Poor Quality vehicle
Front Cup Holder broken
Back ashtray holder sits open, can't close it back together in the right position
Front passenger chair metal broken off, but chair is still adjustable.
Side mirror adjuster broken off (costs of replacement $200+)
Carpet attachment is terrible
Nothing wrong with the glove compartment "yet" hah.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 22nd July, 2004
A flawed engine/electrical design which costs the owner countless trips to the service dept. and $$
The ABS and emergency brake light come on while I'm driving, and are accompanied by the "beeping" alert.
The doorlocks lock and unlock on their own, one time locking my keys in the car. Other times, I disarm the alarm and open the door lock using my remote control, then get in my car and before I can put the key in the ignition, all four door locks rearm and lock... while I'm sitting in the driver's seat!
The "all four windows up/down" feature and doorlock open/close feature, both operated from the outside using the ignition key in the outside driver's side door handle, do not work.
Oftentimes, I turn the ignition key, only to find that the car is "dead". After 5 or 5 attempts, the engine finally (miraculously) turns over.
The 02 (oxygen) sensor had to be replaced twice. (A few years later, VW recalled that part and reimbursed me, though).
The oil pan cap popped off and all the oil drained out while I was driving.
The trunk lock broke and had to be replaced at my expense.
Parts of the external body of the car pop off due to the cheap plastic screws Volkswagen uses to fasten them.
Thick, yellow, waxy substance has oozed from inside all four doors and covers the area below the doors.
The front drink holder broke. (Volkswagen wanted nearly $100 to replace this cheap piece of plastic!)
The rear ashtray won't stay shut.
The glove box hinge broke. Now the glove box door hangs crooked. Volkswagen wants over $300 (parts and labor) to replace this.
The underbelly pan -- which is really just a piece of plastic -- broke off an began scraping on the ground when I drove. Volkswagen wanted over $100 to replace this part.
Volkswagen's seem to have major electrical problems, as well as engine/fuel system malfunctions. It seems that the company waits until the last possible moment to issue a recall, and they don't even readily do that very often. Also, though the service dept. may be friendly, you end up spending exorbinant amounts of money on labor charges and parts...only to have another problem spring up within a few months.
The Jetta looked like a nice, affordable car when I bought it. I soon learned that it is very, very unreliable, particularly for interstate trips where you could easily get stranded due to breakdowns or the car doors locking by themselves when your keys are in the car.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 18th July, 2004
An excellent car, but with uncertain reliability
Obviously, I am one of the lucky ones that got a reliable Jetta.
I have been driving it every day with a 30-mile commute. There are only a couple minor things that have gone wrong:
The rear brake pads needed replacing at 55000 miles.
One side of the cup holder broke.
Of course, I have the yellow grease oozing from under the doors.
Every VW dealer I have ever been to is the absolute bottom-of-the-barrel for customer service. It seems that VW trys to have the most awful, rude people working in their dealers.
This car is quiet and has a good ride.
Handles excellent, although could use more power.
Braking is excellent.
Fuel economy is good.
Even though I have had excellent reliability so far, I can't help, but worry occasionally if my time is coming.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 4th July, 2004
Stay away
The front bumper was pulled off on a parking block. It now falls off from time to time.
Grease oozes out of the rocker panels below the doors. I wash it off, and there it is again.
Sunroof shade broke making the sunroof useless.
Front cup holders broke.
Rear cup holders broke as well as the ashtray assembly that the cup holders are in.
Center console storage compartment latch broke off.
Glove box handle broke off. Cannot retrieve anything in glove box.
All door handles and pulls in the interior began to peel.
Engine rattles on start-up and when slowing to an idle.
Several plastic pieces under the front of the car have fallen off. I suspect that this is due to cheap screws and clips.
One headlight is dim. New bulbs do not fix the problem.
Check engine light is on.
Rear seat folds down for access into trunk. There is a lock on the seat to secure items in trunk. Lock is broken so seat cannot be folded down.
Very poor quality. I had expected more from this car.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 17th June, 2004