Looks. Smooth drive.

1. Paint seal started to lift when the car was six months old. The dealership said they would buff it. I told them I wanted the roof repainted. They buffed it, it lifted again, and they had it painted.
2. The car was 1 1/2 years old; the interior on the driver headrest came loose. The dealer ship said "Sorry, no longer under warranty.
3.NOW THE BIG ONE a big problem with Jetta's and some of the Bugs. Just a week ago my rear passenger side window fell in the door and it would not go back up. Yep you guessed it. Not under warranty. I pulled it out of the door, but it keeps sliding down. But wait, there is more. Just two days ago my front passenger window locked up. It just does nothing. I am going to take legal action on this one. I think a recall is in order. JOIN ME FELLOW UNHAPPY JETTA OWNERS? E-MAIL ME AT SHEILALS@HOTMAIL.COM
4. My back seat interior is coming apart at the seams. My back seat has hardly been used.
5. On a small note, I do agree that the cup holders suck. They barely qualify as cup holders. But at least they don’t cost me money.
6. Check engine light came on. Fuel system went off line. Thank goodness it was under warranty.
7. Warranty is worth nothing. It is the big selling point, and it doesn't cover jack #%*!.

At first I was thrilled with my new car. I wanted a car I could rely on, and the Jetta seemed like the right choice. The car handles great. For a compact car it gives a smooth sturdy ride. But I would NEVER buy another Volkswagen. Pay attention to the reviews. Only brand new owners give high reviews, which is making the average look a lot better than it really is. Jetta's fall apart fast. Reading these reviews made me ill. I have unbelievable buyers remorse. Volkwagen mechanics, customer service reps, and even sales people have admitted that Jetta's as well as other Volkswagen cars are poorly manufactured. The 10 yr warranty is a bunch of BS. A big part of the warranty is up in less than two years. PLEASE DO NOT BUY A VOLKSWAGEN AND PASS ON THIS INFORMATION. Volkswagen must be stopped. Too many of us have been fooled and are paying a hefty price in repair bills. I really wish I had a better experience to share. I know longer trust my car. Every time I put my window down I tense up, and pray it goes back up. I will not open my moon roof because I am afraid it will get stuck. I won't even chance taking my car on a short trip. I have only had my car 3 years. I thought taking good care of my car would pay off. I won't even let anyone eat in my car. It's not fair. By the commercials it looks like Volkswagen knows that Jetta owners love to drive and they cherish their cars. But they don't relies that breaking our trust will heart them. People that love to drive and love their cars will never buy another Volkswagen. Volkswagen is making a quick buck. Word of mouth is very powerful. All this will catch up to them. I am going to look into buying a Honda.

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My best friend bought a Honda. She has had it for two years, has more miles on it than I do my jetta, and no problems. My mom has had her Honda Civic for 11 yrs and she is just now experiencing some of the problems 1-3 year Jetta owners are experiencing.

-1.8T power and low-end torque fit the car perfectly for it's size.
-Fast acceleration and speed capabilities.
-Safety features and solid body.
-Great handling.
-Great fuel rating.
-Awsone power for a 4
-Engine sound...ohhhhhhh

NADA!!!!!!!!!

My 2001 Jetta GLS 1.8T is an absolute dream!!! Screw the rest of you all who have nothing good to say except blah blah blah and whimper abou this and that...simple put you do not know how to take crae of your car!!! I love the way my Jetta drives, feels and reacts in all conditions. My car is black on black velour interior. The seats are very comfortable and everything is spaciously arranged. The cuholders are very cool (just don't put any hot drinks there while driving..as with any vehicle holders). All these problems everyone else is experiencing, I am not. The VW service I received was just perfect, the sales people were very compliant and compentent to my wants and needs. The engine thrust is awsome, turbo boost is very cool. Get the 1.8T...I strongly recommend it! Just be sure to treat her well...always USE PREMIUM fuel; for the extra $5 one should not complain. Use regular by all means if you want to NOT acheive the best mpg and engine efficieny over the long run. The European styling is very posh and I get nothig but stares of lust....always receive compliments. I love my Jetta!!!

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Drove a 1991 Acura Legend V6 and that was one cool powerful car, however consumed much more gas. It was an older car so there is really no comparison.

Looks, body integrity, value for the $$, trunk room, fold down seats, convenient controls.

Small back seat (uncomfortable to enter and exit as well), there are better family cars, paint not as hard as it could be.

