Marine drive yesterday and remembered your post about the similarity in appearance

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by car.lover

Nice mats. And great post(s) with a wicked sense of humour (Mother in law)

Does your car number end with 1200 by any chance? Was tailing a black Jetta and a Black A4 on Marine drive yesterday and remembered your post about the similarity in appearance

Haha thanks, I was wondering if anyone caught that bit about the mother-in-law. Had embedded it deep enough for the wife to miss if she stumbled upon the thread!

Nope, that wasn't me. I drive from Andheri to Powai normally, although I was in town yesterday evening! I've got a nice, clear Team-BHP sticker on the number plates as a subtle shout-out, so you can keep an eye out for that

[Gannu_1]

Hey, those Star mats look very decent for the price you’ve paid. If only the edge contours were a bit square’ish instead. But regardless, they look good. Beige mats would appear less dirty than the black ones so good choice of color as well.

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

Oddly, they continue to give an iPhone/iPod cable, but what rankles is that it's useless for the iPhone 5/5s. It would have been most useful if they gave a USB cable.

VW has the MDI cable with the Lightning connector sold as a separate accessory. The part number is 5N0 035 554G and retails for 50+ USD (expensive?) - ECS Tuning



Either that or you can make do with those cheap 30-pin to Lightning adapters. Do check out the user reviews before you buy one.

Originally Posted by M00M

Two, is the DSG on this problem free and not like the problematic DSG of the Superb ?

The Jetta uses the 6-speed wet clutch DQ250 DSG (also used in the diesel Laura, Octavia, Passat and Superb) whereas the petrol Superb and Octavia uses the 7-speed dry clutch DQ200 DSG. Both the units have seen worldwide recalls ever since they were launched but the DQ200 is known to be more problematic and has seen more failures.

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Hey, those Star mats look very decent for the price you’ve paid. If only the edge contours were a bit square’ish instead. But regardless, they look good. Beige mats would appear less dirty than the black ones so good choice of color as well.

Absolutely VFM, no question about that although the edges aren't as contoured as I might have liked. I do recommend them though. Beige goes well with the interiors too, almost a match for the factory fitted carpet color. I do feel the black would actually hide dirt better, but I wouldn't want that since I intend to clean the mats at least once a fortnight if not a week to keep it looking good. Some dirt/mud already settled on it, so hoping they hold up well after a wash!

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

VW has the MDI cable with the Lightning connector sold as a separate accessory.

Either that or you can make do with those cheap 30-pin to Lightning adapters. Do check out the user reviews before you buy one.

$50 isn't all that bad a deal, although I think I'll pass on this one. The RCD 510 handles my SD Card quite well and Bluetooth streaming from the phone is seamless too (thankfully), so I'll pass on the connector No cheapie pins for me either, I'll be cheesed off if they go kaput in some time. Bluetooth gets the same job done for me, so I'm quite happy with it!

My only issue with the whole setup is that changing folders (on the SD Card via the touchscreen) is a bit of a pain and not at all possible for me to do as a driver on the move, and I haven't figured out a way to jump from one folder to the other using the steering controls. Maybe I'm missing something?

[iliketurtles]

And so, just like that, 1000 kms (give or take 1) have been clocked on the Jetta, almost entirely in city driving conditions. That happened just 5 days short of her 1 month anniversary, so suffice to say I am clocking a fair few more kilometers than I had envisaged. To be fair though, a lot of that is down to me actively looking to drive the car around as much as possible.

“Need me to pick you from the airport honey? No problemo. What’s that, you want to have bhurji pao after that…in Bandra….at 1:00 in the morning? Sure no problemo. Don’t worry about eating into my sleep, just dream of that lovely buttery, eggy goodness you’ll be digging into, I love you too much to value my sleep!”

Little by little, I have found excuses to drive the Jetta when none existed. On a lazy Saturday night, I took a quick detour from 7 bungalows to Powai…via Borivali (albeit on the Western Express Highway), just so I could stretch her legs a little and drive her a little bit more. The manner in which it effortlessly crunches kilometers and picks up speed makes it a joy to drive. Even the wifey looks to grab any opportunity to go driving Ms. Daisy (and me crazy), and sometimes I give in and hand over the keys.

