I sympathize and agree with you all.
I was a VW technician at a dealer for almost six years, and currently sell parts. I couldn’t agree more. I think they are over-engineered crap. Take the New Jetta. It looks just like a Corolla, but is less reliable, and costs several thousand dollars more. Hmm, I wonder why sales are down. Maybe VW will lose their asses like they did in the early nineties. We can only hope.
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venom79x Said,
November 4, 2005 @ 6:59 am
Adding more words – I have heard many many customers say “I will never buy another VW again. I’ll buy a Honda or a Toyota next time.” To that I say don’t forget about Nissan and Mazda. I saw all the problems daily for several years, and it’s too much. I have seen a Jetta that was just over 23,000 miles with 21 (yes 21) history records. Don’t you think that’s a bit much. I understand there are anal customers who are overly obsessive about these pieces of crap, but still, 21! I don’t see how a salesman can sleep at night when all they do is sell lies to VW customers about how good and reliable the cars are. If they were, they would not be recalls on wheels. I see this crap every day. I bill out the overpriced parts, and see the repair orders that look like books full of complaints. (Once again, that is about 50/50 for a problem driver, and a problem car.) It is more often the car than the driver. A car moving through space at 80mph is going to make noises. It has hundreds of moving parts, and some people don’t understand that. That is a problem customer. When an engine sludges up at less than 5 years (with proper maintenance), that is a problem car.
YupOldBull Said,
November 4, 2005 @ 8:16 am
Yup…… – Yup…..
2000 Volkswagen Jetta GLS L4-1984cc 2.0L SOHC (AEG) 5 speed 4 door $20,500 new in September 1999
Here is the history to date. 100k (September 99 to January 05)
Over $12,000 in repairs. Terrible! (Repair bills almost equal the car payments)
Air conditioning leak (after 1 week)
Rear defroster has two strands that dont work (after 3 months)
Cloth Front Floor Mats ripped out (3 times)
Replaced cheap cloth mats with heavy duty VW rubber mats (no problem with the $120 rubber mats) Hope it wasnt we give you cheap ones that tear out .but we could sell you the good ones for $120.
Check engine light came on (4 times)
(2nd time engine light came on VW Dealership told me it would cost $100 to scope)
Rear brake pads wore out at 40k (front pads showed no wear?)
Rear rotors scored and replaced by premature pad failure. Poor brake proportioning
Gear shift knob loose. Still loose after first attempt. Second attempt fixed it.
2.0 litre engine burning oil (1 quart every 1,000 miles) Yellowish white goop inside valve cover and oil filler cap. (later went on to burn only 1 quart every 2,000 miles)
2.0 litre engine cylinder walls deglazed and new rings installed (didnt work)
Informed that 1 quart every 2k is normal. First VWOA rep. said the oil burning was normal. One year later, second VWOA rep. (different district) said these cars had defective rings. Which one do you believe?
VW Mass Air Flow sensor recall
Interior armrest soft rubbery coating (cosmetics) poor clean ability Cant clean the dirt smudges and the finger nail scrapes/gouges are impossible to remove.
Glove box right side hinge broke (3 times) Still broken.
Replaced Clutch (should /could go to 150k.replaced at 93k)
Seat belt recall from VW
Plastic undercarriage splash pan broke off (3 times) finally just removed.
Only one heated mirror works
Mirror glass are beginning to brown up on bottom edge. Cheap silvering?
Crayon smell and greasy black build-up on internal fender seams
Brake light pedal switch recall from VW
Numerous calls to the VW #800 line (No help)
Replaced Coolant flange on engine (told these are known to break)
Sunroof broke
Young VWOA rep. taught me how to read an oil dipstick.
Armrest release pull broke (cheap plastic hinge)
Warranty extension from VW on oxygen sensors
Replaced spark plug wires
Replaced battery
Drivers Seat squeaks. Seatbelt receiver rubs the side of the seat.
