Used 1995 Volkswagen Jetta Consumer Reviews
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I love my VW
I have had my car for a little over 4 years now and absoutely love it. I know many people who have bought new VW's and I still want to keep my 1995 model. It has had little or no problems and handles well. It is still running strong with 120,000 miles on it.
DON'T buy this car
Problems from day 1 with auto transmission (computer chip), which eventually needed a total replacing at 52K, window crank broke after 3 month's ownership, timing belt went prematurely (53K), suspension is as stiff as a board, lots of torque steer, brakes and struts needed replacing at every 30K, was beginning to have electrical problems at 60K. Was in the shop every 4 to 6 weeks beginning at 52K. NOT ALL problems mentioned above were covered by the 10/100 warranty. Got rid of it at 60K and bought Japanese. See many of these cars in used car lots (new car and mom and pop) - RED FLAG.
"The little engine that could"
Man what a car. This was my first car and I absolutely loved it. The car always started up for me, never had any problems, was great on gas which is really important these days. Sadly I no longer have this car due to an accident, I wish i still had that car today. I bought it with 198,000 miles but the engine actually had 112,000, this car had the digital odometers so u couldn't change the mileage. It was an automatic, which I really didn't mind, it kept me alive when i was in the accident. I was late for work and it just started raining, i was going 45 mph down hill, i was going to fast for the turn and i ended up totaling the car and i actually went to work an hour later, without a scratch!!!
NOT HAPPY
First time VW buyer, and not a happy one. I wanted a jetta so bad and I got one and have had nothing but trouble. I hear the engine will last forever but unfortunately everything else will not. I've had electrical probs since I drove it off the lot, bulbs blow out monthly, door locks have been fixed 5x in 3 years, transmission probs and you can't even check the fluid without taking it to a vw dealer and paying for 2 hours labor...there is no trans fluid dipstick....I want to assume that this is just one bad VW..but I've got a bad taste in my mouth and will not buy another.
95 Jetta GLX VR6
First of all I'll start off by saying this is my 3rd VW, having owned a 2004 Jetta and a 2000 GTi Vr6, and it is still my favorite by far. If you are into the Euro car modding scene this is a great platform. It has timeless styling, great potential, and from a Automotive Technician's standpoint faily simple to work on especially for a VW.
yuck
after owning this car for 6 months i will NEVER buy another vw, EVERYTHING that you could imagine that would go wrong on a car went wrong. Horrible all around car, would advise against any vw in the future..
Great Car!
I originally leased the car in sept. of '95 and bought it at the end of the 4yr lease. The car now has 90,000 miles and is going strong. I still get good gas mileage and the pick-up is still great (better than my niece's BMW!). I have the manual transmission and I've never had to replace anything on the car except the brakes and the battery. The trunk space is huge and four adults fit very comfortably. The interior still looks great, and the paint also. Definately a great choice.
Jetta.
Car is a lot of fun to drive. It has it's share of problems just like any other 14 year old car. I love it.
250,000 miles
After 250,000 miles I have finally decided to donate her to a worthy cause. Not a bad run. I bought her brand new in college and it was my first new car. I got every penny's worth out of my $14,000! Never had any major mechanical failure..... the starter went once and the distributor got water in it once and had to be replaced. Other than that, I just brought it in according to the maintenance manual and she gave me 250,000 miles. She done good.
expensive repairs
This is a fun car to drive, but expensive to repair. I bought it from a friend who bought it new; it sat through a New England winter without being driven & took a real beating from it! I now live on the West Coast, & feel that because of the expensive repairs (over 3K on new clutch, timing wheel & belt, ball bearings, rotors, brake pads, muffler, fuel line, air filter) this would be a better car to buy on the West Coast. Be sure to take ANY Volkswagen/Audi to a mechanic who specializes in German cars. Being familiar with only Japanese & American cars, some egotistical mechanics made matters worse for me by messing with the electrical wiring.
Nothing like a Jetta
In 1996, I traded my '85 Jetta ( which was still running well) for the 1995 Jetta that I am still driving. It now has 188,000 miles and performs like new. I NEVER had a problem with either car. My '95 still gets 32 mpg on the road and about 25 mpg in town. I always kept up their routine maintenance and replaced a few parts due to normal wear. Such a dependable car, lots of power, fun to drive, handles like a dream, and a champ on winter roads and snow. No intention of trading this car in - ever. Have had second cars over the years, but none equaled the Jetta... including the Mercedes E-400.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Great Car, Fun & Practical
I bought my Jetta used from a dealer at 112K miles. I was hesitant buying a car with so many miles with no warranty, but so far it has proved itself to be a fun and reliable car. It's very spacious, has a huge trunk, and has nice touches like headrests and reading lights in the back seat, and cruise control. It also has a terrific stereo and, at least with the 5 speed manual, is a blast to drive. I average 32 MPG. The sunroof motor is sometimes slow, but I don't really use the sunroof anyway, as the A/C is very effective.
