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Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:08 am

Im interested in getting an MKIII more specifically a 1996 with the 2.0 litre I4

What are somethings to look at on these cars. Is the t-belt supposed to be changed every 100k or 70k?

Rust issues?Commons faults?

Mon Feb 19, 2007 1:04 pm

The safe time to replace the timing belt on a MKIII is around 60-70k.
Common issues would be power windows failing. ongoing CEL (Check Engine Light) whether it's emissions or other mechanical issue, and some other things.
Rust issues depends what part of the climate you're in.

My 1996 Jetta GL (2.slow) has 175k and running strong. And since I live here in CA, no rust issues at all.

My recommendations of looking for anything specific on a MKIII is post on the VW Vortex (dominated by watercooled VW enthusiasts).
Here is the link to the MKIII Golf/Jetta forum:
Golf III & Jetta III Discussion area for the third generation Golf III and Jetta III produced from 1993 to 1999. - http://forums.vwvortex.com/zeroforum?id=3

Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:56 pm

You know, I joined the VW Vortex a while back, looking for some info because I had bought a 98 Jetta GT for a friend of mine. And while it is a better place than here for later model info, I find I don't like it there a whole lot, or perhaps I should say, I like TheSamba's forums a whole lot better. I don't have a lot of luck searching for topics I have questions on, and what I do find usually isn't as informative as I'd like. It doesn't help that their search page is not very user friendly. It seems a lot of questions keep getting "bumped" up by the original poster in hopes that someone will see it and answer. I think the biggest problem with a lack of (or slow to recieve) answers, is for many people who know the answers, they know them because it's their job - and don't want to talk their work that much. Wheras for the people on TheSamba, it's more of a hobby for them. I know I wouldn't be dishing out as much info and spending the time I do here now, if I was still working on VW's 5 days a week. But I'm getting off the topic....

As I recall, the Bentley manual says both 70K and 80K for the timing belt, depending on where you read it in there. VW itself doesn't have a milage spec for the 8-valve engine timing belts. By the way, I think the A3 Bentley book is one of the better Bentley manuals I've seen.

Yeah, that darn check engine light. I put a new timing belt on, all the marks line up, but I get an intermittant cam position sensor error now (that's the distributor, on this engine) that cycles the CEL on and off every few days. Pain in the butt.

Power windows - I don't like them! I've seen too many VW power windows go bad, or the switches go bad, in the past. That's why I was glad the 98 GT we got didn't have them.

The 2 liter inline-4 is a solid powerplant - a well proven design. Has a decent amout of power, for its size, with decent economy. Certainly has more oomph than the 1.8 in my 85 Golf. ( I still shake my head at why VW thought they needed to put that big 2.5 5-banger as the base engine for their new Rabbits - with a lot of people wanting economy now, I'd think a 1.8 or 2 liter 4 cylinder would be the way to go for an economy-option. )

Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:05 pm

the one im looking at has hand crank windows, 5 speed, power locks, the 2.0.

here it is on thesamba...

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=405605

the paint is shot and it has a lil dent.. But I dont mind that..as long as he is willing to trade for my benz(300D) Ill be happy

I posted on vortex, Im just looking for other opinions that arent that biased.

Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:02 am

glutamodo wrote: You know, I joined the VW Vortex a while back, looking for some info because I had bought a 98 Jetta GT for a friend of mine. And while it is a better place than here for later model info, I find I don't like it there a whole lot, or perhaps I should say, I like TheSamba's forums a whole lot better. I don't have a lot of luck searching for topics I have questions on, and what I do find usually isn't as informative as I'd like. It doesn't help that their search page is not very user friendly. It seems a lot of questions keep getting "bumped" up by the original poster in hopes that someone will see it and answer. I think the biggest problem with a lack of (or slow to recieve) answers, is for many people who know the answers, they know them because it's their job - and don't want to talk their work that much. Wheras for the people on TheSamba, it's more of a hobby for them. I know I wouldn't be dishing out as much info and spending the time I do here now, if I was still working on VW's 5 days a week. But I'm getting off the topic....

. )

very well said