Your problems could be related to the Emission Control System which has a lot more than 2/24k for coverage but less than the 10/100k powertrain. They might have to say what the fee is to run diagnostics just in case it is unrelated to the powertrain or emission system's so U don't think it is free no matter what. Ask your service advisor(s) to confirm this as I am just making an educated guess. Hey VW GUILD ! What's your opinion on this ?
The dealer is charging $90 to run diagnostics and find what's causing that indicator to turn on. I think they intentionally set these lights on so that we can make a trip to the dealer. Previously i had a nissan car and same thing happened with that car?
I think you are being mislead here. VW is certainly not going to install a new engine in your car if it is shown that it is burning a quart of oil every 3,000 miles, and this will not qualify you for any lemon law buyback. This is well within acceptable limits, so don't get your hopes up....and also don't worry if it is in fact every 3K. This is not indicative of a problem.
But it's a good idea to monitor it and find out the exact consumption, so you have a record of that.
Hi, I have a 2000 Jetta GL, and recently had a Sony CD player/radio installed in dash. Yesterday at my local dealer when they were trying to re-program my spare key and valet key (because they once had to replace a faulty "instrument cluster" and only re-programmed one of my keys at that time), I was told it is impossible to re-program the keys OR do any computer diagnostics on the car now that I have removed the WV radio and replaced it with the Sony.
The solution, I'm told, is to re-install the original VW radio or buy one of the VW-compatible CD changers sold at dealerships. There's no real work-around to this problem, I was told. Anyone else heard of this, or heard of a more reasonable solution? I can't quite believe that simply removing the factory radio fouls things up to this extent. Thanks for any help.
suekel: This is a very common complaint. I don't remember all the particulars, but being that the HU is part of the entire security system there are some electronics in that area that do pose significant problems for your dealer. Your best bet, unless someone here offers you the answers, is to pop on over to VWvortex's forum and ask about this in the audio forum.
Thanks for the good comforting word "silvertdijetta", I'm glad to hear it! I'll be getting here in December, and here in Alaska, that heating element will come in handy! That was something I had forgotten to ask about, I'm glad you brought it up! I can't wait to get this car and drive it off the lot for the first time! Does anyone else out there have any opinions on the TDI Jetta, good or bad? Please let me know.
The Panasonic DP610 is the same OEM 6 disc changer VW sells for 400-500. You can pick one up for about 180 and get a connector for about 40. I kept the stock HU in my WE and then just tossed down $235 ($15 for mounting brackets) for the DP610 CD changer. It took about 30 minutes to install. Best of all, it worked perfectly with no chance of causing a problem as it's the OEM changer.
I last posted a maintenance concern about my jetta in early June (post #1062). As an update, I called the customer service number for VW and filed a written complaint about my whole experience. I was requested to submit my bills and they looked at them and gave me a credit for a portion of the bill. I just received a check for close to 500 bucks from VW. At any rate, in the meantime, my car has continued to have problems. I have had trouble starting the car aa well as the have had the check light coming on. I took the car in and they found yet another thing that had to be replaced. I did get a small credit from the dealer($300.00) for my last problems and they "only" charged me half of what the new replacement part would cost. Basically, I ended up "only" paying $400.00 for this new problem. I think they are now basically playing a guessing game as to what is wrong. I am taking the Jetta back in this week for my same starting problem that I got such a deal from the dealer last time. I am sort of in a Catch 22, I can go to a different dealer which is out of the way, but then I don't have the leverage I would have as I have as I do at the current place. I also have no assurance that they will be any better. I can't look at the guy and say you have been servicing this car the entire time. You see it every 5000 miles for the scheduled maintenance.
As for a list of other problems:
I had the Goodyear Tire Problem as well. I had a friend who has the same exact car and she received a complete new set of tires. I had a more miles than she did, and the same dealer told me that they weren't going to be covered and they didn't know anything about it. I just assumed that blowing through a set of tires at 30,000 miles wasn't that big of a deal and replaced them at my cost.
