I’m looking at a 2002 GTI VR6 with 65k miles on it. It is vw certified so it has the 24k miles / 2 year bumper to bumper warranty. Asking $14.9k and I’m in southern california. Is it really that bad of an idea to buy this car? and if so, why.

In somewhat of a respone to the ‘volkswagenist’, I test drove a few volkswagens months ago, with disgusting results. The Passat, which has very feminine purple dash lights, was a complete turn off the moment I sat in the thing. Then, the test drive, a turbo lag of nearly 1.5 seconds on the more expensive model. I’m really surprised people don’t get into accidents with these things, trying to move out in front of traffic with that sort of delay. For a little more, I’ll go with a BMW 3-series anyday, you can’t go wrong, and I don’t have to feel like a bitch driving it. Also, the statement, ‘most are good’ is ridiculous, consumer reports often publishes results of all car manufacturers’ quality, and VW is consistently at the top of the list for problems per vehicle, etc. Just because a few people go through the time of posting on a website doesn’t reflect accurately that the many cars sold are indeed of good quality. Instead, it merely demonstrates the fact that most people will just buy a better car for that kind of money, and not go through the trouble of actually posting a message like this.

Now everyone, lets calm down a minute and stop all this VW bashing. Take a look, how many VW’s are on the road, last year, they soled about, 600 000 units. Here, there is about 150-250 dis-satisfied costumers. Does that mean ALL Volkswagens are bad? No. In fact, it means most are good. Now, I know that when a VW has a problem, a few others will have the same thing happen to them, but that still doesn’t make them bad. Volkswagens are excelent automobiles, and despite what most of you say, by being here, and posting your complaints instead of finding solutions, you are whining. Alright, so deal with it, if you don’t like the dealership, go to another. If you don’t like dealerships, go to a local garage. If you don’t like your car, sell it. If you don’t like Volkswagen, don’t buy from them! See, look, I just solved everybodys problems in one paragraph, wow, that sure was hard.

I bought my ‘01 Jetta GLS in Aug ‘02. Feb of ‘03 the check engine light came on and I waited till the car started acting funky before I took it it (Revs would not stop climbing). Took it to the dealer, they said the throttle body needed to be cleaned. It was supposedly cleaned and the codes cleared. Within a week, the light came on again. Took to to the place I purchased the car, they said the O2 sensor was bad. Replaced that, the light came on within 2 days.

Took it to another dealer and was told the Mass Air Sensor, Throttle positon sensor, and O2 sensor was bad. Replaced all parts, light came on again within 3 days. Back to the dealer, same sensors, minus the O2, and again, the CEL came one the same day I got the car back.
Back to the dealer, this time they say the codes are the same (Mass air and throttle position) but the Cat is bad and needs to be replaced. According to them, a bad Cat would cause the sensors to go bad. Funny though, the Cat wasn’t bad the first two times the car was in… VW paid for the Cat (8/80 emissions warranty – 8 years/80k miles), I took posession of the car and the light came on again…within 3 miles of leaving the dealer. What have I done to deserve this?

I’m a VW fan as I have a ‘90 VW Corrado but I will never by an MKIV VW again. And the MKVs look plain ugly. Its sad that my Corrado does not give me any problems as said Jetta.

My 2000 VW golf gls is a piece. I want to get rid of it but i feel too bad to sell it to anyone. It rattles on accelaration, glove box broken, cup holders broken, O2 sensor replaced 3 times in the first 2 years, brakes replaced before 50,000 miles. Did i fail to mention that the “velour” is more like a lint brush than upholstery? Can’t forget about those really nice snap in floor mats, you know the kind that the snap breaks in the first week of owning the car. The interior trim is peeling off everywhere. And whats this grease dripping out of the driver side door? Why does my coolant light come on when it’s cold and i have plenty of coolant? My car doesn’t use oil, it eats it. I truly believe that the dealership I went to purposely messed things up so the check engine light would come on ( yeah the last time i brought it in for work, the light came on 20 minutes after picking up the car). Yeah, I’ve replaced my head and taillights numerous times, in fact, all my head lights went out at the same time. There’s so much more wrong with my car i could go on forever, but if you are seriously thinking about purchasing a VW, DO NOT DO IT. You think you’re getting a lot for your money when in all actuallity, your not, you’ll make up for it in repairs.

My hazard and turn signals are note blinking, the bulbs are okay. I assume I need to replace the turn signal relay switch. Is this something I can do myself (I see the part on line for about $27.00) and where is it located. Can anyone help me?

Thanks!

My wife and I bought a 1998 Passat GLS, our seventh VW. Starting the spring of 2002 (after alot of small problems), a big cloud of white smoke would emit from the exhaust when we started the car. Since then, we’ve had the car in the uniquely incompetent service department at Wes Greenway’s Alexandria VW in Virginia SEVEN TIMES over the past 2 1/2 years to fix the same problem. During the last visit, in which they kept the car for over TWO MONTHS (I’m not kidding), they decided the problem was a bad piston/seal which they also decided was not covered by warranty because I hadn’t kept all my maintenance receipts (i.e. oil changes) since 1998 when I bought the car. So they charged me $700 for that job. Well I picked up the car on Saturday and spent 4 hours detailing it so I could sell the damn thing. Sure enough, I start the car Sunday morning and the same old giant cloud of white smoke comes puffing out of the exhaust. Amazing.

I can’t sell the car knowing it has this problem. VW has taken the position that it’s out of warranty (even though VW’s own warranty literature clearly states that they cannot void warranty on the basis of missing proof of maintenance). And the service department, after 7 tries, is obviously incapable of fixing the car. So I am just screwed. What a fraud. I have final call into the service dep’t today – if they won’t refund my piston job and offer to further investigate the problem for free I’ll sue the dealership and VW. The lemon law in Virginia doesn’t help me but the UCC does.

I’ve got a polo with VW fitted alarm (assuming it’s thatcham). The battery was flat but when I jump started the car I couldn’t get the alarm to disable so the car won’t start. Any ideas who to reset this? Key fob with new batteries doesn’t work.

I just bought a 2001 Cabrio on Saturday. I had it for one day before the check engine light went on and the airbag light went on. First thing on Monday I brought the car in to be looked at. They could not do anything yet because the car was not registered to me in the computer. Three hours later I was notified that there was a hose disloged and that the airbag needed to be replaced. I was told to contact the mad who sold me the car to get a rental. He gave me the sleazy car salesman run around for four hours claiming to be in meetings or out of the office. I can not tell you how many conflicting stories I got. I finally got a rental and was told I would have my car back the next day. It is now wednesday and I am told that I “may” have my car back tomorrow. The hose is fixed, but the airbag light is on despite the fact that they have replaced it. I have now had the rental for far longer that I have had my new car that I so desperatly wanted and I have been treated like crap when they should be cowering to me. I clearly did nothing to the car for I did not even have it for 24 hours before all these problems ensued. ironlically it is a VW “certified pre-owned” car. I just wanted to recommend that no one ever goes near Boarwalk VW in Redwood City CA for fear of encountering the incopetant Slick Sy the Sleazy car salesman who will promise everything and do nothing but screw you over.

i hope everyone here is open minded enough to realize that not every vw is bad, in fact a very small %, when compared to other makes/models. however, i myself have learned a few things even i, the biggest fan of vw around, and a proud vw salesman, did not know. i first posted here because a customer told me about the site, but i have come to find that this is a nice place for consumers to come and get real good advice on how to correct the problems. i disagree with the name, vwsucks, but life aint perfect. and of course i’d love to sell you your next jetta, touareg, etc………………………