volkswagon jetta or volkswagen vento

twincam77

im kinda toying with the idea of buying a runaround for the winter months, and am thinking of either a mk2 jetta or a mk1 vento obviously disel.

from what i can see from dondeal most mk2 jettas are either v rough or v dear:rolleyes:

is the vento a better buy even if its not as nice looking????

carchaeologist

You could spend your money on better? They are both as bland as each other and rubbish to drive.
I'd go looking for a Carina E or similar if I was in that market.

_Conrad_

carchaeologist wrote: »

You could spend your money on better? They are both as bland as each other and rubbish to drive.
I'd go looking for a Carina E or similar if I was in that market.

How is a carina E not bland? They're good cars, i'm not saying they're not, but they're one of the most boring cars going, but that can work out well as they don't go wrong at all, but offering one as a non boring alternative to a vento or jetta is a bit mad... they also can't be held up as any sort of shining example of "driving well", which is not something a vento or jetta, or the carina for that matter was ever really designed for.


Anyway back on the actual original subject a vento will be cheaper, the jetta is more sought after and is a good bit less common.
The only ones worth buying anyway are the diesels, as they're never going to be fast or handle well so they may as well be economical.
Downside on the jetta is lack of parts and even slower than the very slow vento upside is cheaper tax by a little bit and they're considered "cooler" if you're into that sort of thing, downside to the vento is tax is more expensive and not as "cool" as the jetta, upside is they're not quite as slow as the crazy slow jetta and they're easier to get bits for.

If you were to find a TD version of either (1.6td in jettas, 1.9 in ventos) they have more spring in their step but still good economy plus you can tune then for a bit more go very easily, they make bigger money though.


I must just add that the vento is the "easier" option and the more sensible/practical one to buy for such purpose as you outlined.

twincam77

@ carchaeologist, thanks for your suggestion on the carinas , yes good cars but iv had every model over the years from 1.6xli,to 2.0xld, inc 2.0glis, and even a gti for a bit, want something different now thats all.

@ conrad, what you say hits the nail on the head i think.for sure the mk2 jetta has now become sought after, and if im honest i want a daily driver thats a bit cooler if thats the right word than my current corolla:)

whatever one i end up with id like the idea of lowering it on a nice set of wheels if im honest,

from what i see youd get a vento with nct for around 800, but youd only get a tired jetta for that money.

should i go with the vento? sit in and go kinda car

gyppo

my suggestion as a vento alternative.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2335182
or
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2388203

these are becoming very scarce, and were a far superior car to the model that replaced them.

twincam77

gyppo wrote: »

my suggestion as a vento alternative.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2335182
or
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2388203

these are becoming very scarce, and were a far superior car to the model that replaced them.

great cars specially with the isuzu engine, but again iv had one a 1.7td sri 16v replica in satin red, lovely car

_Conrad_

twincam77 wrote: »

great cars specially with the isuzu engine, but again iv had one a 1.7td sri 16v replica in satin red, lovely car

Forget about the non turbo one anyway, grand old engine in an astra or combo it just about does the job but for the vectra/cav you need the TD

mike65

Classic being stretched to breaking point, the cars you are discussing are just old. Not classic.

_Conrad_

mike65 wrote: »

Classic being stretched to breaking point, the cars you are discussing are just old. Not classic.

And you're in here acting like snob, which isn't exactly fantastic either and is pretty boring. You're also not a moderator so you can't really dictate what people talk about.
It should be possible to discuss what he wanted, which was a cheap, simple old daily driver for the winter, in the hope that other car enthusiasts, usually a more genuine and reasonable in the classic section may offer some advice or assistance. It's easier to talk about "just old" cars in here as too many people freak out and give abuse about old cars in the main motors forum as many of them don't like anything over 10 years old and wouldn't understand these "just old. Not classic" cars.
Is there really so little else for you to look at that you had to come to this thread and complain?

mike65

_Conrad_ wrote: »

blah blah blah

I was the mod of this forum and the other Motors boards in the past and if I were in the hot seat now this would be moved pronto. The term Classic should mean something otherwise it means nothing at all and any old junk could be included.

Now if the OP wants some diesel banger saloon to run about in he would be better asking on the main board and having a look in the bangernonics thread

The Internet Explorer

I'm assuming you've seen this ?

_Conrad_

PM for mike65 actually , better in a way

_Conrad_

The Internet Explorer wrote: »

I'm assuming you've seen this ?

