From: randy%rdr.com@uu.psi.com (Randy Tidd)
Subject: Experience purchasing 1992 VW GTI 16v (long)
Reply-To: randy%rdr.com@uu.psi.com (Randy Tidd)
Organization: RDR, Inc.
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 1992 23:23:38 GMT


I bought a 1992 VW GTI 16v on 2-8-92 and thought I'd post my experieces  
with the dealership for net.information.  All my experiences were with  
Fairfax VW here in Northern Virginia.

I was looking for a VW GTI 16v, 1991 or 1992.  After looking in the paper  
and calling around for about 2 months or so I couldn't find a decent deal  
on a 1991, so I started looking at 1992's. I called a dozen or so dealers  
and *nobody* had a black one in stock!  I really wanted black but would  
settle for something else as long as it wasn't red.

I went to the Tyson's VW dealer twice but they were too busy to talk to me  
both times, though I got to drive a '92 GTI 8v.  I went to Fairfax VW.   
They had a white '92 GTI 16v in stock so I drove it.  Excellent car!  My  
brother has a '87 Golf GT (equilvalent to a GTI 8v) which I thought was  
great, but the 16v engine (134hp vs. 104hp) and tighter suspension and  
shifting make a world of difference.  BBS wheels with Pirelli P600's,  
Ricarro seats, Heidelburg stereo, dash computer, etc. were standard.   
Sticker price was $16,010 (including sunroof and A/C), so after getting  
the consumer stuff from the library, talking to 2 other dealers, and a  
week of negotiation, I bought it for $13,475 (and a free set of floor mats  
and a car vac! Sigh).  This included the trade-in of my '86 Chevy Nova  
with 100K miles and 2 accidents which they valued at $1200 (pretty good  
IMHO).  The best financing they could give me was 8.25%, but I had called  
around earlier and had found 7.95% at Nations Bank.  So the "business  
manager" bought the lower interest rate for me (nice).  Overall, the sales  
experience was what you'd expect from a car dealer.  High-pressure,  
buy-it-or-lose-it and this-deal-only-for-you type stuff, which I didn't  
much appreciate.  I felt like I had gotten the better end of the stick,  
however, though it cost me a lot of aggravating afternoons and evenings at  
the dealership.

Ok now the fun starts.

When I got home I noticed a squeak when I turned the wheel sharp (I missed  
it during the test drive cuz I didn't park it anywhere tight).  I also  
noticed the right front dash speaker didn't work at all (6-speaker  
stereo).  I took it to Fairfax VW on 2-11 for the speaker, but didn't know  
what the squeak was and didn't have time for them to diagnose it.  Dropped  
the car off around 1pm, got a loaner for 2 hrs (1992 Corrado, nice!), it  
was ready at 3pm (they replaced a wire).  No charge.

On 2-23 I noticed a nasty squeal in the clutch pedal, which I took care of  
with some True-Flow and WD40.

Later I figured out the squeak was the power steering belt; took it in on  
2-25 right before work (8:30am), I was out of there by 9:10am.  Nice!  No  
charge.

The same speaker started getting intermittent bursts of static, and the  
car pulled to the left slightly on the highway.  Also the coolant idiot  
light flickerd once or twice (4-5 seconds) when the car was started cold.   
I took it back on 3-3 for these 3 things.  Had to provide my own alternate  
transportation cuz all their loaners were out (argh!).  They said they  
couldn't find anything wrong with the speaker, but replaced it anyway.  As  
for the alignment, they didn't notice anything except that the tire  
pressures were off (28, 30, 35, and 40 psi) and fixed that.  They also  
noticed a rattle in the back right panel (which I hadn't noticed, probably  
due to the Heidelburg stereo :-)) and they fixed that.  However, as for  
the coolant light they said the water pump was bad.  I was a little  
skeptical but said go ahead, hey it's free.  I picked it up the next  
afternoon.  No charge.

On 3-30 I tried to change the oil and could NOT get the damned oil filter  
off.  I was turning it hard enough to move the oil filter mounting without  
moving the filter.  I took it to the dealer for an oil change  
(embarrasing, I know) on 3-31 and mentioned that the coolant light still  
flickers after the engine is started cold.  I had to provide my own  
alternate transportation for the first day.  They changed the oil no  
problem ($27.60), apparently they have a special tool for removing stuck  
oil filters.  As for the coolant light ... they claimed my head gasket was  
leaking.  Again I was skeptical, moreso this time, but again the repair is  
free, and if I didn't get it done they'd probably stick me with it later.   
It was going to take 2 days, so they gave me a rental car (Chevy Cavalier)  
and picked up the tab on that.  I picked it up on 4-3, total charge  
$27.60.

Here we are on 4-5 and guess what -- the coolant light flickers once or  
twice after the car is started cold.  I am reluctant to even mention it to  
the dealer or god knows what they'll "fix" this time.

Overall their service was reasonably fast (sometimes very fast) and  
courteous.  Both the salesman and the service guy apologized for all the  
problems I've been having, but they were pretty minor (IMHO).  Which isn't  
to say that they shouldn't have been worked out before I bought the car.   
And about the coolant light -- there is obviously a problem with their  
diagnostics, and they still haven't fixed it.  Also, it took a lot of  
prodding to get my hands on the paperwork for their buyers protection  
program (you know, the one where they'll cover your car and insurance  
payment for up to a year if you get laid off).  At first the salesman told  
me he already gave me the paperwork (he didn't), then he said he'd get  
someone from that department to call me (he didn't), I finally had to talk  
to him in person and have him hand me the paperwork so I could fill it  
out.

But this leaves me with 2 questions:

1) What is causing the coolant light to flicker?  The handbook says it  
indicated the "coolant temperature/level".  If the light flashes, is it  
too cold?  Too hot?  Too low?  Too high?
2) How the hell do I change the oil filter on a GTI without jacking up the  
front end and giving myself a hernia?


Randy Tidd
randy@rdr.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos