2002 Volkswagen Jetta 1.8T from North America

Summary:

Expensive to upkeep

Faults:

I have owned the car barely over a year now.

I have had to buy 3 sets of tires now. The cheapest ones run at about $108.

The battery died and cost $175.

I got my car inspected and it passed, but now the check engine light is on. The issue looks like it is going to cost about $400-500. Apparently foreign cars are not cheap.. If I would've known this, I never would have bought it.

General Comments:

The car is very comfortable, and drives pretty well.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 16th December, 2009

2002 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 2.0 from North America

Faults:

All 4 wheel bearings have been replaced.

Clutch and starter have been replaced.

Brakes on all 4 wheels have been replaced.

Timing belt and water pump as a combination. (required).

Interior trim is rather cheap and prone to breakage.

Not enough interior storage space.

General Comments:

Fastest and smoothest tiny 4 cylinder engine in a car that I've ever owned.

The car will cruise at 80 MPH and you feel completely safe.

You can get a ticket very easily driving this car.

I beat the crap out of it everyday, and still love the car because it keeps going and going.

Power steering is a dream, and the 5 speed transmission and clutch are so light and nimble, even a girl can enjoy driving one.

I have 182,000 miles on it, and the car still drives like new.

Not a car for people who do not check fluids and maintain their cars properly. It's German engineering at its finest.

Great looking car as opposed to other cars of comparable price.

My next car will be another Jetta for sure.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th December, 2009

2002 Volkswagen Jetta GLI 1.8 T from North America

Summary:

Seriously flawed vehicle

Faults:

Timing belt.

Water pump.

Serpentine belt.

Brakes.

Crank case vacuum line.

Brake vacuum boost line.

MAF sensor.

Battery, twice.

TCM.

Drivers side door lock cylinder.

General Comments:

The car smelled like a Volkswagen.

It handled like a Volkswagen was supposed to handle.

It was supposed to have Volkswagen reliability.

It is seriously over engineered, and under supported, more service required at huge dealer prices due to proprietary engineering.

Requires seriously expensive special tools. Requires dealer only programming.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 1st September, 2009

2002 Volkswagen Jetta TDI turbo diesel from North America

Summary:

Money pit!

Faults:

Most recently, the radio won't turn on, tried fuse #42 and it worked.

The engine revs sometimes 150 to 300 rpm while traveling between 40 to 90 kmh as seen on the tach and heard from the engine. This has been going on for several months and have talked to three different dealers who have never heard of the problem. One even hooked up the computer to an idling car, I told the mechanic that you have to drive it, his response was that we can't do that with their computers.

This car has been a money pit; within the last year, turbo, water pump, timing belt, battery, fourth one since new, brakes need to be done, less than 15,000 kilometers.

General Comments:

This car has the hardest interior to clean that I have ever seen, it takes hours to delint the seats and you can't use seat covers to avoid it because they can affect the performance of the seat airbags.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 10th August, 2009

10th Aug 2009, 14:52

I'm surprised to read about all that; I keep on hearing that the Jetta is "world class."

2002 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 1.8 turbo from North America

Summary:

Demonic

Faults:

Windows fell out - Dealership replaced.

Replace brake lights/headlights bi monthly.

Needs engine flush every 3 months from burning oil too hot.

Fuel filter replaced every three months along with injector flush - even with SUPREME gasoline.

Replaced fuel injectors 2 times.

Replaced O2 sensors twice.

Replace transmission at 62000 miles, acting up again, even though the fluid levels are fine and the fluid is still clean.

General Comments:

I will never buy another VW. I cannot afford to get rid of this one, as I owed a ton of money on it the first time something went wrong... I cannot afford to cut my losses in repairs to start with car payments all over again.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 15th July, 2009