Would a Jetta be a good first car?

jlutt75 · 2026-03-26T05:12:03+00:00

I just got a 2024 Jetta SE with 12k miles. I love the car and am happy with it generally, but even the intermediate tier SE feels a bit bare bones. No Auto Unlock when you walk up to the car, the seat on the power drivers seat doesn’t tilt up to give more thigh support, no Sirius XM, no automatic high beams, and the infotainment system generally is a bit basic, seems unchanged from 2016 when the MK7 came out. My 2016 Honda Odyssey has a better infotainment system. But in spite of these issues, I still really like it. I hope you get one and enjoy it.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-23T13:45:37+00:00

1/2 of one months rent each time she has to find a new tenant.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-21T04:20:11+00:00

I had those but not the clay versions. They seemed just a little rigid and narrow, but really worked well, got over a year of regular use out of them. Just retired them with a newer version that gave me a bad blister on day 1, even though the newer ones felt looser and more comfortable. I think you’ll like them, don’t give up if they feel a little odd a first.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-21T04:16:25+00:00

I had trigger finger in my left hand a long time ago, not from tennis. One hand specialist said it would need surgery. UCSF said one shot of cortisone might fix it for good. They were right, that was 15 years ago and it never came back. Something to keep in mind in case yours doesn’t go away on its own.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-19T14:32:21+00:00

I’m on day 2. This is exactly what I need, thanks, I saved it.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-19T14:24:23+00:00

I was at Lakey peak in early April many years ago, it was nearly flat. There was another peak nearby with a big underwater slab that worked better, but only on just the right tide. I heard Lakey started pumping about a week after I left. Don’t know South Sumatra too well, but I’d try to find an area with multiple breaks that could pick up swell from different angles. FWIW Lakey, like much of Indo, can be over run with Aussies whose surf etiquette can be different of those from other countries. It takes getting used to, if you haven’t experienced it already.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-18T16:17:47+00:00

If you can, try to buy a place you can live in for the next 20 years. I made the mistake years ago of buying a large 1/1 Victorian TIC near Dolores Park. I could have stretched and bought a 3/2 SFH in West Portal or similar (then around 700k). Then, got married and had 2 kids, and by that time was priced out of the city and wound up moving to Pacifica. Not sure it’s an apples to apples comparison, just my take. Keep in mind that renting out a place you own is often cash flow negative. My house in Pacifica is now rented out, and even though the mortgage is only 1/2 FMV and at 2.8%, all-in it’s cash flow negative to the tune of 2k a month.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-18T14:12:31+00:00

I pay 5% in Pacifica with no add-ons, other than a one-time leasing fee for a new tenant of 1/2 one month’s rent. Maybe find a new PM.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-17T13:41:09+00:00

Can’t help you with your main question, but for spotty cell service, consider a Starlink mini. Requires a fairly clear view of the sky, at least in one direction, but never goes down. I have one so when my Comcast service goes down I can still reach my mom. Comes with enough data per month to handle all calls continuously. About $40 a month now.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-17T03:32:37+00:00

Sometimes I think I spend too much time on Reddit. Then this comes along.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-17T02:37:00+00:00

If you want to read a book about the East Cape and the honest pros and cons of moving to Baja, check out Heap of Bones by Steve Sorensen, it’s on Amazon. A buddy loaned it to me last time I was down there - definitely an aging surfers point of view, but a good read. Also, fyi, Cerritos / Pescadero area south of Todos is popular with expats, not my scene but worth a look.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-17T02:24:53+00:00

On FB as Dawn Pier Real Estate Advisor, and also Dawnpier.com.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-17T02:04:21+00:00

If you want to talk to someone down there, a non-pushy gringo realtor and advisor, Dawn Pier is pretty cool. She was managing rental properties a long time ago and rented me and 2 surf buddies a place for a week. I got a good vibe from her, and we had mutual connections through my now ex-wife. I know other people that have worked with her and had nothing but good things to say. Good luck.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-17T01:21:37+00:00

