23rd Feb 2011, 05:15
JD Powers only looks at reliability over 3 years and not the life of the vehicle. In 3 years, depending on how much you drive, you may or may not experience the typical VAG issues.
Read the reviews here under 2002 Jetta. I think you will find that they speak volumes about VW reliability and that mythical German Engineering.
For that matter, read the reviews of the Beetle and you will find the same trend.
If you are so inclined, please go ahead and enjoy your purchase. But claiming that the reliability issues that VAG and its agents have are resolved, is totally in contrast with reality. But be prepared to pay for your choice over the life of the vehicle.
23rd Feb 2011, 11:45
Why must Honda/Toyota loyalists always assert their supposed superior intelligence and wisdom? I've been very pleased with my VWs. I've owned a Toyota, two Mazdas, and a Hyundai, and the three VWs I owned were equal in reliability. That includes an ancient Beetle that was 25 years old when I bought it, a Mexican built 1997 Jetta that was solid as a rock, and a German built 2010 Golf.
24th Feb 2011, 18:07
I have owned only VWs and Toyotas, seven so far; VWs for me and Toyotas for my family. Toyotas are highly reliable and give ME peace of mind. Even oil changes are optional. VWs are less reliable. There is always something nonessential broken in my car, but I can deal with that. I expect to buy a GTI shortly.
26th Feb 2011, 00:11
@ 18:07 February, 24 2011 you have to change oil in a Toyota and VW, just like in every other brand, there is nothing special about the motors, they are not tough enough to go without changing the oil, no engine is!
Oil changes are essential for proper lubrication and to reduce friction wear and tear on vital internal engine parts.
If you don't change the oil often, every 3,000 miles for conventional oil (non synthetic) and 6,000 for SOME synthetics oils, you are causing extra stress and friction, and internal wear and tear that would be avoided by changing the oil!
Oil is one of the most vital fluids for vehicles.
You may get lucky and not have problems for a while, but eventually your engine will fail.
Everybody. change your oil regularly. There is NO engine that doesn't need regular oil changes.
25th Mar 2011, 11:02
What he was referring to, was the recommended oil change is every 15,000 km, or 1 year, whichever comes first. The downside is the oil change is more expensive and is a car specific synthetic oil.
I've had my 2011 Jetta TDI for the last 3 months, and not a single issue. I drive a lot, 6000km so far, and everything is running as smoothly as the day I got it.
Another above poster said we can't trust "German Engineering" because of the reliability of the 2002 model. That statement is pretty poor taste on its own; every car manufacturer had bad years, and the TDI engines of the 2002 and 2003 models were extremely poor. This issue has been fixed and the engines are again (as before 2000) as reliable as ever.
18th May 2011, 17:39
I've owned 5 VW's; Agree that in the past VW's reliability was a major issue. My 2002 Jetta being the worst car I've ever owned (bought new and left me stranded a few times in the first 30k miles), I'm convinced that VW reliability is an issue of the past. Since then I've owned 06, 08 (LOVED this car) and 2011 Jettas; have never had a single problem. Being in 2 major accidents and seeing how well they hold up is impressive, and keeps me coming back. Safety to me is more important than a broken cup holder concern.
I will have to say I am unhappy with the interior quality of my 2011 VW compared to the previous model. Dash and interior trim comparable to a Honda or Toyota. Also, I have excessive wind noise on the highway. Has loads of options and going on 9 months, and haven't had a single issue (minus the wind noise), so I'm sure this one will be just as reliable and safe as my previous late model VW's.
4th May 2012, 09:31
I will never recommend anyone to buy a Volkswagen Jetta. It's a big cheat. I was a client. They are going lose much business. My words are already out through my mouth. Really, don't buy.
8th Nov 2012, 13:17
Rating a VW on reliability and how good a purchase it is takes a few years to assess, unless you are one of the many who have problems at the get go. I had nagging problems that got worse and worse. VW fails to acknowledge wide spread problems. Then the big one hit, the 6 speed Tiptronic went. Right out of warranty. Quality can really be measured after it's a few years old and worn in, not after a few months of ownership. VW over-engineers and under builds, ensuring a good service business afterwards. They should never have been Motor Trend's COTY.
4th Mar 2013, 17:15
I leased a 2011 Jetta SEL... fully loaded right off the show room floor. The car booked out just over $25K, so it pretty much has everything.
I do like the car, but at 26K miles I had to replace all 4 tires! Continental did pro-rate the replacement tires, though.
The real bugger about this car is the excessive wind and road noise at highway speeds. Has anyone else had this problem? I asked my service dept about it and they had no answers. Did VW have a recall or "action" on this issue?
10th Apr 2013, 02:57
I have a 2012 Jetta SE automatic and am replying to the comment about the wind and road noise issue. This car has been one of the quietest highway cruisers I've experienced, even with snow tires on it in the winter and early spring.
I did notice one time there was a lot of noise from outside, but it was from a leaf stuck in the driver's side rearview mirror. I would check your car for any leaves or other debris that might be stuck to your car and causing wind noise. Also check the wind deflectors in front of the front tires to make sure they're in good shape and in the right position - mine broke and one of them started rubbing my snow tire, which made a sporadic but loud helicopter/jackhammer sound before I brought it to the dealer (thinking my axle or something major was broken), who found and fixed the problem.
10th Apr 2013, 03:05
Same commentator about the road/wind noise here - forgot to add that, if nothing cosmetic is causing the noise, it may just be your tires are noisy. My SE with 16 inch steel wheels came with Bridgestone tires, which though not highly rated overall, are quite quiet under most conditions (and definitely quieter than my Firestone snow tires, though those are quiet for dedicated winter tires); the Continentals may be noisier as a trade-off for their better handling characteristics. If it comes down to the tires being the noisemakers, I'd recommend taking a look at reviews for tires online to find a quieter tire.
21st Feb 2011, 20:16
Reliability with VW's is a thing of the past, and even the early 2000's just had annoying problems; nothing major. My Father has a 2007 with 50K, not one problem, and I have a 2007 Jetta also with 67K, not one problem also. My previous car was a 2000 Jetta; the engine was running great with 180K, did have some minor annoying problems like cupholders, but not once left me stranded.