Dash Rattles. I assumed this was just an annoying part of this car. I noticed it after I had the light behind the HVAC Controls replaced. I have the monsoon sounds system on high most of the time anyway to really notice it.
Speaking of which, I have had some problems with the factory changer. I get feedback through the front speakers at various times.....only with the CD. I have had the connection checked twice, as of now (crossing my fingers), working fine. Also, the changer has a tendency to skip.....well not really skip, but cutout at the beginning parts of cds. The songs still play, you just here little bits and pieces of the songs. There is no rhyme or reason to the CD number, or what, it just always seems to be on the first like 7 songs on a CD. This problem is also can only be found when the weather is cold here in Ohio. Go figure.
If you are having some problems, call VW Customer Care and file a complaint. They have to look into it and you may get some recourse.
Man, it's stories like yours that make me worry I've made a terrible mistake getting a VW. I did spring for the platinum extended warranty, hoping this will cover what seem like inevitable problems. Just this week with only 1400 miles on my new Jetta I've found myself annoyed by rattles in both front windows. The only recourse? I drive with the windows down. Fine in the summer...but the winter...egad.
Got a problem? Go get it fixed, it's your right and what the warranty is for. I think you people would rather complain about your problems than get it fixed. They WILL fix your problem, if they don't you have plenty of legal recourse.
Sorry, but I've stopped in thrice already and they treated me with zero respect. The first time I queried about the radio and they flat out lied to me...claiming the DP610 is not OEM and it will not work and if I don't buy from them, I'm gonna kill my car's electronics, thus voiding the warranty.
The second visit involved the suspension/lowering kit (Eibach springs actually). The lying thieves said it would take 5 hours to install the springs at $70 an hour. Helen Keller could install those springs on my car in under 2 hours. All the local pro-shops quoted me 1.5-2 hours for the install of the Eibach springs.
The last visit I brought in my car regarding the always deflating tires. Three times I've added air to the front wheels since I got my WE 5 weeks ago. They insisted it could not possibly be the mounting and had to be the Goodyears. When I asked why BOTH tires lost pressure constantly I was told, "well both tires must be bad." Right, nothing to do with the BBS rims. They then said, "Go to a goodyear distributor, cuz that ain't our problem." Good customer service. Even better, one of the tools tried to tell me the lower the pressure in the tire, the better your mileage...guess ole Mr. Goodwrench hasn't ever heard of rolling resistance.
So you tell me, after 3 trips and 3 dismissals with lies and laziness, why on earth would I take my car back to them a fourth time for a serious problem? And according to the people on VwVortex, this dealership is supposedly the good one in San Diego. I'd hate to meet the bad ones.
o., the Oxygen sensor is not covered on the Emission warranty. The real problem is why did the part fail after 30K, which has cost me 600 bucks, on a very expensive car. Sure you can cry to cuts service, and the might cut you a check, but what I want is car that won't break down in the first place. I think it is trade in time for this car. Sure the Jet dud is sexy, but when searching for a long term relationship sexy might not be the best choose. All you looking at the Jetty, be better off to stay clear, and look elsewhere.
Funny one car has more rattles than a politician has girl friends-while another has zero. Mine has zero and I have driven Lexus, Honda and Toyota for years. INKY
I love my TDI, but I have to agree about the creaks and rattles.....my dealer doesn't believe me that the car sounds like it is falling apart. Each creak or rattle seems to answer the other one....driver door, passenger door, rear passenger door tweeter then the dash. It's like an annoying orchestra of creaks and rattles! My Ford never sounded this bad...even when it was 9 years old.
A fairly common problem on 1999.5 model Jettas, I'm told. Cost $361 at Maund VW in Austin to get it fixed. Car has 37,000 miles, so no warranty coverage. I did write to Customer Service because VW has known about this problem from feedback on the high failure rate of the part. I asked them to reimburse me.
I have a 2000 Jetta with 40,000 miles. The vehicle has worn out two sets of rear pads and the front pads have never been replaced! The dealer claims everything is fine but I cannot believe that the rear pads wear out quicker than the front pads. Has anyone else had this problem?Please advise as soon as possible, car is at the dealer now!
