Owners' Stories

Okay I just want to point out that If you buy a car used you don't know what the previous owner did or didn't do for the car. I know I read something about someone complaning about the body and interer that one pulls a red flag for me as it sounds like the car was hit/ Fix wrong and sold to you. You have to look out for you when buying Used BIG TIME no matter who is selling it. LOL I get No it's never been hit... Look under the hood and well well all I see is crumbles there responce... Oh really it's been hit... I have owned a new right off the lot 2003 Jetta, I put about 185,000 Miles on it with only changing Spark plugs once... It did get stuck in 3rd and the dealer told me it was because the fluid was low they filled, Fixed, for free.. Even washed it for me :)I had problems with the trunk latch and I fixed that my self. It was just the plastic piece getting stuck. Other then that it was a wonderful car. I drove the hell out of it. I now have a 2005 Jetta GLI about 79,000 Miles I was the 2nd owner on this one... Now keep in mind about what I said above about used cars... I had it 4 day's and the alternator went out.. Okay its used I understand. they fixed for fee... (Car Max) I have changed the water pump, Timing belt, Aux water pump, water pump hose, Coils, Coolant Cap, and now I'm told I have valve cover leak and cam seal leak. So buying used really isn't a good Idea LOL... Also Never get your work done at a Dealer they are WAAAAAAAAAY to pricy the only work I ever get done there is if its free... best way for you to get your car checked is if they have a recall they will tell you everything that is wrong with it... have them write it all down and get quotes or do it yourself some of the stuff they do is REALLY EASY! I just had my car checked (for free) they quotecd me $1,055.00 to fix the Aux water pump valve cover and cam seal... I just bought the parts to do this for about $150.00 Yeah I don't think I would do the cam seal myself but I know I can find someone to do it under $905.00 more like for about $200.00 total cost for me was about $350.00 I saved $705.00 VW Jetta's have been my best cars so far for the price. Plus if you don't buy the parts or have the work done from the dealer they are very cheep to fix. For the 2005 Jetta GLI I think I have only spent maybe over $1,000.00 to get all that fixed. If I would have got it done thru the dealer it easly would have been over $5,000 -$7,000.00. Bottom line all cars break and if you have problems don't take no for an answer. (Car Max tried to say it was my fault! OH hell no! lol I got it all done for free) Don't get ripped off. I love my VW and if they didn't change the body style in late 2005 I would be buying another one. NEW!!!! :)

We have had two 2006 VW Jetta TDI's. The mileage was great. We sold our daughter's car with 75,000 miles on it because it would die at traffic lights. Our daughter would have to turn the car completely off and turn it back on to get it to go. This was not safe for a single girl in St. Louis. An independent shop said it was the transmission. VW and their dealerships could not find a problem. They didn't believe our daughter, even though it happened 4 times in 2 weeks. VW would NOT work with us. We sold her car for a 2012 Honda Pilot. She is much happier. The second Jetta has 77,000 miles on it and now the compressor is going out. We don't have an option, we have to get it fixed. The estimate is $700. Will we buy another VW? NEVER! It takes forever to get cool in the summer. VW is not loyal to their customers. We will no longer be loyal to them.

ok listen up all you folks with bad luck,all cars have flaws if you take care of your car it would take care of you period.currently i own a 2006 Jetta 2.5 with all the options,navigation heated seats the works.i have 82086 miles and never had a problem so far.this is my 5th Jetta.I have owned a 91-95-99-02 and now this 06.never had an issue with any of them.i live in HOuston i can go on a road trip to new York or Califonia at any given time and don't have to worry about breaking down,(have done it already).It has great power its solid good on gas,i got close to 500 miles on a tank one time the trunk is huge its fast,hit 130mph couple times.the brakes are excellent and i never had to visit the dealership for anything.So my opinion to you guys just keep good maintainance and you should be ok .

Has anyone else been approached by VW to buyback their 06 Jetta due to a faulty passenger side airbag system?

My girlfriend used to have a 00 Jetta GLS. It's a good car to run but there would be problems coming after 100,000 miles.

Purchase new 2006 Jetta tdi loaded. 176000 kms latter And over 6000.oo of mechanical repairs all done by Owasco V.W. It seems nothing is warranty.All services done as per V.W. schedule in service book.90% highway driving, Driven by owner only. Any savings on fuel was spent three times over on the worst vehicle I have ever owned Gord Graham (gordgrahamocl@yahoo.com)

I have owed my 2003 vw GLI V6 for 4 years i put on 82k a this is the best VW ever I have owned 4 vw and this is the best VW V6 lots of power NO timming Belt!!! Great Car !!!

