At $4,300, Does This 2003 VW Jetta GLI VR6 Still Have Life Left In It?

According to the ad, today’s Nice Price or No Dice Jetta has 240,000 on the clock. Despite that heavy baggage, it still impresses with a VR6 under the hood, and a five-speed stick next to that. Let’s see what we think about its condition and price.

Some vehicles are rare because few were ever built. Others, like the 1985 Ford LTD LX we looked at yesterday, present as rare through attrition, which, to be fair, is driven by not being all that noteworthy when new. Our LX had been made more attractive by way of a built 5.0 V8 and swapped-in five-speed stick, among other upgrades. That was made possible by Fox-body LTD’s close association with the also-Fox-body Mustang. Less attractive to some was the car’s failing paint, although the seller positioned that patina as a positive. None of that made a difference, though, when considering the car’s considerable $18,500 asking price. When all was said and done, that had fallen in an 87 percent No Dice loss.

When Volkswagen first introduced the Jetta, back in 1979, it was little more than a Golf (or Rabbit) with a trunk. This proved extremely popular in the U.S. as the American car-buying public as a whole likes big butts and we cannot lie. The second generation of the Jetta was much the same—a Golf with a trunk. Third generation? Golf with a trunk. By the fourth generation, however, something funky got into the Jetta designers’ Franzbrötchen. The Mark IV Jetta, introduced for the 1999 model year, remarkably didn’t look like a Golf with a trunk. For the first time, the Jetta sedan earned itself a set of back doors that were not hand-me-downs from the Golf. It also received a more unique sloping nose to further differentiate the model from its hatchback sibling.

Despite the added attention, the Jetta has always played second fiddle to the Golf when it comes to performance. Heavier, due to its added booty, the U.S.-market GLI doesn’t quite have the same edge as the lighter Golf GTI. As befitting its more luxurious role in the lineup, the GLI also had less-aggressive seat bolstering, and no plaid for the upholstery.

Mechanically, the Mark IV GLI rocked the same stuff as the GTI, all the way up to the sweet 2.8-liter Verkürzt Reihenmotor Sechs engine and five-speed manual transmission turning the front wheels. That combo put 200 horsepower on the table in U.S. trim, backed up by 195 lb-ft of torque. This 2003 VW Jetta GLI sports the raucous VR6 and the five-speed. It also has a bunch of aftermarket add-ons and wear-related replacements to make it even more over the top.

Those include a new clutch with a lightened flywheel, and suspension-lowering coilovers. The seller says those were installed “at the beginning of the year,” which sounds a little strange as we’re not even halfway through March yet. Other noteworthy updates include a cold air intake, Magnaflow cat-back exhaust, a new aluminum radiator, and a Stage 2 ECU recoding that is promised to bring an extra 20 to 25 ponies to the party.

Additional fixes include new axles, a short shifter, and a handsome set of 18-inch 3SDM alloys. All the work is important as the car reportedly has 240,000 miles on the clock, so it’s natural that some of the wear and tear parts would need replacing.

Aesthetically, the car looks OK. The gray paint seems shiny enough and the car’s lowered stance, chromed double-barrel exhaust, and rack on the roof do give it a solid ski bum vibe. There are a few obvious dings in the bodywork, one in the trunk lid (pfft, that would never happen in a GTI) and a couple on the left-front fender. All are probably serviceable by a paint-less dent removal expert, but that will be left up to the next owner to decide.

The cabin appears clean and sports leather upholstery, rubber floor mats, and an aftermarket Alpine stereo with a fancy-pants touchscreen. The seller says the AirCon system was replaced eight years ago and still works like a charm.

Under the hood, things are a bit grimier, and the engine is missing its plastic beauty panel. That’s not a big deal as it doesn’t really serve much of a purpose, but would be nice to have it looking a bit tidier in there.

According to the ad, this GLI has no electrical or mechanical issues, and the sale will include a clean title and a set of winter wheels. That all comes at the asking price of $4,300. While it has a ton of miles on the clock, the car seems well cared-for—the seller claiming oil changes every 3K—and looks to be in pretty good shape for its age and those miles. Yes, there are a couple of dings here and there, but at night, who’s going to know? Plus, the add-ons and maintenance work seem to have been done with a sense of care for the car.

So, what do you say? Does this GLI deserve some love at that $4,300 asking price? Or is that just too high to like?

You decide!

Nice Price or No Dice:

Denver, Colorado, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to Don R. for the hookup!

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