Why I’ll Never Buy Another VW
Why I will never purchase another VW.
Should have known
We ordered our 2003 1.8T Jetta Wagon in September and were told that we would receive it just after Thanksgiving but definitely before Christmas.
So two weeks after New Years, I told the salesmen that he had a week to produce the car, or I would take my business else ware.
We get the car and all is good, for the first week.
Then the doors start freezing shut. The salesman says, Yeah, they all do that.
A year later and another winter upon us, the doors still freeze shut, and there is about a 1/4 inch build up of ice inside the doorjambs. Again, Im told yeah, they all do that, as if its ok. My wife, who is the primary driver of this car, calls me at least once a week crying, to tell me her car is frozen shut once again. Did I mention that she was seven months pregnant at the time? One day she forced the passenger side door open and then kicked the drivers door open, as she was unable to climb over the center console in her condition.
I noticed that the car sucks in the snow. Even with snow tires on the car and traction control, Im forced to back it up the driveway otherwise it cant get out of its way.
Then, twice, both times when the temp is in the 20s (I live in upstate New York), the clutch goes to the floor and stays there. Im able to manually pull it up after some time but it takes some doing.
I call the dealer and guess what They say, yeah, they all do that when its cold, as if thats acceptable.
When I call VW of America they insult me be telling me that I have equipped the car with inferior snow tires and that is why it performs so poorly in the snow. Funny, they are the same tires the dealer offers locally.
They also say that My VW is equipped with a highly sophisticated hydraulic clutch that at times, may be affected by inclement weather (does it not snow in Germany?!). I tell the rep that my 76 Saab, 92 Honda, 94 Honda, and 01 Focus all have had hydraulic clutches and they never performed differently when it got cold.
It gets better.
They tell me that all cars experience ice build / accumulation and doors freezing shut. They noted that this had been a particularly harsh winter and as such, it was expected, again as if this makes it ok! I tell them again that I have never owned a car that had its doors freeze shut and or accumulate ice until owning this Jetta.
And these are only the real pain in the ass things that have annoyed me.
Not to mention:
A trunk release that seldom if ever works from the switch in the cab and is even less likely to work from the key fob.
The intercooler coupling disconnected on the way to Thanksgiving dinner this year.
The grounding cable broke causing the car to intermittently buck and or refuse to start
The high end Monsoon sound system just plain sucks. The stock sound system in my Ford Focus sounds better.
The car is underpowered. I can easily out accelerate it in my 130 bhp Ford Focus! How can this be? At 180 bhp, I shouldnt even be close to it.
I purchased this car on the urging of all my VW buddies who swear by the brand. Well at leas I swear at it.
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297 Said,
May 3, 2004 @ 12:00 pm
Why I’ll Never Buy Another VW – 1. Find a new dealership. Dealerships for any make, VW or otherwise, are variable in terms of customer service. I buy parts at one dealership because their parts counter has excellent service, but that dealership’s service department could use some lessons in civility, so I go to a different dealership for my every-5k service. Go to this site to see a review of dealerships: http://1.8t.org/dealers/
2. It is true that all manual clutches do start to stick when it gets too cold. The dealership, however, should have asked for you to take the car in and have them check if the clutch lubricant has gotten tacky, or if it’s an early warning sign for a premature worn cable.
3. Doors do stick in the cold. Especially in excessive cold with heavy moisture on a door that sees a lot of use where the latch can accrue a lot of grime. The dealership, again, should have been courteous enough to ask if you’d like them to relube the latch.
4. If you feel your car is underpowered, then it may have a problem. A common power loss issue for a car that otherwise functions normally would be a loss of boost. Ask the dealer to check the car to see if it holds boost correctly. The 1.8T is a highly sophisticated engine that uses far more sensors tied to the engine computer than most vehicles on the road. While this can produce a significant performance output, it can also mean that if a sensor begins to malfunction, the computer will use a set of “”safe”" parameters to prevent a catastrophe. This “”safe mode”" will naturally result in an underperforming vehicle. Also, bear in mind that there is a 500lb. difference between a Focus and a Jetta.
aikejon Said,
May 4, 2004 @ 12:00 pm
Why I’ll Never Buy Another VW – Definitely something wrong if the the problems are chronic. I live a couple of hundred miles to the north, and the winters are even more harsh – I have had absolutely no problems like the ones described…yes the doors occasionally stick when opened after a warm melting day followed by temp plunge at night(and I’ve even had doors that had to be kicked open and would not close again until they had been warmed all day in the sun – not a VW) but that is a problem easily fixed…you have a lazy dealer or one who is setting you up to be ripped-off. Problems with American VW dealerships are legion, the opposite in Canada (strange because they are all under the auspices of VWoA).