Unfortunately I recently bought a 2006 VW Jetta 2.5L. I've had the same problem as many of you have posted here for the malfunction of the driver's door harness/wiring defectiveness, therefore they want me to change the whole wiring system for $500 plus the horn stopped working all of the sudden and that is $253 and the lights keep burning like every 4 months! POS! Wish I had known this info before I bought this crap! I am sure no one will give me what I paid for this car.

2009 Jetta TDI just broke 100,000 miles (extended warranty now over). Has been an awesome car for me so far. A great mix of power & economy, and very comfortable for the 3 hrs I commute daily (round trip). Avg. MPG in the summer: 48; Avg. MPG in the winter: 41. Only problems I've had are: a) the auxiliary audio plug in the center console stopped working, and b) the pricing for some service items, many of which can be done yourself on the cheap with great results.

Bought the car as the second owner at 2 years old, have had it nearly 3 years now. This was my first, and last, VW. Had the main harness in the door go, they made me pay for that. I've now started having interior trim pieces just falling off, the headliner is peeling, getting the verdict on that tomorrow. The trunk and the hood will only sporadically latch when temps are low, the gas door hardly opens, EVER, need to peel it open with my fingernail. The sunroof will open on its own every so often in the winter months. Car drives great and is very mechanically sound, but the interior and body on this car SUCK! Never will I buy another VW. Not to mention the stupid cowl they put over the engine, what a pain in the ass, just trying to drive up service costs and keep their dealerships alive obviously.

Just bought my 2008 SE 2.5 6 speed Auto last week. Got a solid deal from a VW dealer in central NJ. Certified/ balance of BTB Warrantee till June, 2012, then 2/24 over that. Drive is excellent. 170 HP with good PEP. Seats are comfortable. Good features overall. Blue lights on the speedometer/tachometer look very sharp at night. Nice sounding radio. I love the AUX hookup for my little IPOD Shuffle. CONS: whats with the lack of a middle setting for the headlamps/ interior lights? Not alot of storage space for the wallet & misc etc. That darn VW brake dust on the alloy rims!!!!! (GRRR) The power door locks arent working correctly. Took it in today to a local VW Dealer, they say they replaced (2) latches. The doors still dont lock right & did not lock at all on the highway today.

Bought mine new. At 70,000 miles, have had to replace fuel pump, water pump timing belt ,battery, tires. Still like the car. Only issues: I'm short so the visors are too short and don't block out enough sun when down. Also, the driver's side wipers creates a large arch and doesn't clean the window. Real issue in winter when snow/road salt dirty the window. Can't see my right side due to the 'arch of dirt' that isn't cleaned from my window due to the wiper blades.

i have a stick shift and when i change gears from 1 to 2 and so on and req. to accelerate fast it slips, could it be lack of fluid.

I bought this 2008 Jetta 2.5L new with minimal options. The car is quick, it handles well, and the brakes are fine for most driving situations. Fit and finish are pretty good, there are no rattles or major interior issues after 3 years. The cloth seats are a little hard under the knee but reasonably comfortable for trips under 4-5 hours, I should have gone with leather and the cold weather package. Pros: Quick, reliable and economical engine, the car goes where you point it. This is a good commuter car, fill the tank 3/4 once a week and no worries. Not too bad in snow without snow tires, though I'd recommend you not risk getting stuck. Fairly good value for the money. Cons: Electrical issues with lights, trunk sensor (2x) and driver side door harness. At 90k miles a small oil leak at back of the engine (main seal). For some reason, VW thinks it is a good idea for this Jetta model to run an aux air pump/compressor (A/C) for 15-30 sec. at virtually every engine startup -- regardless of recent A/C use. The thing sounds awful when you start an engine that would otherwise idles quietly.

The first brand new car that I ever owned was my worst. It was an 1993 Volkswagen Jetta. The all new model for 1993. Test driving a Jetta on the dealer's lot, the Jetta seemed like a well engineered vehicle. It rode well, steered well and was reasonably quiet. The Jetta I actually purchased wasn't the one that I test drove. When I took delivery of my new Jetta it had only 26 miles on the odometer. The car was delivered to me full of dust. The dealer said I'd have to wait a few days to have it detailed; I declined and said I'd wash it when I got my new Jetta home. Also there was only 1/8th of a tank of gasoline in the car when I took delivery. The dealer wasn't motivated to fill the tank on my newly purchased $16,0000 Jetta! Okay, so the dealership experience sucked. When I was driving my new Jetta home in the dark I kept getting drivers flashing their high beams at me. Turns out my new Jetta had misaligned headlamps right out of the factory! Next I noticed that the power operated trunk wouldn't disengage. This was due to a misaligned trunk due to sloppy workmanship in the factory. After the headlamps and trunk lid were realigned I was enjoying my new Jetta. Come 1000 miles and the engine develops an erratic idle. Dealer says it'snormal!? I had to have several safety recalls corrected shortly after that stint at my VW dealer. Next problem came about with the Jetta's horns sounding very weak. The dealer again tells me that there is nothing wrong with the horns. Then why do they sound like shit?! At 10,000 I was opening my sunroof and crrrrrrrunch! The whole mechanism jammed. Back to the VW dealer again. I had to have the entire sunroof mechanism replaced. While doing the repair, the repairmen soiled my headliner with gunk and grease. They would't offer to clean it. I'm really beginning to develop a hatred for this car now. 13,000 my back up lights fail. Repairman says it was due to a burned out switch. One month later the same thing happened! 17,000 miles and the instrument panel lighting is intermittently flickering whenever I go over a bump. Dealer claims "they couldn't duplicate problem!" 20,000 and still more erratic idling problems that my dealer say's "is normal!" Now the interior is developing lots of squeaks and rattles. 25,000 and the sunroof made an unpleasant groaning sound while it opened very slowly. I shut it and never opened it again. Not only was I fed up with this crappy VW, but the dealer's service department was the clincher: insolent, self righteous, accusatory pricks! I decided to trade in my Jetta at 26,500 miles on a brand new 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix GT. I still have my Grand Prix. I am really attached to my Grand Prix, and it has never given me any headaches whatsoever. My Pontiac is a great solid and reliable car.