That's one of the overpriced ones that he's referring to.

twincam77

maybe im missing something but i think cars that were brand new when i was 13v or 14years old are classics to me now.

a well kept 90s corolla,carina , jetta,vento,sierra, is far more classic and more intresting to me than a morris minor or beetle or such other so called classic cars

its an awful note if a 1000euro car thats clean and tidy and rare enough to see can be called an ould banger nd yet if twas a 1000euro fiat punto for example twud be worth the money

just my two cents

si_guru

+1.. Although of course the Beetle was still made til 2003

For me classics are Mk1 Golf, Chevette, early Metro, and some cars I hated when I was 17 (the sort of thing your dad said was a better buy than a Golf L on GTI wheels ) but I miss them now and would love one... viva, allegro, maxi, marina, avenger...etc.


I AM STILL LOOKING FOR A CARINA E!! MUST BE BE MINT (the English definition of "mint")

Hermy

mike65 wrote: »

Classic being stretched to breaking point, the cars you are discussing are just old. Not classic.

If you've nothing to contribute to the op's topic why bother posting?

I know if I needed advice on buying an older car this forum would be my first port of call. The regular posters here are friendly, informed and more than willing to discuss anything motoring related.

ahal

Personally I wouldn't go for a Vento. My first car was a Vento, and it went up in flames while I was driving it. Prior to this it had a habit of coming to a complete halt in yellow boxes / clearways. The car had a full VWSH but it wasn't full enough for VW, who could only forward "We sold a lot of Beetles, we must be doing something right".

They are an average car, and certainly not the 'cut price Mercedes' that many (including myself, pre-purchase) thought. The 1.4 (which I had) is dangerously slow if you plan on overtaking anything. My Vento had begun to rust quite badly in places, at 6 years old, and the overall feel of it was that of a "cheap expensive car".

Whatever you do don't buy a 1992 non Power - steering one. You really will want power steering! I will admit that my view is prejudiced somewhat, but my feeling is that I got a bad one. The dealers, and VW Ireland were of absolutely zero assistance, which is a point not to be missed. Half of the 'quality' of any car imho is the people who turn the wrenches, and their attitude. I found them smug.

Two dealers did relieve me of £2,000 to repair the 'mystery fault' which never got fixed. Being naive / first car etc., I fell for it. A friend has a Golf which he got serviced in Austria. According to him there's no comparison with the rubbish service from VW in Ireland / U.K. Any car that can't be fixed by the makers is no good in my book.

Personally I'd buy a Volvo S40 or Saab 9-3. I've been driving Volvos for 10 years now and one thing they've never done - across 4 of them - is leave me sat on my backside like the VW. If you persist in the VW direction I've heard from many people that the last of the big bumper Jettas are far superior to the Vento. I'd say go with a late model 1.9 Diesel if you're going for a Vento. There are a few '98 regd. ones out there.

_Conrad_

ahal wrote: »

Personally I wouldn't go for a Vento. My first car was a Vento, and it went up in flames while I was driving it. Prior to this it had a habit of coming to a complete halt in yellow boxes / clearways. The car had a full VWSH but it wasn't full enough for VW, who could only forward "We sold a lot of Beetles, we must be doing something right".

They are an average car, and certainly not the 'cut price Mercedes' that many (including myself, pre-purchase) thought. The 1.4 (which I had) is dangerously slow if you plan on overtaking anything. My Vento had begun to rust quite badly in places, at 6 years old, and the overall feel of it was that of a "cheap expensive car".

Whatever you do don't buy a 1992 non Power - steering one. You really will want power steering! I will admit that my view is prejudiced somewhat, but my feeling is that I got a bad one. The dealers, and VW Ireland were of absolutely zero assistance, which is a point not to be missed. Half of the 'quality' of any car imho is the people who turn the wrenches, and their attitude. I found them smug.

Two dealers did relieve me of £2,000 to repair the 'mystery fault' which never got fixed. Being naive / first car etc., I fell for it. A friend has a Golf which he got serviced in Austria. According to him there's no comparison with the rubbish service from VW in Ireland / U.K. Any car that can't be fixed by the makers is no good in my book.

Personally I'd buy a Volvo S40 or Saab 9-3. I've been driving Volvos for 10 years now and one thing they've never done - across 4 of them - is leave me sat on my backside like the VW. If you persist in the VW direction I've heard from many people that the last of the big bumper Jettas are far superior to the Vento. I'd say go with a late model 1.9 Diesel if you're going for a Vento. There are a few '98 regd. ones out there.

Hmmm... well you certainly seem like you had a bad experience, but it's not a particularly good or unbiased standpoint to be coming from giving advice on an entire production run of cars, but i can see how you'd be massively annoyed.

However, the "cut price mercedes" thing is not something that i believe many people really thought at all.... They were never very upmarket or highly specced, particularly ones sold here.


While the Volvos and saabs are nice, (i enjoy the odd volvo myself) getting one in good order for the same price as diesel vento in good order to do that job of a cheap winter daily driver (ballpark €1000 often less) is very unlikley for the volvos and pretty much impossible in the case of the saab. There are no satisfactory diesel models available cheap in those either