What’s the life expectancy of a starter motor?
2002 Jetta 1.8 GLS Auto-5spd about 72K mine seems on it’s way out as it needs few taps now and again before it will make contact and start engine.
Thanks.

FYI: Local VW dealer wants $450 + tax to repair and can’t get to it until next week. I’m checking with local mechanic.

This will be long. I have a 2001 jetta VR6. I drove it off the lot with 66k for about $12,000 (I’m still paying) in October 2006. These have been my problems…
I could have built Noah’s Arc in my car! There was about 3″” of standing water in my floor board! Appearently there was a clog in the drain of the sunroof. This was like 2 weeks after driving it off the lot.
I drove it through winter, no problems. Until a week after my warranty was up. My AC and engine fans stopped working. It made me hate leather seats in South Carolina. I drove all through out the summer with a car that would over heat, and once flashed “”STOP CAR”". There are 2 fans over my engine, neither would come on and as a fail safe for the engine the AC wouldn’t come on either. My car would over heat and leave me on the interstate with the hood popped letting it cool and I end up later for work again. Finally in September, I had some money and took it to a mechanic, he said I’d have to take it to the dealer. Dealer said it was a short in the fuse block.
They replaced the block for 200 dollars. Then 3 days later the EPC light came on, yeah go search the problems wiht that! Now, the lights dim intermittantly, the blinker flashes fast, sometimes I have brake lights, the memory for the seat & mirrors doesn’t work, my cruise control crapped out on me, acceleration is weak…
I called the dealer when it first happened, he said to bring it on in but couldn’t guarantee that I wouldn’t be charged. That light never came on before they worked on it. The EPC light comes and goes, sometimes for days not seeing it. I’ve read horror stories about this little light. I was happy (at first) trading in my ‘95 Saturn for a ‘01 VW.
I just found out tonight about my brake lights, so I’m calling tomorrow. We’ll see how this goes.

I traded in my 2003 GTI today. I take delivery on my new car tomorrow. (Doesn’t matter what the new car is. She’s great. Loaded. Bells. Whistles. She’s hot. Everyone, from Edmunds to Car and Driver to Consumer Reports says so.) Tonight in my garage I sat in my beloved GTI, bagged up my belongings from its bins (floss, FasTrak transponder, garage remote, ChapStick etc.) and just hung out in the seat with a couple of glasses of wine, listening to KFOG on the (pathetic) monsoon radio.

She was the best car I ever owned.

She’s been a total bitch. She cheated on me. She stranded me in remote locations and flashed her warning lamps (such a tease) whenever I strayed more than a few miles from an authorized service center. She made me sweat in the desert, without music, when her AC and radio died at the same time. Her switches and coils failed. Her latches broke. Her finishes peeled. Her windows crashed into her doorsills. Yet…I loved her.

My new car is going to be a joy to own. She’s mature, sophisticated, smart and very well equipped. And low maintenance. But I know I’m leaving a bit of myself behind along with my beloved VW. So be it. I’ve outgrown the drama of our relationship. Love. Hate. Love. Hate. Hate. Hate.

I’ll miss my GTI. And like any relationship, I’ll remember how much fun she was and I’ll conveniently forget how freaking miserable she made me during our 5 years together.

She’ll be on the street tomorrow (whore), drawing both men and women to her with her timeless beauty and willingness to play. She’ll charm whomever succumbs. She’ll be the most fun they’ve ever had.

Then, she’ll make their life hell.

I hope this bitch finds herself in the crusher soon.

Edited by RandyNovak on 12/09/07 at 10:14 PM

Ref. Business Week Article Dated 7/23/07

Terrible company with big problems.