2002 Volkswagen Jetta

Summary:

Good time

Faults:

The serpentine belt, the ignition coils and basic brake oil and tire change. That's all.

General Comments:

This car is a lot of fun for me. I beat on it every so often, and this car has been running great since I first got it. The only problem was a transmission leak. I fixed that, and the car runs and shifts much better, and has plenty of power still; feels brand new to me still.. Guess I got lucky.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 4th June, 2010

2002 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 2.0 gasoline

Summary:

Poor man's BMW

Faults:

Trim around door pulls and window switches peeled away.

Large metal spring fell off front seats.

Radio volume knob has lost some shape (seems to have melted a bit).

Fabric on rear door panel coming loose.

Paint faded on roof.

General Comments:

My 2002 Jetta has been mechanically flawless. The first 3 years of ownership I was very conscious about having regular service done on the vehicle. However, other than oil changes, I haven't had any services done in the last 2 years. Despite that, I have had no mechanical issues with the car.

I purchased the car in 2004 and the transmission has always made "winding" sound at certain speeds, but I have had no problems with it.

Although, VW interiors have an upscale look and feel, they need to improve the materials used on the door pulls and radio. I have noticed that even on the current generation Jetta, the black peels off of the radio preset buttons.

I have considered other vehicles, like Mazda 3s and Civic Si, but their interiors have a noticeably downmarket feel to the VW. On the VW, the colors and textures are richer in appearance; the feel of things like the door panels and sun visors are a class ahead of other compact cars. To me the difference is a $22-24k Civic or Mazda 3 still has the interior of a $16k car. The Jetta is a poor man's BMW or Merc. Having driven a German car for the last 6 years, I don't think I could go back to a Japanese brand.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th April, 2010

18th Apr 2010, 15:09

OK so we've established that German cars have interior that look better than Japanese cars, however, you also wrote:

"Although, VW interiors have an upscale look and feel, they need to improve the materials used on the door pulls and radio. I have noticed that even on the current generation Jetta, the black peels off of the radio preset buttons."

OK, so a good looking interior that falls apart vs. a blander looking interior that can last longer than a few years before chipping, cracking, and rattling. I think I'll take the blander, more durable interior. What use is a "good looking" interior if it falls apart a few years down the road... It'll look worse than the "bland" interiors of the Japanese cars!!

28th Apr 2010, 08:30

I would say the interior issues I've had are minor, and any other car could have minor interior issues over time. My car has 125k miles on it, and for a couple of years I was driving 40k miles/year. The car has never let me down and I've enjoyed owning it.

I think my point about the pricing is valid. The Jetta feels like a $20k car, not a $15k car with $5k worth of options.

BTW, I drove Honda/Acuras for 10 years and loved them, and never thought I would own another brand. However, my experience with my Jetta makes me want to purchase another VW.

2002 Volkswagen Jetta 1.9L TDI turbo diesel

Summary:

Great fuel mileage vehicle

Faults:

Fuel pump sending unit went out on the coldest day of winter in 2009, and left me stranded.

Interior console lights (fan controls) don't work anymore.

Car rides rough and is fairly noisy.

Timing belt must be done at 80,000 to 100,000, which can be expensive.

General Comments:

Fuel mileage is insane. I get consistently 45-50 MPG without even trying. That is the primary reason I bought this car, because of the spike in diesel fuel prices in 2006, I couldn't afford to continue to drive my diesel pickup every day. This car has paid for itself twice over just in fuel savings the past 4 years. If you commute a lot and don't have to sit in a lot of traffic (shifting gears can be a pain if so), this is a great car and will quickly earn its keep.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th April, 2010