1997 Volkswagen Jetta GLS review from North America
"VW should be ashamed to put their name on this piece of junk"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
The transmission started to slip while it was under warranty. It had a valve replaced and it was running OK.
Transmission now slips again. The VW shop stated it would cost $3000 for a new one. This is more than my car is worth.
I have had the power window motors go up four times. Each time they go up, it costs about $500 to fix them. When they go up there is a horrible burning smell throughout the car. The smell lingers there for months.
The sunroof is now making a noise and creating the burning smell when it operates. I fear that it will start a fire inside my car.
The air conditioning stopped working in 2001, just after the warranty went up.
The coolant system leaks and every two weeks I have to add more antifreeze.
The dash lights flicker on and off by themselves.
The warning light for the emergency brake light comes on by itself without the brake being engaged. When this happens the windshield wipers will not work. The fan running the heater will not work. The rear defroster will not work. If you turn the car off and start it again it will fix this.
The warning light for the air bag is on.
The cruise control hasn't worked for about 3 years.
The computer controls for both turn signals need to be replaced.
The tires wear out very quickly. The VW shop states that everything is in alignment.
General comments?
I will never buy another VW. This car was supposed to last me 10 years. It is barely making 6 years.
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| Engine is strong, VW of America Service the worst, and interior electrical not so hot to be polite |
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| Not with a ten foot pole, unless you plan to impale it! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 1 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 1 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 3 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 1 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 2 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 130000 miles |
| Previous car | Dodge Daytona |
| Date of Entry | 6th October, 2003 |