Nothing but problems

zueslewis

"Lemon laws are different from state to state. I bought my 2001 Cabrio in Florida. The LL there is great. Three times in the shop for the same problem, OR 15 days in the shop, not consecutively, in a one year period, and your car's a lemon. Period end of story. No court necessary, just your money back."

It HAS to be a substantial impairment of use, safety or value. So, if your radio quit 3 times, you DON'T get a new car, no matter which way you INTERPRET the law. Remember, consumers don't get to interpret the law to their favor - that's up to a judge or state agency.

Mr_Shiftright

Florida is very specific that the "nonconformity" as they call it, be "substantial". Here's how it reads:

"(16) "Nonconformity" means a defect or condition that substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of a motor vehicle" (Florida Lemon Law, Definitions, Section 681.102, para 16).

So peeling door handles don't qualify.

Also, under section 681.104, you don't get another car automatically after three unsuccessful repairs or 15 days down time. What you get to do is file a notice to the manufacturer who then has 10 days to respond to you and then another 10 days in which to correct the defect that had previously not been repaired the last three times. So looks like 20 days after you send in your proper forms is D-Day for the manufacturer, presuming he fails a 4th time to fix the car.

zueslewis

it has to be a SUBSTANTIAL DEFECT, not a repetitive annoyance.

I wish people would read/hear more than just what they want to read/hear.

centrifuge

My, 1999 Jetta GL has been a huge problem from day one, I am getting ready to get rid of it after having to replace the tranny the fuel tank, the Mass air flow regulator, the window regulators multiple times, it flys through brakes, the suspension is jacked and my water pump siezed last saturday destroying the timing belt and making the car undrivable. I would like to make the point these are just the big problems. Now I am left with a car sitting in the shop for god knows how long because even though the water pump is under warranty, it is back ordered, and VW refuses to give me a loaner car despite the fact it is a warrantied issue, because that option expires at 25,000 miles. I should also make the point my sister, her fiance, and my brother also have the same model Jetta's (we bout them all within a couple months of each other) and all of us regret it!

nippononly

I read about them, the more the current and recent Jettas and Beetles seem like boutique cars: nice to look at, nice to sit in, fun to drive around the block the dealer is located on, but just not up to the task of daily driver, year in and year out.

allhorizon

... except when you realize that forums like this are there to discuss problems and do not reflect statistical measures of reliability.

Would you like to hear about my gas-mising, ten-year old Golf that costs me way more for gas, tax, and insurance etc. than purchase price depriciation and repairs?

- D.

centrifuge

"... except when you realize that forums like this are there to discuss problems and do not reflect statistical measures of reliability."

I would say discussing reliability issues is discussing a problem.

zueslewis

(having owned 13 various models), in my position, I see more VW cases than I do Ford, GM and Chrysler combined - consider the huge difference in sales numbers for VW products versus the big three, even in a metroplitan area like Philly and the three surrounding states.

Your older VW is the exception, not the rule - the current models are WAY behind the mark on reliability.

bsmoodha

My daughter is in S. Cal. in college and her 91 ca. check eng. light came on. Nobody out there can put this car on a Diagonostic Machine ie: PEP Boys etc. just the dealer. 4 sensors indicated faults. O2, mass air flow, throttle position sensor and water temp. = $1,200 to START maybe more per Dealer. Then I can't get parts for this car except the Dealer ie: NAPA nor PEP Boys can get these parts. Buy NISSAN and Toyota, I had 2 and they ran for 245,000m and 145,000m no failures.

swschrad

sensors wear out, 'tis true. but these four pricey little stinkers all at once? gawd.

zueslewis

throwing bad codes, too. This is a good time for a one-hour diag session at a good private mechanic. Get the real story, not just guesses from parts installers based on whatever came up on the old code machine.

