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Friday Fail? 1989 Volkswagen Jetta Coupe VR6

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In the past, I’ve used the Friday Fail to examine some pretty awful ads and terrible aesthetic choices. With today’s column, however, I’d like to put it to our readers to decide if this is a full-on fail, or if there is some merit to this Jetta. I happen to really dig the 2-door Jettas as both Mk1s and Mk2s, cutting a similar cropped 3-box style to the E30 coupes (compare these to their four-door brethren and then try to wrap your field of vision around a 4-series… who’s failing now?) This one has some choice Dublover retrofits like a VR6, outstanding Porsche D90 wheels, and a clean Trophy interior. The body modifications, however, are where the fail starts to seep in. I don’t hate how the Mk2 Big Bumpers look on it, or rather how they could look on it if fully modified to fit, but their slight sag makes my linear-loving brain blow gaskets. The rear bumper is the worst, which brings us to the next fail: if you’re going to give such great detail about what you’ve added to the car, CAN’T YOU TAKE MORE THAN TWO PICTURES?! At least SHOW us how that saggy butt really looks so we can start to picture how to fix it.

$6,500 isn’t bad for a mostly cool-looking Jetta Coupe with a VR6 and Porsche wheels. But having two pictures is the domain of $850 OBO “NEDS WRK AC BROKN” eBay specials. So, is it a big Fail this Friday, or just in need of a serious in-person investigation?

Click for details: 1989 Volkswagen Jetta Coupe on eBay


$_57 (1)
Year: 1989
Model: Jetta Coupe
Engine: 2.8 liter VR6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: Unknown, 2,700 mi on rebuild
Price: $6,500 OBO
$_57

1989 jetta coupe
Trophy interior
Mk3 dash swap with sport cluster
Power windows
Rebuilt vr6 obd2 -2700 miles and counting.
5spd 02a
5lug plus suspension

16″ d90s w like new tires
GP coilovers -vr6 rated
Rear strut brace
Bosal exhaust
Drilled and slotted rotors
Fully functioning ebrake (this is becoming a rarity 😉 )
New heater core
Repaired flap doors
Working cold ac
Fresh alpine white paint
Southern no rust chassis
Big bumpers
Fat trim
Trunk spoiler
Smoked ecode aero lights
Smoked bumper markers
Smoked bananas
NOS aero grill
New windshield
Mk3 tank (single pump)

$_57 (1)
Yes, I know I’m repeating pictures. IT’S BECAUSE THERE ARE ONLY TWO.

I think it’s 95% cool… from the 30% I can see. Unfortunately, this triggers a lesson all online daters should keep in mind: Don’t just look at what you see, think about what they don’t want you to see. Every time you’ll try to make it fit your ideal no matter how far off you may be, and in my imagination, this Jetta Coupe looks like a really sweet car! Too bad there’s a mistreated, saggy behind back there that I can’t even see.

-NR
note: looks like the seller put some better pictures up and claims the bumper issue has been addressed on VWVortex.

3 Comments

  1. Wayne
    Wayne July 10, 2015

    nice to know how many miles on the rebuilt engine but I would need to know the mileage on the chassis as well, shouldn’t be difficult to fix the bumpers maybe these posts will push them to fix it

  2. Molefunken
    Molefunken July 11, 2015

    Yeah but it’s got fat trim so hellz yeah balla
    What a mess.

  3. KevinR
    KevinR July 11, 2015

    The ad is definitely a fail, even after you read the updated Vortex post. The pictures are blurry and foggy and according to the owner’s posts, most of them don’t reflect the car’s current condition.

    There are some things people should keep in mind when placing a car for sale:
    * Wash and vacuum it at a minimum; ideally you should detail it to a level needed for a car show.
    * Get your personal belongings out of the car.
    * If you’ve gone decal crazy, take them off.
    * Take a lot of clear pictures with a decent camera. Include front, rear, left side, right side, roof, hood, trunk, wheels, driver’s seat (including bolster), passenger seat, rear seat, dashboard, inside the trunk and under the hood. Chassis shots are great, but not everyone has facilities to do that.
    * Don’t use pictures that don’t reflect the car’s “As Sold” specifications. If you’re not including the stereo or the wheels or any other item, don’t show them in your pictures.
    * Rolling shots, car show shots, etc… are not helpful

    The car I’d put as a half-finished project, with an overall “eh.” Given the things that are obviously incomplete in the pictures, I’d really be concerned about possible shortcuts taken to install the drivetrain or the Mk3 dash.

    That being said, some money, effort and attention to detail will bring out a lot of the potential that is currently hidden in this car.

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