They use a soft compound pad on the rears because of noise. You need to upgrade to a harder compound. There's a TSB on it and your dealer should be well aware of it. You might be better off, at this point, to take your car to a third party for pad replacements, if your dealer won't cooperate.
I picked up my 2001 Jetty GLX VR6 last Wed. I went all out and got the sports package. The 17's make the car look HOT! The car has 500 miles on it now, and cost a pretty penny. Please don't tell me that I will be sorry in a year. Does anyone here not have a problem with their Jetty? I chose to get the Jetty over the Honda Accord EX-L. Please don't make me regret that decision.
I have a 1999 Jetta GLS, I love my car but recently it seems like all I do is take it to the shop for repairs. For anyone thinking about a Jetta in my opinion it is a great car but invest in the extended mastergaurd warranty. I started having major problems once I turned 30000 miles, I found out that my cars burns lots of oil and if I don't go right at 3000 miles for a oil change I don't have any oil in the car. I had to have the O2 sensor replaced at 43000 miles (covered by masterguard). At 47000, I had to replace the battery, have the power windows rewired and replace the window switch (covered by mastergaurd). My blinker on one side has burned out twice within six months. My check engine light has come on twice this month and it is returning to the shop so they can finally figure out what is wrong. Both of the keys they provided with the remotes have broken and cost over 100 a piece to replace. My clutch creeks and so do my doors. What I want to know is if anybody else is having these problems?
I have a 01 GLS 1.8T with 10K on it. The doors creak, the seats creak, and the clutch too. I had to have the battery replaced a couple months ago. When I got the car the turn signal relay was bad. Other than that the car has had to have a throttle body control unit replaced and oil cleaned out of the intake. It also has an intermittant problem with the driver's side heated seat. Its going in the shop in 2 weeks for its 10K service and to try and figure out why the car is hesitating. I like the car and its fun to drive so I tend to overlook the little things. I have owned the car for almost 6 months and had 3 visits to the dealer so far.
I haven't had to replace my rears twice but, my rears had worn down on the right side and destroyed the rotor at 40000. When I called about replacing my brakes my dealer told me to go to a outside company (Sears, NTB)
Both windows are now creaking on my car after only 1500 miles but to be honest, I still dig driving it. I tried to get the creaking fixed but my dealership lied to me about offering shuttle service, so I had to pull the car from the shop to get to work. Oh well. Still a fun car, even if it creaks and the people at VW are liars.
I have a Volkswagen Jetty that just hit 30,000 mile and it is like a string unraveling. At 25,000 miles the power windows went out, my doors only unlock periodically. Sometimes my alarm randomly goes off even when the key is in the ignition. My air-condition has been recharge, at 70 bucks a pop, several times. My engine light comes on frequently and my transmission is going out. Really anything electrical in the car is a toss up as to whether or not it will work. If I can give anyone one bit of advice it would be to not buy a Volkswagon. I leased the car to serve as transportation and because I thought it would be realiable Now I work to drive a jetta instead of working to put my self though school. Its not that I donot sevice the car I just did not expect the service to consume my life. I consider my dicision to lease a Volkswagen one of the biggest mistakes of my life. For all those who have a Jetta under 24,000 miles do not hasitate to have it looked at for any strange noise, anything at all because after 24,000 mile you out of luck.
I would most definitely choose a Honda over a Volkswagen. Volkswagen is assembling a great deal of cars in Mexico and honestly I really do not think they are the quality they use to be. Personally I would go for a Toyota if I had the chance. I leased a Toyota prior to leasing my Jetta and I was in the dealership two times in three years, to sign the lease agreement and then again, and now regretfully to turn the car in. I have only heard good things about Hondas as well. Good luck!
I'd look at the Protoge and Sentra also. I know that right now, Mazda is offering 0% financing for a 48 month loan term on Protoge sedans. Protoges are one of the only small japanese cars still built in Japan. IMHO, you really couldn't go wrong with either the Protoge, Civic, Corolla, or Sentra, they are all great cars. I just wouldn't limit myself to only two cars. But, if you are leaning towards the Jetta, take a serious look at the Protoge and Sentra because they are going to be a little more sporty than the Civic or Corolla.
