really weird starting issues
 

i have a 98 jetta gl, manual, around 153,650 miles on it. i have had my fair share of issues that have all been resolved, but this is an odd one.

so i noticed last summer/fall that the car would sometimes not start when i turned the key right away. sometimes i just had to hold it in the start position for a little bit, other times it took a lot longer. the problem went away over the winter, but now that it is getting warmer out it has started doing this again. it got to the point at one time where i almost called AAA because i couldn't get it to start for the life of me, but then it finally got going.

when it happens i turn the key, all the other electrical goes on, but the engine just doesn't respond. no clicking, nothing. so i will turn it again, and sometimes it starts up, sometimes i have to hold it. other times i have taken the key out, put it in neutral and back into first, anything i can think of, waited a few minutes, swear a lot, and repeat, then it will eventually start up again.

i am guessing there is just something with the starter, or maybe some weird jetta electrical thing (it WAS assembled in mexico) the heat thing seems odd to me though

any thoughts?

I had the almost the same experience about a year ago and it turned out I had to replace the starter. For me I was able to start the car, but it would it take a while sometimes. Sometimes it would work and other times it wouldn't. Warm weather did not help.

I found that resetting the car's computer helped for a while (removing the negative cable from the battery), but eventually it became an issue trying to get the car started and getting to work on time. After I got the car diagnosed though I ended up replacing the ignition starter. It may be the same in your case.

I agree it is the starter.