1986 Volkswagen Jetta GL review from North America
"Nice commuter car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Compared to my other cars, the Jetta was very hard on brakes; I warped 4 rotors in the course of owning it and rarely did OE pads last longer than about 20,000 miles.
The OE exhausts only lasted one or two years before rotting out.
The car consumed electrical components at an alarming rate; 3 idle control valves, 6 oil pressure switches, 2 radiator fan switches, a resistor pack, both the turn signal and wiper stalk contacts, and an ECU.
One of the lower A-arms broke shortly after I bought the car.
The head gasket failed at around 241,000 miles.
The clutch cable broke at 191,000 miles.
General comments?
The Jetta GL made a solid commuter car. While it rarely left you stranded, it also rarely didn't have one or two nagging problems going on.
The car felt much peppier than its 85 horsepower rating.
It handled well and was very stable at highway speeds.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1992 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 1999 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8 Manual |
| Performance marks | 6/10 |
| Reliability marks | 6/10 |
| Comfort marks | 6/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 91000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 242000 miles |
| Previous car | Volkswagen Jetta |
| Date of Entry | 4th April, 2003 |