Um...Jetta 2.slow isn't really worth the cost. But the Civic's about as interesting as a slab of butter. I agree with newcar, if you're looking in that arena, go try on a Protege ES or a Sentra SE (SE-R spec V too).
I left Honda for VW. No regrets yet. I tend to keep a car for one year-so will not be out anything as far as warranty stuff. I really like the car and have had no problems. Funny how one car varies from another. I am really picky too. Good luck.. INKY
MY A/I QUIT THE OTHER DAY. AT 30000 MILES.... HAD IT WORKED ON A LOCAL SHOP... COME TO FIND OUT THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY FELL OFF. YES YOU READ IT CORRECTLY IT FELL OFF.... DON' KNOW WHERE DON' KNOW WHY. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM? I TOOK IT TO WV AND THEY ARE LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEM WITH A POSSIBLE FINANCIAL HELP TO ME. POSSIBLE RECALL??? I DON' KNOW, BUT CAN ONLY HOPE. WV WANTS TO REPLACE NOT ONLY THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY BUT THE COMPRESSOR AND THE BELT..... KIND COSTLY I THINK.... I HAVE HAD MY CAR 5 MONTHS AND LOVE IT DEARLY!!!! ANY REPLY WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!
I finally got around to taking my 2001 Jetta turbo (2,200 miles) into the dealer this morning. The car is running great, but a creaky rattle in the steering column has been driving me nuts, and more recently another rattle has developed somewhere near the front passenger door.
After having the car all day, the dealer's service advisor called to tell me that the technician was having difficulty isolating the noises, and so now I have a Golf loaner for the weekend. Hopefully they can take care of the situation on Monday.
I really like my Jetta, but the rattles are quite disappointing for such a new car.
Hi all, I know this isn't the place to post this messeage, but if anyone reading this, knows of, or knows where I can find the Dealers Invoice listed somewhere for the new 2002 Jetta GLS TDI (5M) I would so much appreciate it. I know they just came out and people haven't updated the internet sites yet, but I figure it has to be out there somewhere. I live in Alaska, and we haven't had any 2002's come in yet at the ONE VW dealership here, so I couldn't look at the sticker. Thanks
I don't know invoice prices, but there is more than one VW dealer in Alaska. I know that Eero VW won't deal but Fairbanks VW will. They will do anything to sell a car, its kinda funny too. Just have to watch them, they are a bit shady but will deal all day long. I bought my 01 GLS 1.8T for $400 back of invoice, they dipped into holdback money just to make the deal. However, I would not use their service department, they did over $1000 worth of damage to my car and wouldn't own up to it. Just a thought so you know you aren't stuck with Eero VW's "the price on the window is the price you pay" policy.
akangl, thank you for that post!!! I wasn't aware at all that it was *policy* at Eero that you had to pay sticker price? They had never mentioned that to me? I will see what I can do to go through Fairbanks. I was hoping to buy the car in December time frame, but didn't want to make the drive up in the winter, some of those mountians can be a bit steep! I'm actually waiting on a call back from them. I hope I can work something out. I'll have to look into Eero's policy buying plan. Thanks Jolie!
I have read some comments posted and I noticed many said the car creeks and rattles. Does this hold true for the 2001 Jetta GLS?
This would be my first time buying a VW, or any car in that case, so if anyone can give me advice and good/bad experiences, that would be great?
One more thing, when it comes to "wheeling and dealing" with VW, how stubborn do they seem? I know it varies by sales person but as a whole company, I was wondering.
Any advice on VW's would be helpful for this rookie! Thanks.
