The first things that went out were the master cylinder, and the timing belt. I've owned this car for over five years and have replaced the clutch and flywheel twice. Also, the strut shocks don't last more than 2 1/2 years.
Along with the very good handling, the basic drive train of this car has held up for years, and it still doesn't burn oil! The odometer doesn't work, but I'm sure I have well over 200,000 on it. Except for the occasional repairs, the car has held up well, gets great gas mileage, and is fun to drive.
You must be hard on the clutch or something. I bought my 1986 Jetta GL new in 86 and replaced the clutch for the first time last year.
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