VW Owners....

[onedrop]

....do you love them??? Since PSers are knowledgeable and careful consumers and always ready to offer advice and assistance, I thought I''d ask for reviews of your VWs here. I''ve always wanted to own a VW and have been recently looking at the Jetta and the Passat. I know about the specs, but I''d like to read your personal experiences. What have been your experiences, good and bad? Good gas mileage? Difficult to maintain? Reliability?

All opinions are welcomed and appreciated!!! Thanks!

 

[jcrow]

Date: 8/22/2007 3:10:35 PM
Author:onedrop
....do you love them??? Since PSers are knowledgeable and careful consumers and always ready to offer advice and assistance, I thought I''d ask for reviews of your VWs here. I''ve always wanted to own a VW and have been recently looking at the Jetta and the Passat. I know about the specs, but I''d like to read your personal experiences. What have been your experiences, good and bad? Good gas mileage? Difficult to maintain? Reliability?

All opinions are welcomed and appreciated!!! Thanks!

LOVE my PASSAT! love. seriously.
i''ve only had hand-me-down hondas before and this is my first NEW car. i bought it 3 years ago.
i''ve got every bell and whistle that i wanted in a car. and i''ve been very pleased.
my dealership is about an hour away from where i live. and it hasn''t been a problem to have it serviced. i go saturday mornings when i need to. they''ve very pleasant to deal with too - before AND after the sale. i have it serviced every 5,000 miles is much better than every 3k that my honda needed. don''t get me wrong, i love hondas too, but i''ve been very happy about this car. hands down recommend it!

 

[Kaleigh]

We have a Passat and love it!! Had it for 2 years now and no problems what so ever!!

 

[jcrow]

k- i didn't know you have a passat! what color do you have? i've got black on black.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 8/22/2007 5:33:52 PM
Author: jcrow
k- i didn''t know you have a passat! what color do you have? i''ve got black on black.

We bought it for our DD, it''s Hunter Green.

 

[Emeraldfan]

I had a new 2000 Jetta (V-6 old body style) and loved it. It was great and I never had any problems.

We bought a 2006 new Jetta and I absolutely hate it!! They basically americanized it and made it less like a cock-pit feel and pretty much as big as the old Passat. They also really cheapened out on the radio knobs/door handles/steering wheel buttons and we''ve had it in for engine and other service problems (all for different things) about 6 times in the past 2 years we''ve owned it. Right now we have a really loud constant whirling noise the new 4 cylinder engine is making. The tech says that it''s normal or he "can''t replicate the problem." If that''s how all the new VW engines sound then be aware you are in for a loud whirling noise you can even hear over the radio and that other drivers will look at you like what the heck is wrong with your car.

We recently bought a new BMW 335i convertible and now have three cars so we have to sell one. My fiance''s car is older than the Jetta but I am voting for selling the Jetta cause I really don''t want to own it out of warranty.

 

[onedrop]

Thanks for sharing your experiences good and bad. I guess that's theI reason I asked because I have heard great and really bad things about VWs. The newer models are really catching my eye these days. And I like the size of both the Jetta and Passat. Guess I need to take a test drive and find out for sure.

Emeraldfan: Do you think you just got a *bad* apple? Or are the problems throughout the line??

ETA: Jcrow- I had a '93 Honda civic and LOVED it. No problems whatsoever and the clutch lasted for ten years!!! Now I am driving a Nissan, which is not a good (IMO) as the Honda, but it's a decent car. I really, really like the new VDubs but I am a little hesitant about stepping into the German cars.

 

[ellaila]

My experience with VW is that you either get a great one or you get a horrible one -- and not much in between! I''m sworn off of them now, after having two cars with lots of problems (both Jettas) and not great service. Hubby is on his third VW though, and he''s loved them all, so I guess I just had bad VW luck. Which is too bad b/c I think they are some of the nicest-looking affordable cars out there! I swoon over the Touraeg (sp?), but that got horrible reviews in its first year (as most cars do, I think) -- wonder if it''s any better now?

I haven''t heard anything bad about Passats though, come to think of it ... just Jettas!

 

[onedrop]

Ellaila: That is exactly what I was thinking. It seems that with Jettas you get either a good one or a bad one and that is what I am afraid of. Maybe I need to look to the Passat.

 

[february2003bride]

We have a 2005 Passat and up until last week it''s been problem free. Last week the battery died and we had to have a new one, and something with the axel... anyway $800! But we only have a few payments left. It''s a great, safe, fun car! My cousin owns a Passat wagon and she ADORES it!

 

[Emeraldfan]

onedrop - The 2006 Jetta was the first year re-design so it''s possible we just got a bad apple and they were working out the kinks. I hope so but I have noticed a lot of new body style VW''s in for service whenever I have to take ours in.

