Volkswagen Jetta 2005 and earlier

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Comments

  • mliongmliong Member Posts: 231
    the Camry and Altima had the first production year excuse for being less reliable!

    The current Jetta is in it's FIFTH year production run. You would at least think that they would get rid of SOME of the more well known problems outside of the power window regulators!

    Come to think of it, the recent drop in quality coincides with the Jetta build dates when the Puebla plant was in bitter renegotiations for their yearly contracts. Coincidence?

    I wonder if the Beetles also got a sudden spike of problems as well...
  • venus537venus537 Member Posts: 1,443
    so it's your fault. i hope you can live with yourself.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    When was the Puebla strike (negotiations)?
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    qote-European makes did not score well in the new report. Only the Saab 9-5 scored "above average reliability" while no Mercedes-Benz models made the recommended list.-end quote

    No German makes made the list. Camry and Altima have declining reliability. The alternative to the Jetta is an Oldsmobile. Get them while they last. ROFLMAO!

    What is the relevance of the CR ratings? Yes they do give a fair indication of overall problems with a vehicle. Would you rather drive a car you hated to drive and never have a problem or drive a enjoyable car such as Jetta and have a couple of warranty items?
  • 8u6hfd8u6hfd Member Posts: 1,391
    True no "Jetta" (if you want to be literal) can be had with 4Motion, but you can with the Bora. VR6 and 4Motion in Europe.
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    let's not have this discussion for the 8000th time. CR is a joke. they will NOT recommend a Jetta because of rattles and windows, but will gladly recommend a Toyota that has a lovely engine sieze "minor glitch" and a Honda "automatic that quickly turns into a manual" because it won't shift itself.

    where is the logic??

    i am not in a good mood, but really, all cars are a crapshoot. :)
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    i already said that :)
  • 8u6hfd8u6hfd Member Posts: 1,391
    nevermind then,...
  • markjennmarkjenn Member Posts: 1,142
    Yes, let's not have the discussion about CR reliability ratings again. Better yet, let me get the last word in and then we'll stop having the discussion: CR isn't perfect, but it's the best and only source of objective data we have. Jettas (and BMWs and MBs) are great cars and may be reliable enough, but there is no doubt they have more problems than Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans, and Mazdas. Make your purchase tradeoff accordingly.

    - Mark
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    You can have a Bora in the US (badge engineered, that is), but then everyone will ask you all kinds of questions about it all the time. Like where it came from, when VW started making it, did I get it imported. All that good stuff.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Like Justin said, it's literally a crapshoot when getting any car. Do you think those people who bought their Accords thought their tranmissions would fall out?

    Fish, you had an Accord that the tranny went on. Did you expect that when you bought it? I would think not.

    Everyone who "knows" VWs know about the windows and the rattles. Knowing this information, I still got my car, because I love the way it drives, looks, and feels, and I wanted it. There have been some issues, but all cars have some issues.

    So for those who live by CR, get what they tell you to get. Everyone else, get what you want.
  • venus537venus537 Member Posts: 1,443
    actually, the acura tl is among the most reliable cars in CRs latest survey. i knew you wouldn't take this news very well and you're in a bad mood to boot. and it's Friday!

    just because a car is below average doesn't mean it won't most likely be trouble free though. if the lowest score in some exam was 96%, but most people received an 98% making the 96% score below average, does this mean the person who got a 96% didn't know his subject. i would say no. maybe CR should have cars reach a certain threshold to be recommended because almost all cars today are pretty reliable.
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    how is the Bora rated in CR, anyway? ;)
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    that is my point exactly. every "actual" educated consumer knows to steer clear of a TL, unless they are looking forward to transmission problems. yet CR gives them a good rating. can you say, "CHA CHING" for CR this time around, as usual?? ;)
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    How did the Acura TL come out among the most reliable? Honda just extended the warranties on their transmissions because the cars have been eating them for lunch.