We have had this car for about 4 years, and it sucks

Bought at 40K. Now have 105K. Besides breaks, oil, filter, and tires the only major repair has been the temperature sensor, which set me back around $200. Love the handling. Manual transmission is rather tight. The GL version has ABSOLUTELY NO POWER. I can't imagine running an automatic with this engine -- Geo Metros would be faster. Gonna get a Mazda in two years...or perhaps whenever this little car decides to die. I've always had mixed feelings about this car, but have been somewhat happy about its reliability thus far.

bought a 2005 (last year for this generation) last year. It had 15k on it, but it was still junk. The 2.0L I4 is horribly underpowered matched to an antiquated 4-spd auto, the shifts are rough, you need to mash the pedal to the floor to get the car to go with traffic, the brakes are fair at best. In a VW if the ABS comes on and you still skid, it will let go of the brakes. The seats are firm and back breaking. The car is so cheap, if you jump a curb, the front bumper hooks onto the curbs and so the bumper gets yanked off when you put the thing in reverse. The nice thing is being able to snap the bumper back on, but it never alligns right again. The headlights housing fog up and yellow very quickly, and I'm not sure why there is a switch for the brights because they really aren't there. The electrical system is junk. You close a window and you can see the headlights dim. The mileage is good, but it could be better with a better engine, transmission, or both. Don't waste your time on this car. Spend the extra money and get the newer ones.

I bought this car new and have never had so many problems with a vehicle before. The car runs great and is very mechanically sound, but the nuisance issues have made owning this car a headache. So far I've had to replace the A/C Compressor (covered under warranty as VW admitted a problem with the part - told it would have been $3200 to repair), the drivers door wiring harness ($600), the sunroof (one cable broke and they had to replace the entire thing - $1800), and the drivers side window control switch ($150). I also have had problems with the Check Engine light and Transmission Light coming off but they're never able to identify a problem. I have given up on it and have driven for 30,000+ miles just ignoring it. The VW dealership acts like it's no big deal (like replacing a sunroof for $1800 is normal!!) and is incredibly arrogant in addressing my concerns. I will never again purchase a VW.

Bought the 2011 VW Jetta SE a couple of weeks ago. Check engine light lit. Took car into repair at Riverside VW. Told it was bad relay for air pump(emissions). Problem fixed. 3 days later, check engine light on again. with radio off, you can hear some kind of grinding noise when car revs 2000-3000 rpm. So far, this is my first bad experience since owning 2 VW's in past.

I absolutly love this car. If you put an R8 Audi & a 1996 veerow GLX in front of me, I would pick the jetta. I think that basically sums it up!

I bought my 1998 Jetta 2.0L M/T with 105,000 miles on it in 2001. Now in January of 2011 it has 228,000 on it. Regular maintenance has kept it on the road, and I still get 29 mpg. Electrically the turn signals are a bit quirky, and the cruise control gave up. My son crashed it into a curb in the midst of a U turn and trashed the right side half axel and undercarriage. Some 20,000 miles later the transmission gave up, due to that hit, and I had a decision to make: pour a couple thousand into a car with 150k on it or go get something new and sell the Jetta to wrecking yard. When you add the cost of the car, and transmission work, and all the maintenance along the way, this is the most cost effective and relaible transportation I've ever owned. And its been a blast to drive along the way. I'm looking forward to rolling over 300,000!

Purchased May2010...6,500 miles so far with zero issues. I rated the engine 4 of 5 as it does not idle "perfectly" when first started. Car seems as solid as my BMW.

The 2.0 L is almost impossible to break. Get this car if you want something that is good for the price and reliable.

