2000 VR6 - Bent STOCK Rim (suspension?)

["Seann Dorand" <Seann_Dorand@ins.com>]

I saw an old post from Bruce Stapley regarding his bent wheels by hitting
very MINOR potholes.

I seem to be having the same issue and I'm getting a lot of crap from every
dealer I've taken it to.

I have a 2000 Jetta GLS VR6 with the sport/lux package (16" rims) and
according to the dealer my left front wheel is slightly out of true.

I took the car in for my first 5000 mile service, to get state inspection
and to check out the vibration/noise I was getting from the front of the car
at 75-85 mph.

They wouldn't road test the car at those speeds but they said when put up on
a list and the wheels accelerated, it looks like the wheel is slightly out
of true.

I haven't hit any MAJOR pot holes or bumps (well I have but the
noise/vibration was happening *BEFORE* I hit a few bumps).

I'm trying to figure out if maybe the wheel was un-true on purchase of the
car.  When I bought the car I wasn't really driving it that fast... and now
that its broken in and I do drive it that fast maybe the problem has
surfaced.

The dealers won't replace the wheel under warranty because they think I may
have hit something... but I can't be really sure whether it was like that
from the beginning and didn't know it or if I hit something to cause it but
I don't remember hitting any major potholes.  I agree with Bruce from his
old post that it seems to me the suspension is too soft or there are some
design flaws in it.  Is anyone else having problems similar to mine?  The
dealer is telling me the wheel will cost at least $225 plus installation.
He said I could continue driving it and not really mess anything up but its
highly irritating as I'm usually driving in the 80-90mph range during my
commutes.  I could buy the new wheel but don't feel like laying down that
money all the time if its being caused by something else...

I was going to put my spare on to see if the problem would go away but then
I thought that since its just a cheapo spare maybe quality control isn't so
high and it will probably be untrue or unbalanced.  I also don't have torque
wrenches etc to put the real wheel back on properly.

Any suggestions?  How can I find out if a lot of people are bending their
wheels on this model car?  If it is some sort of flaw, I want VW to fix the
issue for free whether its just the wheel or the suspension or whatever.

I'd like to hear Scott VW's opinion on the matter...

My car is 100% stock.

Thanks,
Seann Dorand - seann_dorand@ins.com