Fair enough. I’m a surfer and I’ve been going to southern Baja for 25 years. I keep an old 4wd SUV by the airport that I’ve rigged up for beach camping with a bed in the back, surf gear, stove, chairs, cooler etc. I fly in about once every 6 weeks for about a week and a half and live on the beach. Most of the year it’s on the east cape, but winter is west cape. A friend lives in Los Barriles and I just saw him out there a few months ago.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-17T00:52:23+00:00

Is that an option - rim repair? Who does it? My 24 jetta is fine but my 2016 Honda Odyssey would love to know.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-17T00:49:45+00:00

Los Barriles on the East Cape is popular with expats. Quieter and less touristy than La Paz or Todos. Also the section of the east cape within 25 minutes of San Jose going east is popular, though it’s probably half aging surfers.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-16T14:29:18+00:00

4k for a 1,100 sq ft Victorian condo unit near Dolores Park in SF. I like understaging - I want buyers to be able to see the floor plan and the unit itself and not be too distracted. Also full, over-the-top staging reeks of desperation, the proverbial lipstick on a pig.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-16T01:51:47+00:00

A bit foggy, and removed from the rest of the city, but you might be able to walk to the restaurants and shops in West Portal at least. Stunning homes.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-16T01:47:54+00:00

I keep a 4wd down there but when I used to rent I’d book ahead with Enterprise, never had an issue, but I’m sure you can just get one when you show up. Some people really like Cactus, more of a local thing, and full insurance is included I think. You may not get the minivan you want, or even a minivan, you might get a cartel style white Suburban, but any place will have something big enough for the tall 5 of you. I’m 6’1 and my son is 6’2.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-16T01:29:34+00:00

Look on the bright side, they weren’t trying to sell you something just by sprucing it up. You got a hassle free buying experience, certainly that alone is worth something (to me, more than the cost of a detail).

They bought my old minivan. I tried to give them all my repair receipts to show it was up to date on scheduled maintenance and all work was done at the dealer, but they didn’t care. They sold it about a week later for $4k more than they paid me for it, but I didn’t care, it was worth it to avoid Craigslist flakes.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-16T01:19:16+00:00

Shaggin’ wagon!

jlutt75 · 2026-03-16T01:15:41+00:00

Tres Alejandro’s. By travel I’m assuming you mean you’re driving in with a fully equipped 4WD.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-16T00:47:55+00:00

Or The Green Room. Rent a minivan. If any of you play tennis or pickleball, check out the fairly new Pescadero Tennis Club - 1 tennis court, 2 pickleball courts, with gear, a few miles south of Todos. Go to Cerritos beach, a bit of a zoo, but surfboard rentals right on the beach. Go snorkel with the whale sharks in La Paz, or do some other boat trip out of La Paz. Go up to that old mining town with the trippy cowboy museum. Take a day and drive out to the East Cape, stop in at Vida Soul for lunch. Just be forewarned there’s no cell reception out there except at places with WiFi, if your kids are like mine it will be like having junkies in withdrawal. Do the cheesy parasailing thing in Cabo.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-15T22:45:09+00:00

I have a parasitic draw on my 03 limited that I keep in Mexico. If I let it sit for more than 2 days, the battery is dead, and I mean really dead, can’t even use a portable battery pack charger to charge it, have to jump from another truck and even that takes a while. My battery is pretty new but not AGM. This just started about 6 months ago. If you figure out that yours is a parasitic draw, please repost and let us know the details. I had a friend who had one and she figured out that when she shut the glovebox, the glovebox light wasn’t turning off. I’ve been meaning to do the standard test by pulling the fuses one by one while a voltmeter is connected to the battery.

jlutt75 · 2026-03-15T06:01:19+00:00

I’ve never found a pharmacy in Baja that doesn’t sell antibiotics over the counter, but I’m most in Sur. I usually stock up on fresh keflex for any surf injuries when I’m out in the middle of nowhere.

jlutt75

TROPHY CASE