I like the car ad the way it drives, however , it has been plagued by some electrical gremlins, door and window lock modules, phantom alarms, sporadic battery draws.

Bought new. Now has 106,000 on it and I've had it in the shop for the harness/driver door, which had to be replaced, CV boots and the compressor has gone out now. It has had the lights replaced many times, seems they burn out every two months or so. Just replaced the battery. Have kept synthetic oil in it every 10,000 miles. VERY mechanically sound. Drives like a BMW or Benz. It is a 5 cylinder automatic 2.5. Plastic pieces inside have become brittle and break/peel in Oklahoma heat. I'm about half scared to keep the car further, due to the cost of mechanical repairs, if they are needed in the near future.

I bought this car a little under 5 years ago. in the intervening time I've put almost 150,000 miles on my jetta, and not the old lady driving back and forth to the market to get Wheatabix kind of miles, but the jobs in three different cities, hauling metal and tools for metal art, drunken offroading at my mom's house kind of miles. i've put this car through the worst sort of hell one can imagine. it's been unreal. throughout all this punishment, the jetta has been unfailingly reliable, cost me less in maintenance than any three of my previous cars combined, basic upkeep only, absolutely no serious or even minor repairs. I love my jetta, let me say that again I love my jetta. if i weren't paranoid of little hybrid man/jetta babies, i'd make love to my car daily...that line will probably get me flagged but you get my point.

My 2001 Jetta was new when I got it and 9 years later, I really haven't had any problems with it..But as I'm reading other ppls stories I felt the need to give some advice. They "Crayon" smell is just a sign the cabin filter needs to be replaced..It actually never bothered me but of course it was a "suggested" replacement when I needed my air conditioner serviced because it wasnt cold..It just needed freon..But the Cabin filter is an inexpensive replacement if the smell bothers you. One day my engine light came on and the shop I brought it to said my whole catalytic converter needed to be changed based on the error message the diagnostc test gave. It was so costly I nearly started to cry..But I always call around and get other estimates & it turns out there was a recall on the switch that causes that sensor to go off.. A FREE change at the dealer. As I went to get an oil change last week, the shop told me I needed to change the front control arm on my car b/c the bushings were worn. As the LOOK of horror could be seen on my face, the mechanic advised there is a CHEAPER route & that was to just change the bushings since my control arms were not bent..(And why would they be, Ive never been in an accident or hit a curb too hard). But just an indication, they price on the bushings the repair ship gave was $112.56 EACH, and I just bought them for $11.56 ea, $25.00 WITH tax for 2.. My point of all this is...Don't believe anything a mechanic tells you! Their job is to make money prey on ppl that dont know any better!! i know nothing about cars much less German cars..Ive had American, Japanese and now German & I love the ride of my Jetta! Get second opinions and find a mechanic you can trust! Buy a maintenance bood and make easy replacements yourself! You'll save a boatload of money and you'll LOVE your Jetta as much as I do!

This car, even though it is well taken care of, just seems to fall apart. I will never buy a VW again.

I have had to replace the clutch at 60,000 and now a broken wire in the driver side door wire harness. Can not open the gas door when wire broke so had to tear out the right side trunk paneling to manually open gas door. I understand that both the clutch and the harness are chronic problems, but VW offers no compensation and charges you FULL price for the parts. Over $1100 for the clutch parts and $195 for the harness.

I've had my 2006 VW jetta GLI for going on 5 yrs it has had problems with it starting a month after I bought it with power steering going out. The dealership kept my car for 2 months for steering wheel replacement. I've had numerous electrical problems check engine lights going on and off the airbag lights going on and off pretty much every light in the car doing the same thing. VW has told me the same crap for the duration of the car. Sir it was caused by a phantom code. This time the phantom code caused the wiring harness to take a crap with only 71,000 miles on the car. With all regular scheduled maitanence done to the car. As a firefighter/medic I need reliability to get to work Volkswagen isn't it. I'm very dissatisfied from the service as well as dealing with the third party warranty for platinum coverage to 100,000 miles. Between VW and the warranty company I would say I've been ripped off alot frustration dealing with a car they don't want to do their jobs. How do you think people would react if I said I didn't want to do my job i wouldn't ever do that but pretty scary thought don't ya think? I have paid my car off total times in the shop over 30 times cost out of my own pocket even if you have warranty 108.00 every time the car is looked at not including the problem. Time missed from work cannot be replaced. I've found out it doesn't matter who you are people will still try and take advantage of others no matter what the cost. I for one will never buy a VW again.