Let me refraise that......I don't know if its necessarily their "policy" but in my 3 dealings with them I was told by salesmen and sales managers that the price on the window was the price I paid, that was their "policy" if I didn't like that too bad. I promptly went elsewhere. So, whether it is or not, I don't know for sure but they always seemed very stuck on their vehicles and I could get a better price at the Fairbanks dealer. BTW, please email me privatly about who you spoke with and I will give you some pointers about dealing with Fairbanks VW. I used to work there and have bought 4 cars from that dealer, they can be a bit shady if you don't know what you are getting into. Of course if you know what's up you can get a great deal from them. My email is akangl@aol.com
I do know that they are interested in my car which will be for sale in November or December and I will give them a chance to bid on it since I won't want much for it anyway. I will let you know how their service department is after I have my Jetta serviced there on the 10th of August. Good luck getting your Jetta.
I've been reading many of the posts and would like to put in my 2 cents on a few issues: -I own a 1999 Jetta GLS VR6 (bought Feb 1999)with approx 25,000 miles on it. Apart from the tires (separate issue), I have only had a few minor defects that were covered under warranty. -The stock Goodyear tires are crap. I have rotated them, and used a separate set of snow tires in the winter, and there is still much uneven wear. Also, the car handles better with the snows!! I will be replacing them shortly. -There were several posts about the PA-NJ-DE lemon list and the cars with the most reported problems, and I have a few comments to make. People wondered why the Golf was listed, but the Beetle and Jetta weren't, when they are essentially the same car underneath. My comment to this is that the Beetle and Jetta are made in Mexico, and the Golf (and Passat, as well, which is is also on the list) is made in Germany. Contrary to what has been posted here, I have heard that the quality coming out of Mexico is actually better than Germany- note too that the German-made Audi A6 is top of this list. -Quality generally suffers when demand for a car is high and the plants have to run at or above their design capacity. This may be what is happening to VW/Audi as well. -I would not use this list as an endorsement of whether or not to buy this or any car based on reliability. There are 1243 posts on this board since 1999, covering all models of Jettas. Many of the posts are long discussions between several users, and also from owners of other cars who wish to criticize VW (why they choose to waste valuable time is beyond me). VW probably sells over 50,000 Jettas a year (just a guess- does anyone know the actual figure?) in the US. From my understanding, the car has an average reliablity rating from groups like consumer reports, etc. Funny, though, that the Passat has a high reliablity rating- which brings up an interesting point: does one consider reliablity as the tendency for a car to be incapacitated when breaking down, or non-critical items such as the gas tank door actuator breaking? How does this relate to overall quality? GM cars are horribly built fit-and-finish-wise but can have engines and transmissions that last forever. -There are many complaints about the dealers. Let me say that almost everyone I know, regardless of auto make, has had crappy service from car dealers. I think its the nature of the business and the labor pool.
Anyway, good luck to everyone with their cars, VW owners or not!
If you want killer prices, try e-mailing around to local VW dealers. You could get some good prices without any haggling (100-200 over invoice). Of course with the end of the model year coming, you might be able to score a 2001 below invoice in person.
You may remember reading that my power window regulator failed and the window wouldn't roll up. This was after I put more than 24,000 miles on my 1999 Jetta GLS, so it wasn't covered by warranty. I paid $371 for the repair. I called Customer Service and they said they'd look into it ...
Well, today they called and said they'd mail me a check to reimburse me! I will post here and let you know if they actually do it. Pray they follow through!
I purchased a 1997 Jetta GT last may with 11500 miles. This past month, ive noticed a drastic reduction in my gas mileage. I went from getting 300+ miles per tank (14.5 gal) to under 200. what could be wrong? (it has now 22200 miles)
meaghan1: That's a pretty serious drop in mileage. First off, make sure that your calculations are correct. If they are, then short of having a hole punched in your gas tank, or someone putting lead in your right shoe, I'd get this car to an authorized VW service center and put it on the computer in a hurry to have it diagnosed.
it may not be under 200, more like 230ish but right now im at exactly a half a tank of gas and im at 118 miles went on .5 tank.....so in roughly 7.25 gallons of gas im only making it 118 miles?? there are no leaks, none that are leaving puddles where i park anyway...i really wanted going to the service department to be a last resort, but i guess not huh!
A followup to my message 1238, regarding creaks and rattles.