I am so surprised by how wide ranging these reviews are. I've had this car, bought new, for more than 2.5 years and IT HAS BEEN GREAT! I didn't expect to like it as well as I do. I was so reluctantly to give up my Audi 5000 and I loved that car but, it was giving up on me. (I had the window regulator problem with THAT car time and time again -- it's really trying and tiresome.) So, I decided to go for something better suited to city driving and this car is it! I have had virtually no problems with it. Granted, I have only a little over 16,000 miles, but I've had only one reat brake light go out. (I do have the "yellow goo" that others complain of, but it's not that I ever have to touch it!) THAT'S IT! It's responsive, tight. Feels almost as well constructed as the Audi (that was a much better car -- entirely different price point though.) I don't tire driving it on long trips. I am beginning to shop for my second Jetta. Do think I'll go for a more powerful engine. Other than that, I'm very happy and can recommend it to those who don't frequently have passengers in the rear seat. Other than that, a test drive is in order! Also, I understand that the warranty is now a standard 4-year rather than 2-year.

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n/a

Good looks. Plenty of trunk space. Fair to good handling qualities.

Soft paint finish. Scratches far to easily. Excessive engine oil consumption. 1 litre every 2500 Kms or aprx 1500 Miles. Low front-end valence. Terrible front end grill around curbs and winter snow mounds. Front end valence damages quite easily.

I have a Jetta 2000 model & presently returning every 2000 Kms (1250 miles) to the dealer refilling (for now) engine oil. It is being documented at the dealership and soon I'll be having my next oil change. It's my understanding the dealer will be sending off the history of oil drop to technical services VW after this next oil change for their evaluation & reply. I'm betting technical services (like the dealer) will say that the 1 litre oil drop per 2500 Kms is normal. It's also normal for drug addicts to take drugs but it doesn't make it right. Best explanation I got so far (not from VW) was that the distance between the cylinder wall & piston may be increased to get favourable fuel results. Rpm's necessary at highway speeds likely cause oil vapor blow-through. This excessive oil consumption (in my opinion) is an engineering flaw and Volkswagen is not about to confess. My Jetta 2.0 litre gas engine is by far the most disappointing VW I have ever owned. Remember one thing. The consumer has the power. It's the power of purchase. My next vehicle is likely not going to be a VW. I don't care how things are corrected. If VW doesn't support me now, then in my vindictive way I won't support them at the time of next purchase. It will like be a Nipon product.

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None

-Horsepower
-Dash lights
-Monsoon Stereo
-Value
-Auto Window buttons
-Overall look of the car
-Trunk space
-GREAT CAR for the money!

This car is built too low. I need to replace my bumper from the SCRAPING of the parking lot thingys... When friends drive my car, I have to tell them not to pull up to the parking bumpers. I have also had problems with the keyless entry. The driver side does not UNLOCK fully when the keyless button is pushed. I have to push it and open the door just at the right time. The clutch seems weak. I have had the VW dealer adjust it. Something about it being unaligned... could have been serious if I let it go. I noticed it becuase there was a click when i depressed the clutch. The driver side door also has come loose from the hinges, having had it tightened several times by the dealer. I also had some rattles from the dash, very shortly after taking delivery. Dealer put that spongy-tacky tape in places so that it doesn't rattle. I had a very difficult time getting the addtional oil changes at "fast-lube" places when I first got the car (Jan. 2000)... apparantly, they have TWO filters... and these 'fast' places didn't have the second filter... I have also noticed that the driver side door pull, is peeling of it's "plastique" covering. The cup holders suck too... front and back. I have noticed that there are better ones in the NEWER models. Can these be changed out?

I love this car! It drives great. Although I do not think that Volkswagen should build this car in MEXICO! Because there are quality control issues, seriously. Albeit, well built, there are SMALL things wrong with this car! Things that should not be happening... See below.

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Acura Integra (great car)
Honda Accord

This car loves to be driven.
Exterior/Interior styling
Interior materials
Folding key
Dash lighting
Auto power windows
8 airbags

Exterior paint quality. My Jetta is 6mos old and has way too many black marks that won't come off. The car is silver
It could use more power
Check engine light came on once( at around 3K miles)
passenger power window comes down on its own at times
High RPMs at speed
Handles like a Buick when 5 people are onboard

I knew I wanted a Jetta when the current generation came out in '99. No other cars in its class compare in terms of styling, quality of materials, feature content, and the overall German feel of the car (even though its built in Mexico). The performance of the 2.0L 4cyl took some getting used to after my '91 BMW 325i 6cyl put me down. But once up to speed, the little 4cyl just keeps on going. I decided to slow down after I passed a Corvette on Interstate 95 going 125!

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1987 BMW 325is, 1991 BMW 325i. The old Beemers are more fun to drive because of the inline 6 engines and far better handling. The Jetta is a nice starter car for someone who is into German automobiles. My next car will probably be a Passat W8 or an Audi A4.

fun to drive.
alright pickup.