I am 48. I drive a lot and understand design and engineering to a certain degree. I have never had a car with so many little problems that were so expensive to fix nor have I dealt with a company so arrogant as VW. They finally admitted to the design flaw that caused the driver door wiring harness to fail but offered nothing, not even an apology. Good luck to you if yoiu own one of these.

bought it new. 2.0t package3 . the a/c is mid range, takes at least 10 mins.to cool on hot oklahoma days even with extra window tint. Seats are for short trips, lacking luxury padding. would not buy another. overall a 3 star rating

great car,highway milage, 50 plus ,12000 miles,2010JSW Very nice interior.

I've had no problems with my Jetta and everyone compliments me on the looks. My brother is the only other person that has driven it and commented on the brakes being better than his Cadillac. Love it!

As another new owner mentioned, the frills are kinda low, but it handles great. A true poor man's Bimmer. Some strange issues, the AC has recently been smelling like wet socks, had the original DSG hard shifting issues, TDI models have little to no options

Since I bought my Jetta 2.5 2007, I have not had any problems. It's been great! I traded in a 2004 Passat TDI (which I bought brand new), because the Jetta 2.5 2007 was nicer in every way! I was sold the moment I saw it.

Have this car since it was a baby (ie. new), now has 96k on it. It handles very good, I can get into tight places and make turns while accelerating. The engine sometimes feels like it wishes for a day off (not too much power on the 2.0L, I guess) but overall it's very reliable. The front bumper ground clearance could have been a bit higher though, I keep having problem with the bumper scratching the pavement that other sedans didn't seem to have problem with. The replacements from the original parts seem to be subpar quality even though they are "official parts from the factory". Had to replace the brakes at 60k, wheels at 50k or so. Front axle was replace about 3 years ago (probably my fault though). The cost of replace a CV outer rubber boot (last week) with the dealership is $240 ($200 is labor). Replaced the battery twice now (96k) at $110 each time. The interior couldn't hold up to the Houston summer heat (even though I used to have a Camry that interior held up well over 11 years), it started to melt the glue (?) that hold the fabric inside, now my top has a canopy feel about it, and the doors' fabric has fallen away and revealing the brown thing (glue?) inside. The dealership doesn't do "touch up" and would have just replace the whole entire top and doors, which is prohibitively expensive. I heard this happens to other VW and Audi cars too, so this might be an issue with the car's design itself and not just me parking my car outside at noon and no shade. Air conditioning could have been better, sometimes it takes a full 5 mins just to have cool air blowing (mechanic didn't think anything was wrong with it). I'm looking into upgrading, and the interior issue is a big thing for me so I'd probably not buying another VW until they fix that. Also, the 2-in-1 key is cool and convenient, but the replacement cost is way too much. And the lights seem to alternate and burn out every other week or so.

I ASK THAT ANYONE THAT HAS HAD ANY PROBLEM AND OWN THE A VW CALL 1-800-822-8987 VW OF AMERICA I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR REPLACED ENGINE TRANSMISSION AND NOW FUSE BOX MELTED AND ALMOST BURNED MY WHOLE CAR UP ..VW SAYS NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE REPORT THE PROBLEM TO THEM SO THEY CAN RECALL... SO I AM PERSONALLY MAKING IT MY JOB FOR THE NEXT YEAR TO GIVE THIS # OUT TO ALL POSSIBLE ON THREADS SITES AND GOOGLE CALL IT IN PLEASE THELL WANT YOUR VIN AND NAME ! AND EVENTUALLY WE CAN ALL GET ARE RECALLS ON!!!!!!

Nice car so afr- the interior conveniences are pretty low though. The cup holders are in awkward place, the ipod dock can't be viewed as its located inside the center console, the stock radio is pretty lowsy and takes up the entire dashboard space for no reason. The CA Limited Edition Jetta eliminated the capability for sattelite radio or any other MP3 player accessibility. I had to go straight to Best Buy and replace the entire radio just to access my XM Radio and use my MP3 player in the car....expensive added cost and VW refused to upgrade the sorry stock radio. The general car seems to run well enough though.

Just purchased a 2007 Jetta automatic for my college daughter. This was based on my 2009 Jetta automatic that I drive daily for work (company car). Excellent styling, handling, tight body, and peppy engine. The 2009 has 49,000 miles and is as tight and good driving as my 2009. Car has excellent seats, which are very comfortable for long drives of 6-8 hours. Huge trunk and very roomy back seat (I can sit and cross my legs, and I am 6 foot tall.

I bought my 2008 jetta brand new, and loved this car. At 50,050 miles, 50 miles past warranty the air conditioning blew up and will cost $2,300 to fix. VW would offer no assistance since it was 50 miles beyond warranty. At the same time of the AC blowing up the from windows will no longer go down, which is awesome in this east coast heatwave.

I am so sick of VW I will never buy another VW again, everyone is having the same issues and they will not recall, its always something with this car, I should have bought a Honda

This car sucks. I've had it for 4 years. It's left me sitting, I've replaced the axel joints twice, and now the catalytic converter is out. MONEY PIT. BUY JAPAN!

