Faults:

Not to much has gone wrong with my Jetta. I bought my 01' Jetta used in April of 2004, so I didn't know what to expect.

The air conditioning doesn't have much power (even on high speeds). The side vents don't work very well either.

Also, the trunk usually takes 2 or 3 times to close. That gets annoying when you think you've finally shut it and start driving and see the trunk light on.

And the bottom black plastic liner on the front bumper always comes unsnapped when I back out of my driveway.

I also have the leather in my car with the seat heaters. The seat heater settings are 1-5. You can really only notice the heat when it's on level 4 or 5, and by then it gets way to hot.

General Comments:

Overall I love my car. I think it has a great look, it's fun to drive, and it handles very well. I have had it for about 6 months and have had no serious problems and have never taken it to the shop. My friends all love it and always want me to drive.

The interior is great. The seats are very comfortable and the leather is good quality. The radio controls are big and easy to operate. The front of the car is very roomy. The only thing I hate about the interior of the car are the dials to recline the seats. They aren't just a normal bar you pull. The Jetta has little circles you have to keep twisting. It's very inconvenient when you just want to recline really fast.

I would recommend this car to everyone. It has been nothing, but a joy for me. I had a 2000 Chevy Cavalier before I bought this, and there's no comparison. However, I never had a single problem with my Chevy either.

Faults:

I'm on my 3rd radio. It just stopped working for no reason.

The spring that holds the gas tank door closed popped out twice.

Lights behind the dashboard died out twice.

Lost count of the number of recalls.

Control arms are bent, causing unbearable creaking sounds whenever I'm driving anywhere except for the highway. Dealer fixed ONE of the control arms. I brought it in for the defect while it was under warranty, they fixed HALF of the problem and then conveniently waited for my warranty to expire and then told me I had to pay $450 for the other one. Then, they tried to blame it on an accident I had over 2 years ago, in which only my front bumper had to be replaced. The dealer and service dept are great until your warranty expires, they spoil faster than mayonnaise in the sun.

General Comments:

I like the looks of the Jetta, but I will NEVER buy one again. No more VW's for me. I had a Subaru prior to the VW and in the 6 years I had it, it was in the shop ONCE.

Faults:

Numerous, but all under warranty--

Recalls- Brake Light Switch, LATCH markings, Window mechanism, Mass Air Flow sensor.

Latch on center console broke.

Another part associated with the throttle body went bad, but took 4 trips to the dealer to get it fixed because they left off a vacuum hose.

General Comments:

I would love to take this car over to Germany on the Autobahn. The few (brief) times that I have cleared 90 MPH, it was still smooth running and sure-footed.

The dealer I go to for service has done very well at making sure I'm satisfied with this car, and has returned it to me washed and vacuumed on several of my trips there.

Performance or economy is your choice. I can get 34 MPG on a long trip if I take it really easy on the accelerator, or romp on it and get there faster at 25 MPG. It's better in both performance and economy aspects with its lively 180 ponies over the anemic 80 to 120 hp cars that I've driven in the past.

I haven't seen the reliability problems others have reported. I think I got the bugs worked out of it under warranty. Haven't spent one cent on repairs yet.

The creature comforts are nice. Its 8 speaker Monsoon stereo bathes you in sound, Climatronic control keeps you at the right temperature, the seat and mirrors return to your favorite settings when you unlock the door, and there's even a rain sensor to control the wipers in unpredictable drizzles.