Mystery rear window (Comes down 6 inches on its own when it wants to)
Replaced engine vacuum hoses
Letter to Dealership, they get VWOA involved, both combined offer no help
Front of plastic cup holder falls off
Front windows crashed down inside of door (4 times)
2.0 litre engine (now) burning 1 quart every 2,000 miles (over 45 quarts in 93k)
2.0 litre engine completely replaced
Water pump replaced
Temperature gauge sensor replaced (silent VW recall item)
Received Mass Air Flow sensor warranty extension from VW
Car wouldnt pass State inspection (replaced 2 oxygen sensors $360)
Received window regulator litigation notice
Loud explosion (Like a 410 shotgun) in cabin while driving at 55mph on smooth 4 lane highway. Airbag went off? Or was it the seat spring letting loose?
Drivers seat spring shearing off (height adjuster)
When it is 32 degrees or colder the door lock makes no beep sound
Dash light failure (works Ok for 2 weeks and then Off for 2 weeks)
Intermittent trunk light. Some times it works. Sometime it doesnt.
Compensated by VW for oxygen sensors
Replace rear brake pads. 93k (second time)
Replace front pads. 93k (first time)
Every other night the clock stops (resets to 12:00) and the odometer resets to 0.0 (even with new battery)
Glove box light remains on when lights are turned on.
Turn signals intermitting remain solid on
4 way flashers occasionally remain solid on
Plus the other expected normal repairs.
Planning to get rid of this car, because now that it is getting older we can expect everything to start breaking.
Hard on gas. (MPG)
Mid 20s is terrible for a small engine (2.0 litre 5 speed) and a small car. Should/could be in the low 30s.
Hard on brakes.
40k on rear brake pads is terrible! Our 99 Honda Prelude has 80k original OEM brake pads and will need them soon. Bad proportioning, rear wear out at 40k and fronts get replaced at 93k? Where else in the industry do you see these proportions? Does NHTSA know? Is it poor design or a braking defect?
Hard on rubber
(60k tires only go 45k) Original set went to 45k. Second set went to 93k. And now we have the third set on. 3 sets 93k. Our 99 Honda Prelude went 80k with original tires.
Over 20 trips to the dealership in 48 months.
There have been 74 stinking Technical Service Bulletins issued on this vehicle.
There have been only 5 stinking recalls and 3 warranty extensions.
Terrible.
In comparision..our other cars.
99 Honda Prelude 5 years $0 in expenses plus normal maintenance.
2002 Toyota Camry LXE 3 years $0 in expenses plus normal maintenance.
Nothing has broken on either car!
Not a single sensor, broken interior plastic part, MAF, CEL, brake pad problem, etc.
venom79x Said,
November 4, 2005 @ 11:43 am
Here’s what I know: – I have seen every single problem you’ve described except for the clock resetting. Every one of them, numerous times. In my six years as a VW Tech (an honest one, I swear on my life!), I worked on over 3600 repair orders for VW in only two cities. That should tell you how many repeat customers we had. Also, the excuse about burning oil is true. That info came straight from VESIS. (factory repair guide on pc) There have been many more recalls than five on your car. The newest for you would be VX, it replaces your faulty hazzard switch/relay. This will fix your turn signal problem. Water pumps are very common (75%, or more for AEG engines), due to a crappy plastic impeller. Crayon smell and black junk is called cosmoline (an undercoating). Temp sensor faulty on 99% of all cars in last 6 to 7 years. 90% of all armrest latches break on 99/up vehicles. Window regulators were a problem on all cars except for the Passat. (shoddy plastic window clamps) I could go on all day, but it seems like you know. I drive a 16 year old car that doesn’t burn oil, and it’s an American car. It has 199,450 miles on it and it runs fine. Has only had an alternator and F+R brake job in the last five years. Good car in my opinion even if it does look like hell.
SM Said,
December 2, 2005 @ 1:14 am
How do I get rid of the crayon smell in our 2001 Jetta? – Sounds like you are very knowledgable and honest. Please please tell me how we can get rid of the horrible crayon smell in our 2001 Jetta? It only has 20,000 miles on it and our daughter drives it at college. She gets headaches and is dizzy when she gets into her car. The dealership service department just looks at uslike we are crazy. On yesterday’s trip to the service department. They wrote on our work ticket:”" Cust states that interior of car still smells like crayons. Please check TBS’s. Only thing that it can be done to take away smell is to replace floor sound absorber.”"
What does this mean? And who can do it? How much might it cost? SM
297 Said,
December 2, 2005 @ 1:38 am
I sympathize and agree with you all. – SM, check your own thread for that answer.