2004 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 2.0 Litre from North America

Summary:

Worth every penny so far

Faults:

The only thing wrong with the car is that the engine light came on a lot after the first 2,000 miles. I had it assessed and it was found that the car had a bad O2 sensor. So that was a $210 job. I hear this is a common fault in the cars design. Other than that, the car runs great and the engine light hasn't come back on since.

The leather seats feel very nice, but the stitching in them is starting to fall apart.

General Comments:

I love the car.

Handles OK in bad weather. Not like my Jeep with its 4 wheel drive, but it is a very fun ride.

I sometimes hear a rattling noise when driving fast, but it hasn't affected anything.

The heated seats are a very nice feature in the car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 25th December, 2008

2004 Volkswagen Jetta GL 2.0 from North America

Summary:

Don't buy a 2004 VW Jetta!

Faults:

2005: Cheap aluminum molding on back door peeled back from opening front door.

March 2006: Couldn't get the car out of park. Dealership had to walk me through a "trick" to get it to work so I could drive it in. Ended up being caused by a faulty brake light switch problem that they didn't recall until almost 2 years later.

Car was jerking between 2nd and 3rd gear. Had to clean and adjust the throttle body.

The perspiration from my water bottle has stained the cheap seats. What are they made of anyways?

You have to pull the door handle 2 times from the inside in the back seats to get out, and they haven't been able to fix that after 2 attempts. It was also a recall.

I finally stopped taking it to the dealership, because I'd been getting the regularly scheduled maintenance every 5,000 miles. I'm not even complaining about the lifetime oil change service they got me to sign up.

I just passed my 50,000 mile warranty mark in July, and it overheated. Had to replace the timing belt, water pump, serpentine belt, thermostat with seal, coolant temp sensor, and coolant reservoir. I took it to a repair shop outside of the dealer, and they showed me this critical piece having to do with the coolant systems (can't remember exactly what), but it was broken into 5 pieces and made from PLASTIC.

It's not even 2 months later, and my car won't start and I've tried jumping it. I think it's an electrical problem; maybe a shortage or something loose.

General Comments:

I've been keeping up on all the other maintenance (changed tires, brakes, oil changes, engine flushes, etc.) and I am utterly exhausted by how unreliable this car has been.

I wish I had done more research, because it's obvious that they don't make VW's like they used to.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 15th September, 2008

1st Oct 2008, 10:27

Try replacing your starter I someone else had the same problem.

25th Feb 2009, 18:31

I own a 2004 Jetta with 45,000 original miles and have had it serviced at the normal intervals. I bought the car new and it has never let me down. I get approx. 45 mpg with normal driving. With highway driving I get over 50 mpg. Can't beat that. The body and interior have remained in excellent condition. The car has been in a garage for the past two years. I have had 2 previous VW's and I like them all very much. This one is much better and it was built in Mexico.

29th Apr 2009, 11:33

The doors in the back seat only open after 2 attempts as a safety precaution. They're supposed to do that, it's not a design flaw. In theory it's supposed to keep kids from opening the door while in motion.

7th Nov 2009, 03:15

I would buy another Jetta anytime. I love mine. Just want to know if anyone has heard anything about Blausport's Autobahn Series Mk IV Vw Jetta strut shock absorber kit, (from: http://www.blauparts.com/???) It is a complete strut and shock (front & back) kit with everything from bushing to mounts for a little under $300.