Faults:

My girlfriend purchased her car new off the dealer floor, and has had several problems.

The stock Continental Pro tires are complete garbage; they are expensive to replace, loud, and so far we have had to replace 3 of the 4 tires, and the 4th one is ready to be replaced due to "normal" wear.

The cruise control is no longer working.

The driver's side seat came loose (factory recall).

All the power outlets were not working (fuse went) even though it was never used.

The trunk is not staying open now; the supports are no longer holding.

The rear window defroster stopped working as well, and has been repaired by the dealer.

The metal on her rims is starting to fade as well, as well as the VW cap on the rim.

General Comments:

I occasionally drive the car and it handles well, is tight around the corners, but I just find the quality is sh*t; everything feels cheap, and the ride is uncomfortable for me due to the sports suspension package. The interior feels cheap, cheap plastic everywhere, weak sound system.

The heated seats work well.

Faults:

While nothing is really WRONG with the car, it feels as though it is rapidly deteriorating.

The two plastic trim pieces that cover the C-pillars over the back doors have both come loose. One refuses to remain flush when popped back into place.

Black plastic trim piece in the passenger door fell off. I popped it back into place.

The car had a HORRIBLE rattle in the fuse box area. I had to thoroughly investigate it, and remedied that situation by tucking a folded cigarette box between two plastic bits (classy).

Interior plastic scratches easily. Exterior bits made of plastic lose their paint in the car wash (bumpers, mirrors, etc.)

Minor occasional vibration at idle.

Snow/ice buildup on window seals causes the windows to freak out, going up, then down, then up again. When this happens the one-touch auto up/down feature is disabled and needs reset. Also, something in the window-winding mechanism has etched a deep line in the driver's window glass.

Windshield spontaneously cracked when pulling out of the driveway in very cold weather (-26 F). This cold snap also made the blower motor for the heater very buzzy and loud, but that went away as the weather warmed.

General Comments:

I have had many older European cars. I love them. I have had old Saabs, Volvos, Audis, Mercedes, BMWs, and even the odd Jaguar XJ6 and a Peugeot 505. I have also had three Mk2 Jettas. The two Jettas I had the longest were silver, and so, when I finally decided to grow up and get a "real" car, I bought a new VW Jetta, in silver. It just felt right.

This car is becoming like my old Jettas too quickly. It is beginning to buzz/rattle like they did. It is beginning to vibrate at a stop in drive like the 88 did. Things are falling off of it like my old VWs. However, I paid no more than $1500 for either of the old ones. This new one was $15k. All I can hope is that it runs for a long time like my old ones, despite their "quirks." However, I don't foresee this car running in 15-20 years. I don't foresee it becoming a cult classic, or being fondly remembered. The car is mediocre at best, and even I, the king of 'quirk', cannot forgive it. But I see tons of Volkswagens on the road, duct tape holding up windows, brake/tail/headlights out, dashboards lit up like Christmas trees from all the warning lights, just going and going and going... that's the best I can hope for from this car, I think. It's falling apart in typical VAG fashion, but I hope it continues to run for a long time, in typical VAG fashion.