2001 Volkswagen Jetta VR6 2.8 from North America

Summary:

Car is OK, but expected better quality from VW

Faults:

2002 - Mass air flow sensor replaced (under warranty).

2003 - Window clips replaced (under warranty).

2003 - Brake light sensor replaced (under warranty).

2004 - Broken armrest.

2006 - Water pump replaced (under warranty).

2008 - Check engine light came on and loss of power - resulted in ONE bad spark plug wire... which I paid the dealer $200 to replace! Ouch.

2009 - Check engine light came on the next year with the same symptoms as the previous year. I took it to Pep Boys and had them replace all my wires and spark plugs. Replacing spark plug wires one by one would have been very costly! Check engine light gone and issue fixed.

2010/5 - Power steering fluid leak. Had a family mechanic check it out and he replaced the front axle (rebuilt).

2010/6/22 - Check engine light. The car has trouble starting at times. Currently at the dealer. Turns out I need to replace a multi-function sensor for the check engine light. Also having them look at the transmission not going into reverse at times. Transmission issue should be covered under drivetrain warranty (10 years/100k?) We'll see...

General Comments:

I like the looks of this car, but it's cheaper to fix the darn thing than to get a new car at this point.

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

Review Date: 23rd June, 2010

2001 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 from North America

Summary:

I hate this car

Faults:

Ever since I bought this car, it has been nothing but trouble. When I first bought the car, the right tail light went out on the way home. Then the check engine light came on. The dealership I bought it from fixed it, but that resulted in another check engine light on and replacement.

The tail lights go out every other month on every other side.

The e-brake cables kept coming undone from the handle. When I took everything apart and assembled back together, it only continued to undo itself again.

The car will also lock and alarm itself without the key fab. I've had the car lock with the key in the ignition more than once, and I've learned to always have a window down.

The seats are a pain to clean. Lint is almost permanently embedded into them and hard to remove.

General Comments:

The only good thing about this car is the sun roof.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 3rd June, 2010

3rd Jun 2010, 21:45

I'd be annoyed too. Keep in mind though that you bought a used car with 100,000 miles on it. It won't be perfect and the previous owner (s) may well have been hard on it, or skipped/prolonged maintenance. German cars when used can be a real money pit if not thoroughly researched. While the car itself may be well-thought out and built nicely, the parts are usually more complex and more expensive to fix than, say, a Chevy.

In my own opinion, that generation of VW Jetta's were overengineered and under-guaranteed. Things were more complex than needed be and the manufacturer and dealers wouldn't stand behind their work and ensure quality. An ex-girlfriend owns a '99, and while it was fully loaded, leather etc, the sheer number of quality-control issues (many minor, some major) was just appalling.

4th Jun 2010, 15:15

"I'd be annoyed too. Keep in mind though that you bought a used car with 100,000 miles on it"

Very true, although VW did go through a period of problem issues in the past decade. The new ones seem to have come a long way in improving quality. I like the Jetta's styling and feel.

2001 Volkswagen Jetta 1.9 turbo diesel from North America

Summary:

Good work on the car Volkswagen, now work on service and parts pricing

Faults:

ABS dash light was on. After doing a brake job on this unit, I noticed the rear ABS notches are made from a metal basket, which wraps around the rear hub. Most companies have machined notches right on the hub. This metal basket rusts prematurely, and not only does it malfunction, but it jams up against the sensor and ruins it also. Thus "German engineering" is quite lacking here.

The heater blower was defective and a replacement motor is approx.$300.00. They've got to be kidding!!! Found one in a scrap yard for $80.00; still expensive, but not $300.00 plus taxes.

If I could not fix this vehicle, I certainly could not afford to keep it going.

General Comments:

This is a great car, and it still handles well.

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

Review Date: 27th May, 2010

29th May 2010, 16:25

You got the real German Engineering.