Tbe rattles are gone! The technician removed the instrument panel and insulated the window to fix one of the rattles. The other rattle was traced to the window regulator on the right front door; the technician insulated the wiring.
meaghan1: You can't calculate mileage like that. If I have learned one thing in all my years as a auto enthusiast is that you never totally trust a fuel gage. Especially one you don't know that well. Until you run that puppy completely dry, you will not know what the gage reads when it's empty.
Do several accurate measurements of your fuel mileage before rushing to the dealer. A small miscalculation can really mess up your end numbers when figuring out mileage. Definitely don't guess by a gage reading.
I just drove my Jetta wagon in the rain today. I was not impressed with the auto rain sensor. When stopped at a red light, the wipers would not clean the windshield because the car was stopped. I just want the standard delay wipers without the rain sensor. Is there a way to turn this feature off? Also, the rear lid to my car stays locked at all times unless I use the remote or the switch in the car to unlock it. Is there a way I can keep it unlocked without having to use the remote all of the time? Thanks, Rich
Comments
Hey VW GUILD ! What's your opinion on this ?
The dealer is charging $90 to run diagnostics and find what's causing that indicator to turn on.
I think they intentionally set these lights on so that we can make a trip to the dealer.
Previously i had a nissan car and same thing happened with that car?
But it's a good idea to monitor it and find out the exact consumption, so you have a record of that.
The solution, I'm told, is to re-install the original VW radio or buy one of the VW-compatible CD changers sold at dealerships. There's no real work-around to this problem, I was told. Anyone else heard of this, or heard of a more reasonable solution? I can't quite believe that simply removing the factory radio fouls things up to this extent. Thanks for any help.
-Jim
http://www.jettaownersclub.org
http://www.blue-guy.com
Driven by a different point of view
As for a list of other problems:
I had the Goodyear Tire Problem as well. I had a friend who has the same exact car and she received a complete new set of tires. I had a more miles than she did, and the same dealer told me that they weren't going to be covered and they didn't know anything about it. I just assumed that blowing through a set of tires at 30,000 miles wasn't that big of a deal and replaced them at my cost.
Dash Rattles. I assumed this was just an annoying part of this car. I noticed it after I had the light behind the HVAC Controls replaced. I have the monsoon sounds system on high most of the time anyway to really notice it.
Speaking of which, I have had some problems with the factory changer. I get feedback through the front speakers at various times.....only with the CD. I have had the connection checked twice, as of now (crossing my fingers), working fine. Also, the changer has a tendency to skip.....well not really skip, but cutout at the beginning parts of cds. The songs still play, you just here little bits and pieces of the songs. There is no rhyme or reason to the CD number, or what, it just always seems to be on the first like 7 songs on a CD. This problem is also can only be found when the weather is cold here in Ohio. Go figure.
If you are having some problems, call VW Customer Care and file a complaint. They have to look into it and you may get some recourse.
Good luck to you.
The second visit involved the suspension/lowering kit (Eibach springs actually). The lying thieves said it would take 5 hours to install the springs at $70 an hour. Helen Keller could install those springs on my car in under 2 hours. All the local pro-shops quoted me 1.5-2 hours for the install of the Eibach springs.
The last visit I brought in my car regarding the always deflating tires. Three times I've added air to the front wheels since I got my WE 5 weeks ago. They insisted it could not possibly be the mounting and had to be the Goodyears. When I asked why BOTH tires lost pressure constantly I was told, "well both tires must be bad." Right, nothing to do with the BBS rims. They then said, "Go to a goodyear distributor, cuz that ain't our problem." Good customer service. Even better, one of the tools tried to tell me the lower the pressure in the tire, the better your mileage...guess ole Mr. Goodwrench hasn't ever heard of rolling resistance.
So you tell me, after 3 trips and 3 dismissals with lies and laziness, why on earth would I take my car back to them a fourth time for a serious problem? And according to the people on VwVortex, this dealership is supposedly the good one in San Diego. I'd hate to meet the bad ones.