    I used to get real mad about my rattles (when I had them), then I thought how I would feel driving a 2 month old car that already needed a transmission.
  • venus537venus537 Member Posts: 1,443
    you're going over to the deep end a little bit...

    no one is saying to follow CR strictly, but as one of many factors for getting a car. CR also says the jetta is a fun driving car too. how would you know about the extent of the window problems in jettas if no one would tabulate the results from surveys? that's why everyone knows about this.
  • venus537venus537 Member Posts: 1,443
    i guess the tranny problem was blown out of proportion. it's all relative. i'm suprised by the results for the tl too to be honest.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    No, when we bought our '98 Accord EX new in 1998 we never expected the Tranny to die at 85K miles. My wife said she would buy another Honda for awhile.
  • mliongmliong Member Posts: 231
    The bitter negotiations at the Puebla plant happened over the summer, early fall, I beleive.
  • mliongmliong Member Posts: 231
    Don't get me wrong, my wife's '99 Jetta NEVER left her stranded. Sure, the alternator and O2 sensor had to be replaced in the first three years, but it never left her stranded.

    But it did make her think very seriously about buying a VW again. When a window breaks once every six months, that's acceptable. When two or three of them break every six months - to the point where you never roll down your window, to vent the car, or get a parking ticker, THAT'S EXCESSIVE.

    Since then, I have seen the litanny of Jetta problems just get worse with the current model. MAF problems, et. al. What fun is it to drive a car when it's always in the garage for repairs?

    To VW's credit, they did recover the numerous repair bills they paid for her past her warranty. That's why we didn't hesitate to get the more road-worthy Passat.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    In my experience, VW is pretty good with customer service themselves. My car was in the shop for 5 weeks once, waiting for some sorta "rubber treatment" to stop rattles. I asked them if they would consider reimbursing part of the payment, since the car was in the shop for that long. They sent me a check for one entire payment. I was happy.

    The window problem has been fixed now, but there is still the MAF issue. It's not as widespread as the window problem is though. Also, the rear brakes wear quickly. VW addresses that individually, replacing parts for free on most cars, from my co-worker's experiences.

    Also, 99 was the first year of the new design. Bugs are gonna happen. What's not acceptable is that they are just taking action against some of them (windows, for example) NOW.
  • 8u6hfd8u6hfd Member Posts: 1,391
    The Corolla....it's not the first year. It's been out since 2000 in the Japanese market, 2001 in other Thai market.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I drove one of those when I went to this ION test drive thing, about a month ago. I HATED IT! It felt cramped inside, the seats were not comfortable, and the controls were sparsely lit. I liked the Jetta better. Most people there did, actually. I was shocked.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I went out with a couple of friends last night, and let my one friend drive my car home. Well, I actually didn't have a choice, I had a little too much fun if you know what I mean. :) Anyway, she said the Jetta was a nice ride, it felt alot more substantial then her car. We were at a stoplight, and I was like "hit the go pedal hard when the light changes". She spun out! She was like, "dang, my Honda doesn't even go like that at full, and I only pushed the pedal halfway down!". She was really amazed at how much power the car packed. Then she asked if she could drive my car for the day today. You know what the answer was.. :)
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I have been noticing my fuel economy increasing more and more with each tank. Right now, it's hovering around 24.5-25mpg. On the last tank (80/20 highway/city driving), I calculated my mileage at 25.5mpg! This is a 1.8T automatic (2002), and I am by no means easy on the pedal. I average 80mph on the highway all the time, and hard starts sometimes as well.

    This car actually averages about the same as the loaner Beetle I had for 5 weeks, which was a 2.slow. So why not get the extra power of the turbo with no cost in fuel economy? :)
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    you know it! i came from a 2001 Civic EX to my 02 Turbo. i could make the tires spin in the Civic, when it rained and the wheel was turned. :)

    supposed to be nice weather this weekend. i might try to wax my car. (never waxed a car)
  • drivinisfundrivinisfun Member Posts: 372
    You still have the Jetta?

    Oh My! I just finished reading 2,500 posts since June 2002.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Yeah, I still have the Jetta. It was a year for me, and 25K or so, this past Sunday. I plan to either keep it for awhile (because I really like it), or sell it and get something cheap and pour the money into remodeling my house. We shall see.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    YOU are gonna wax a car? It's time consuming, from what I hear. I have never done it either. I don't keep them long enough to wax them. :) Just kidding.