1.8 Turbo Jetta Wagon Made in Germany, runs like a fine clock. 88K miles, no problems.

have had nothing but trouble with engine since purchasing

I bought my 5 speed TDI when the new body style came out in 2005. I knew it would be a long -term car and had owned a few Passats in my past. The car is still a wonderful beautiful car and my mileage is unbelievable, of course.I have 80000 miles on the sweet thing and I love driving it.

It drives good but there is no room enough inside. the air conditioning does not work properly.

Is this car able to shift into a gear without the car running or stepping on the brake.

Generally like this car. Water pump and brake issues. Like the feel and handling.

Interesting car. Oil changes are expensive. Def has get up and go. A/C is not the best. Seat heaters make up for chilly mornings. Takes forever it cool at 89+. So far no issues in winter. Rips down 95 and keeps up with the beamers and other lux cars. So far I love it. Had it for 3 years now and no major issues. Will see after she comes out of warranty.

I gave this car a low rating on interior because unlike my previous Prius it has very little storage or convenience holders. My radio has had continuous problems when switching from Sirius to AM. In the switch I will often just get static. They have replaced the amplifier but still some problem. I took it back and they could not replicate the problem. They asked me to make a note of where I am when it does it again. Waiting to see. Volkswagen service mgr. told me I might have to live with the problem. I assured him I would not. A Volkswagen rep told me it was my problem. Really!!

I bought this car for 500 dollars. since then i have put in low compression pistons and added a turbo kit. interior is in mint condition. 2 1000 watt 10" pioneer subwoofers, 1000 watt sony xplod amp, and 2 rockford fosgate punches mids. very fast little car. all brake lines were rusted out and needed repaired but that is the only repairs needed. 5 speed. best car i have ever owned.

Bought it used 4yrs ago and spent $0 on repairs it cost me more in speeding tickets than anything else. Just a fun little car that handles great, good.on gas. Top Speed-125mph not bad for the 2.0L-Only bad thing is my wife keeps buggin me to give her car back.

Continuos electrical problems. Many problems have been brought up to VW but they have a big lack of concern. Engine coils, Electrical shorts, leaks. This car of mine just caught fire. Ill never own another VW.

Just like several posts down - I bought a 2001 Jetta 2.0 L GLS for my teen daughter. The car hasn't been the most reliable car I've ever own. Headlight lamps ($200 each), had to be replaced not because they burned out... but because the UV rays from the Sun fogged up the plasic lens covering. Cooling Fans, alternators, AC compressor, and the battery needed to be replaced and seemed to wear out faster than they should. At 95000, just had to spend $2500 to rebuild the top half of the engine. The Chain Tensioner failed... which caused the chain to hop several teeth on the cam, causing a piston to slap an exhaust value. Driver door window motor replaced twice, along with the window lift assembly (actuator), rear bulbs are a monthy replacement deal, and that crayon smell is from the wax sealant in the doors and undercoating (for sound and moisture seal) melts during the summer. Stinks up the car (no matter how many airfresheners you put in it) and runs down the driveway. Guess German engineering... is NOT made for 115 degrees in the shade in southern California. Although I like the safety (side airbags) and the safety cage (tank-like) body, I won't buy another VW... ever.

I have 2010 from November 2009 and i love it. I dont like loud engine noise at the begining but it is mentioned by factory it is needed for cat converter to heat up.. Also i dont like CD player that it takes about 30sec. to start to play if you put your own mp3 burned cd... Other that that i LOVE IT and going from 2000 Jetta to this one - you feel a need to change a car :)

Bought my Jetta with 26 miles on it - currently has more than 125,000 and running well. Only major work I've had done has been the catalytic converter and wheel bearings. The original brakes lasted over 80,000 miles. Wish I would have bought leather seats, but aside from that, it is a great car for me. (Also rather amusing to watch tall people attempt to cram into the back seat, but that's just an added bonus)

I realize this VW Jetta Se has only 350+ miles ,but I have been wanting this car for ten years.The reason now is better due to great reviews I have read this time around for VW. If you look to the past you will find many problems Jetta went through. There is nothing on my new Jetta that I would change at this time, what a great ride!

Bought used in 2005 at 45,000 miles. Has 97,000 miles now (2010) and the only thing that I've had a problem with is the water pump. It went out once and I had it replaced. Then it went out again 2 years later, but I think that was probably due to the mechanic not properly inserting it. It wouldn't have been such a big deal if it hadn't cost about $400 both times it went out. No other major issues except it seems to loose about half a quart of oil between oil changes. I've read and heard from many people that this is a normal "issue" for 2003 jetta's so I just deal with it (I use lucas oil treatment along with the oil and it seems to help). It's been a very good car for these last 5 years and hopefully it will continue for years to come.

