1999 Volkswagen Jetta GLS review from North America

It started consuming oil at 28,000 miles. The dealer had me bring the car in every 1,000 miles for an ‘oil consumption survey’. After 5 visits they determined that the car was indeed consuming too much oil and ordered an engine. It took a month for the engine to come in, then it took 5 days to install. When I got the car back it sounded worse then when I took it in. The service manager told me over the phone that the new engine need to ‘break in’.

I brought it back after 1,000 miles. The car was stalling and idling rough. They determined that only 3 cylinders were firing and they replaced the ignition wires. It cost me $200.00 because the dealer felt it was unrelated to the engine replacement and the car was no longer under the general warranty.

At 39,000 miles (only 5,000 miles on the new engine) the car would not start. This time they replaced the idle sensor. That cost me $150.00, it took 5 days to fix and the car still idles rough. I found out that BMW used the same idle sensor and they recalled it for the problem that I was having.

After I got the car home I found engine parts in my trunk. I had them bring the car back the next day so they could finish putting all the covers back on. Apparently, a mechanic quit while working on my car and no one checked to see it was done before they returned it to me.

At 40,000 plastic started dripping out from every door, the speakers in the doors starting cutting out and the door locks only worked intermittently. Since the car is no longer under the general warranty, I have to pay to have them clean the melted ‘rust protectant’ from the electrical parts in the doors. The dealer scheduled me to come in a month from the day that I called because they are too busy to service it sooner. I was hoping to get rid of this car before then, but I can’t sell it with yellow plastic goo dripping all over.

Quality is poor.

Consumes too much gas and too much oil.

The most unreliable car I ever owned.