Tune Up?

I have a 1996 Jetta Trek with a 4cyl 2.0 liter engine with 127,775 miles. When it is cold, the engine doesn't get any higher than 1,200RPMS. It kinda sputters and spits for a minute and then it will go to about 1,700RPMS. That would be around the normal warm up RPM but it takes a bit to get there. Also, when I am driving, it seems to take time to get out of 3rd gear. Also, if I am going up a hill at 45MPH in 4th gear, it starts to chug. That is too early for chugging. Maybe this all means that it needs a tune-up? I'm getting about 30MPG. Any advice is appreciated.

30 MPG??? Thats great! How long has it been since you had your plugs replaced? I had the same problem, and it ended up being just a tune up. Maybe it could be your injectors, you could try a fuel system cleaner. Hopefully that will help.

My problem is that I have no clue as to when they were replaced or what has been done. All I know is that the engine is running like crap and something is wrong. Do you know anything about the cold start problem that I mentioned in my first post? Today I went like 1 mile and the temp guage went nuts and my temp warning light started blinking. Turned out to be that I was below min. on my anti-freeze. I went home and then it wouldn't start for like 10 minutes. THAT was MY fault though. LOL.

You might want to check the catalytic converter, will it eventually rev higher after it warms?

Yes, that's exactly what it does. And sometime it smells like half or unburned fuel. How much will this cost and how much longer can I drive it?

Does it eventually rev higher & have power when it warms? If so then it probably isn't the cat.

Once again, when I first start it up, it lingers around 900RPMs and after about 30 secs, it goes to about 1200RPMs. It sometimes does smell like unburned fuel. And no, I don't let it run more than 45 secs or so until I start driving. I don't believe in wasting my gas and getting my engine full of carbon.