2002 Volkswagen Jetta 1.8t

Summary:

High priced crap

Faults:

The engine light comes on once a week.

The car would not start.

The coils are bad and they won't fix.

The seat material wore out prematurely.

The coolant reservoir cracked.

The ECU was misprogrammed from the factory.

The car stutters.

The shifter is very difficult to move from park to drive or reverse.

General Comments:

This has been a total nightmare! VW's dealership customer service sucks. Volkswagen's customer care is a joke! They say they will look into the problem, but they never say will will fix the problem. So, I am caught in a constant dealer to customer service circle. The coils are bad, but they won't fix them? This car and Volkswagen are a joke. Come on, you pay $20,000 for a car that has problems that they won't fix? The gas mileage they have on the window sticker should be more like 14 mpg, not 17 to 24 mpg. I had a Honda before this and it had close to 200,000 miles on it. I had replaced an alternator at a cost of $75 (used). The people at Volkswagen should be ashamed of themselves. If you are even considering buying a Volkswagen, don't do it. I have had so much trouble in the last year with this car that it is sickening.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 18th February, 2003

2nd May 2006, 14:43

My sister has a 1998 pas sat 1.8 turbo that was purchase through a used care dealer in 2000. Since she purchase the car it has been nothing, but endless problems for her. First of all the electrical interior parts Sunroof, Windows, door locks began to malfunction at different times over the years followed by the engine light coming on even after serviced. The rack & pinion fluid began to leak like pouring water out of a bucket when the seals go bad while making a turn. After having starting issues, the deal service person stated that the throttle body needed to be replace. My sister complained to the service guy about all the money she spend on constant mechanical problems, He cut her a little slack and provided some information on how to resolve the problem without replacing the throttle body using carburetor cleaner. This resolve the problem for a while, then the starting issue began again, but this time the carburator spray did not work. In all my days as a mechanic, I have never encountered so many problems with one vehicle. I have heard back in the 70's the VW Rabbits having problems, but this takes the cake. My advice, STAY AWAY FROM VOLKSWAGEN'S!

2002 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 1.8 turbo

Summary:

A front wheel drive BMW 3 series

Faults:

I have had the car for four months and have put a little over 8,000 miles on it in this time. Everything is perfect on this car, except it was delivered with a blown rear tail light and it has an occasional squeak and rattle inside on rough back roads.

General Comments:

This is my third Jetta in my 3 1/2 years of driving. I love Volkswagens and my dealer, York Volkswagen. The 1.8T has plenty of power and it pulls very strong at 1900 rpm up until about 6000 rpm. It has the available Sport Package, which includes the sport suspension and 17 inch rims and all season tires. It handles very well no matter what you put in front of it.

I strongly recommend this car to anyone who is in the market for a very capable four door sporty sedan.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th February, 2003

2002 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 1.8 turbo

Summary:

A dream car at a price I can afford

Faults:

One ignition coil went out at 3000 miles. The car was towed to the dealer the next day, and I picked it up the day after. The customer service was excellent.

Also, I have been having boost problems, after a long hard run the car only allows the turbo to run 3-4 pounds of boost. The problem is fixed as soon as the car is shut off.

General Comments:

The car has been great. Very good throttle response, excellent brakes that never fade after being hit hard. The sport suspension with new springs handles very nice.

The body styling is beautiful. All of the bumpers and moldings fit very tight and clean.

The interior was designed almost perfect. all the gages are easily visible, climate controls are right within reach and the cup holders are, too.

The Tiptronic transmission should not be underestimated. Its performance is just as good as a manual, if not better.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 9th February, 2003