WARNING to anyone considering purchasing a VW from 1997

Farkel

: WARNING to anyone considering purchasing a VW from 1997 - on

Get a life. Shit happens.

Farkel

outoftheorg

At the present time, Toyota has the best record for reliability. But you pay a price for the Toyota name.

I think in second place is Honda, again you pay a price for the name.

Nissan is doing very well and not so expensive.

Check the consumers reports, either in magazine or on the internet for help with this.

Outoftheorg

i bought a 2000 Jetta 1.8 t used, i have had a few electrical problems, engine light twice and Air bags light and i have hd to get the bumper reattached twice but other than that i'm pretty happy with it, its my first real car

Celia

I own a 97 Jetta. Wonderful car. Have already over 75000 miles on it. Besides changing the tires and some light bulbs, not one problem. Great car, love it.

RAYZORBLADE

When I worked in a garage: yes for almost 2 years, I remember some of the cars that we'd get in that were real head-aches, or...that we'd junk.

VW Jetta: top of the heap. But these were cars from the 80s, VW Jettas, that were complete and utter piles of crap. They catch fire, break down all the time, and cost the owners $$$ in repairs.

I still remember this one old European couple. They would spend...I kid you not $1000s on their VW Jetta. My boss, he told them so many times...'get rid of it'. They never would.

Then one day, they are pulling into the garage, and the damn thing is chugging, smoke billowing out. What did they do? Want it fixed.

Fools.

Anyways, we did get other vehicles that would have problems, but I think most of them were from sheer neglect.

The Toyotas/Hondas stood up well.

Mercedes and BMWs would be good for a year or two. One good nasty assed Canadian winter, things didn't go over to well for them. I still remember one fellow's BMW die right on the spot. Engine not only seized up but cracked. It was a real cold day...and when this hoity-toity car came in making all sorts of racket, I kind of smiled to myself. Then there was this god-awful sound and this precious piece of over-priced metal, died.

Shit happens, as Farkel says. But I think much to do with a vehicle's performance is the upkeep and maintenance. Also where you live and what kind of driving you do (city vs. rural).

I own a bicycle, and aside from the occasional $25 tune-up, it works great! (11 year old CCM)

SpunkyChick

Thanks to everyone who responded! Jim_TX - My parents also owned a 2002 VW Diesl bug. They were in an accident (not their fault) and the car body fell apart. The repairs ended up being over $2,000! I am happy your vehicle is working for you. My parents ditched the car soon after when they saw how flimsy they are. >>>>i bought a 2000 Jetta 1.8 t used, i have had a few electrical problems, engine light twice and Air bags light and i have hd to get the bumper reattached twice but other than that i'm pretty happy with it, its my first real car

gcc2k

Most of those are common problems, but at least two were recall items. Consumer Reports has documented similar concerns.

Japanese cars are for people who want to just get in and go. They are great for the first 70-80k miles, and then the expenses start.

German cars are much more finecky, for people who like to know how things work and who are willing to endure some gremlins for the sake of a more solid, longer lasting car. After 100k miles, you can't even compare the two.

Of course, there are exceptions to this generalization.

freedom96

Jetta's and Passats automatics have big transmission problems.

Honda is very reliable. Nissan is great too. People are big fans of Toyota's but they many times tend to start smoking after 100,000 miles. Same with Mitsubishi.

Honda's will keep their value for a long time. If you get an Accord, get the V6.

SpunkyChick

Eeeps! Attack of the computer problems...let me try this again...

Thanks to everyone for your responses!

Jim_Tx - My parents also purchased a VW Diesl bug. After they were hit in a minor car accident and saw the great damage done to the flimsy vehicle ($2000 in damage), they decided to get rid of it.

i bought a 2000 Jetta 1.8 t used, i have had a few electrical problems, engine light twice and Air bags light and i have hd to get the bumper reattached twice but other than that i'm pretty happy with it, its my first real car

Azalo - Those are quite a few issues your lovely car has... If your warrenty is expired electrical problems are expensive to repair. In my 1997 VW the airbag needed replacing (I was never in an accident). That was $900 to replace! That's a crappy car to need to have your bumper reattached twice! My friends with their Fords and Honda's have never needed their's replaced. I don't know about you, but it's an aggrevation to need to bring your car to the shop for monthly repairs.

Get a life. Shit happens.

Farkel - I do have a life. This lovely chatboard enables me to vent my problems instead of blowing up a KH or shooting someone. You're right, shit happens, and it happened to me in the form of a 2002 Jetta.

Razorblade - Thank you for sharing your interesting story!

ThiChi

I own a 1970 Karmann Ghia, 1970 Double Cab, 1973 Super Beetle, 1981 Rabbit Vert.....love them all!

WARNING to anyone considering purchasing a VW from 1997 - on

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