Faults:

1) Rear brakes gone at 25000 miles

1) Oxygen sensor busted at 30000 miles

2) Vaccum T and spark plugs went at 34000 miles (twice within 2 weeks)

3) Front indicator lights blew at 34000 miles.

General Comments:

1) How can a car 3 years old give so many problems?

We bought this car new in 2001. It was fast, comfortable and smooth. We loved it. However this nice life got shattered when the rear brakes went out at 25,000 miles. We got the car into Smithtown VW. Thankfully the dealer was very friendly and helpful in providing us with shuttle service. Bill cost: $430+

Next, the check engine light came on in midtown Manhattan. Manhattan dealers maybe pricey compared to others, but anyways they fixed the problem stating that it was the oxygen sensor. Bill: $350+

The next problem was at 34000 miles when we moved to Kansas City. The check engine light kept flashing repeatedly. And the car would start and immediately start rocking and then stop completely. This time we took it Barron's VW. The dealer was very friendly, but they had no loaner cars or rental cars. So I spent $100 on rental car for 3 days of loss of service.

2 weeks later, the car gave the same problem. It is now at the dealers and again the dealer did not have a loaner car and I am blowing money on rental cars.

Surprisingly, the dealer did not identify the problem with the right indicator light having gone bust (though I forgot to tell them about it), I am surprised they didn't check for something so obvious, well maybe they don't.

I liked the VW, but it is unreliable and it is heartbreaking to see a shiny car getting towed so often. My suggestion is to stick to Japanese cars, I have had used ones for years without any problems. When I read the comments on this site the first time, I thought, some people were just unlucky. But I know I really believe that some Jetta's may not have been manufactured well.

Faults:

Air mass sensor quit. Volkswagen realizes inherent fault with original sensor and replaced it free.

Driver's seat sometimes doesn't heat or heats intermittently.

Wipers chatter.

Inside door handles peeling.

General Comments:

I drive about 60,000 miles a year with my job as a quality assurance inspector. So far, two other inspectors have TDIs. One guy just bought a 2004 but didn't have the heart to trade his old one in so now he has two TDIs.

Comfort is OK for extended trips, but it's not a Cadillac or Lincoln.

For two-wheel drive, it goes absolutely fantastic on ice and snow.

At 48 to 53 miles per gallon @70 to 85 mph, fuel costs are no longer an issue.

Goes 600 miles before looking for a gas station.

Flat torque curve--means it pulls just about the same from idle all the way up to redline. Not much shifting.

Always has more power--even at 115 up the mountains (interstates). Maybe the guy who had it before me did something to it.

Handles well in New Jersey traffic, open roads of Nova Scotia, and deep snow of Pennsylvania.

After 3 winters and all the eastern salt, the only rust anywhere on the car is on the outside edge of the brake rotors.

Faults:

Howdy all! My experience with the VW JETTA 2001 VR6 is as follows:

I bought it brand new, it is a manual transmission car. It looks very good on outside and in, but like they say looks aren't everything.

First problem I had was the manual stick was not going in the 1st gear sometimes, after I rode it for 1000 miles it was OK by itself. Everything else worked OK until 1 year ago. The MIL light came on in the car and it kept coming on and off on different days. Then when I started the car it jerked and stalled, wouldn't respond to my acceleration, it stalled again. Then I took the son of a gun for a 1000 mile trip and it fixed itself.

But now it's very cold outside and all of a sudden one day after shopping for food it dies on me. It was working fine when I started it. I tried new fuses, full tank gasoline, battery recharge, heat for fuel and it is not even cranking. I took it to a mechanic and he said his computer can't figure out what's wrong. Now he sent it to another mechanic to figure it out. I have no ideas how it died all of a sudden, even though the battery is fine. Any suggestions?

Oh, and just like the other VW owners, my MIL and EPC lights are on as well, don't know why? any suggestions for a permanent fix?

General Comments:

Go for a used Toyota or Honda!