1996 Volkswagen Jetta GL review from North America
"The Jetta is a car with great long-term value."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Rear brake cylinders leaked at 80,000 miles.
Exhaust replaced at 110,000 miles.
Spark plug wires failed at 110,000 miles.
Oil leak (repaired) at 140,000 miles.
Distributor cap cracked at 153,000 miles.
Radiator replaced at 187,000 miles.
General comments?
I have a 96 GL with manual transmission and I've not had any significant problems. I have performed regular maintenance - timing belt at 105,000 miles, brakes routinely at 50,000 or so. I just replaced the radiator after 187,000 miles. I've gone through four sets of tires and two sets of spark plug wires, one new exhaust system...
It seems that a lot of people on this website feel that a car should last forever - or at least perform as new for the life of the car. This is simply impossible. If you find yourself after five years putting about $1,000 into it per year, you should consider the car a success. A new car payment would be over $3,000 a year!
As for all the little things - holes in the floor mats or carpet, cracks in the dash - this stuff is just a nuisance and has nothing to do with the true value of a car in my opinion. Safety and reliability are most important to me. This car has served me very well.
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|
| Economical for a 6 cylinder, fast and fun, but not cheap, and almost unreliable sometimes |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1996 |
| Year of manufacture | 1995 |
| First year of ownership | 1995 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 gasoline Manual |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 2 miles |
| Most recent distance | 188112 miles |
| Previous car | Buick Century |
| Date of Entry | 13th December, 2004 |