2000 Volkswagen Jetta GLS review from North America

1,500: burned crankcase oil.

10,000: Mass airflow sensor.

20,000: Mass airflow sensor.

40,000: Glove-box hinge broke.

60,000: Changed to conventional oil, instead of synthetic (as I had been using since new). Oil consumption dropped! The consumption has been getting better, even as I continue using Mobil 1. YES!

80,000: Water pump impeller failed! Common problem!

80-100km/5 years old: headlight lenses discolored by U.V. exposure and are less effective now.

110,000 Wiring into trunk lid broke. It broke between the body and lid. I did surgery, soldered them and used heat shrink covering to reseal.

VW still builds some of the best cars on the road. This vehicle weighs 350 pounds more than a Honda Civic with the same equipment level. The Germans like a little more heft than the Japanese gas sippers. An examination of the bits on the Jetta show superior quality.

Last I checked, VW still offers a 12/unlimited mileage rust perf. warranty. Compare this to the 5 year warranties offered by everyone else! VW bodies hold up a long time, and are a good choice for long term ownership IMO.

A lot of people complain about the armrest and glove-box breaking. This can be avoided by treating the car like you own it. A little care goes a long way.

If you're worried about losing a turbo, run the best oil that can be obtained, and ALWAYS follow the manufacturer specs. If you have a TDI with the PD engine, you MUST USE VW 505.01-approved oil! Make sure that a mechanic working on this car knows this, as it is quite odd. The owners manual may lead you astray here, so at least check under the hood for a sticker warning against the use of non-505.01 approved oil.

I gather that internal engine damage is soon to result if this is ignored.