1995 Volkswagen Jetta III Celebration 2.0 gas from North America

Summary:

A sporty car that's fun to drive!

Faults:

Driver side lock cylinder failed, replacement cost US$26.00.

That's it!

General Comments:

Great car, bought for my daughter from original owner.

Was well maintained, interior & exterior in great condition, no mechanical or electrical problems at all.

Engine very peppy, transmission smooth, all power features (door locks, sun roof, etc.) work well.

A little pricier to maintain than Asian or American cars, but well worth the investment.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th March, 2004

1995 Volkswagen Jetta GL III from North America

Summary:

A drain on my pocket book from day one.

Faults:

My car has the following wiring problems (in order of appearance) :

The fuse to the radio and trunk blows if anything is plugged into the cigarette lighter.

The headlights come on full beam even when set on parking (and no, I don't have daytime running lights). In one instance, the lights went completely off when I cut my left blinker on.

Occasionally, the blinkers will stay on even after I have turned them off.

I have to replace the fuse to the windshield wipers every time it rains (which is at least weekly during the summer time).

The main fuse to the air conditioner has had to be replaced.

The wiring to a second-party CD changer failed.

Other problems include:

The instrument cluster is defective, causing the speedometer to cease working more often than it works.

The door impact strips keep peeling off.

The timing belt went out at around 50,000 miles, well before the recommended service time of 90,000 miles.

It burns through oil much faster than it should, although there is no evidence of a leak.

It has had a coolant leak.

Nearly all of the internal lights have gone out. I still have dash lights for my speedometer, but the lights for the air conditioner/heater have gone out, as have the lights on the gearshift.

The volume knob on the radio broke in half and fell off.

The plastic guard around the antenna is disintegrating.

The clear-coat is peeling/chipping off on the hood, top and trunk.

The black metal window trims are rusting.

I have so far had to replace the motors for 3 of 4 power windows.

The driver's side seat warmer has not worked since I've owned the car.

General Comments:

The car does run (for the most part).

However, some of the wiring problems could be potentially dangerous. The wipers often go out while driving.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 6th February, 2004

26th Apr 2005, 12:45

If the fuse blows out for your radio and trunk when you use the cigarette lighter you obviously need a bigger fuse, and if you put a cd changer in the car that has failed you, that has nothing to do with the car itself. And the Jetta III's do have daytime running lights as a standard feature.

23rd May 2005, 01:40

Do NOT under any circumstances install a higher resistance fuse than the factory recommended. If you do, it COULD be fatal. Fuses are there to protect wiring from CATCHING ON FIRE from being overloaded in the event of a short. This SHOULD be common knowledge. I am an engineer and if you ever have wiring issues consult one. It could save your life.

28th Aug 2005, 20:48

Mr. engineer has the right Idea, but the WRONG wording which is very important with someone of his high education. A fuse does not have a "resistance" rating nor any measurable resistance. That is the current rating of the fuse. All the other things said in that comment were accurate. I am not an engineer, but I am an MECP certified installer. Mobile Electronics Certification Program, and I received my education from RITOP mobile electronics installation school.

2nd Dec 2009, 11:57

Besides timing belt (which is not uncommon at 50-60K), all of the stuff you mentioned is really minor. Yeah it's annoying, but really, a fuse here, and knob here, is like $5 of total (or $15 if you go OEM!) parts and a little bit of troubleshooting. I'd say it's good car from your review, and mine's been solid for the entire time I've owned it. Sounds about right for a VW.