Fuel pump 4 times.
Numerous Electrical problems.
Window leaks.
Malfunctioning doors and locks.
Heat core leak.
Rattles.
Clutch issues.
Fine to drive, takes corners fast. Not too fast, but gets a lot of fun out of small engine. Nice steering feel. Not reliable. Expensive to run (compared with Pontiac 6000s). 5 speed clumsy, difficult... but alsmost fun because it was a challenge to find reverse.
Interior is a joke. Seats were comfortable and firm but cheap cheap!
I had a 1986 GTI (same car, but with a hatch instead of a trunk) that had the same problem with the fuel system. It was brand new and I got rid of it nine months later. I thought it was just a fluke back then, but I've heard of the problem occur on Jettas and Golf consistently until the mid 1990's. Electrical problems are another VW flaw which continues even on the new ones. Mechanics generally say that a good VW is an air-cooled VW.
I own a '93 Cabriolet, and it has been an extremely reliable & economical vehicle. It's still in great shape, I commute y50 miles per day in it. I plan on keeping it for a very long time.
Not all water-cooled VW's are troublesome.
My 1986 Jetta has been nothing but trouble, eg fuel pumps, transmission overhaul, clutch, starter, dist, fuel dist, iac motor/valve, O2 sensor, ecm and wiring.
It still runs poor and I don't feel like looking at it, except to destroy it.
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