1989 Volkswagen Jetta Flair 1.8 from North America
Summary:
Good handling and performance, but poor quality disappoints
Faults:
Bad:
Rear side window and rear window both leaked when car was brand new. Took the car back to dealer to fix.
Car came with wheel lock nuts which completely stripped the first time I tried to removed them. Had to ask dealer to replace them with regular wheel nuts.
Engine idle is not smooth. The car literally shakes when at idle.
Sunroof has a rattling noise which is made worse by the engine's rough idle.
One of two release cables on the driver's seat came loose and the seat would not release properly. The dealer 'fixed' this problem by tying a knot in the cable to shorten it. Eventually the cable broke and the driver's seat would not release on one side.
At the first scheduled service at 6 months, the dealer replaced a number of engine components according to manufacturer's bulletin. After that, the engine would emit a ticking noise under acceleration. Tried to get dealer to fix, but after 4 visits they were still unable to identify the problem. It was very annoying as the ticking noise could be heard whenever the car accelerated.
General Comments:
The car handles very well and has good performance.
Engine has good power.
I also like the feel of the steering.
However, there were too many problems for a brand new car.
I used to be a VW fan, but this experience changed my mind and I will not buy another VW again.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 24th October, 2004
27th Jul 2005, 07:34
My 89 Jetta has over 362,000 km and it is still going strong. I brought it to the mechanic last week for a few minor repairs (timing belt, front brake pads... normal wear and tear) and he said it should be good for a long time yet. I love that car!