As the 3rd owner of this 98 Jetta GL, I've now feel as if I have been thru a
hazing of sorts for having changed the oil myself. The previous owner,
appears not to have changed the oil in 20,000 miles. Its a wonder that
nasty things did not happen to Jetta during this time. Anyway, I was very
very PO'd at the fact that my big hands couldn¹t get a grip on the filter
and spin it off. Why? All the freaking obstacles in the way like A/C lines
from the compressor, the front frame components. Ultimately, I purchased a
filter appliance that fits on the bottom of the filter and you employ a
3/8'ths ratchet or break over bar to twist it loose. Even then, it took
some contortioning to get the ratchet into the filter wrench and make it
spin to the point where hands could do the rest. Let me guess. VW makes a
filter wrench for this purpose right?

Terrence