Nice purchase.......again!
I bought this Jetta at an auction with unknown problems. After purchase and repairs, it still was a steal! Stereo is average, creature comforts are average, but RELIABLE!!!! This is my second VW, first was a Fox that I drove for 14 years before giving it away (it's still running), and I have since bought a Passat. Love them all! Repairs can be pricy, but you can't beat the dependablility of VW.
V-Dubbin 4ever
Amazing car i love it
NOT A GOOD AUTOMOBILE
This car is hell on wheels. The engine is in a "vacuum" and therefore you cannot buy post market parts for it. VW is the only place to get the parts so they are OUTRAGEOUSLY priced. The brakes are also slow in responding, the exterior melts in the summer, and the paint chips if you look at it cross eyed.
Reliable purcahse after 8 years!
I've had this car for 8 yrs as original owner. No significant problems for 1st 5/6 yrs. although the power window problems have existed always...covered initially under the warranty but w/out warranty it's about $200 a pop. Engine still covered (still under 10yr/100K miles). Agree w/ problem w/ cooling system but didn't start until 2 yrs. ago
Jetta refuses to "get old"
I've had my Jetta GL since it was new, and it simply isn't wearing out. The interior is perfect, seats are still super-comfortable for 15-hour drives (I've done plenty), the engine shows no signs of slowing, and 2nd gear still gives that wonderful whoosh of acceleration. I have kept track of gas mileage for the lifetime of the car (2.0L 4cyl engine), and it averages out to about 29mpg.
95GLX, Great car hands down
My GLX I bought used in 99 with 56k on it. Just turned 130k and this car runs like a tank. I felt the suspension was a bit soft when I bought the car and for the same price as replacment factory struts I opted for the sport tuned Bilstien Struts with the H&R Sport springs, this is the way the car should have been made, handels awesome. The VR6 motor runs great, and can be tuned for some serious high-output. Just normal maintancne will ensure the car runs for another TOUBLE FREE 130K.
My First Car
I have always loved VW's style, and I doubt that I will find a car I like more. I have had my share of problems, but my 1995 Volkswagen Jetta is almost 11 years old. It's great on long trips, has lots of room, and comfortable seats. I can fit my 6 foot string bass inside. You can not beat the handling and fit and finish.
PLEASE READ if thinking about a Jetta
Around 105,000 the a/c went out following by the rest of the thing, now it only works on speed 2 and the a/c isnt cold . In the summer my exterior molding melted off. Then in the winter things started getting weird, the doors would not close, the alarm would go off for no reason . And the car would not start . I had bass & Both of my front doors locks broke, the lock that holds the doors shut. And the part is $150 a peice. It gets worse around 120,000 I have a oil leak I have to put about 2 quarts a week in. Then at 125,000 miles I was told I need a whole new fuel system which is around $800. The sunroof brokeOh yeah my clutch went out at 110,000.
Fun, Stylish, and Weak
I bought my Jetta GLS a few months ago and it had a body kit, performance exhaust, and coilover springs. From a visual standpoint, it looks really really nice. The ride is kind of bouncy but I blame that on the springs. The engine itself seems to be in fantastic condition for having 90,000 miles on it. My only problem with it is the complete lack of low- end power! There's NOTHING below 2250 RPM. After you hit the 3,000's, thought, it pulls like it has 40 more horsepower than it actually does. I can even hit 125mph on the freeway. It's a very comfortable car and just fun to be in and around. All it needs is better "off-the-line" performance.
Still Going
My 1995 Jetta GLS was my first brand new car. This car has been such a great car to own. It currently has 162,000 miles on it, and I have never had anything go wrong with it except for normal wear and tear items.....and this car has had its share of abuse. I would suggest to anyone looking at this model to make sure that it was serviced properly. I believe that changing the oil every 3,000 miles has helped in the longevity and low maintenance of this car. This is an extremely fun car to drive b/c it responds to the driver well. I plan on keeping this car until it dies. Who knows, maybe I'll get another 100,000 miles!
Not worth it
Pretty good car to drive, but not worth it to maintain. Repairs are too expensive and it needs plenty of them. This one I had is high mileage, but from 130-160k it has needed a new master brake cylinder, bad cruise control, lost a door lock, speedo and tach work intermittently (messes up inpection), horn stuck on, wheel bearings, struts, timing belt, distributor (still worked but tripped the check engine light and prevented inspection - nice design) and now a transmission and clutch. That about does it for this car. Its heading for the nearest cliff. I won't be getting another VW unless I get real ambitious for a BioDiesel project. Interior design is stupid. no glovebox.
Do Not Buy This Vehicle
My wife has this car and the annual cost of maintenance is $3,000. This includes fixing things like essential safety equipment - the airbags broke and VW was not helpful in fixing this problem. Every single thing on this car has broken at one time or another. It has been given all of the necessary care which should keep a car in better than average running order, yet everything brakes regardless of the care level it is given. Example: the cruise control has never worked, and the dealer can't fix the problem! DO NOT BUY this lemon of a vehicle.