Mr_Shiftright

Unless this car was recently hit by lightning I really don't think those codes are correct.

isellhondas

From the discount chain stores. If you are unhappy with the VW dealer, at least find a good independant who specializes in VW's.

bsmoodha

Dealer kept the bill under $1,200.00. The daughter just e-mailed me, "cars running beautiful." If I was still out there I would have done it all myself. I have been a professional mechanic 30 yrs. but I needed the car fixed quickly for her and didn,t want to waste time calling long distance to set something up. It just takes money, people tell me we can't take it with us.....

alkanx

Hi all, I had an 89 VW Jetta, purchased it new, had all kinds of trouble with it, funny thing was that speedometer stopped working the day after I had brought it home from the dealership. CV joints gave-in at 30k miles & the list goes on. I did put up with all of it, kept getting it fixed. Finally sold it around 130k miles after 7 years - lived in S. CA then, commute was long each day. Did keep all the repair records, but that car was such a bad news, the lady who I sold it to, took me to court for selling her a car that required hard-caring 'cause the car gave her problems.

bsmoodha (post #40): You are right, I could not even find such a small item as an air-filter from any local auto-store for Jetta, it had to be at the dealership, price was astronomical. My opinion is not in favor of VWs...

AL.

dweezil

Well what happened???? Don't leave everyon ehanging like that. I hope you won. What part of the word "As Is" don't people understand?

Mr_Shiftright

It's tricky in court. I got sued once 2 years after I sold a Porsche. The claim was "fraud", which is clever because there is no time limit on fraud. It kicks in when you "discover" the fraud. On the downside, you have to prove deliberate intention to deceive, which isn't easy.

I got it thrown out because the buyer had taken the car to a mechanic prior to sale, thereby relieving me of any responsibility. Had he not done that, he might have caused me grief, since one goes to court not for justice but to outmaneuver the other person.

So selling AS IS is by no means an assurance that you won't be hassled down the road. Always best to get a 3rd party involved through a car inspection!

fish8

I really understand what all of you are saying about the problems you experienced with your VW's. BUt I don't think it is fair to say VW's are crap when you are basing your experiences on cars that are over 10 years old. For the most part, newer VW's have better reliability records that '89 or '91 models. Buy a newer VW and have problems and then I would understand your gripes. Thats like saying all Hondas are bad cars because the Passports were not reliable. It does not make sense to me.

alkanx

Oops-sorry, I did not mean to end it like that. The court fiasco: It turned out to be that the lady never showed up in court because I had provided her in good-faith all the documentation of VW's repair history. The case was thrown out, there was some penalty in those days where once you place false accusation on someone, you can't file another case for a year or so. I was *happy* thereafter.

AL.
:-)

alkanx

Fish8, you may be right that present day VWs are better in reliability. I never said it was "crap" at all...my friend. I just have reservations when it comes to VW...

However there was one thing I discovered that the VW Jetta model I had was built in Ohio & that plant was shutting down, work was getting transferred over to Mexico or somewhere else. That could be it, morale of the people building this could have been on the low side. There were other folks who had similar models with a lot less pain.

AL.

whtcab97

As much as I love my VW,I have always suspected that they had a quality control issues. My suspicions were validated in last wednsday's (7/9) "New York Times" which listed the latest results of a JD Powers survey. Sadly Volkswagen ranked down at the bottom of the pack with the Korean imports. Knowing what I know would I buy another?.......Yup!!!! Well unless I win Powerball,then I'm going for the boxster

caseyjps

I simply can't find a certified VW mechanic in my area, and I'm fed up with an incompetent dealer. I've got only 36,000 on my 99.5 "New" Cabrio GL, and it's mechanically well-maintained w/o a dent in it. However, this year I've had issues with a hood latch replacment $275 (due to a glitch in the alarm system) and having to replace a right-front window motor for some $400. I'm afraid more is in store, and I don't think these kind of repairs are appropriate for a car that's less than four yrs old. Are my expectations too high?

I'm now experiencing a loud humm and whine, which changes pitch with the speed of the car and is especially clear over 40 MPH. (I can still hear the engine shifting normally however). I'd buy an extended warranty and stick it out, but the dealer is REALLY BAD.

I'd like to know anyone's opinion about the "whining" (and I don't mean mine).

This car is a comfortable, competent, road-clinging rocket over the high desert from Palm Springs to Las Vegas, at 80-110 MPH on those little two-lane, pock-marked hwys. Once you get up past 50, you're home free! I'd prefer to keep it if there was a glimmer of hope, but I'm doubtful and afraid to move on with this relationship!