Shifty's 2002 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 1.8T
Thanks for checking out my daily driven Dub (I have another)! I purchased this car in March of 2004 with plans of adding nothing more than a shock/spring combo (or coilovers) and a CAI and aftermarket divertor valve for the turbo. Things have snowballed quickly though...
This car was equipped very nicely from the factory. Leather interior with heated seats, power sunroof, 17" VW Long Beach rims, etc... basically a loaded GLS package. Oh and my favorite part: the 180-hp 1.8T engine mated to a five speed manual tranny. Lets put it this way: if I walked into a VW dealership and said "I want to order a new Jetta please" - I would have bought this exact car new. Okay, maybe sans-leather but who's keeping track anyway?
Now, I was all happy-and-smiles with my 'dub. I washed it most every day and admired it out of the window of my home. Then it happened: in the apartment complex next door I spotted an identical Jetta. And it was all over.
I couldn't tell you what mods went on first. Was it the grille? The springs? The tint? I don't remember, all I know is my VW just HAD to look different than any other dub in Wichita. And I now feel that she's beginning to take on an identity all her own.
Understand that this car is FAR from complete. In fact, I'm not sure it ever will be. I work as a painter for a Hot Rod and Customs shop in OKC and I'm constantly tinkering with the look of my cars. I also enjoy racing of all types - in fact I like to think my car vaguely resembles a touring car from one of the Euro racing leagues and I've kind of based my modding on that premise with the clean aero mods and 15-spoke 18" rims.
My Club Affiliations
Admittedly, I probably never would have gone this far with the mods so quickly if it weren't for my affiliations with VW clubs here in the Central U.S.
Within the first two months of owning my car I met four other VW drivers in Wichita. We discovered we were all enthusiasts in the brand and lived just tooling around town and shooting photos and vids. Soon after, Team Foolie - The Wichita VW Club was formed.
In the first year of operation, Team Foolie (www.teamfoolie.com) went from four members to a core group of about 20 along with an internet forum registry comprising of over 100 users. In late 2005, however, my wife Tosha and I were forced to move to Oklahoma City due to a job relocation. We met some great people thanks to Foolie, and we continue to contribute to the club and Wichita VW scene whenever possible.
Anyway, all the cars have sorta "grown up" together. Some are still the same cars they were when the club began, but most have evolved into different - and in many ways better - machines. It's this reason I believe my car has come as far as it has over that past year-and-a-half. It's just a big, fun, friendly "pissing contest"... ugh.
Grant Visser is the person who I helped start Foolie. His car just happens to be a 2002 Jetta 1.8T just like mine, only white. Oddly, our cars have almost the same mods - wheels, painted valences and engine components, tint, suspension, etc. - only our aftermarket branding varies so the cars do each have an individual look.
These two cars really have grown up together...
Now that my wife and I have moved to Oklahoma City we have been hanging out with OKC Wetdub, which is essentially another Team Foolie. Everyone in the club is very laid-back and really just wants to have fun - just like the Foolie group. In fact, when Foolie and Wetdub get together it's a lot of fun.