Also, when I had the car in for service I drove a brand new 2008 jetta and they slightly redesigned the interior even from the 2006. The buttons were more plastic-like and even less substantial than mine. I did notice the engine in that one was quieter than mine though. There was a little whirling noise I could hear when the radio was off, but nothing too bad. Again, maybe mine was just a bad apple.

 

[onedrop]

Emeraldfan: thanks for your observations. That doesn''t bode well with all of the newer model Jettas in for service.

This is one of those decisions that is NOT going to be easy for me. I am hoping that with the ''08 model the mechanical issues have been addressed.

 

[AsscherGirl]

I live in a VW household

. I have an ''03 Jetta, pretty basic, but I still love it! I used to drive a ''93 Honda del sol (sniff, I still miss it a little!), and while it was a fabulous car, my Jetta blows it out of the water. I have not had any major problems with my car, it is the base engine and it''s stick.

My fi has a Passat (black on black too JCrow!!). He has had a few weird electrical problems, but nothing major. He also loves his car and had considered getting rid of it for a brief moment, but after looking at what was out there, he couldn''t do it! He said nothing could compare to his car.

I am not the hugest fan of the new Jetta/Passat. I do agree they cheaped out a bit on the interior compared to mine/fi''s car and it''s sad b/c that''s what always really set VW''s apart from other cars. I''m not sure I''d buy a new one in their current state, but I would buy a Beetle! I hope they go back to their roots more in the future!

My gas mileage is pretty good. It''s not like my Honda, but that car was a roller skate and I did not drive as much then. Fi''s is a little worse than mine because he has a turbo.

I do not find the actual maintenance of the car difficult, but I do find dealing with the dealership sometimes is a pain in the butt. I had the rotors go in my car (still under warranty) and they wouldn''t even look at the rotors until I told them my dad told me to tell them they had to

. Stupid, but will always stick out in my mind!

 

[piccolascimmia]

I bought an 07 2-door GTI and love the car, but went through a few minor repairs within the first few thousand miles (battery in the key died, replaced spark plugs/coils when ''check engine lite'' came on). Overall I love the solid feel, fit and finish and great performance of my little car, but was disappointed to have these several minor things (all covered under warranty) go wrong within the first few months. With my previous honda, I NEVER had any maintenance other than oil changes, so I guess that set the bar pretty high.

I''d likely buy the car again, but am wondering if/what else will go wrong with this brand new car.

 

[onedrop]

Date: 8/27/2007 9:57:26 AM
Author: piccolascimmia
I bought an 07 2-door GTI and love the car, but went through a few minor repairs within the first few thousand miles (battery in the key died, replaced spark plugs/coils when ''check engine lite'' came on). Overall I love the solid feel, fit and finish and great performance of my little car, but was disappointed to have these several minor things (all covered under warranty) go wrong within the first few months. With my previous honda, I NEVER had any maintenance other than oil changes, so I guess that set the bar pretty high.

I''d likely buy the car again, but am wondering if/what else will go wrong with this brand new car.

Thanks for your review picco!! I know exactly what you mean. When I buy a new car I''d rather not have to go into the dealership right off the bat for issues. However, i do realize that happens sometimes. And I also agree with you about Hondas. I had no major issues at all with my Honda, so I guess I expect the same with other brands. Unfortunately you never know until drive the car off the lot.

Despite all that, I really want to at least give VW a try. I have seen the new Jettas and Passats all over the place and I am just more and more interested as I see them. I am not ready for a test drive, because if I like it...I''ll buy and I am not quite ready for that yet!

 

[firebirdgold]

I have a 2007(?) Jetta GLI and I love it. I bought it a year and a half ago and I''ve never had a moment''s problem with it. I take it in regularly for checkups and oil-changes, but no actual problems. I love the handling and the torque range of the turbo, no matter how low I am there''s still plenty of get up and go if there''s trouble. I''ve never run out of power or get up and go no matter what, even at high speeds up a steep incline at altitude! It''s also very smooth in traffic.
I''m going to launch into a 3 day drive-a-thon soon, and I''m actually looking forward to it! The car is comfortable even for long drives, the 6-speed manual makes all the high-speed driving I do smooth and enjoyable. (typical highway speeds are 65-75 around here). The controls are easy to use and well placed. I also like the gas milage. It''s over 31 mpg for freeway driving, and pretty good for in-town driving as well.

The main reason I picked this car is the excellent crash ratings, partic the side impact. We get a lot of nasty t-bone crashes around here and I wanted something that could stand up to a drunk driving a suv through a red light.

While I haven''t notice a whirring while driving.... There is a loud whirring noise sometimes when I turn the car off that continues for a while. The first time it happened I was convinced there was something wrong with my new baby! I might also hear it when I come to a stop and park before turning off the car... but I''m not sure.

