VW Beetle Forum banner

most common suspension problems

6K views 29 replies 6 participants last post by  mat3833 
#1 ·
so i test drove an 03 Turbo S today around the block of where it was at. couldnt get above 35mph or really throw anything at it, but the car seemed "twitchy". granted ive been driving a 99 chevy malibu(aka rolling marshmellow....), but it seems kinda unstable. im going back to drive it again in a few days and id like some info on what could cause the car to react like that. when i go back i will be able to drive it fora longer period as well as toss some onramps at it and some highway + speeds. suposedly the control arm bushings have just been done as well as an alinment and all the mounts(motor trans dogbone) but the struts are original.

Matt
 
#2 ·
The clutch is hydraulic which make it seem a bit twitchy and takes some getting used to, you will need to get it up to speed. Also unless the RPM's are around 2,000 you may feel the turbo lag on these. Some people don't notice or take off more slowly, but I notice it if I am taking off quick, unless the RPM's are higher.


Sent from my iPhone using AutoGuide.com App
 
#3 ·
i have owned a Turbo S before, the clutch, transmission, and engine all seem fine. and actually i find a cable clutch more "sensitive/twitchy" than hydro. and did you really just use "turbo lag" when refering to a 1.8T? lol, i am concerned about the actual suspension. i know that toe in can make a car wander alot, especially FWD cars. but since i was told it had an allignment im guessing its something more serious than just an alignment.

Matt
 
#8 · (Edited)
i have owned a Turbo S before, the clutch, transmission, and engine all seem fine. and actually i find a cable clutch more "sensitive/twitchy" than hydro. and did you really just use "turbo lag" when refering to a 1.8T? lol, i am concerned about the actual suspension.

Matt
If you don't like people's answers and know everything, why ask questions?

As I said some people may not notice the "turbo lag", but having worked on and driven, literally, hundreds of these cars as a volkswagen tech, yes I said "turbo lag".

Sent from my iPhone using AutoGuide.com App
 
#14 ·
It' shouldn't be "Twitchy" especially after an alignment was just done on it. I would verify that the Lower Control Arm bushings were recently replaced. My car wasn't twitchy when I got it but my drivers side control arm bushing was pretty much gone and whenever I stopped the car it made a horrible clunking noise and like the engine was still moving forward. At first I thought it was the motor mounts and replaced them but the problem persisted. So I jacked up the car and saw how bad the control arm bushings were. So I replaced the enitre control arms with Heavy duty Solid TT/R32 bushings and after that the car just handled like a dream. I also replaced the front sway bar bushings and the sway bar endlinks since they have seen better days and after a couple of months I also replaced the shocks and struts and ball joints. Car handles like a dream. I used the Monroe Quick Struts and matching rear shocks. Very easy to install. After that I took it to a recommended Allignment shop and they did a very thorough alignment and I was told my drivers side wheel bearing is starting to go bad. So that will be my next project.

A good alignment shop will tell you if there is anything out of place and would never sign off on a "Twitchy" handling car.
I agree, the 1.8 has no turbo lag to speak of. It's one of the least laggy engine's ever built. Spools up very quickly and is very responsive. If you want Turbo Lag drive a Mazda Speed 3 or CX7 with 4 cylinder Turbo. Those things have major Turbo Lag ;)

Anyway, take it to a reputable alignment shop and let them make an inspection of all the front end parts. Might be well worth the 60 to 80 bucks they will charge you.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Well, a German designed VW will definitely handle differently then american vehicles; you could always have the car checked out by a professional and if you get serious about the purchase, I definitely would! The Mark IV series 1.8T VW's; have their unique issues and weaknesses. These are not like Toyota's or Honda's; they DO require quite a bit of maintenance to keep them on the road... the MAIN issue being the timing belt (1.8T is a interference engine). They are fun cars to drive and chip tuning is widely available along with other performance upgrades if that is something that appeals to you.
I guess the next question is to expound on the term "sensitive/twitchy"; the Turbo S comes with a "sport tuned" suspension (the turbo s is basically a GTI Golf in a different body) ; so, it is a German car and handles as they are designed. This makes for a somewhat taut feeling suspension compared to most soft slushy feeling cars out there (this seems to be changing on the newer cars however) and they are more responsive then what you are currently driving that's for sure...

Suspension parts that seem to go out: lower control arm bushings (mine are toast at 70k), rear trailing arm bushings (this seems to come with a audible "clunk" from the rear) and the struts could be done at this point. Obviously, basic things; like tire condition, quality and pressure are basics to look at. The typical things that fail seemed to have been addressed; LCR and motor mounts; have it checked out there could be other things worn out but my feeling is that you are sensing the sometimes drastic difference of the handling a German car vs. a American slush bucket. Once you get used to it; you will like it.... this is why many of us put up with the upkeep and issues of having a German car... they are so much fun to drive! I just started driving my turbo s after it being down for 6 months or more and I could describe its handling characteristics as you have described. I just put new bushings in my LCR and had it aligned as well.

Expound on "sensitive/twitchy" and we will go from there....
 
#5 ·
well the road i was able to drive on was a small 2 lane city road. not very well maintained with a good bit of bumps and camber changes. the car seemed to want to wander over every bump and when i got on the gas it torque steered a hell of alot more than i remember. when coasting the car didnt seem to track strait either. liek i said, it could just be because ive been driving a automatic Malibu. but it seems like something is wrong. i dont think shocks/struts would cause this much of a handeling problem. but maybe the alignment wasnt done properly?

