Fun to drive
At 95,000 km I changed the Coil Pack.
At 96,000 km I changed the Mass Airflow sensor.
The Jetta is by far one of the best cars I have ever owned.
VR6 has great engine performance, but slightly hard on gas.
My only negative is the cup holder which is located over the radio, not the greatest location.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 17th July, 2002
A great big lemon
The front passenger side window fell into the door three separate times within 16 months.
The car needed to be towed to dealer at approx. 20000 miles because of bad factory installed battery.
The sunroof shattered to pieces when opened.
The front passenger side seat shattered to pieces when trying to move it forward.
The air compressor has been replaced two times within 11 months.
The dryer related to the air compressor had to be replaced.
The Anti-Lock Brake System failed and needed to be completely replaced.
The front bumper has a bad habit of getting caught on standard height parking space dividers and curbs causing it to rip apart from front of car and front grille pieces to fall out.
Sunroof opens up on its own when going over bumps.
Front driver's side window leaks when it rains and despite dealers attempts to fix it (at least 4 different times) the problem still exists. This causes water to drip into electrical panel on door.
Despite the good looks of the Volkswagen Jetta this car is a money pit!
Carefully research this car before buying.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 11th July, 2002
A nice looking piece of junk.
The sunroof will not open. It the interior cover jams and comes off of it's tracks.
The interior dash lights stopped working.
The plastic closure on the visor broke off causing the light to stay on all the time.
The above problem caused to battery to run dry. The battery then would not take a charge. When I went to buy a new one I found that you can only buy one from the VW dealer, and they are quite expensive.
Some wax-like substance leaks from the frame on hot days. This stained the interior and accumulates on the running boards, perfectly positioned to stain your pant leg as you step out.
The engine temperature alarm nearly always goes off about 30 seconds after starting.
The front right wheel makes a nasty grinding sound while braking. I have a bad feeling about that one.
The driver's side window has completely come off it's tracks and falls down inside the door. Amazingly it has never shattered.
Aesthetically this was a great car.
At first we were very happy to have it as it was our first new car.
But, soon the constant little problems completely changed our impression of this car. It is a terrible lemon.
And, unfortunately the warranty has expired even though we've only put 12,500 miles on it. We dislike it so much we won't drive it unless we absolutely have to. And then, it often won't start when we do need it.
I will never, ever, buy another Volkswagen. I feel like I've been had.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 27th June, 2002
This car is a disappointment
Tire wear and belt separation. This was corrected by the dealer.
Driver's side window lift broke.
Driver's seat spring fell out.
Passenger's side seat spring fell out.
Radio at times would not come on.
O2 sensor's were causing the check engine light to come on. They were replaced and now the same check engine light is on again. (code p1188)
Engine hesitates badly after shifting to third and fourth gear.
Driver's side floor mat wore out in less than two years.
Left rear brake light has been replaced twice.
This is a stylish little car that costs a fortune to maintain if you take it to the dealer who seems to be overwhelmed with appointments. This makes it difficult for me to get an appointment.
Parts at the dealer are sky high. I started changing the oil myself, but the dealer charged $25 for an oil filter.
I previously owned a '66 VW beetle and a '71 VW Scirraco both purchased new. They were easy to own from a maintenance and fun to drive perspective. They were much of the reason that I purchased the Jetta.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 20th June, 2002
7th Oct 2002, 15:58
The window problem is probably due to broken plastic links on the window regulator. This is a common problem with this car. Unfortunately you have to replace the entire regulator at a cost of about $200 for parts.