1999 Volkswagen Jetta GLS review from North America
"A true money pit"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Blew a spark plug at a stop light at 99000.
Rust in fenders, bottom of doors and corners of windows.
Clear coat peeling.
Inner tie-rod end needed to be replaced.
Bearings in both front wheels needed to be replaced.
Breaks and rotors needed to be replaced twice since I owned the car (Drove less than 50000 km.
Brake lights burn out regularly (every 2-3 months)
Driver's door lock not working properly.
Key in ignition/lights on/door open alarm/light does not function on driver's side.
Rear door, driver's side doesn't open properly.
New Strut mounts needed to be installed.
Bumpers have pulled away from body, not flush anymore.
White plastic showing though interior dash buttons and knobs as paint is flaking.
Seats hold lint and hair like a fly trap.
Shift Linkage needed to be adjusted at 89000km.
Driver's heated seat never worked.
Driver's mirror rusted.
Timing belt and water-pump needed to be replaced and cost over $800.
Lost a VW emblem off a wheel... cost $30 to replace.
Antennae base keeps turning white.
Inside of VW emblem on trunk turned white.
Ceiling material falling apart at rear driver's door.
Replacement parts cost a fortune (After-market are almost half the price most of the time)
Paint has dulled dramatically and needs to be re-painted top to bottom.
Holes Rusted through Rocker panel (Dealer would not replace as they say it was damaged and never properly fixed.)
Gas Mileage has plummeted in last 3 months by over 100km per tank. Dealer can't explain why.
Re-sale value is the pits these days.
General comments?
Car has not been abused at all and needed all this work at a cost of over $5000 in the whole 1 year and 8 months that I have owned the car.
Drives well and feels solid.
There is no need to spend this much in repairs on a car that is 6 years old.
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| Look into a non-german vehicle, this one's a headache |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Don't Know |
| Model year | 1999 |
| Year of manufacture | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0L Gas Manual |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 4 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 4 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 2 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 88000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 136000 kilometres |
| Date of Entry | 26th November, 2005 |