It’s a decidedly safe car too. Coming back from town after a jaunt, we were motoring down the highway at 80-100 kmph at about 1:30 in the morning. An X3 was being driven in a manner slightly nutty, zigging here and zagging there and just generally being a little dangerous. I was ignoring him and going along my way, in my lane, when all of a sudden Herr X3 realised that there was some roadwork going on in his lane, and so he promptly decided to cut across 2 lanes at full speed with him barely 10-20 meters from me, give or take.

I invoked the name of all the gods in heaven, swarg and Asgard and slammed on the brakes, sure that these two German marquees were about to have an inevitable coming together. Soundlessly and sans any drama she ground to a halt, silently amazing me with how effortlessly she shaved the speed off and stopping well short of the asinine German. A few choice gaalis and a steadying of my heart later, I was on my way.

She’s built like a tank too. Standing still and awaiting the chance to make a U-turn, I suddenly heard a mingling of squeals and high revs go slamming into her rear bumper. Some idiot decided to audition for Dhoom 4 far away from Aditya Chopra’s studied gaze and his royal skiddiness decided to grace us with his presence. Needless to say, we were unimpressed. The wife (motherly and protective all at once) got out, all the while chastising the Uday baba wannabe in a staccato of Marathi. To his credit, he was profusely apologetic and simply muttered over and over that he “lost control”. The car wasn’t even a month old and here he was trying to replicate Aamir’s under-the-truck scene from Dhoom 3! We made sure he was ok and sent him on his way.

As for the gaadi…not a scratch on it, not even the smallest of ones. The only sign of this minor skirmish was a slightly cracked LHS reflector on the rear bumper which is barely visible to the naked eye, although it can be felt if one were to run their hand over it. Remarkably well built too then, and it is the mark of a car that is built tough to last for ages.

On one occasion, an Octavia pulled up next to me at the signal and I quickly made note of a few quick observations that I forgot to put down when comparing it to the Jetta.

a) The use of roller switches in the Octavia versus the up-down buttons in the Jetta. I do prefer the former.

b) Piano black trim around the steering controls and on the stalks. Very nice on the eye! The Jetta has a simplistic black plastic

c) The Octavia has slightly more space at the back, although I’m not sure that should be a deciding factor for anyone since the Jetta has plenty space at the back.

For the kitna deti hai public, the first tankful I filled (had only filled 1000 bucks twice previously, so didn't bother measuring it then) gave me an average of 10.4 KMPL. Slightly on the lower side, but then keep in mind that my daily commute sees me take 30-50 minutes to cover 6-8 kilometers. That commute gives me an average of 7-9kmpl (as indicated in real time on the tripmeter) in heavy traffic. The Jetta isn’t a joy to drive in heavy bumper to bumper traffic, but I am glad it has hill hold to keep her steady. The size too is just right, not too large for daily driving/parking and not too small either.

The one grouse I do have is about under-thigh support, or the lack of it. When I have to keep the brakes engaged for short bursts during heavy traffic, it’s no problem doing it a few times. But do it over a 30-50 minute drive and it gives my thigh a nice little workout. I wish that were slightly better, although I don’t think it will be even noticed on a long highway drive which is where the Jetta is most in its element.

I have a trip to Lavasa planned in 2 weeks time, so I will update this thread with a short travelogue, or maybe put it up separately if there’s enough content for it. In anticipation of it, I have got myself a MapMyIndia Vx240 unit to map my course to the resort. My first impressions of it is that it's slightly clunky to use and counter-intuitive, but I might make it come good still.

I look forward to driving her then, and I figure she’ll be a treat to drive on the highway!

P.S: She’s also stickered now, on either number plate, so keep an eye out for her if you will!

[VeyronSuperSprt]

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

my daily commute sees me take 30-50 minutes to cover 6-8 kilometers.

Nice choice of car but do note that such driving cycles are categorized by the manufacturer as falling under "very high stress" and since it is a daily occurence could lead to an increase in long term reliability issues / component failure. You could drive the car all day on an expressway at 160 km/h and it would be far lower stress on the engine than the the 30-50 minutes you spend doing 6-8 kms. It would be better to use a Japanese / Korean for this driving cycle and the German for longer and faster drives.

