1998 Volkswagen Jetta GLX review from North America
"Great handling, below average reliability, and above average maintenance costs."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
10 miles - Front mud guard fell off while driving the car home for the first time. Warranty repair.
35,000 miles - Coolant leak in piping. $650 repair around Christmas time. Common problem for VR6 engines.
55,000 miles - Emergency break cable under car broke causing premature wear in rear brake pads. $200 repair.
65,000 miles - ABS warning light on. Error code says "ABS pump signal out of range". $400 repair estimate. Still deciding what to do. Common problem with Jetta III models.
Yearly - Engine misfires at startup after rain storms. This only happens once or twice a year and the misfires stop happening after the car has warmed up for 15 minutes. The car is drivable when this happens. This has been a common problem with VWs and Audi's for over ten years. The spark plug wires are to blame. They travel deep into the engine block to get to the spark plugs and easily collect moisture. When the engine warms up, the moisture evaporates and you have all six cylinders working for you again instead of four.
General comments?
The car is a blast to drive. It feels like a more expensive German sports car. You always know what the wheels are doing. Plenty of feedback from the suspension and the steering wheel. No guess work with this car. Point and shoot. The car comes with over sized brakes too!
Routine maintenance is not cheap on VWs especially if you opt for the VR6 engine. Oil filters alone can cost between $15 and $25 dollars and quick lube places do not carry them. Even the coolant is special which forces you to either have your car serviced at the dealer or by a German repair shop.
If you like the way VWs handle, but are a little worried about their reliability, I would highly recommend getting an extended warranty or mechanical breakdown coverage from a third party insurance company if you make a purchase.
Recommended reviews
| Good inexpensive style and performance, but not worth the low reliability on electrical systems |
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| A total heap of junk |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.8L VR6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 6 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 4 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 9 miles |
| Most recent distance | 72500 miles |
| Previous car | Saturn SL |
| Date of Entry | 8th May, 2003 |