I got plates! It wasn’t even hard!
A few weeks back I got temp tags for it. Ohio does 45 day ones now, so I was clear til June 2nd. Since it’s “roadworthy” now, yesterday I drove to the BMV and had an out of state VIN inspection done. Sidebar, is it normal for a car to go from 80k to 273k in one year? Who cares! Then, I drove to the title bureau (I didn’t realize the BMV I went to wasn’t one) and handed them my Indiana title (no notary required in that state), VIN inspection, my license, and some cash, and bam, Ohio title. Then I went across the hall and got plates and registration good until August 2020. Easy!
Now, I’ve gotta make it less sketchy. I threw a new fuel pump in and it drives now, but the spare pump I had has an intermittent sender. Not a huge deal, but I’d like my gas gauge to work. I also need to fix the wipers. Obviously I need to blades, but the motors are sketchy as well. And the stalk is different than my Golf- there’s the normal middle “off” position in middle, a bump up gets you a wipe, and a down click should get intermittents. Maybe it has auto wipers? Either way, they don’t work unless you hold the stalk up.
After I sort that, I think I need a new idle control valve. It idles around 600 for a while, lugging itself, then goes up to 800ish where the Golf idles. Not a huge issue, but I’d like it to work. I’d also like a new steering wheel. The current one is old and flakey and generally kind of gross. I’ll find a facelifted Cabrio one to match my Golf.
Up next is tires. The rears have good tread but were sitting for three years so might be a bit dry rotted. Fronts are bald.
Then, shifter bushings. As it sits, to get into 1st, I need to slam it into 2nd first to find the gate, then get 1st. Otherwise I risk grabbing reverse. You’re supposed to have to push the shifter down to get into the reverse gate, but it seem loose in the Jetta. I also get a ton of play in it, enough so that I have no clue what gear I’m starting in without throwing it around. I’ve had many 3rd gear starts.
It also probably needs end links. I get a major clunk when turning at low speeds, similar to as in the Golf, but to a much greater level. While I’m at it I’ll probably do wheel bearings, at least grease on them.
And now the most alarming problem. As I drove to the BMV, the oil chime went off on the highway. (Should I have been on the highway in this? In the rain? No!) I got off an exit early and stopped at a gas station. Dipstick read good level, so I popped the oil cap and... Milkshake. Welp. What could I do? I drove to the BMV, did inspection, got plates, and went home. I parked it and checked the cap again for giggles, and no milkshake. Is this normal? I don’t really want to do a head gasket.
Apart from those tiny things, I’d like to change all the fluids and belts, then do a major cleaning (I’m talking pull carpets). Then if I’m up to it, I may weld in new rockers and throw some sideskirts on to match the rest of the body kit.