    My dad actually offered to wax the car for me (and I didn't ask him either, he volunteered). I might get him to do it, provided I can keep the car at home for more than a couple hours. :)
  • mliongmliong Member Posts: 231
    Sorry, I couldn't just let that one get away.

    Just apply one section at a time. Let dry, and wipe off. If you are applying the wax too quickly in one section prior to drying, apply another one. At least that's how I do it.

    Make sure you wash the car FIRST.
  • anonymous02anonymous02 Member Posts: 1,538
    They test drive a Trooper as if it were a sports car. They don't like Mustangs because they are too loud.

    Enough said.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    I have been had-waxing my vehicles for over 20 years. I often get comments on how nice they look. (even when they are 10-years old.)

    There are several 'secrets' to making the task easier and longer-lasting. (all learned thru trial-error)

    BASICALLY:
    • Get it squeeky-clean
    • apply wax back-forth only rubbing well into pores of paint.
    • buff to brilliant shine with orbital motion.
    NEVER use silicone-based or petroleum-based products

    I went to an automatic carwash once and it took me 3 hand buffings to remove all of those D@MN swirl-marks.

    I HIGHLY recommend the products by the german company Zymol

    Their cleaner-wax is available at Wallmart for around 12 bucks.
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    i am going to Target tomorrow morning, i will look for that product!
  • reddevilreddevil Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for some good ideas. I am hoping the dealer can add the missing options, which happens to be heated seats and esp. I don't know if this can be done but as you say, now is the time to ask. ETA on the vehicle is the end of the month so it won't be much longer. It has been so long now that it has taken most of the fun out of getting a new car but I will still be glad when it arrives!
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    They test drive a Trooper as if it were a sports car. They don't like Mustangs because they are too loud.

    CR's tests have nothing to do with the data they collect from owners. They do a sampling of owners and get legitimate results. I trust those statistically derrived results far more than 5 anecdotes from friends and family.

    People in here may claim the Jetta is a good car, but the stats do not back up that anecdotal claim.
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    indeed, CR's "stats" do not add up to the Jetta being a "good" car. the problem i have is that if i walked into CR HQ right now, and wanted to SEE the feedback forms on the Jetta, and say, the TL, i bet i would be told "that won't be possible today Justin - sorry." some lame reason would be mentioned, but it boils down to money and secrets and back door deals.

    like most organizations, CR doesn't impress upon me that warm and fuzzy feeling. enron, martha stewart, the airlines/amtrak, and every single political administration in the world is dishonest. CR isn't above being self-serving. that is why they don't get my vote. real people, that i can see and hear, do. :)

    and now for the wax:

    i ended up using Meguires Gold Class. worked out very nice. it got rid of some scratches and was easy to apply and buff out. i also got some Armor All leather wipes for my seats. those worked like a CHARM! never going back to creams/lotions/sprays again. i also vacuumed, treated the tires, did the dash, top of doors, etc.

    the car looks and smells great right now. it will rain tomorrow, betcha $50 :)
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    It's suppose to rain in Baltimore tomorrow, and I know you aren't far away.. :(

    I am bringing my car down to you next weekend. Will you trade me and give mine the same treatment? Just kidding! :)
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Of course I washed and waxed my car this past sat and guess what??.....it rained for my drive to work this morning. Doesn't that always happen.
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    i was stirred from my much needed sleep early this morning to THUNDERSTORMS. in November. in Northern VA. pretty strange. and yes, my car is filthy now, but it is beading up so nice and pretty.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    I knew it! I woke up to the pouring rain, thunder, and warnings of hail in the area (!). I was really shocked, although it's 70 or so degrees outside, and I am wearing shorts at work. This time last week, I was freezing my butt off on my heated seat in the car, and wearing jeans and sweatshirts. Crazy weather!
  • 98jettavr698jettavr6 Member Posts: 47
    A while back there was a thread on Jettas holding any resale value, and whether it is worth it to trade or sell the car yourself.

