Its a 1999.5 Jetta GL, i think...or maybe the 'GLS', the previous owner took the rear badges off. Its the 2.0L, 5 speed manual...but does have some higher end options; heated leather seats, factory CD player, power everything...tilt/telescoping steering wheel, etc...it doesn't help that she bought it (before we got together) with no manual, no history, and with a title that at first had mismatched vins. Her insurance company worked everything out, so its properly matched back up with her registration and title...but raises questions about the previous owner for sure.
Definitely has ABS...but as far as 'traction control', it might be an issue of definitions...I am positive this car has NO adjustment to power output...If you bust a tire loose it will spin until you let off the gas with no input from a computer. So that is what i meant by 'traction control'. It may have some sort of stability management related to the ABS system, that i'm not sure of....but again there is no system controlling the engine output; what little there is anyway...and if it is supposed to have a system controlling that, it hasn't worked since she bought it in 2008. Wouldn't surprise me, this car has a plastic dipstick tube to the oil pan...that cracks from engine heat in about 25,000 miles and needs replaced each time. There is a hot coolant 'splitter' made entirely of plastic, that has split 4 times since she owned it...letting all the coolant spill out. The cup holders snapped from a single can of soda...the roof lining is sagging, and holds water if its parked in the rain. The vanity mirrors on both side snapped off, and we had to remove the bulbs just to keep them from being permanently on...etc, etc, etc.
it truly is a pos...Now don't get me wrong...the P5 would get around in regular snow conditions...most of my problems with heavier snow were simply from 'plowing', as the front is pretty low and would easily start to hold a lot of extra snow pretty quickly. The awr mounts didn't help either, tire spin is nearly on or off because of zero flex in the drive train. hers isn't modded at all, with a high round front end...and hers has always been far better in heavier snow because of that...but i'm positive if i'm not careful with the throttle in that it will one wheel as long as i want it to, its just easier to control with next to zero engine power, a 300lb heavier car, and a clutch that slips like its made from a rubber band.
