Dear VW. Why do your new cars handle like a #@&% 1972 Buick???

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Yeeesh, I was in the middle of a bender when I typed that out. That was a damn good bottle of Red Label.

Well, I'm stuck with the car for a least a couple years so I'm looking into some sort of aftermarket suspension upgrades. I like the car just need to work on that awful understeer. Getting conflicting opinions on some Forums about sway bars so need to do some more reading. I'll probably at least start with that. Maybe springs and 18" tires later on. Lot's of research to keep me busy during the winter months.

Really disappointed with the component quality, pulled the car up on ramps today to have a look-see, stamped, painted steel everywhere. I guess I'm spoiled from working on my A4, lots of aluminium bits although I do realize the different price points.
 
First option should be a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, as Brian mentioned. Cheap, easy to install and combats all the problems you described with the handling.
 
DJM said:
Yeeesh, I was in the middle of a bender when I typed that out. That was a damn good bottle of Red Label.

Well, I'm stuck with the car for a least a couple years so I'm looking into some sort of aftermarket suspension upgrades. I like the car just need to work on that awful understeer. Getting conflicting opinions on some Forums about sway bars so need to do some more reading. I'll probably at least start with that. Maybe springs and 18" tires later on. Lot's of research to keep me busy during the winter months.

Really disappointed with the component quality, pulled the car up on ramps today to have a look-see, stamped, painted steel everywhere. I guess I'm spoiled from working on my A4, lots of aluminium bits although I do realize the different price points.
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stuck is a bummer, make the best of it then
 
fastar1 said:
First option should be a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, as Brian mentioned. Cheap, easy to install and combats all the problems you described with the handling.
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Ideally you want to replace both.
Replacing the rear alone may cause too much oversteer.
Agreed though on effectiveness. Sway bars are always one of the 1st mods on all my cars. Cheap, easy and make a huuuuuuge difference in handling.
 
miggs said:
Ideally you want to replace both.
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No, not necessarily. For example, I have another different car I autocross and its general forum experience (including my own personal) has shown that the hot handling setup includes a stiffer rear swaybar w/ no changes to the front swaybar. So it depends on the car. Plus there can always be personal preference.
 
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DJM said:
Well, I'm stuck with the car for a least a couple years so I'm looking into some sort of aftermarket suspension upgrades.
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IMHO, carefully consider this. If it's just a rear sway bar and a couple hundred $, fine and sounds good. If it is new aftermarket suspension for the entire car such as shocks/springs, struts and swaybars (at that price) then don't do it. Take the basic hit and sell the jetta and get a golf or similar car pricewise for what you actually want. If you literally price out the total lifecycle costs of these two options, they're probably similar to the same overall. That's just my quick but logical assessment of costs/losses between the two options based on my experience of having done both. Plus you end up with the car you actually want more for a longer period of time. The beauty of the honest assessment is that is a win win for you (and can be explained to the other half if needed).
 
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On the subject of rear antiroll bar ...

I had a Mk5 Jetta for a long time. If the subject Jetta has the independent rear suspension, the whole subframe assembly with that IRS is interchangeable between Mk5 Jetta, Mk6 Golf, and the subject Jetta. And if *that* is the case ... With mine, I bought a H&R (I think) sway bar kit which included a 23mm rear antiroll bar that had two positions for the link attachment so that it was adjustable. I installed the rear 23mm bar only and left the stock front antiroll bar. The "soft" position ended up making the car pretty neutral on cornering. The "hard" position made it tail-happy.

While the current Jetta might share the same rear subframe and control arm assembly, it is entirely possible that the spring and damping rates are otherwise different - but I doubt if they will be too far out of the ballpark compared to a Mk5.

There are some insanely huge antiroll bars available. Don't go that route. Those are for the people who think any body roll at all is completely unacceptable and don't realize that the job of suspension is to have "compliance" and absorb bumps.

Measure the diameter of your stock rear antiroll bar. If it's 18mm, it's the same as a standard Mk5 rear antiroll bar. I think the GTI used a 21mm rear bar and if you can get your hands on one of those, that would be a good choice also. Different model years might be +/- a little bit.

If the Jetta in question has the beam axle rear suspension, you're screwed. Doesn't have a rear antiroll bar and at last check, nothing was available.
 
Im curious if the Jetta GLI suspension is what the OP is looking For? Are the GLI Jetta and Golf GTI suspension Similar?
 
Just a question...don't you guys TEST DRIVE cars. I mean really drive the car to see what it does?
Take it into a large parking lot test acceleration, braking, steering, hard steering and braking.

Also Pirelli tires can be trash after a few thousand kms. My old car had P7000 (something like that) and great when new until 1 day coming down the street with maybe a 5 degree slope, very light rain (already rained, roads a little wet, nothing much)...I pressed on brake lightly car felt like driving on ice....down shifted (manual car) but car was just sliding...simple residential street I was going 40-50...street coming to a red light intersection...I saw a side street to the right, pulled the e-brake and aimed to make the right turn or at least hit the curb. Luckily, I made the turn.

