4th Aug 2011, 02:22
I own a 99 Jetta GLS, I have 268,000 miles on it. The engine has never been rebuilt and I'm still driving on the same manual trans. I've experienced many of the same problems over the pass 11 years. Most of my experiences came as the miles began to pile up.
Knowledge is power, and one thing I've learned about the VWs is that the engines are very strong, and will remain that way as long as the basic maintenance is kept up, i.e. regular oil changes and tune ups.
Automobiles now days have many sensors throughout the engine compartment. These sensors, like any other part, will go bad and need replacement at some point and time during the life of the car. Any car owner that has an expired warranty would be wise to purchase a OBD scanner and a repair manual for their car. These two items can save you lots of money over the long haul. Most sensors are low cost and easy to replace, DIY, that's where the repair manual comes into play.
VW engines are designed so that only VW parts will work in them. Bosch design parts specifically for VWs, so when purchasing after market parts, go with Bosch, or purchase your parts at your local VW dealer.
Last note, if you can't do the repairs yourself for whatever reason, find a trustworthy mechanic. It took me 10 years to fine one, hopefully it won't take you as long as it took me; there are still some out there; keep searching. I plan to put another 260,000 miles on my Jetta, wouldn't trade it for the world. Hope this helps! Good luck!
15th May 2012, 20:05
I just purchased a Volkswagen, and came across this site, what a GREAT source of information!
29th May 2013, 18:42
I just bought a 99.5 Jetta GLS this past weekend... The guy before me just had the valve cover replaced, full tune up and oil change, but it still needs front brakes. Apparently from what I am reading, it will need brake rotors frequently.
What I would like to know is if anyone else has problems with their driver's door lock??? When I try to lock the doors from the inside, or even with the remote, all doors BUT the driver will lock/unlock. The only way to get it to lock/unlock is by putting the key in the door... How on earth do I fix this without having to take it somewhere??
I too have the broken cup holder... Is there an easy fix to that? I sure do need a cup holder for my morning coffee...
30th May 2013, 15:01
You can't - you HAVE to take it somewhere. It's likely a failed solenoid in the driver's door, should be easy enough to fix.
4th Jun 2013, 20:40
Unless you are a VW mechanic or enjoy tinkering with your car on a daily basis as it sits in your driveway, get rid of your VW!
I cannot think of a more unreliable and overpriced brand.
Even for someone who knows basic mechanics like myself, these cars are very difficult to work on, and require a lot of work.
4th Feb 2010, 16:17
I bought a 2000 Jetta GL in '07 with about 60k miles on it; had to replace the water pump at about 70k miles, but that's to be expected in an old car.
I've just recently started to have issues with my factory security system shorting out, but that was fixed by pulling the fuse (old piece of crap doesn't need an alarm system anyways) ; I think I got my moneys worth out of it, and it's still fun to drive (standard tranny) even at 10 years.