13th Dec 2014, 21:52
If you do a bit of research, you will see that German cars are rated the least reliable in recent years. American, Japanese and Korean brands are rated much more reliable.
VW makes great diesel engines, and the 80s/90s models were very reliable, but the quality has been garbage since then.
My girlfriend and uncle owned 2005/2006 VW Jettas; there is not even enough room here to list all the things that went wrong. Needless to say, they never will, and neither will I, ever buy a VW product again.
Purchase cost is high, repairs and parts are way more expensive than other makes, and most mechanics in my area will not even work on German cars.
Even if the drivetrain works well (the TDI diesels are pretty reliable), small things like power windows, sunroof, stereo, electrical problems, cheap interior, brakes that wear out every few months etc... will nickel and dime you to death, and make you hate the car.
16th Dec 2014, 21:53
Original poster here. They have actually bought the vehicle back, and I lost a little money on it, but I went and bought another Accord. I also had to pay for the windshield, because they still will not take responsibility for it. I hope someone doesn't end up with it.
Maybe I got a one off, as I know every car has its issues, but I need reliability right now, and I already know my local Honda dealer. I really wanted to love the Jetta though, because it drove really nice, and I think the value is there.
I like my new Accord Sport though. Not too fancy, but I am sure it will be a solid purchase.
12th Jan 2015, 16:07
2015 and Volkswagen is still making junk cars I see. This is the last one for me, I wish I had read reviews here beforehand. The check engine light remains on, can barely get it to pass emissions, failed twice already. Windows & doors leak, it's an automatic and stalls all the time, what the heck!? German engineering manufactured in Mexico. The ole bait and switch. Improving reliability isn't the same as reliable. Spend your hard earned money elsewhere!
16th Apr 2015, 20:37
It`s good to read on European forums how people are disappointed with the recent VW products. That said, the windshield issue could be caused by a weakness in the chassis conception, which can be impossible to correct - the car will keep breaking the windshield when one of the front wheels will run over a bump.
20th Sep 2015, 02:04
The windshield cracking seems to be related to a poorly designed windshield frame. The windshield may crack as described if the chassis bends too much, causing the windshield frame to put too much pressure on the windshield. This may be hard to correct even by the main dealer - which can explain why they didn't accept responsibility.
8th Sep 2019, 16:40
Wait until the 2.0 TSI engine blows:
10th Dec 2014, 15:15
I have the 2015 Volkswagen Jetta Sport with about 1,000 miles on it and no issues at all. It is difficult for me to find another sedan in the $20-25k price range that can compete against it. I agree the navigation is slow and has dated graphics, but as long as it gets me from point A to B, I am happy with it. It at least came as standard equipment, when most car manufacturers force you to buy a package for a couple of thousand dollars. People buy or lease the Jetta for its spacious cabin, handling, and the new 1.8t motor. I applaud Volkswagen for being able to sell German engineering at this price.