Golf, Jetta, Corrado, Vanagon, new models, etc

Hello, folks  — just trying to sound off all of you out there that may
have some
advice and/or opinion:

I am just about to order a chip for my car, having heard nothing but
positive
reviews from owners that already have a chip installed. Just out of
curiousity I
drove around visiting dealers in my area asking them if VW’s 100,000 mile
warranty would be cancelled if I put a chip in. Of the 4 dealers I talked
to,
2 of them categorically said I will lose my warranty if they discover a
chip,
1 said ‘it depends’ on the reported problem and 1 said the warranty will
not be
affected if (I quote) "Neuspeed  products are installed". Called up APS
and they
said "not to tell the dealer that a chip is installed", called up VW and
they said
"talk to my dealer" (ironically, the dealer that threatened me most was
the one
I bought my car from – sometimes we just never win). What gives ?

Thanks in advance for your insights and opinions….  

While overall my satisfaction is high with my 95 Passat GLX wagon I remain
dissatisfied with electronic Auto transimssion. The transmission continues
to provide harsh and abrupt shiftng.

The 96 GLX auto trans. is supposed to be vastly improved.

Does anyone knnow what improvements have been made?

Is there a program to retro fit them to 95 auto transmissions?

Will it fit?

Thanks for any and all help.

tbu…@laser.net

Timothy Burns

I have several items that I find of interest or curiosity on my new
(10 days) 96 GTI VR6. I really enjoy it and find it to be a great
value. On to the curiosiities and anomilies:

1. I have found that there is a connector accessable after removing
the ash tray and sliding a panel left into the vacated space. I
suspect that it is the diagnostic connector.

2. The arm rests seem to be unusual. I guess that they are bonded
(glued) to the door. I have heard some creaks and snaps while putting
weight on the left one while parking my butt into the back of the
seat. I wonder if more adhesive would make it stronger. Any comments?

3. Twice out of about 30? times I have triggered the alarm while
opening the hatch with my key. I wonder if there is anything in my
technique that may have caused this.

4. For a while I found that if I approached the locked car and
mistakenly turned the key to the locked position (cw on drivers side)
and then BRIEFLY to the proper ccw unlock position, the passenger side
window (only) would go down by about 2 inches. I think that this has
gone away though I now turn the key the correct way immediately.

5. I think that the beep of the horn to indicate locking is longer
than needed. I would suggest that they make that shorter.

6. I was supprised to find that there is a substantial weight (bigger
than a game-of-golf putter head) that swings when the shift linkage is
operated. This is in the engine compartment on the driver’s side. by
the transmission. I guess that this is to give a smoother action. I
had never heard it being discussed.

7. Will the engine have to be removed to change the alternator? It
looks like it is buried pretty well. I was pleased to find that the
water pump is covered in the 10 year/100000mile powertrain waranty.

8. I looked at the front turn signal light and towing eye access
covers. There is a hinge like construction connecting those two lens
pieces. The outside turn signal light has two plastic pieces that snap
(sort of) to a vertical ~3 inch  pin that is held to the towing hook
lens. Are these  intended to be removed as a pair? Why are the two
plastic pieces that snap (??) to the pin so different from each other.
The top one seems strange. I thought it was distorted, but found the
same thing on the left side of the car. I found re-attaching the upper
arm to the pin to be difficult.

9. The owner’s manual would imply that the towing eyes are for towing
the car at up to 30 mph. I assume that this is with a tow rope or
chain. This supprised me. That is not legal in Illinois. A tow bar is
required. The book does say to obey local laws. Is towing at 30 MPH
with rope or chain legal in most of the world?

Hi All !!!

  Know someone place on Internet where possible order parts for VW and
may be books and so on…

  Thanks in advice.

I’m on irc right now, and I’ve created a channel (for as long as I’m on at
least).  I just need someone else on it now.  
#vw_H2O
Are there other watercooled channels? If so, what?

__

Eric
84 Jetta 2.0 16V
I’m not speeding, I’m practicing civil disobedience.

I had something happen to my 87 16V Scirocco that has me stumped.  I
pulled out in front of a truck (a little too close) and wound it out in
the first three gears,  It was at third gear doing 7,000 rpm that my
engine almost died, seemed to start running on two cylinders, and an
absolutely huge cloud of smoke erupted out the tail pipe.  It was so
thick that the truck stopped, fearing a dead car in the middle of it all.
I just knew I had blown it up, but in a face saving effort, kept on
going.  It gradually cleared up, and was running just fine in a mile or
so.  Funny thing is, that was 6 months ago, and it’s still just fine,
with excellent compression.  I used to be a VW mechanic at a dealership,
specializing in rebuilding engines,and am now a mechanical engineer who
at least thinks he knows about such things, and I have absolutely no idea
what could have caused this behavior.  Any ideas from the gurus?

Mark
grif…@traveller.com

I am planning to drive from New York to Florida in two weeks and I wanted
to know if there is a way to improve gas mileage on my 7 passenger.  Right
know it gives me anywhere from 20-25 MPGs.

Nate the Great

Hello all,

I recently posted that after replacing a broken rack (how I ‘broke’ the
rack I’ll never know, didn’t hit anything, no ps fluid in the boots- mech.
said it came apart from the housing or somesuch)– my speedo didn’t work.

Well, I must have been in a state of panic after paying for the rack
replacement. Upon removing the knee bar (damn knee bar!) and poking around
under the dash, found the speedo cable just dangling around. Plugged it
back in, and it works fine. I had already checked the connection at
tranny.

Why it was undone (I doubt it just "came undone") I don’t know, but no
worries. Thanks for all your replys, though, always helpful.

Seth Crothers
88 jettagl

I can’t get rid of the problems on my 88 jetta

The parking brake sticks when it’s cold. I imagine that there’s water in
the cables or something. This problem never happens in the summer.

I’ve resorted to not using the p-brake, but I know it helps set the rear
brakes and all.

Is there a fix to this? I’d imagine I need to replace one/both p-brake
cables (all the way to interior?), replace the springs on the caliper, or
replace the calipers (hope not that last one…).

If you have suggestions, please respond.

Oh, by the way, those Pirelli P6 tires ain’t so good in da snow… 8
inches last night, got stuck on the way home. AAA all the way…:-)

Seth Crothers
88 jetta gl ~97k miles
scroth…@vt.edu

My son has a new Golf III and I wanted to give him for
Christmas one of those quick shift kids. Does any body
care to  advise on the types, quality and performance
of these gizmos
Thanks,
       Raul