I would not buy a Jetta or VW again. I have had many repairs, including broken clips on both front windows, cat converter, window moter , hub caps (fall off easily), window seals leak, tail lights burn out often, etc. My car is truly a lemon.

I'd sell it for parts if the parts were worth anything...

I have had the car for 18 months and have put 60,000 miles on it. I love driving the car when its running correctly. The problem is it doesnt run correctly very often. I recently had to have an alternator replaced ($580.00), Timing Belt and Water Pump ($400), the list could go on but ill leave it at that. Also anyone that has this car read this: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/cert/recall/vw2.htm

This car has been great to me. Bought it used still with factory warranty and had a complete inspection prior to it running out. The only things that needed to be done is blow out the drian line for the sunroof and replace the rear seat arm rest. The interor smelled until I changed the cabin air filter which was a little hard to find the first time but easy to do. The only I dislike about my jetta is the sound system, it pops and snaps. I know that I need to replace the speakers, just suprised so soon. Overall a great car!

I LOVE the suspension and steering! Heavy, road hugging. Great pickup and go. Head light goes on and off. NE winters are cold and so is my car for the first 6 miles....then I feel the heat!!! I have even used a small blanket to and from work when temperature is in the teens. As soon as the warrentee was up, my driver side door had electrical problem. Master door with all the controls went hay wire. Cost over $700.00 to repair. Today as I type this my car has been towed to the dealer ship. Something popped in the engine. Engine light came on. My car felt like it was traveling over railroad tracks and exhaused filled the car and smoke came pouring out the tail pipes. I'm on pins and needles waiting for the call from the repair shop.

My first and last volkswagen! I researched carefully and thought there might be electrical problems (there were many + cruise failed twice and very expensive to repair I finally gave up on 3rd failure). I wanted a diesel engine for the higher mileage and fuel savings. I serviced it meticulously at VW dealership (timing belt, all servicing done right on schedule). Car engine dropped a valve at 180,000 km left me and my young children stranded in the middle of a packed 6 lane highway (needed emergency rescue to exit car to safety). VW offered nothing except offer to let me buy another new car from them (no deals)...I bought this car brand new and always VW serviced it...expected a lot more. I always had Hondas before and they were still running like a charm (no oil even being used) at 240,000 km+ with a gasoline engine. I have since heard that one can expect anything with VW made after 2004....German engineering made in Mexico is not the same. VW is a great little car as long as you do not mind buying it several times over and over and over again!

I HATE this car!!! Have spent thousands on it! I have had it 3 years and something is always going wrong. Fuel pump problems, electrical, fuse, lights, AC and wheel bearing issues. It only has 56k miles.

My Jetta is great. I have had it forever and not many problems ever go on. It is easy to drive and maintain.

I bought this car on Monday before Christmas. I'm starting to believe that I have made a terrible mistake. I saved all year while riding the bus to classes at Cal State. I should have done my homework. Three days after getting it the check engine light came on and the transmission started to shift erratically, then it wouldn't go into 4th gear. The dealer made the repairs at no cost. The next day after getting it back the check engine light came on again, this time the engine has a sort of sputter when intially starting and today the coolant light started to beep. When I checked the bowl the level fluid started to bubble to the top, so I quickly closed the cap and went back into my apartment. Oh my God, what have I done?

This car is a peice of crap! We bought this car used about 2 weeks ago and right as I write this it is in the shop being "fixed". We had the car for about 4 days when it left myself and my 7 week old son and my 4 year old son on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere in minus 35. When we first got the car we were excited b/c we always wanted a Diesel car. We even laughed about the ALL the electrical problems: 1. The heat only works on high. So it's off or full bore. 2. The heat only works if the headlights are on. 3. There are no low beams only high beams. 4. The only way to turn the headlights on is to pull the lowbeam/highbeam switch and jam a pen behind it. 5. Can only make left turns as the right turn signal lights don't work. 6. When making left turns if you turn on the signal light the pen falls out no there's no lights and no heat. 7.We have power window, not windows, WINDOW, but at least it's the drivers window. 8. Sometimes we can't get out of the car and have to repeatedly pull the handles very hard till it works. 9. Doesn't like to go into second gear. 10. Water pump failure is what left us on the road. That said for some reason we still love this little car, but we won't be taking it very far from home until we can have a VW dealership look at it. As it is we live 2 hours away from the nearest one so we'll wait until summer lol. Oh,and we live in Canada not LA but you need a Zip Code to fill this thing out. lol

My wife bought a Toyota Camry at the same time and it stacks up fairly similar to hers. The only problems I've had with it is that the heating in the winter time takes FOREVER to get going. It's a challenge to not fog up the inside of the windows when it's extremely muggy outside. Also, the plastic on the radio buttons started bubbling up and essentially tore off after only a year and a half of having the car. No major problems, at least not through 65K.

no problems

Great car!! I have a 2001 Jetta TDI and the only problems I've encountered are the cheap plastic clips that hold the windows up...they WILL break! I read a review about this before I bought mine, and sure enough my driver-door window fell down into my door about six months after I bought my Jetta! Brake, tail, and headlights seem to "burn" out quite frequently, but are an easy repair. Also the air mass flow filter needed replaced at about 100,000 miles..made my car have no pick-up or power at all! Try to get that fixed while you still have a warranty!! Honestly though I have no complaints and would buy VW again. Oh yea, and my car smelled like crayons forever!!!

love the T.D.I. but it's too low in the front. It catches on curbs.