 

[lyra]

We have a ''98 Jetta with about 60K miles on it. It has been wonderful! It was my car to start with, then I handed it to my husband 2 years ago when I got a Rav4. The only problem we''ve ever had with it is the alarm system went HAL on us. It''s something to do with a door(s) sensor, so once in a while it locks you in and sounds the alarm. Kind of scary and funny. Funnier is that our neighbour has a much newer Jetta that does the same thing. But other than that, it has been completely reliable and free of any major maintenance problems even this far along. It does really well in the winters we have here too.

 

[onedrop]

Oh wow!! Two new reviews, and both positive! These are great to read.

Danielle: you pretty much answered a question I had about the differences in the newer models. That sucks that VW would go cheap. Call me crazy but shouldn''t updates be in the reverse, i.e., getting better with time?? Off-topic I LOVE your e-ring. Do you have any handshots posted of that beauty?

Indie: The crash factor is something that I looked closely at. Both the Jetta and Passat scored well in these areas, at least from the ratings I saw with the NHTSA. And I happy to see that you have a newer Jetta with no problems. Hopefully you come back to read this thread, but do you find that you use the 6th gear a lot? I am leaning toward a manual myself and I have never driven a 6-speed.

lyra: thanks for your review as well. It is good to know that these cars hold up well. Now that I am in the market (however far in the future) I see VWs all over the place and many of them are the older models.

Anyone seen the new EOS in person?

 

[AsscherGirl]

Date: 8/28/2007 9:48:28 PM
Author: onedrop
Oh wow!! Two new reviews, and both positive! These are great to read.


Danielle: you pretty much answered a question I had about the differences in the newer models. That sucks that VW would go cheap. Call me crazy but shouldn''t updates be in the reverse, i.e., getting better with time?? Off-topic I LOVE your e-ring. Do you have any handshots posted of that beauty?

Yeah - I don''t know what the deal is in why they changed the cars. "Nothing like the good old days", right? hehehehe. I''m sure it has something to do with profit margins or something silly like that

It was interesting, I did go from a Honda to a VW and now I can''t imagine ever driving a japanese car again. I think I will be a European car driver forever now. It''s hard to explain but it''s something about the way the car hugs the road, the construction and the funky little things that go wrong.

I have a few shots of my e-ring in this thread: first thread I don''t take many hand shots because I am a terrible nail biter!!

Thanks - I do love my ring!! I''m getting married in a week and a half and I can''t wait to wear my wedding band every day!!!

 

[firebirdgold]

I actually do use 6th quite a bit. Whenever I drive my dh's car I really miss it. (I'm worried that one day I'll accidentally put it into reverse while going 70)That said however, if I never went above 60 I wouldn't miss it at all. Even the slowest highway speed limit around here is 65mph, and the quickest route to Target and other shopping means hopping onto something with a 75mph speed limit. So I certainly use it alot. It helps that even at the bottom of the sixth gear range the car still responds very quickly to the gas pedal.

With our cross country trip looming I'm very grateful that I'll be driving the car with a 6th gear. It makes such a difference that I'll never buy another car without one.

ETA: It turns out my car is a '06. The first year they came out with the new models. Also I think good car karma helps. Some people just tend to have trouble with cars and some people don't. It always balances out with bad karma in other areas, though.

 

[Po10472]

I bought my dream car 3 weeks ago. Its 11 months old, full perforated leather interior, all the bits and I love her. I''ve always wanted a bug and never been able to get the one I wanted til now, its my first VW and I don''t think I''ll buy anything other than VW or Audi again. My sister has always bought German cars which I have driven and comparing them to my other cars, Ford, Renault, Fiat the quality and reliability and craftsmanship of my bug is second to none. So here she is....

 

[onedrop]

Po! Your bug is SO cute and stylish! Thanks for sharing the pics. You sound like a proud VW mama! Now you have me reconsidering....

Seriously though, you are right about German cars and how they seem to be built for *driving.* My Mom had a BMW 325 and it just hugged the road and drove like silk. When i am ready for a real luxiry car, I am definitely going German, specifically BMW. However....until then I am going for the VW which I really have always liked.

Indie: your descriptions about the type of driving you do make sense that the 6-speed is definitely necessary. I am going for it when I make my purchase. Thanks again!

Danielle: I am going to check out your thread with your beautiful ring. And best wishes on your upcoming marriage!! Wow, a week and a half??? That is really close and I can feel your excitement. Can''t wait to see your e-ring and wedding band together, so you must come back and post pics of that.