After that day...ditched the tires.

Toyo tires are decent also.
 
The salesman sat beside me when I test drove the Mazda B2300. My cuff buttons kept getting snagged on the horn whilst sawing at the wheel. Anybody who's driven one and/or the Ford Ranger sister will know what I'm talking about. It was very annoying and consequently set up a funky vibe in cab. I did not notice body roll.
 
250R-ICE said:
Im curious if the Jetta GLI suspension is what the OP is looking For? Are the GLI Jetta and Golf GTI suspension Similar?
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Historically, they have been, but now with the Jetta diverging from the path of being a Golf with a trunk, that's not really the case. The rear suspension (if independent, on the Jetta) is similar, but the front suspension is not. There is a GLI version of the current Jetta, though, and those bits and pieces will all swap over. But if you are going to the trouble of swapping front struts, might as well just buy a complete Bilstein kit and install that, because it will be better than the factory parts. (I had a Bilstein kit on my previous daily-driver and it completely transformed the car)

-D- said:
Just a question...don't you guys TEST DRIVE cars. I mean really drive the car to see what it does?
Take it into a large parking lot test acceleration, braking, steering, hard steering and braking.
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I do, and I pay attention to not only how the car works as-is but also what can probably easily be improved (e.g. by better tires, or better springs and shocks) and what you probably won't be able to change (e.g. steering calibration).

One thing that has become quite apparent, is how often the journalists are out to lunch.
 
-D- said:
Just a question...don't you guys TEST DRIVE cars. I mean really drive the car to see what it does?
Take it into a large parking lot test acceleration, braking, steering, hard steering and braking.
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This. OP, did you not take it on a test drive before purchasing? That is a colossal sin if you didn't.


P.S. I'd start with tires.....
 
Of course I test drove it, but there wasn't any similar roads in my area like the 403 through Hamilton. This is the only dynamic I don't like about the vehicle, the understeer when pushed.

Brian, it is IFS, they went to it in 2015 on the Jetta line along with rear disc brakes.
 
What did you expect from a car that competes with the mediocre Camry for sales? Most people are not enthusiasts and so the cars are neutered in driving pleasure ie shitbox handling, no steering feel, awful non linear brakes. Should have got the Jetta GLI (pretty much a full size GTI) if you wanted a decent handling car. Understeer is calibrated into most cars for safety reasons, imagine a front wheel drive that would oversteer, the regular driving public would not know what to do lol
Its like me buying a base model Focus SE and expecting it to handle like an ST or RS lol. Thankfully I have an ST that oversteers when you lift off throttle in turns :)

In all seriousness I feel your pain. I have a 2010 camry v6 sport with upgraded suspension that still handles like a 72 buick lol. No amount of Michelin pilot sport tires or suspension upgrades have helped that car lol The chassis licks ba**s
 
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I never heard of all-of-a-sudden severe understeer, on a highway, on any car, forget VW. They are not known for a great reliability (yep, but it is what it is ...), but I test drove many cars and there's not one handling like my Golf TDI in that particular budget. Handling/steering/power and mileage is the strong forte of this car. Not sure about your Jetta, whether it's the same chassis as my MarkVI Golf, but if it is, something must have broke (out of norm tear/wear), clearly, assuming your tires are still good.
 
Your Mk6 Golf is one of the good ones (same underneath as my Mk5 Jetta was). The original poster's current Jetta has the same rear suspension but different front suspension and the calibration is different.

The calibration makes a BIG difference.
 
daught said:
Check out the 034 rear sway bar. Dunno how it is for the jetta but its a great and cheap upgrade for the B6/7 A4.

https://store.034motorsport.com/034...i-rabbit-8j-8p-audi-tt-a3-fwd-adjustable.html

Sent from my DROID Turbo using Tapatalk
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That looks like the type of mod miggs was warning about, just changing the rear bar. That's 2x to 3x stiffer than stock rear bar off a GTI! They say it's designed to be used with the stock front but it sounds like too much at 25mm, if stock is 19, OE upgrade is 21, and Brian found he got a neutral handling car on the soft setting using a 23mm bar.

The OP was looking for competent handling car off the showroom floor, not an autocross winner.
 
Brian P said:
Your Mk6 Golf is one of the good ones (same underneath as my Mk5 Jetta was). The original poster's current Jetta has the same rear suspension but different front suspension and the calibration is different.

The calibration makes a BIG difference.
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Fair enough ..... but this makes a difference to the point that basically a new car will severely under-steer on a 403 hwy?? We are talking 120km/h max and pretty good size radius turn .... how bad the calibration would have to be? Or simply something is broken, or the OP forgot to mention the motorcycle carrier hooked to his hitch ... I am kidding of course, but I still cannot see how such undemanding road could make the car feel so bad ... at least, that's how I am reading the OP's recollection of events.
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