Faults:

Three days after buying the car, my check engine light came on. I have tried to get it looked at, but the local Volkswagen dealership is too busy to fit me in anytime soon.

My cold air for the air conditioning doesn't work at all.

The engine stalls every once in a while while trying to start up.

The hinge on the glove compartment is broken. There are many screws missing all over the car.

General Comments:

The comfort and ride quality are more than what I would have expected for the price of the car, but the problems with it are unacceptable. At first glance, the car appears to be great, but after reading many reviews about problems, and my own experience with it, I would never recommend a Volkswagen to anyone. My last car, a 96 Eagle Talon, was a much better vehicle than this one, as well as much cheaper to maintain.

I just hope to not have all the problems with my current vehicle that everyone else has been having with theirs. At least until I can sell it.

Faults:

MAF sensor, glow plug, glow plug relay, A/C comp, and cup holders. I took it to my local dealer for a check engine light, but the mechanics couldn't figure out that a low B+ voltage indication on their computer meant a weak battery. One week later I replaced the battery. I took it to the dealer for poor aceleration again they were lost. Found out on own my own it was MAF sensor. Car is great dealer mechanics?

Faults:

I have only had the car for three months, in with in the first week of purchase things went very wrong.

My Visor light stays on at all times and I fixed it by taking out the light bulb.

My six disk CD changer broke three weeks after purchase. It jammed and will not let me manually take out the changer. It has my Cd's stuck in the changer. The dealer says they will not fix it under the warranty.

The Check engine light comes on more times then I can count.

The car dies ALL the time. I have had it checked, and the TECHS say it is not the battery or the alternator, it is a short.

The brakes have squeaked since day one, and now, 3 months after purchase, the ABS and BRAKE light flash at all times.

The key does not work when used in the door to shut or open windows and sunroof.

My trunk light has never worked.

Once again I have had this car for little less than three months, and I have STILL failed to get registration tag, and plates.

General Comments:

The car has a lot of pep to it, and looks very nice, however it has many hidden problems. I can only hope nothing else major goes wrong after these problems are fixed.

Faults:

~25,000 miles - One of the glove box door hinges broke. Never bothered to fix, still works fine on just one side.

~42,000 miles - Entire engine (short block) replaced under warranty by VW North America. (Water pump also replaced when engine was replaced.) Engine killed when a valve stem holder broke, allowing engine to ingest valve, which destroyed head, piston & possibly block. Timing belt had been changed just a few thousand miles before this, but the mechanics at the VW Dealer (not the dealer at which the timing belt had been done) found that the timing was still correct, even after the catastrophic engine failure. Repair took approximately 1 week. Rental car paid for by extended warranty.

~44,000 miles - Broke down and left me stranded when a fuel filter connection slipped loose & engine tried to run on a 100% air-air mixture.

~50,000 miles - Glow plug harness failed, replaced under extended warranty.

~63,000 MAF Sensor (Mass Air Flow Sensor, if you know TDI's, you've heard of this) replaced - paid for by extended warranty.

~68,000 miles Radiator return hose replaced after sudden failure dumped all the engine coolant. Left me stranded.

~72,000 miles Front brake rotors & pads replaced. The fact that I got 72,000 miles out of the original pads/rotors suggests how good this car could have been.

~74,000 miles - Brake booster & brake master cylinder replaced - paid for by extended warranty.

~79,000 miles alternator replaced - paid for by extended warranty.

General Comments:

Wonderful mileage, fun to drive, spirited despite having only 90hp.

Maintenance has been a disaster. The car has broken down and left me stranded numerous times.