INKY
I have a 94 jetta that the door lock fell out of its place, does anyone know how much that will cost to fix.
Nope, but I'll bet your local VW dealer knows how much to replace that lock on your 8-year-old Jetta.
-Jim
Good luck..
INKY
After having the car all day, the dealer's service advisor called to tell me that the technician was having difficulty isolating the noises, and so now I have a Golf loaner for the weekend. Hopefully they can take care of the situation on Monday.
I really like my Jetta, but the rattles are quite disappointing for such a new car.
This would be my first time buying a VW, or any car in that case, so if anyone can give me advice and good/bad experiences, that would be great?
One more thing, when it comes to "wheeling and dealing" with VW, how stubborn do they seem? I know it varies by sales person but as a whole company, I was wondering.
Any advice on VW's would be helpful for this rookie! Thanks.
I do know that they are interested in my car which will be for sale in November or December and I will give them a chance to bid on it since I won't want much for it anyway. I will let you know how their service department is after I have my Jetta serviced there on the 10th of August. Good luck getting your Jetta.
-I own a 1999 Jetta GLS VR6 (bought Feb 1999)with approx 25,000 miles on it. Apart from the tires (separate issue), I have only had a few minor defects that were covered under warranty.
-The stock Goodyear tires are crap. I have rotated them, and used a separate set of snow tires in the winter, and there is still much uneven wear. Also, the car handles better with the snows!! I will be replacing them shortly.
-There were several posts about the PA-NJ-DE lemon list and the cars with the most reported problems, and I have a few comments to make. People wondered why the Golf was listed, but the Beetle and Jetta weren't, when they are essentially the same car underneath. My comment to this is that the Beetle and Jetta are made in Mexico, and the Golf (and Passat, as well, which is is also on the list) is made in Germany. Contrary to what has been posted here, I have heard that the quality coming out of Mexico is actually better than Germany- note too that the German-made Audi A6 is top of this list.
-Quality generally suffers when demand for a car is high and the plants have to run at or above their design capacity. This may be what is happening to VW/Audi as well.
-I would not use this list as an endorsement of whether or not to buy this or any car based on reliability. There are 1243 posts on this board since 1999, covering all models of Jettas. Many of the posts are long discussions between several users, and also from owners of other cars who wish to criticize VW (why they choose to waste valuable time is beyond me). VW probably sells over 50,000 Jettas a year (just a guess- does anyone know the actual figure?) in the US. From my understanding, the car has an average reliablity rating from groups like consumer reports, etc. Funny, though, that the Passat has a high reliablity rating- which brings up an interesting point: does one consider reliablity as the tendency for a car to be incapacitated when breaking down, or non-critical items such as the gas tank door actuator breaking? How does this relate to overall quality? GM cars are horribly built fit-and-finish-wise but can have engines and transmissions that last forever.
-There are many complaints about the dealers. Let me say that almost everyone I know, regardless of auto make, has had crappy service from car dealers. I think its the nature of the business and the labor pool.
Anyway, good luck to everyone with their cars, VW owners or not!
You may remember reading that my power window regulator failed and the window wouldn't roll up. This was after I put more than 24,000 miles on my 1999 Jetta GLS, so it wasn't covered by warranty. I paid $371 for the repair. I called Customer Service and they said they'd look into it ...
Well, today they called and said they'd mail me a check to reimburse me! I will post here and let you know if they actually do it. Pray they follow through!
-Jim
http://www.jettaownersclub.org
Tbe rattles are gone! The technician removed the instrument panel and insulated the window to fix one of the rattles. The other rattle was traced to the window regulator on the right front door; the technician insulated the wiring.
My 2001 1.8T is again a pleasure to drive
Do several accurate measurements of your fuel mileage before rushing to the dealer. A small miscalculation can really mess up your end numbers when figuring out mileage. Definitely don't guess by a gage reading.
-Jim
http://www.jettaownersclub.org
Also, the rear lid to my car stays locked at all times unless I use the remote or the switch in the car to unlock it. Is there a way I can keep it unlocked without having to use the remote all of the time?
Thanks,
Rich