Faults:

(1) Automatic windows stopped working due to either switch, motor in door, or the mechanism holding the window breaks - this is a known issue with the windows on this model. After the 3rd year, needed to replace 1-3 windows every couple years, until I stopped using them as much as possible. Dealer replaced for money, but gave me a break once or twice. On the upside, the sunroof runs like new and is 12 years old.

(2) Alternator needed replacement - so far just once. Always go to the dealer. Lots of American shops do not know how to properly fix VW's. It's not VW's fault, that is the shop's fault for being ignorant.

(3) A few times it has issues with the engine getting wet on the highway, and I needed to get towed - was usually nothing major like needed a tuneup - one time was the alternator job I mentioned before.

(4) The radio eventually gave out a couple years ago, and the 6-CD changer ate the CDs in it, and stopped working. Near $200 to replace.

(5) Rubber strips on the outside of the doors start to come off after a few years - easily fixable by cleaning with Goop and soap, and re-attaching them with some strips of 3M double-sticky automotive tape.

(6) The dashboard glove compartment latch broke, so I just don't use the glove. Cost too much to get fixed.

General Comments:

For most of the life of this going on 12 year old Jetta Wolfsburg Edition 99.0 model year Mark 3 body (like the 1998), it has been a rugged workhorse for me, getting me 70 miles round trip to work every day, mostly highway travel. And it mostly just keeps on going.

For the most part has been a reliable car, and it feels like a solid car. And for the most part the interior and trunk looks in good shape - no ripping or tearing or coming apart of anything like seats or rubber strips and such.

The car feels like a more expensive car. I had a Honda before that, back when Honda was rated better than Mercedes, and the Jetta was a definite upgrade.

And at 185,000 miles, with a bit of servicing, I am sure this car can go another 100,000 miles. Not too many cars can do this.

Faults:

Well, to begin, I bought my 1999 VW Jetta used in 2008 from a small dealership. It was an awesome car for about the first two weeks before the problems started.

The first problem was the oil light firing off about every 3 minutes or so while driving. So annoying; the light makes terrible loud beeps... three of them in a row.

I took the car to a specialty auto repair shop to get it looked at and fixed. In fact they supposedly specialized in Volkswagen and Audi. An oil change was done, along with check of the oil sensor, and all was declared fixed. By the way, I forgot to mention the car consumed about 2 quarts of oil every 800 miles or so, I came to find out in the months ahead. Jetta owners beware; keep fresh quarts of oil handy in the trunk because you will need them. It's ridiculous how a car can eat so much oil.

Then the second problem began. The check engine light. This was one of the most annoying issues. I took the car back to the Volkswagen and Audi shop to get looked at. The mechanic ran the computer code and he said that it probably just needed a minor tune up to fix the problem. So I had them tune the car. The light went off. $200.00 to get that done.

About a week later or so, boom... the oil light on the dash fires off again. UGH! Sooo... back to the shop the car went. An oil sensor was diagnosed as the problem, and so it was replaced with a new one. By then I had had the car about 18 months, and all that time the check engine light and oil light would come on as they pleased. In that time I also had the windshield wiper motor replaced twice. A motor for a VW Jetta runs about $210.00 plus labor. That was the last time it was in the shop 1/30/10. The last wiper motor was replaced, and I had the car gone over to see if the mechanic saw any problems starting. They declared it in good shape and ready for the road.

Well, five days ago, between the time I left home and had almost arrived at the doctors, which was a half an hour a away, the car completely lost all its oil. Ironically the stupid oil light never went off like it had done so many times in the two years I had it. Any one can guess what happened next. The motor blew on the freeway. It was the scariest sound I had heard come from a car. It shook violently and everything seized up. The brakes... the power steering. The motor blew at 75 mph. I managed to coast to the off ramp cuz the car was completely dead. Lost story short... My car is useless to me now. The motor is completely gone. 2,500.00 dollars worth of repairs later.