service
warranty
engine
design
VW are cheap bastards

When i first purchased this car i loved it. The 1.8T engine had fairly good power, it handled nice, and so on. It ran fine for about 5 months and then i was driving up in maine and my oil light came on. I pulled over and looked underneath to see a small hole in the oil pan, which by the way is made out of aluminum. Audi has already acknowledged this problem and put a steel cover over their cars' oil pans. but i guess since you pay a few thousand dollars less for a VW then you don't get the fix for the problem. the pan is the lowest point on the vehicle and is aluminum, about 1/8" thick. a pebble could go through this. i get it towed to the nearest dealership and the service guy knew the problem before he even looked at the car. i guess they get them in all the time like this. i call around for an oil pan and not one dealership had them in stock in all of maine.. one even said they go through 8 a week. well, 4 days later my oil pan arrives and they go to put it on my car and the crack shaft if blown.. not covered under warranty. i go down to talk to the service department and they tell me that there is a 99% chance that the engine will have to be replaced. again, not covered under warranty. and the engine has turbo, which will have to be replaced. not covered under warranty. grand total: 7800.00 dollars. so now i have a 31,000 dollar piece of s#$t. and this is just the major problem that i have with the car... but, they have had it for ever 2 months now and are saying that they are trying to work something out. they know it is a problem on the cars.... they fixed it on the audi's and were too cheap to fix it on the VWs. and this isn't just with the jetta's. aluminim weighs less is there reasoning for using it. a steel oil pan will only weigh a little more than the aluminum one.

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i had a 97 saab and a 96 acura... loved both of the cars. should have never traded the saab in. i am going to college and thought that this would be a reliable car. guess not. i am telling you... buy a japanese car.. go with honda or acura(i know they are the same) they are much more reliable for the same amount of money.. or if you want to spend a little more, buy a saab.

Great looks. Operates great when it doesn't have problems (sarcasm). Great sound system (I have the monsoon sound system).

Customer Service, electrical system, window regulators, heat related issues, not reliable

Oh boy! First let me start by asking those 2001 VW owners that give good reviews to VW to wait 6 months so they won't regret making such a hasty review. As far as problems go, it's like playing russian ruellette. First, I had a problem with my keyless entry. The knob would come up and then slightly descend so that the door can't open. Second, this car is not built for any area that has heat. My visors became scorched heavily in just a few months of owning this junk. Granted I am in Arizona, but you would think they would design for all climates. Third, also heat related, goo consistently oozes out of the door panels (very embarrasing). Fourth, the paint scratches way too easily. Fifth, window regulator gives way and my drivers side window falls into the door almost giving me a heart attack. Sixth, window regulator gives way on the passenger side on a heavily rainy saturday night. Seventh, odd noises beginning to be heard from the transmission (I can only fear what this will lead to). Here is the kicker, this hunk-o-junk has only 11,000 miles on it. I would sell it but have some ethical quams about handing over this thing to another human. I, like 70% of other VW owners who were fortunate to not have a problem in the first month, started to think that this is a great reliable car. I should have known something was fishy with only a 2 year warrenty on a car that is boasted as 'german engineering'. It's like they know how many problems its going to have so they try and cut their liability as soon as possible. If they could have gotten away with a one year warrenty, they would have. Don't let the looks decieve you, stay away from VW's as if it were the plague!

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I had a 1991 Honda CRX prior to this car, and boy was that car a beauty. It had 110,000 miles on it with no problems outside of regular scheduled maintence. I am going back to Honda or possibly Toyota. no more VW for me

Big trunk, nice interior, no major problems under the hood (knock on wood), decent sized back seats which can fold down as well, handles well in rain and snow

Side pannels comming off, check engine light comes on often, cd player skips, sucky roll up windows (next time I will get power), uncomfortable for long road trips (hurts back), windshield wipers are either too fast or too slow (no good medium speed), cup holders are only big enough to hold at 12oz can of coke (bad placement too), not a lot of power when car has lots of stuff in it!

Looks good, fun to drive, pretty quick, but definately could use some imporvements.
I paid too much for what I got, (*buy foreign cars new and american cars used, I did the opposite) ...I have a lot of complaints but its a good little car, espically for commuting. I just wish it had more options, or should I say some options, it doens't have any, its as basic as you can get! Oh well

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92 jeep cherokee spots- jetta is a todally different car, jeep had a lot more power, but my purpose of buying the jetta was just for commuting

Looks cool. Everybody loves the looks of it. That's about it.

Where to start? Back seat, goo running from the bottom of the doors, flickering dashlights, stalls, flickering lights around the gearshift, broken window regulator (front drivers side), terrible warranty, hesitates to shift into reverse, paint, cup holders broke, cheap floor mats.

This is a update to my previous review. I FINALLY GOT RID OF THE HEADACHE!!!!!! I traded for a 2001 Honda Accord. I sure feel sorry for the person that buys that Jetta. I wish that I could warn them to stay far away from it. RUN FAST!!! I will never again purchase anything with VW on it. I feel sorry for anybody that owns one. I cringe when I see one on the road. Please don't buy a Jetta, don't even consider it. When I first purchased my Jetta, I thought that it was the best car I ever had. That changed real fast. Just after the warranty ran out, everything started to fall apart. I feel that VW misleads people to think that they have the best warranty in the business, but I feel that it actually is the worst.

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Toyota Camry, Mazda MX-6