You, sir, have a lemon (car and dealer)…it happens and I would not wish that on anyone. As to the weak take-off…that sounds like something is really wrong. Check out the lemon laws for NY if they exist and follow up…and do NOT buy another car from that dealer or any of that auto group’s other dealerships.
I bought my first VW (a TDI) about 5 months ago, I’ve put on 25000 miles so far, and it’s the best car I’ve ever had (it’s my 4th car in the past 4 years). If you have given up and will hate VW’s forever, then tell everyone you can…it’s the only way things will improve. Sorry for your troubles.
desmondking2000 Said,
June 12, 2004 @ 12:00 pm
Why I’ll Never Buy Another VW – Sell your car imediatly. The word is starting to get out on the poor quality of 1.8T Passat’s and Values are starting to plumet for trade ins on these cars. Check out my story
bob_a_louie Said,
October 9, 2004 @ 8:26 am
Why I’ll Never Buy Another VW – You own a Focus, you’re not fit to have VW you sniveling little butt wipe
bob_a_louie Said,
October 9, 2004 @ 8:43 am
Why I’ll Never Buy Another VW – One more thing genious, if your focus is such a great marvel of engineering, why is it the most recalled car in history?
BLUEBYU2 Said,
October 9, 2004 @ 9:39 am
Why I’ll Never Buy Another VW – Your right, please come and take the POS.
My Focus has been in for one recall. That is all.
It runs every day without fail and has never let me down.
The VW dealer failed to take my concerns seriously and as such things have only gotten worse.
The Ford dealer listens and takes action. No questions asked, they just make it right.
Finally, the overall quality of the Foucs after one year of ownership far exceeded the first year with the VW.
Sorry you are so blinded by your love of VW that you can’t see that they are sometimes screwing customers and hurting their image.
Chombi Said,
October 10, 2004 @ 5:24 am
Why I’ll Never Buy Another VW – Don’t worry BLUEBYU2, I think these “”blinded”" VW users are starting to dwindle in numbers. I was surprised to find out these past few months how many people at my place of work alone consider VW as a brand that is not to be trusted reliability-wise, this without me even telling them about my bad experience with the brand, and none of them are interested in ever buying one at all. There are a lot of them too who were former VW owners. I guess word is finally getting around. I wouldn’t be surprised if bob-a-louie could be one of those evil VW salepersons that are getting frustrated about their slowing sales and taking it out on the public with juvenile posts like the one directed to you.
It’s been so bad lately for VW that our neigborhood dealership was sold to another dealership network and their car lot still seems empty of customers everytime I pass by it on my way and back home from work. Hah! VW better change it’s attitude towards VW owners or it’s gonna be too late to ever recover fully from this mess.
RatFreak Said,
October 20, 2004 @ 5:53 am
Why I’ll Never Buy Another VW – I live in Toronto and it doesn’t get any warmer than -20celcius [-4F] in the winter and my door never froze. I also never had a problem with starting.
Beck Said,
October 20, 2004 @ 7:32 am
Why I’ll Never Buy Another VW – Heck, I live in the SF bay area and I rmemeber we had a slightly frosty day a few months after I bought my Evil 97 Passh@t the temps were barely frezzing and all my doors froze shut in the morning. What was worse yet, is that the moisture in the latching mechanism didn’t allow me to cmpletely latch the doors shut once I got them open. I had to sit there with the heater on full blast for 30 minutes till everything melted free.
I got better things to do than that Volksyugo, like getting to my work on time! None of my former cars (Hondas, Toyotas, Subarus, Fords and Chevys) ever did that to me when I lived in deep freeze Wisconsin! I’m coming to the conclusion that VW does not do the usual low temperature product testing that all manufacturers do with their cars. Has anybody seen spy shots of future VWs in very cold settings? I don’t remember any yet. Volksyugo, German Engineering at it’s worst!
VDub Said,
October 24, 2004 @ 2:38 am
Why I’ll Never Buy Another VW – A Mazda I used to have had the same problems with the freezing doors and door latch(s). I had my door swing open a few times because I thought it was latched and it wasn’t. The door light didn’t come on in the dash till it was wide open.
Ronster Said,
October 24, 2004 @ 11:49 am
Why I’ll Never Buy Another VW – .