1996 Volkswagen Jetta GL review from North America
"The Mexican that Made this forgot to put the Lemon in the Tequilla and I've got it!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Water Pump Replaced.
Front Wheel Bearing and Hub.
Exhaust completely replaced.
Clip for Sun visor broke.
Trunk lock seized.
Interior Display Lighting and Exterior lights due too bad switch (fixed twice).
Coolant Sensor went bad which caused the car not to start after it had been running for awhile so if I went anywhere for a short trip, like the store, I had to leave the car running or I would be stranded until the engine cooled.
Automatic Shift Lighting out as well as in the dash.
Cigarette light out.
No light in trunk.
No glove box.
Ignition coil needs replacing due to cracks in the cover. Moisture would get in and cause arching which caused the car to fire improperly when cold or in damp weather. It also makes the car very hard to start in these conditions.
Rusting at bottom of doors.
Emergency Brake needed to be fixed.
Engine does not run very quite. High Revs on highway.
Jerky gear switching with automatic transmission, especially when cold.
Door mirror adjustments stink.
Check engine light comes on briefly for a minute or so when over 110-120KM on highway. Will shut off if I let off the gas for a second or two.
Rough idling and vibration sometimes.
Replaced Battery Once.
Car alarm stopped making the audible sound when it sets. I think it may have something to do with one of the switches on the doors/trunk/or hood not registering that it is closed.
Lack of movement for the tilt steering.
Strut mounts replaced.
Coil Spring replaced.
Once in a while the light goes out over the speedometer, but a good whack on the dash fixes it.
Small Cup holders especially for taller cups. I have to take out my ashtray to accommodate these.
I haven't had my door moldings come off yet, but I'm waiting. I'm just glad I don't have power windows or air-conditioning. I'm sure that I would have had problems with those too.
General comments?
I like the fold-down seats and roomy trunk.
Seats are comfortable.
Stereo/Cassette/Speakers are not bad.
Power moon roof is nice.
Has lots of pep, good on gas, sporty styling... features that can be found on other cars without all the problems.
People have had mixed results with the Jetta III, but it all comes down to "BUYER BEWARE"!
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 gas Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 104000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 115000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 19th November, 2002 |