    I have a '98 VR6. The highest dealer offer I got on it was $7,000. All the dealers admitted it was the cleanest Jetta they'd ever seen, but they had to maintain a certain profit margin on their retail of the car. So, I posted an ad on cars.com for $35. 6 days later I received my first call. Showed the car to the guy & he offered $12,500. He will pick the car up tomorrow. $5,500 difference - minus the $35 for the ad.

    Moral of the story: as long as you take car of the car, selling your Jetta yourself will not be difficult.

    Also, this is a stock Jetta - not one modification.
  • AnakinAnakin Member Posts: 410
    Awesome. Good for you!
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    There you go. :) I know they hold their value well, but dealers always have to maintain their ripoff margin, I mean "profit margin".

    I went back to the dealer where I traded a 99 Protege I had for the 01. They gave me $8000 for the car (and I had to fight for that!), and had car on the lot for $10,900 (pity the person who paid that much for that poor car). With the 01 Pro., they sold listed it for $13,900 after giving me $11,500. It took them 3 months, but they finally did sell it to someone.

    Dealers always give significantly less than you would get. I am definitely going to sell this car myself when it comes time.

    How many miles did your car have, btw? Just curious...
  • 98jettavr698jettavr6 Member Posts: 47
    It has 58,500.
    The car is in immaculate condition, fully loaded.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    50K miles in 4 years, that's about average. Wish I could say that about my car. I have almost 26K now, and mine's a 2002. :(
  • 98jettavr698jettavr6 Member Posts: 47
    It has 58,500.
    The car is in immaculate condition, fully loaded.
  • blueguydotcomblueguydotcom Member Posts: 6,249
    1. my jetta's HVAC suddenly smells like mildew...very pleasant.

    2. Justin wrote: some lame reason would be mentioned, but it boils down to money and secrets and back door deals.

    like most organizations, CR doesn't impress upon me that warm and fuzzy feeling. enron, martha stewart, the airlines/amtrak, and every single political administration in the world is dishonest. CR isn't above being self-serving. that is why they don't get my vote. real people, that i can see and hear, do. :)


    So basically, you're saying all CR's statements about not taking money from outside sources is a lie? So file a class action lawsuit.
  • newcar31newcar31 Member Posts: 3,711
    If that's the case, when will VW learn that it's easier to give CR some money than it is to build a reliable car? Someone needs to let Ford, GM, and Chrysler in on this little secret that Justin has uncovered....
  • justinjustin Member Posts: 1,918
    blue - mildew is part of the Jetta owners experience. it goes away. both of my Jettas did/do it. unfortunately, i have no solution. it just goes away.

    as far as CR, i personally don't care, because i don't buy my cars based on their reports. but ever since they had people test driving cars, that don't actually know how to drive a motor vehicle, i have found them repulsive. they are so totally off base...one year a car is in their good graces, the next year not. i know, i know, these finding are based on surveys. that is what they say...

    and yes, you would think that VW would figure out that sending a check, or um, making a "donation" to a "non-profit" like CR would get them a little good press....but they haven't figured it out yet. there was a time a few years ago when the Passat was considered better than the Accord at CR though...wondered what happened there?!

    they probably stopped sending the checks since they sell each and every horribly unreliable car with no problems :) what i wonder, is how they can rate Mazdas really high, and yet Mazda still has to offer several thousand dollar rebates. its like the readers are very selective. they will listen to CR about an Accord or Camry, but you can't pay people to buy a high rating car like Mazda unless it is a Ford Escape/Tribute, or a Miata.

    it is all very suspect.
  • vocusvocus Member Posts: 7,777
    Did you ever get a survey from CR? I got two of them with the Jetta, and one of them with the Protege I had.

    And CR says they don't take donations, but who doesn't lie, right? :) I have followed their advice on other appliances (namely a stove recently), and they sometimes don't turn out. They rated a Kenmore stove as the lowest repair record, so far 2 major things have gone wrong with it within a year, that have deemed it inoperable for 2 months. The part was on national backorder, so it was a common happening, apparently. So they aren't always right.
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