Faults:

The back passenger side power window broke, two weeks after I bought the car. It cost me a little over $400 to replace it.

Next on the list, a month or so after I bought the car it need a complete tune up.

Once that was taken care of the transmission started shift very hard, which I still have not gotten taken care of.

Then to top it all of the front drivers side power window broke.

General Comments:

I love this car, but yet at the same time I hate it. I love the way it looks, drives, and handles while it is working. But let something break and you will be paying out of your nose for the repairs.

Faults:

A mechanic damaged the air conditioning compressor when attempting to change the freon. The compressor was replaced for $450 dollars (not my money) and now works perfectly.

General Comments:

This is my first car and it's wonderful. Despite the one mechanical problem listed above, it's otherwise been a joy to own and drive. The only problems I've had are all minor and cosmetic issues. It has no glove compartment, virtually useless cup holders, cheap body side moldings, and strange visors. If you can get past these problems, it's a solid performer, reliable, and a perfect student car. It does especially well in that it's been designed with excellent factory standard sound, a trunk as big as a u-haul truck, an easy to use and sporty moon roof, well placed controls, and unmatched heat and airconditioning. I don't know how they did it, but despite only having a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder this car has power like you wouldn't believe. Even as a fairly new driver, I never find myself anxious about merging with traffic on a highway. I can't explain the feeling of complete comfort and control I have when I'm driving this car. I highly recommend this car to individuals and couples, though if you've got a larger family, you might want to splurge on a passat.

Faults:

The whole wheel and brake system had to be replaced at 60,000. This included: axles, struts, strut mounts, and a bunch of other things that I can't remember. Repairs were somewhere around $700.

At 65,000 miles, the car would not start if it was raining or even damp outside. Total repairs were $1,100.

My driver's side lock came out and the alarm wouldn't turn off.

My horn starting going off one day for no reason while I was driving on the highway. The horn wouldn't stop so I had to pull the fuse out until I got it fixed. Faulty wiring somewhere behind the wheel was the cause.

Dash lights (for stereo and air controls) stopped working. Not a fuse problem.

Tail pipe fell off and I was told I had to replace the whole exhaust, catalytic converter system. Repair nearly $700.

General Comments:

Beautiful car and it handles wonderfully.

Excellent sound system.

This car is incredibly roomy and comfortable.

As much fun to drive as a BMW.

Basically, this car is fabulous on a superficial level. It's gorgeous, fun to drive, and handles like a dream. However, if you don't have serious amounts of money to spend fixing it, I wouldn't recommend purchasing one. For only a few thousand dollars more, you can get a BMW 3 series which is 100 times more reliable than a Volkswagen. VWs, after all, are just as expensive as BMWs and Mercedes are to repair.