 

[vizsla]

I TOTALLY <3 my GTI! i had a golf before this car and i gotta say.. the upgrade was well worth it! while i miss having 4 doors, the upgraded pep is well worth it!

i think VW does an excellent job of giving you all of the bells and whistles while keeping the simple "driver focused" clean modern interior... and heated seats! forget about it... i could never go back....

VW 4 life

 

[helent]

We have had our VW GTi for 2 months now and are very, very happy. I love that the headlights come on when the light dips. I love that the windscreen wipers come on when it rains but most of all I love that is feels really safe.

 

[onedrop]

vizsla and helent: THANKS for your input! And it seems both of you have new models and it''s good to hear that there haven''t been any problems. I went to the VW dealership the other day and saw the new Eos for the first time up close. It''s really nice, but a little too small for me. Also saw the Passat....and that is my car! I just hope it rides nice when I am actually ready to purchase. I am acutually afraid to do a test drive now because if I like it I might buy it on the spot.

Thanks again for all of the reviews!!!

 

[sumbride]

Find out where it is made before you buy it!

My FI has a Golf and it is AWFUL. It was made in Mexico, as are some of the other VW models, and the cars made in Mexico have all seemed to have electrical problems. He''s had more problems with it than I can count and it all is related to the electrical system... and they WON''T issue a recall!

Problems:

1) headlights, tail lights and brakelights CONSTANTLY going out-- like monthly. And he has to take it in to replace one of the headlights because the bulb is behind the engine. This is expensive AND annoying.

2) the check engine light goes on all the time. Also expensive to have turned off and they can''t always find a cause

3) the O2 sensors burn out, often causing the check engine light to come on

4) the airbag light has been on for years because the ignitor doesn''t work and the mechanic said not to replace it without replacing the entire electrical system... so I won''t ride in the car. I refuse.

5) Not related to the electrical... but the cup holders broke off. They were badly designed in the first place because German designers don''t think you should have cup holders in your car.... so now we don''t.

I can''t wait for him to replace it and I have put my foot down that there will never be another VW in this household! He assures me the ones made in Germany are better, but I think we can do better with another brand. He has loved driving it, but the maintenance and all the hassles outweigh the positives and he asks to drive my camry, one of the most boring cars ever, all the time.

 

[nebe]

Date: 8/22/2007 3:10:35 PM
Author:onedrop
....do you love them??? Since PSers are knowledgeable and careful consumers and always ready to offer advice and assistance, I thought I''d ask for reviews of your VWs here. I''ve always wanted to own a VW and have been recently looking at the Jetta and the Passat. I know about the specs, but I''d like to read your personal experiences. What have been your experiences, good and bad? Good gas mileage? Difficult to maintain? Reliability?

All opinions are welcomed and appreciated!!! Thanks!

Iiiiiii HATE my VW!!!!

I have a 1998 New Beetle Automatic and it''s AWFUL. Either you get a REALLY good VW or a lemon. I got a LEMON! I''m the third owner, and bought the car with a clean carfax. Within the first year BOTH windows fell into the doors (the pieces in the door are plastic and warped during the summer, making them slide off and fall), the thermostat housing cracked and leaked coolant everwhere, that had to be fixed. My breaks went and had to be done. The car alarm is ALWAYS a problem. If I use the trunk of my car, the alarm may (or may not, which is upsetting!!) trip and disable the car until it feels like it, so it won''t run at ALL. Oh... what else, I can''t think of anything right now but I have spent EASILY as much FIXING the car as I originally spent ON the car.

..../rant

 

[nebe]

Oh, I forgot, the check engine light is ALWAYS on, so I can''t pass a sticker inspection (I''m 6 months expired and hoping I don''t get stopped!) and my front driver side headlight DIED and I had to replace the whole fixture.


....but it''s great on gas!

 

[sumbride]

nebe - the window thing happened to FI''s 2000 Golf too. In winter! ugh. and he drives around with the check engine light on most of the time. He''s actually found someone who will turn it off for him long enough to get an inspection before it comes back on.

 

[onedrop]

Sumbride: Thanks for responding. I am SO sorry to hear about all of the problems with your FI''s car. That is just ridiculous to me. I don''t remember if it was here or another forum, but someone was saying exactly what you did: check where the car was made! I was at a dealer over the weekend and noticed that they had clearly marked on each car where the parts were made and where the car was assembled. Now since reading your post I will be even more careful!!!!

Nebe: Oh my! The issues with your Bug are among the worst I''ve heard. It''s pretty scary to know that the Carfax report came back clean, and then you have the misfortune to deal with all of the problems that have come up since.

I am sincerely HOPING that since I plan to buy a new ''08 model, that all of the kinks are worked out. Of course one never knows what the end result truly is until you drive it day in and day out. So thanks again for ALL the replies good and bad. I will be asking for PS fairy dust when/if I make this purchase.