[IshaanIan]

Been dropping in on the thread a couple of times. Still nice to see brilliantly written posts Those Star Mats do seem pretty decent but the fit is still a bit of an eyesore. Good to know you haven't had any damage so far. Keeping that black as it is ought to be a task in itself

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

On one occasion, an Octavia pulled up next to me at the signal and I quickly made note of a few quick observations that I forgot to put down when comparing it to the Jetta.

a) The use of roller switches in the Octavia versus the up-down buttons in the Jetta. I do prefer the former.

Have you actually spent a day using a Laura/Octavia? I haven't spent that long with the Octavia, but I think the steering mounted controls work in the same manner as the Laura. Ideally, the up-down clicking roller switches are the most tactile and easy to use BUT I would even take traditional up-down buttons to the ones in the Laura/Octavia. My buddy who owns the Laura thinks the same way too. Everytime you turn the wheel or let your arm slide a little you end up rolling the switch. It's also extremely difficult to get accurate increments to volume or to navigate the menu while driving.

Anyway, nice to see all is good on your side
Cheers!

[iliketurtles]

Originally Posted by VeyronSuperSprt

Do note that such driving cycles are categorized by the manufacturer as falling under "very high stress" and since it is a daily occurence could lead to an increase in long term reliability issues / component failure... It would be better to use a Japanese / Korean for this driving cycle and the German for longer and faster drives.

I buy your point, and it was a concern of mine particularly with regards to the DSG (overheating concerns et al), but then a lot of my drive involves me just standing still for minutes on end with the car idling in neutral. I'm sure my daily commute is a lot more stressful than going for a free-spirited, high speed run, but I do stretch her leg very often. Thankfully, there's a massive stretch of highway very near my home and I often take her out at night to really let her loose. Serves as a good stressbuster too.

On a lighter note, driving anywhere in aamchi Mumbai is very high stress, both for cars and for the driver As such, I look for succor in the smallest of things. I really wouldn't be able to get myself to grab mum's i20 for my office runs, and she can't wrap her head around the Jetta's size. So I will drive her everyday and cross my fingers w.r.t long-term reliability. The Extended Warranty (which I plan to pick up soon) hopefully serves as an additional safety net for me since it will bump up my coverage to 4 years and I intend to keep the car for 4-5 years tops.

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Been dropping in on the thread a couple of times. Still nice to see brilliantly written posts Those Star Mats do seem pretty decent but the fit is still a bit of an eyesore. Good to know you haven't had any damage so far. Keeping that black as it is ought to be a task in itself

Thanks! The fit isn't nearly as bad as it might come across in the photos, and they're quite good on the whole. All of my friends wanted it or something like it once they laid eyes on it. Kagu does fit better, but is it Rs. 4000 better? Hard to say really.

As for no damage, a biker brushed across my front bumper and a wayward Verna brushed my left-hand side wing mirror. Some quick polishing by your truly later, it looked like it never happened! But yes, owning a black car is a full-time hobby. No regrets though

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Have you actually spent a day using a Laura/Octavia? Ideally, the up-down clicking roller switches are the most tactile and easy to use BUT everytime you turn the wheel or let your arm slide a little you end up rolling the switch. It's also extremely difficult to get accurate increments to volume or to navigate the menu while driving.

I can't I have spent a whole day with either of them, my exposure is limited to a few hours at best! You make a fair point and I see where you're coming from with it, it's just that I liked the feel of it vis-a-vis the up-down buttons. The latter does the job perfectly for me though, so I'm plenty happy with it. Loving life with the Jetta so far.

[moralfibre]

I've already rated your thread a well deserved 5-stars. These ownership reports make me work harder each day so I'd be able to get myself a Jetta soon! Very well written.

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

Nope, that wasn't me. I drive from Andheri to Powai normally, although I was in town yesterday evening! I've got a nice, clear Team-BHP sticker on the number plates as a subtle shout-out, so you can keep an eye out for that

Originally Posted by iliketurtles

I have a trip to Lavasa planned in 2 weeks time, so I will update this thread with a short travelogue, or maybe put it up separately if there’s enough content for it. In anticipation of it, I have got myself a MapMyIndia Vx240 unit to map my course to the resort. My first impressions of it is that it's slightly clunky to use and counter-intuitive, but I might make it come good still.

P.S: She’s also stickered now, on either number plate, so keep an eye out for her if you will!

Wouldn't it be amazing, if the Jetta I spotted this morning in Pune would be the one that you own. This one was Black, had a transparent sticker on the plate, Bombay (Andheri) registered and was turning towards Lavasa: