Used 2006 Volkswagen Jetta Consumer Reviews
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Jetta Review
sskk, 04/27/2011
2006 Volkswagen Jetta 2.5 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
76 of 81 people found this review helpful
I read many of the reviews on here, and I thought that some were spot on , yet others were just people that were angry or biased, yet they did not seem to understand the car well. I am not saying that every problem experienced by others were completely false. This car does have some common issues, but all cars do. I figured that I would give my own thoughts in an objective manner. I bought a used neglected 2006 jetta 2.5, and the car turned out to be a great buy. The car had 68,000 thousands miles on it, and it had a few dents big and large scratches; so I was able to get it at a huge discount that was way below blue book value, because no one else wanted her. I found out the car was losing oil, and it had a nasty rear main seal leak. I honestly thought that all hope was last, because I was not going to spend thousands of dollars to get it fixed. As a last hope, I tried STP oil stop leak, and it actually worked. The car has 100,000 miles on it now, and it still runs great. I cannot believe how well this car runs after the abuse from previous owners. I recommend that you find a good mechanic that knows Volkswagens, and I would avoid the dealer at all costs. You just have to shop around. I also recommend to not skimp on scheduled maintenance. German cars break down too. I know a lot of people that will buy VW, because they think German cars are more reliable, then they neglect the car and have problems. Make sure that you understand this car, and the type of oil that it uses before you buy it. If you are the kind of person that plans on neglecting this car, then do not buy it. If you take care of this car, then it will take care of you by offering great fuel economy. It is not special and it still needs maintenance like all others cars. My other vehicle was a range rover, and I bought this car as my gas efficient beater. I was worried that the jetta would be too small on the inside, but it is quite roomy. The car drives very quite and smooth at high speeds. You can comfortably drive long distances in this car and not even feel uncomfortable. After all, it was built for the autobahn. The main advantage of this car, is that it balances performance with fuel quality. I am not saying that it is a sport sedan, but it is not dull and lifeless like the ford focus or some of the other competitors. The leather seats and the interior are also very nice for the price of the car. The car also handled well in the snow, and I am the kind of person that is afraid to drive in the winter without all wheel drive. The main negative with this car is the poor quality paint. The paint scratches very easily, and even when it is washed gently. I am honestly afraid to wash the car because of this issue. This complaint is seen in other reviews as well. Other euro cars that I owned did not scratch as easily. The secondary issue with this car is with the lights burning out earlier than expected. Sometimes, I think this is related to road conditions, but other times I think this has to do with the design of the bulb holder. It seems that it holds the one bulb in tight, but it allows the other one to jiggle a little bit. My tertiary compliant is with the looks of the car. I am not saying that it looks bad, it is just somewhat plain and boring. The jetta drives nice and has decent performance, so it should have some nice looks to boot. It seems that the competition is aware of this, yet VW seems completely aloof. Come on VW, make make the jetta look at little meaner and cooler. After all, sex sells right?
Do not buy 2005/6 TDI unless cam has been replaced
vwexfan, 09/21/2011
2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (1.9L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5M)
83 of 89 people found this review helpful
I own two VW TDI Jetta's from new a 2006 and a 2010... Both have issues... Im anal retentive on the maint and always go to dealer until warranty is over then I do it myself but always buy all my parts etc from the dealer... My 2006 has 168k km on it and the camshaft is pooched VW Canada gave me a $400 credit towards a $4k+ repair bill I just snickered and said can you spell the word Toyota I love the car like the dealership I have owned 4 VW diesels each with over 400K on them with never an issue I think you are seeing VWs goal to be the #1 manufacture and lots of short cuts After 20 plus years of good value I guess I need to find another path DO not buy any 2005/6 TDIs they all have this problem with the cam it is a manufacturing issue the hardness in the cam was never right on them all of them will fail sub 200k I personally know of 4 all between the 160-190k mark
Best car/worst car
Scott, 11/19/2016
2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (1.9L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5M)
38 of 41 people found this review helpful
Bought my 2006 TDI new back in September 2005. Until last week, I couldn't give anything but high praises for the car and interior finish. I'm a light driver and just recently turned over 86K miles. Always dealer maintained and it just completed its annual checkup about a month ago. Last week the car sputtered backing out of the garage and then had to get it towed into the dealer. My poor TDI's diagnosis: "On the initial diagnostic scan we found faults for fuel running rich in the oxygen sensors and mass air flow system. the vehicle was smoking and running in limp mode. Called tech line and was advised to remove valve cover and inspect for doming or for worn cam lobes - found lobes worn and tappets domed over. the camshaft is what pushes the tappets (cam followers) to move the valves in the engine. we were also advised to check fuel filter to make sure no oil is getting into fuel system. At this point to repair the vehicle the Camshaft, Tappets & Valve Cover Gasket while we have everything apart to complete those repairs it is also recommended to replace the timing belt & perform an intake carbon cleaning. the cost for the repairs including the initial diagnostic is $3838.00 plus tax. ". Needless to say I'm stunned the engine failed at relatively low mileage. While the car has been kept in pristine shape, it's not even worth $3.8K. The value of all VW diesels has taken a serious hit due to the emission scandal even though this model is not part of the recall. While VW headquarters was happy to listen to my concerns, they are unwilling to help with anything, and the dealer was not willing to offer any special incentives on a new VW for a person in this situation. The dealer would also not accept the 2006 as a trade in as they said the best I could expect was to donate it to charity and take the tax deduction. This car has never been wrecked, always garage kept and dealer maintained. Two weeks ago I would have said this is the best car I've ever had and that VW was the best company to deal with. I've changed my mind.
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I love this car!
dlaporte1, 05/25/2014
updated 11/28/2016
2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (1.9L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5M)
28 of 30 people found this review helpful
We bought this car new in 2006 and now have 211,000 miles on it. We've replaced the timing belt twice and had 3 wheel bearings replaced. We recently replaced the original battery and the brakes have only been replaced once. Yeah, the rubber has worn off the radio buttons, but that's just cosmetic, who cares? I change the oil every 5,000 miles religiously and it doesn't leak or burn oil. It's been a great car! We're contemplating replacing the wheels because they're getting beat up - again cosmetic. Here's an update - I totaled the car in February 2015 with 233,000 miles on it. We bought a 2015 Jetta TDI and got caught in the VW scandal. The car is ok, but I would love to have the old car back.
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Pros have outweighed the cons
bdunn87, 01/21/2015
2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (1.9L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5M)
33 of 36 people found this review helpful
I've had my Jetta TDI for about 4 years now, coming on 5. Bought it with 162,000km on it. For the most part, this car has been bullet proof. Drives smooth, gas mileage is great. Interior hasnt malfunctioned or fallen apart. It's significantly more comfortable than the previous model. I owned a 2000 Jetta as well and just found the seats were WAY too firm. The seats are firm on this one, but not as. It's easy to drive for 10+ hours. The only gripe I've had with this car is that for some reason, both side mirrors have somewhat corroded off. Passenger mirror went first, just kind of hung there. Then the driver side just kind of fell off out of no where. Have had to glue them back on.
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