Oregon Implant
Member
I am looking for information regarding the model year 1999.5 Jetta. Is this a good model or one to stay away from. I do not currently own a TDI and am considering one at this time. Any information would be helpful.
Model Year 1999.5 Jetta
- Thread starter Oregon Implant
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Lefty
Veteran Member
I believe the 1999.5 -2003 are the best ones to buy. Others will chime in and either confirm or deny my beliefs. It is the first year of the MK4 so there were some bugs to work out and I read the 2003 is when most of those bugs got worked out. They are highly modifiable for these years. The one thing I would look out for while searching for any of these years is the Autotragic /Automatic transmission. Stay away from them.
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
'99.5 is sort of a one-off goofy year. If given the choice, I would go after a 2000+, ideally 2001+.
pghvdubguy95
Veteran Member
I have a 99.5 golf tdi. I has been on of the best cars I owned. Other than normal maintaince and a diesel pump, I have done very little to the car. The car has 211k on it now, and I've done almost 80k of that since Feb of 06.
ckhenshaw4
Veteran Member
I have a 1999.5 Jetta, that has 255,000 on the clock, and not a complaint.
compu_85
Gadget Guy
I'm going to agree with oilhammer on this front. 99.5s aren't bad, but a 2000+ is better. No goofy 1 year parts, more standard electrical system.
-J
-J
JasonMc
Veteran Member
I just bought a 1999.5 Jetta GL from another member here with 188k miles on it and so far so good. One thing I like about the 1999.5 GL is the hand crank windows. I think they went to all power in 2000. I don't ever have to worry about a damn window regulator! Also with a 1999.5 you are for sure getting the older style good clutch (sachs).
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
The mechanicals are essentially all the same as the later cars, it is the odd electricals that would be my only complaint. The ECU, the cluster, the N75, the A/C pressure switch, as well as countless other little bits are what is different.
Not saying they are 'bad', just saying your opinion might change when that N75 valve you need is 4 times the money for a '99.5 than it is for a 2001, just because the connector is different. Or that the ECU does not have the reflash ability like the 2000+ cars do.
Those that have had to deal with those shortcomings know what I am talking about. However if the deal was right, this would NOT keep me from owning one, but might keep me from choosing one over a slightly newer one if the price was close.
Reminds me of a '67 Beetle.
Not saying they are 'bad', just saying your opinion might change when that N75 valve you need is 4 times the money for a '99.5 than it is for a 2001, just because the connector is different. Or that the ECU does not have the reflash ability like the 2000+ cars do.
Those that have had to deal with those shortcomings know what I am talking about. However if the deal was right, this would NOT keep me from owning one, but might keep me from choosing one over a slightly newer one if the price was close.
Reminds me of a '67 Beetle.
compu_85
Gadget Guy
You could get crank windows until 2002 I think? The 99.5s just came out of the extended warrenty on the window lifters. I only had to have mine fixed 5 times... LOL.JasonMc said:
99.5s got a LUK clutch as opposed to the less-highly-specified Sachs unit in the later cars. That is one plus. Notice that the 99.5 golf/ jetta have transmission code EGR, and they were the only ones fitted with that transmission. The ratios are the same, but the linkage is different. As me how I know...
-J
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Yeah, forgot about the stupid leftover A3 shift linkage on the '99.5compu_85 said:
JasonMc
Veteran Member
How do you know?compu_85 said:
Just kidding.I have had my 99.5 for a total of 12 days now. So I am still trying to figure out the details about this odd model year.
I had a 2001 auto in the past. But I am really blown away by the power and mileage difference with a manual tranmission.
So the tranny is more like an A3? Is this a bad thing or just annoying?
I was thinking of replacing the 5th gear in mine. 2400 RPM at 70 MPH just drives me crazy.
The ECU is different in the 99.5? Does this mean I can't use one of Kerma's chip tuners?
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
The transmission in your A4 is the 02J, which is almost identical to the 02A used in the A3 except the mounting arrangement and the provisions for the different bellhousing due to the oil pan bolts. However, the shift linkage both on the trans and inside the car, as well as everything inbetween, is more of the design like the 02A used. But for some reason, the early A4 02J linkage like the '99.5 (and NB from '98 to '99) have some issues with getting sloppy and breaking the plastic pivot on the trans as well as stripping the splines off of the shift tower on the trans.
VAG always improves cars, every year (sometimes even inbetween years), so the best MY for any given platform is almost always the last MY. Simply because it will have all the improvements.
Luckily, many of those improvements can be retrofitted on to earlier cars. VAG products are one of the best lines of cars out there for plug-n-play changeout of stuff. Your shifter, for instance, can be swapped out for one from a 2000+ car and you will gain all the benefits of the newer cars. What happens though is sometimes some of these items can become cost prohibitive. For instance, if you wanted the improved ECU and CAN system of a 2001+ car, you would need the entire wiring harness, cluster, ECU(s), N75 valve, MAP sensor, etc. A huge undertaking that is really not worth the effort but some people still do this.
Same thing happened with the A3 platform, except the TDI crowd never really knew any different because by the time we got a TDI engine offered in an A3 it was the end of the platform "tier 1" life span. But countless improvements were made to the A3 between its debut in 1993 and 1998, the most noteable changes happening in the '95 and '96 era cars. The '98 and early '99 A3s were by far the best.
VAG always improves cars, every year (sometimes even inbetween years), so the best MY for any given platform is almost always the last MY. Simply because it will have all the improvements.
Luckily, many of those improvements can be retrofitted on to earlier cars. VAG products are one of the best lines of cars out there for plug-n-play changeout of stuff. Your shifter, for instance, can be swapped out for one from a 2000+ car and you will gain all the benefits of the newer cars. What happens though is sometimes some of these items can become cost prohibitive. For instance, if you wanted the improved ECU and CAN system of a 2001+ car, you would need the entire wiring harness, cluster, ECU(s), N75 valve, MAP sensor, etc. A huge undertaking that is really not worth the effort but some people still do this.
Same thing happened with the A3 platform, except the TDI crowd never really knew any different because by the time we got a TDI engine offered in an A3 it was the end of the platform "tier 1" life span. But countless improvements were made to the A3 between its debut in 1993 and 1998, the most noteable changes happening in the '95 and '96 era cars. The '98 and early '99 A3s were by far the best.
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If you get a 2000 or 2001 Golf or Jetta you'll have a car with generation II can-bus system. If you get a 2002 and up you will get a generation III can-bus system. They both have gateway but, generation III has more connected to it. This would not mean much to most people though.
Souzafone
Veteran Member
Nothing but good to report from mine, also. 196k miles, almost half with power mods, 47 mpg not even trying. Filters, brakes, t-belts. The only major component replaced so far has been the clutch, the DMF was getting wobbly. 99.5 has the stronger Luk type clutch, and a deeper intercooler. Certain things are different, not necessarily worse. N75 can be changed for newer, along with the connector, no re-flashing of the ECU without removal, no immobilizer to lock me out, leftover shift linkage, and other assorted oddities. You could also make a list of things I don't have to worry about compared to later years. 67 Beetle indeed.
JasonMc
Veteran Member
Really? I was looking to buy new keys for mine and was adding the cost of the dealer having to program the immobilizer. Are you sure I wont have to do this?Souzafone said:
compu_85
Gadget Guy
Look at your key's base. See the crossed out W? That means no immo. If you run one of these cars without an instrument cluster it will work fine, setting two fault codes in the ECU. One for a broken CEL, and one for a broken glow plug light.
If you want a chiptune KERMA might have something nice to offer, but I would also like to mention that Jeff from RocketChip probably knows the EB ecu used in these cars better then anyone else outside of siemens. The programs which he has for them are quite excellent. And with no IMMO you can just mail the ECU off to him to be fixed up. I do know the Q-Loader will not work with 99.5s. Without a VIN to read in the ecu it can't lock itself to your car.
-Jason
If you want a chiptune KERMA might have something nice to offer, but I would also like to mention that Jeff from RocketChip probably knows the EB ecu used in these cars better then anyone else outside of siemens. The programs which he has for them are quite excellent. And with no IMMO you can just mail the ECU off to him to be fixed up. I do know the Q-Loader will not work with 99.5s. Without a VIN to read in the ecu it can't lock itself to your car.
-Jason
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Mike_Parker
Active member
Has anyone ever done the linkage and shifter swap out? I have a 99.5 and the shifting is the only thing I don't like about it. I am not opposed to buying the parts to make it shift right, I would just like to know what parts to buy and swap to make it work right.oilhammer said:
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Sit in car and extent your right hand....everything after your hand all the way to the shift forks in the transmission is what needs to be changed.Mike_Parker said:
egibbys
Veteran Member
Mike_Parker said:
How has the shifting been improved from the 99.5? Sorry all I’ve ever driven are 99.5s. Is it that much better that I may want to swap it out?
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Basically, the early A4 cars had the same shifter setup as the A3, only for some reason they always seem to get really loose and sloppy (even worse than the A3s do). When they were new it was fine, but as they age they get really sloppy. If you drive a 2000+ one you will immediately know what I mean. Even after 200k miles, they are still much tighter and more positive than the older ones.egibbys said:
It is just an improved design is all.
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egibbys
Veteran Member
hmm... looks like I'm going to have to find a newer car to drive for a comparison. Cause my car feels "normal" to me and it has 201,000 miles on it. Out of curiousity how expensive are the part(s)?oilhammer said:
bayshorecs
Veteran Member
Finding them is the problem. You are fighting with 01M conversions to get the parts you need. And, most junk yards just trash those parts.
compu_85
Gadget Guy
Ya, the 2000+ shifters simply feel lighter and more precise. More like a properly working 020 setup (the old rod shift system used in the 80s).
-Jason
-Jason
Mike_Parker
Active member
I'm gonna start with the plastic part on the shifters
I'm gonna start with the plastic part on the tranny and go from there. It looks like that is where a good portion of the slop comes from. My car isn't too bad really, my brothers golf(99.5 also) is really sloppy. My wifes car is a 2003 and it is nice and tight with about 94k on it. Mine is at 169K and was working pretty decent. Time to do the clutch now, the mods are catching up with the stock clutch The only downside is, I gotta find the yoke for the throwout bearing before I put it back in. I've never seen one break, but mine did
I'm gonna start with the plastic part on the tranny and go from there. It looks like that is where a good portion of the slop comes from. My car isn't too bad really, my brothers golf(99.5 also) is really sloppy. My wifes car is a 2003 and it is nice and tight with about 94k on it. Mine is at 169K and was working pretty decent. Time to do the clutch now, the mods are catching up with the stock clutch
The only downside is, I gotta find the yoke for the throwout bearing before I put it back in. I've never seen one break, but mine did
Mike_Parker
Active member
Quick update.
I changed the plastic part that you can easily replace, and it did make a difference. It is still a little sloppier than I would like, but much improved. I think it was worth the $25 to replace it. I had my trans out to change the clutch, so it was a no brainer to change it then. The part number I have is 1J0711260, it's just a chunk of plastice that holds one side of the linkage to the transmission.
I changed the plastic part that you can easily replace, and it did make a difference. It is still a little sloppier than I would like, but much improved. I think it was worth the $25 to replace it. I had my trans out to change the clutch, so it was a no brainer to change it then. The part number I have is 1J0711260, it's just a chunk of plastice that holds one side of the linkage to the transmission.