2001 Volkswagen Jetta Reviews

Cost estimate is parts + labor, and work was never done at stealerships.

1. Almost hoses were falling apart, which needed to be replaced periodically. After market hoses are much better in quality than stock ones. $500.

2. A few of the stock plastic connectors, resulting in massive coolant leak. $200.

3. Expensive oil leak in the engine due to faulty gaskets and sealants. Fixed for $400.

4. PCV valve and a few other types of valves and connectors. $400.

5. Windshield wiper motor. $300.

6. Coolant temperature sensor. $100.

7. O2 lambda sensor. $200.

8. MAF sensor. $150.

9. One of the rear brake calipers seized while a front one broke apart while driving. $500.

10. Plastic impeller blades of water pump failed, causing major heating of the engine. Replaced by after market water pump. $700.

11. Both head lights failed along with a few brake lights. $100.

12. Trunk lock failed. $100.

13. Driver side door lock sensor (part of the door lock) failed. $350.

14. Preventative timing belt replacement. $600.

I got the car in 2007 and I was under impression that VWs make excellent cars. I was wrong. The only things good about VWs is that they look good, are a joy to drive (when they work), have an amazing zing to them (turbo) and their paint job is excellent if it was metallic.

VW cars are highly unreliable, expensive to maintain and poorly designed. The quality of their parts and components is extremely poor! As a result, they have one of the worst warranties, 3 years - 30,000 miles, which only cover very few and the most basic issues, which does not get transferred when one buys a used VW, even if the car was under warranty.

The turbo went before I bought it, so I thought that's one major expense I won't have to worry about ($2,000 repair).

Rear calipers seized - my VW mechanic said it's common with this model. $1,000 repair.

EGR valve needed replacing - mechanic said the manifold on this car is prone to excessive carbon deposits due to its design. $1,000 repair.

Timing belt replaced, which is to be expected, though the $1,000 price tag was not.

Flywheel was close to throwing itself apart - mechanic says it happens sometimes with these cars. $1,000 repair.

Valves are ticking. Mechanic says it's OK to run it as it is if I can't afford the $1,000 repair at this time (which I can't).

Bushing, tie-rods, ball joints, wheel bearing needed replacing in front end. Seems excessive wear to me for the mileage of the vehicle, especially since it's been highway driven most of its life. $1,000 repair (my mechanic likes this number I think).

Switch in driver's door, which operates interior lights, and other things, does not work - $500 to repair, which I can't afford, so will live with it not working.

Bulbs blowing everywhere - headlight, driving lights, turn signal light, etc. When a rear turn signal bulb blew, there was nothing to indicate it was out (in other cars I've owned, the signal blinks at double-time so you know you have a dangerous situation). I don't know how long the turn signal bulb was out, but discovering it provided explanation to me why I had gotten angry honks, and people not letting me in for lane changes.

CD player stopped working.

Strange electrical quirks periodically occur (light staying on/not coming on/radio etc).

Heated seat switch failed - $80 to replace.

I had the dealer de-program the automatic door locks that lock whenever you exceed 12km/hr (every time I went to open a door, it was locked). They are not able to de-program the automatic trunk lock. Hey VW, how about a lock that locks when I want it to, and not otherwise, or at least have a switch that allows me to turn off the option?!

Seats recline with an awkward knob at the side of the seat. It's much less practical than the lever I've had on every other car I've ever been in.

The clearance is so low on this car that you really need to require a metal skid plate for under the engine. Apparently it comes with a plastic plate, but that didn't help the previous owner who took out the oil pan over a rock. It doesn't take much of a rock or pothole to risk damage. Not a good car if you ever drive gravel or rough roads.

I once owned a 1982 VW van. Vowed I'd never get another VW after that - constant failures of everything, large and small. I bought the Jetta, figuring after 20 years they must have ironed out most of those problems, since they're still in business. I was wrong. I have no idea how they manage to still exist with such terrible design and construction. It's like their engineers are total techno-geeks who design things in unique ways, just to be different, with no thought to durability, practicality, or cost - and the VW management must give them free range.