Faults:

1,500: burned crankcase oil.

10,000: Mass airflow sensor.

20,000: Mass airflow sensor.

40,000: Glove-box hinge broke.

60,000: Changed to conventional oil, instead of synthetic (as I had been using since new). Oil consumption dropped! The consumption has been getting better, even as I continue using Mobil 1. YES!

80,000: Water pump impeller failed! Common problem!

80-100km/5 years old: headlight lenses discolored by U.V. exposure and are less effective now.

110,000 Wiring into trunk lid broke. It broke between the body and lid. I did surgery, soldered them and used heat shrink covering to reseal.

General Comments:

VW still builds some of the best cars on the road. This vehicle weighs 350 pounds more than a Honda Civic with the same equipment level. The Germans like a little more heft than the Japanese gas sippers. An examination of the bits on the Jetta show superior quality.

Last I checked, VW still offers a 12/unlimited mileage rust perf. warranty. Compare this to the 5 year warranties offered by everyone else! VW bodies hold up a long time, and are a good choice for long term ownership IMO.

A lot of people complain about the armrest and glove-box breaking. This can be avoided by treating the car like you own it. A little care goes a long way.

If you're worried about losing a turbo, run the best oil that can be obtained, and ALWAYS follow the manufacturer specs. If you have a TDI with the PD engine, you MUST USE VW 505.01-approved oil! Make sure that a mechanic working on this car knows this, as it is quite odd. The owners manual may lead you astray here, so at least check under the hood for a sticker warning against the use of non-505.01 approved oil.

I gather that internal engine damage is soon to result if this is ignored.

Faults:

What hasn't gone wrong? Here are the big ones:

Oil pan (immediately after I got the car) : $500

Belt Tensioner: $375

Fuel Injector: $850

Radiator: $500.

The key remote stopped working, but I refused to pay $70 for a new one.

The interior plastic peels off and looks terrible.

The cloth seats are like hair magnets - EVERYTHING sticks to them, and they always look dirty.

Radio knob doesn't work well, and the rubber peels off.

The brake dust makes the rims black, and it is nearly impossible to wash off.

My tail lights would constantly go out, over, and over, and over. I took it in for the tail light switch recall - but apparently that didn't fix the problem.

Headlights cost about $50 each, and I have replaced them twice.

The dealer told me that the car also needs new struts - at about $300 ea. No thanks.

Sunroof wouldn't close on it's own - you had to use the 'force close' button.

The in-dash cup holder broke - I didn't even bother trying to get it fixed.

The doors randomly lock and re-lock during acceleration.

Glove box hinge broke.

ABS light would come on when it was very rainy or humid.

General Comments:

I had always wanted a Jetta, I loved everything about them, the performance, the looks... and I was under the assumption that VW vehicles were of very high quality. Boy, oh boy, was I wrong. I should have known that it was a bad deal when the oil pan needed to be replaced as soon as I drove it off the lot. The VW dealer that I purchased it from was less than helpful, rude, and dishonest.

The car handled okay, had great acceleration, zippy, responsive, good looking. Gas mileage was okay. But I simply couldn't afford all of the repair and maintenance costs. I was constantly afraid that the transmission or something huge would need to be replaced next, and I wouldn't have the money. Tires, maintenance, repairs, even fuel (it requires premium) ; they all cost and arm and a leg. The labor and parts were over twice that of my Honda Civic. I don't have this car anymore since last week - and what a relief it is!