Matt
 
#6 · (Edited)
Well, we are all theorizing at this point; most alignment/tire/front end shops will do a suspension/alignment inspection for free. I would ask the dealer if you could have the car check out and go from there; always a good idea to get everything checked out before taking the plunge and possibly being stuck with high repair bills! Did the tires seem good? Aside from the suspension; I would have a VW specialist go over everything with a fine tooth comb; I just had to have my transmission rebuilt (1st/2nd fork failure) and a new clutch as well. Keep those in mind; make sure it shfits smoothly no grinding etc. and clutch doesn't slip etc.
 
#7 ·
well its being sold by a VW repair shop. i used him alot when i had my 1970 VW. im goign to take it to the local dealer for a $180.00 thurough inspection before i buy it. they scan for codes, check the engine/tranny, put the car on the lift and inspect everything, sample the coolent/oil, and put it on the alignment machine. the carfax shows it wasnt wrecked, and its been owned local since it was born so no salt damage(yay!!). the interior isnt fantastic, but i like the idea of a project. just not a project that needs a full front suspension. lol once i get to drive it for a bit i will report back, but im hopeing someone will chime in with a possable cause(worn bushings, camber off, tie rods, something) that would explain the behavior.

Matt
 
#9 ·
#16 ·
definition of turbo lag - Subaru WRX STi... below about 4K RPM it feels like you are gerbil powered.

i called a few delearships near me and they all said the toe might be off some, combine that with the crappy road and BAM! you have "twitchy" lol. once i get a chance to put it on some smooth asphalt i will report back. keep throwing ideas at me tho, i dont want to get the car and have to dump 2 grand into new suspension componants.

Matt
 
#17 ·
You want turbo lag, try an old school IDI diesel. Our '84 TD is super fun, but that turbo doesn't even start to spool until about 3k...not much rpm range left after that either. Factory turbo on the 1.6 diesel in there is a T3, which is huge. We leave it on for the originality of it (factory TD cars are pretty rare) and we don't drive it hard anyway, but man, that's got some serious lag. Keep in mind, the car has a whopping 68hp factory :p
 
#18 ·
But they sure get incredible mileage and last a long time.

Matt, sounds like you got some helpful dealers around you. A lot of people on here can't even get that much info from their dealers.

You may want to pick up a tread depth gauge and see if the car was also just out of alignment so long it wore the tires in a really bad pattern, this can cause problems as well, especially when they are overinflated. However the dealer will check that when you take it in for the used car inspection anyway. They should also run it for recalls and be able to look in their computer and tell you what type of warranty work has been done on the car.

Mine had 3 or 4 MAF sensors replaced on it under warranty when I had it ran. I also still need to get the coil recall done.


Sent from my iPhone using AutoGuide.com App
 
#19 ·
im going to bring a penny with me and do the mr lincoln test method for the tires. and they actually just got an 02 Turbo S with 77K miles today instead of 116K on the one im looking at. im going to check them both out once i get over there next week for a final test drive. everything seems to be working in my favor this month. got my fingers crossed. ill also be in the market for a new armrest as well as glovebox(both are broken) and maybe some door pannels.

Matt
 
#20 ·
77k sounds nice. Make sure you check both inside and outside of the tires, worn inside would indicate the toe out problem. Also if you run your hand in the direction opposite of the direction of travel it will rough or choppy indicating bad wear patterns.

Just to state the obvious, you would definitely want to know if the t-belt and W/P had been done.


Sent from my iPhone using AutoGuide.com App
 
#21 ·
belt and pump will be done with the Deisel Geek kit before i buy it. and he will be using the DG kit from now on on all his installs, so i should be getting a slight discount on the car for saving him money. lol. will be going out next wednesday or thursday to test them both.

Matt
 
#23 ·
hopefully everything goes as planned. if so ill have another S by the 20th. :-D

Matt
 
#24 ·
I've heard that worn rear control arm bushings can make the handling twitchy. I think my 99 is starting to get this way. The original bushings were designed to give under cornering load to effect rear wheel countersteer. I could see that worn bushings would let the rear wheels "steer" when they shouldn't. There are redesigned bushings available from VW now.
 
#25 ·
I think "twitchy" is the wrong word. I think squirly is a much better term:D.

If you do change your control arm bushings make sure you get the Solid TT/R32 bushings, they tighten up the steering and last a lot longer than the holy/slotted stock bushings. Don't get poly bushings they Squeak after a while and are too harsh in my opinion.
 
#26 ·
sigh, well unfortunatly unless i can get a good cosigner im not getting any Turbo S' for awhile. i havent really had and credit activity for the past few years so they are considering me as a "new" credit. combine that with a vehicle older than 7 years and more than 80K miles and they wont use the car as collateral.

Matt
 
#30 · (Edited)
i dont have a 401K and its a 2003 Turbo S 116K miles and they are asking 4900 for it(well thats actually the price after negotiation. unfortunatly it got sold this morning so id be looking at a diferent car. :-(
here are the locals:
2003 Red Volkswagen Beetle GL Hatchback for Sale in Zephyrhills, Florida, 3VWFE21C13M440758 with 65,272 miles for $8,995 - Used Car Auto Classifieds
Black Volkswagen Beetle for Sale in Clearwater, Florida for $
2002 Volkswagen New Beetle - Used Hatchback Stuart FL | Continental Motor Group
2003 Volkswagen New Beetle - Used Hatchback LEESBURG FL | Ride & Drive Autos

not sure if im going to even go look at any of them right now tho, no sense if i cant get financed, lol.

Edit: i might have a cosigner or possibly a larger down payment. im considering the red one(even tho i hate red....) because it is all stock and has the armrest CD player. thoughts/opinions?

Matt
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top