2000 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

Summary:

Feels solid, but breaks like a cheap plastic toy

Faults:

Brakes went out at 15,000 (rear)

Brakes went out at 30,000 (rear)

Mass flow meter went out at 34,000.

Glove box broke.

Arm rest broke.

General Comments:

This car feels solid, but it is nickle and diming me to death.

I don't trust it for long trips.

It is the plastic in the little things that break. They use a better quality of plastic in McDonald's Happy Meal toys.

I drove a Mazda for 130,000 mile and only changed the oil.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 29th September, 2003

29th Nov 2003, 15:32

Myself and my cousin both have Jettas - mine is a 1999 and his is a 2000. In both of our vehicles, when the temperature outside drops into freezing, the mechanism for the glove box is too stiff causing the glove box to break when you open it. Is there a recall on this that anyone knows of? There HAS to be as there are too many glove boxes breaking for this to be a coincidence.

2000 Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI 1.9 turbo diesel

Summary:

A nice-looking, fuel-efficient lemon

Faults:

The rear brake pads and rotors had to be replaced at 65,000 km ($400 repair).

The check engine light came on at 50,000 km, and the dealer diagnosed the problem as a short circuit of the glow plug wiring harness.

Various light bulbs have blown, as early as 30,000 km, and certain ones are difficult to replace.

General Comments:

This car gets great fuel economy and looks nice, which is why I bought it. However, the total cost of ownership is turning out to be horrendous.

I also understand there is a ridiculously expensive (around $1000) timing belt replacement that needs to happen at the lease end or 96,000 km.

The dealer charged me $100 to determine why the "check engine" light came on, and Volkswagen Canada would not cover the cost of the glow plug harness repair ($300), despite covering similar mechanical failures for at least one other Jetta owner I know of, as a "goodwill gesture".

Dealership customer service is atrocious, and it takes days to get an appointment (lots of Volkswagen owners with problems I guess). The staff must be sick of having so many people complain about the quality of their cars.

The space in the back seat is pathetic.

The fit and finish inside is good, but it's almost impossible to keep the interior clean because of some of the materials used.

There are assorted rattles when driving.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 29th September, 2003

14th Oct 2003, 20:09

I agree. I have had similar problems, and my turbocharger on my 2000 GLS TDI is now gone after 75000 km, so I feel like I need to jam my feet through the floor and help move the car along Flintstone-style. What a piece of garbage this car is.

2nd Dec 2003, 22:46

I am a hardened VW fanatic. However this car has been a disapointment. Everything breaks inside. The ground clearance is ridiculous. I drive on paved roads, and have now twice had to replace the oilpan. I did not strike any fixed objects, the pan just bottomed out on the road. Apparently this is common or so the dealer says. The last time I lost the oilpan my turbo died of oil starvation.

As a hardened VW fan I would be hard to get rid of from the family. However be warned VW, one more lemon, or nightmare problem and I will sell this car and never buy a VW newer than a 1992. The last time you made a decent vehicle.

2000 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 1.9 turbo diesel

Summary:

I even recommend the automatic for economy!

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with this car yet!

General Comments:

My primary reason for buying this car was to get good fuel mileage. I didn't want a manual shift for my wife's sake, and was delighted to find this car very competitively priced through AutoTrader.com.

I purchased this car, not realizing that the automatic will not get the fuel mileage of the manual. I averaged only 33 miles per gallon on the first tank of fuel, but I got 38 miles per gallon on the second. With very careful driving I hope to get 40. These miles are not highway miles for the most part. Here are a few tips to optimize fuel efficiency:

(1) Never EVER take the car engine speed above 2600 RPM, even when accelerating from the stop light. My mistake was in thinking that I had to take off like my 3.8 Buick.

(2) When approaching a red light, or on long downhill slopes, slip the car into neutral. The engine immediately idles and you avoid engine labor.

I also appreciate the stellar performance of the stereo system.

The dash lights are blue and red. At night I just feast my eyes on this colorful display.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 9th September, 2003