Faults:

Windows fell down (front driver and passenger side).

Windows fell down again (both sides at different times) after being fixed previously.

Glove box support arm broke.

Armrest latch broke.

Rear cupholder broke.

Front cupholder broke.

Air flow sensor died at 40K miles. ($$$)

A/C compressor died at 70K miles. ($$$)

Computer died at 80K miles. ($$$)

LED readout has been fading in and out for the last 20K miles.

Trip switch on the wiper stalk died - can't access secondary trip data now. Replacement of entire stalk required at $350.

Plastic fuel line from tank to filter broke at 85K miles.

Bearings on idler pulley gave out at 88K miles - have to replace the whole arm ($250).

General Comments:

I bought this car because I loved the way it looked and the way it drove and the fact that it gets about 28MPG on the highway if you take it easy. I still love to drive this car, but I can't seem to keep it running so I'm getting rid of it. What a shame - I think the engineers probably got it right, but no one bothered to make sure the suppliers were doing their job.

Faults:

Glove box door replaced twice under warranty due to faulty right hinge. Third one is a bit dodgy.

02 sensors replaced twice out of warranty.

Just replaced temp and mass airflow sensors, out of warranty.

General Comments:

I have been generally happy with this car. It's quick, sporty, and economical.

The torque comes on quickly to launch you from a stop; in fact, you have to take a bit of care to start smoothly with the short-geared manual transmission, but it's something you get used to.

Has been more reliable than my low-mileage Nissan ever was, and those cars were always supposed to be so trusty. My Jetta has been better to me. I don't feel ill about the service history since it seems like a lot of cars made in the last 5 years suffer from bad sensors. The most expensive repair I made was the air flow/temp sensors for about $130.

Front seats are very comfy and are quite supportive over a long haul. Even with the moon roof, I have plenty of headroom.

Luxury appointments and thoughtful details in a mid priced car are appreciated. The heated mirrors and seats are a boon in Wisconsin.

With the folding rear seats, this car can swallow plenty of cargo if you load it right. I have moved in and out of two dorm rooms and five houses with this car, not to mention hauling a large bar/small club-sized PA system regularly for two years.

One point to note is that with the short gearing, the engine revs high from 80 MPH on. Nice for passing power, bad for engine noise. I would also add that this car loves to cruise naturally at around 80-95 MPH on highways--so be careful around speed traps or use the cruise control!

Finally, the bumpers are excellent. One winter, I got rear-ended by someone skidding on ice at about 20 MPH and my Jetta had no damage whatsoever. The high headrests worked wonderfully and spared mine and my passenger's necks.

Faults:

Both front window regulators needed replacing.

Fuel and temperature gauges went hay wire and needed repairing.

Found spring laying on floor under drivers seat.

Brake light sensor needed replacing.

Center console latch broken.

Rear brake pads and rotors needed replacing within 25,000 miles.

Turn signals went haywire and needed repairing.

Trunk is locked shut and does not open.

The coating around the drivers side interior door handle is peeling off.

General Comments:

This car is very underpowered and struggles to cruise at 80mph, at this speed the engine is revving at 4000 rpm.

It seems as if the car is terribly under geared.

I think the high engine rpm required to cruise at a "normal" highway speed contributes to the excessive burning of oil.

This car is very uncomfortable on long road trips.

The trunk is poorly designed and does not hold a great deal of luggage.

The black finish chips & scratches too easily.

The monsoon stereo system is excellent.