For its age, my 92 Jetta is holding up fairly well. I did have a very annoying and internmittent problem with starting for awhile, and after much time and energy discovered that someone along the line had removed the heat shield for the starter and it had burned out. It burns a little oil, but really none the worse for wear.

I bought my 97 VW Jetta GLS used a little over a week ago from a mechanic. He had replaced the transmission (as I understand is a relatively common problem with these cars). I downgraded to this car from a 98 Acura Integra GSR. The first day, the check engine light came on. The second day, the distributor failed. The 3rd day, the sunroof stopped working (bad fuse...easy fix). The 4th day, the tail pipe fell off. When I have had the opportunity to drive the car, it runs good. The seats aren't all that comfortable and the car is a little "boxy" looking, inside and out. It's an "ok" car overall, but considering the relatively lower mileage (129k) for it's age, it should hold up a little better. It's clear now that previous owners did not care as much about maintenance as I do. My only advice to potential buyers is to get a reputable mechanic to check it out first...engine, exhaust, electrical parts. Push every button, more than once. This will likely be the last German car I buy, even though I am from German roots. I'll stick with Honda's and Acura's. The Japanese seem better at building quality cars, with exception to typical rust that seems to easily develop.

Regular maintenance is the key. That which has worn out, or gone bad has been minimal for us. It's our third Jetta going back to 1986. Second Jetta saved my life in a rollover accident. (Deer in the road) We love the car, but HATE inconsiderate scum that can't/won't watch their door opening technique. You know who you are, and I hope all of the cars you ever drive are piles of junk!

TDI. 86K miles. Lifetime avg. gas mileage 47 mpg. Town 43 - Hwy 50+. Only negative was in front spoiler design - too low clearance so that catches on objects such as concrete parking stops resulting in detaching spoiler from body. newer models appear to have corrected this deficiency. Had to replace malfunctioning radio under 50K warranty. Glow plugs replaced at 68K miles. Good car!

i bought my jetta with 50k. replaced coil packs which is expected with the milage i have now. also some evap system hoses. other than typical repair this car is solid, fun, comfortable, and oh yea my 20valve 1.8 turbo is fast.

Bought this car used 7 months ago for our teenage daughter. Liked the idea of side airbags, and she loved the sunroof. First time we had it towed, cost $700 for a new fuel pump. Second time it was towed was for a broken axle. Third trip to the garage cost us another $200. Sunroof no longer works, door panels keep coming loose, headliner falling. The catalytic converter needs to be replaced, and I can't afford it. Inside was filthy when we got it and I thought we could clean it up with no problem, but absolutely nothing will clean the vinyl - its sticky and gross. Have tried commercial cleaners, soap & water, goo gone, alcohol. And, like an earlier post said, ours smells like crayons, too. I'm disappointed in my purchase and we're going to sell it because I can't afford the upkeep. Its not the reliable car that I thought I was getting.

Having persistent problems with electric system. It's as if there is a ghost in there. Hazard lights go off at will - windshield washer comes on once every other day - and not a drop of rain falling here in south Texas! Have had to replace the CD/Radio three times . Knobs fall off the seat control.... But I love this car--am fortunate to have an excellent VW dealer.

I have had this car for over a month now. It is difficult to regulate the heat inside the vehicle. The climate control is very sensitive. It goes from cold to hot too easily. There seems to be no middle. Everything else is just great. A little more expensive to service than I had anticipated, but still a VW lover.

I drove a 2000 Jetta for 6 years and it never gave me one problem. With regular oil changes and maintenance, this car ran great. It never even had any of the electrical issues that many Volkswagons tend to have! Great car.

I've returned religiuosly to the dealership with a rear defroster issue that is now causing the fuse box to catch fire and melt. The car has been in 8 times for the same problem and I have contacted VW directly and am still waiting on a response.

overall good car except for the electrical system

This has a pretty good bread and butter sort of car.Not exciting at all , but it runs and runs.Fairly comfortable , not a great performer , but easy enough to keep up.The interior shows its age , I put tires on it now and again.Biggest expense has been timing belt and water pump replacement.A/C went south awhole back but still a good daily driver.