VW number 10
I bought this car about two months ago and have put about six thousand miles on it already. The engine has a great power down low and up top. My average mpg is 24 but can get up to 28 on the highway and down to 17 city. The interior has all the bells and whistles you would see on a car today auto down windows all around, and can open and close them by holding the key. The quality of the interior is excellent leather is firm, no rattles and is very solid just what you would expect from a German car. The trunk is HUGE!!! and would make a good Mafia car. Like is said this is my tenth vw, all great cars just use good parts and maintain it.
VR6 Problems
This car was great the first month but thats when the troble started. The electrical system went crazy. The circuit that controls cruise control, all power windows, heated mirrors, and heated seats keeps shorting out making them useless and good luck running down the short. The engine is althought quite powerful no problems there so far and the car really looks good if your paint is still holding up. The car would be great if the electrical system wasn't junk.
Gotta Love those VWs
On my 4th VW now, will NEVER own anything else! My 1995 Jetta is still getting 30 mpg city and as high as 45 hwy, can't get a new car that'll give you that, and it's not even a diesel. Our diesel does better than that. I am passing my 1995 and 1990 VWs onto my teenagers.
Love my baby!!!
This car is my baby! I bought this car used 3 years ago It has 120000 miles on it with original clutch. I have only had to replace brakes, battery, and alternator harness. It got hit by a drunk driver in a pickup and my jetta only moved about six inches to the left and the truck that hit me spun out of control and hit a storage facility. And it is such cute care with a euro look!
Great Little Car
This is a great little car that is fun to drive and shows no signs of having 200000kms on it.
VW M.M.A.D.
When my wife and I bought this car it was on impulse. It was the first car we saw on the lot and the only car we really looked at. Like all cars we've had our moments with it, but all together...it's the best dang car I've ever had. I try to do all my own mechanics work on my vehicles and the only major thing I've done to this VW is change the timing belt (at 110,000 miles). I bought it with 80,000 miles on it. It's currently at 168,000 miles and running just like it had when I'd bought it (with general automotive maintenance and care). It even is getting the same and even sometimes better gas mileage (31.5 mpg in town).
Picked it up today
I love it, great car, blast to drive. Only wish VW would take care of the stupid little stuff that breaks, otherwise it is perfect. Excellent tuner car.
Only a month, but I love it
I've had my Jetta for about a month now. It's a 1995 GLX VR6 and I'm very happy with it. If I'm allowed to update this in the future, I'll tell you how its working out. So far, so good tho.
Terrible car
I was horrified at the reliability and the cost of maintenance of this car. A Volkswagon person for over 20 years, this is the last VW I will ever buy. VW's are now all made in Mexico, and are unfortunately not the same cars they used to be.
my p.o.s. car
never ever buy a jetta, they pretty much are a big dissapointment. i cant even tell you how much ive put into my car fixing it and replacing things that have broke on it. i admit, it is a fun car to drive if you can ever have it runnning. the cost of repairing them is outrageous and it adds up pretty quick, trust me. never buy one, thats what ive learned from my jetta experience.
This is the most fun I've had driving
This is probably the funnest car to drive out there. Of course I haven't driven a ferrari yet or anything that high up the car pecking order. But, for the class that this car is in, I'll have to say that it is most definitely fun. It hasn't given too much trouble. I've not done much except regular tune ups/oil changes and all of the other regular stuff. The most problem I have right now is that the cluster is screwed up, which is a common problem from what I hear.
Good Little Car
The car has zip, is good on gas, and seems to be overly reliable. The craftmanship is not of the best quality. The driver's side door lock fell out onto the ground when I inserted the key about one month after I purchased the vehicle. Also, the car door moldings have started to fall off, car alarm doesn't always activate when doors are locked, and dashlights flicker on and off. Other than these few minor problems I am satisfied with the vehicle and think it was a wise first car purchase.
Worst car ever built
Volkswagon quality really went out the window for this car. Trunk leaks, burns oil very quickly, sunroof comes off track, paint faded unevenly (VW did pay for a repaint but only after dozens of call and complaints), both driver and passenger key lock mechanisms have been replaced, new chip replaced very reluctantly by VW 1 month after owning it(only after threatening to VW that I wanted my money back). Interior electrical has been a problem since day one and finally found out that it was a design issue but would cost me to fix. I have been able to get certain VW sales reps to talk about the cars off th record confirming certain VW products as JUNK...high end products are the total opposite.
glx review
besides protective coating coming off i am quite pleased with my new car purchase in 1995 I get on average 24 to 26 mpg
Great Car
I bought my Celebration Edition Jetta new and have had it for seven years. It's a great car! I would definitely recommend buying one. It has 70,000 miles on it and it still runs like new.
Leaves much to be desired
I have always wanted a VW. I finally got it and it leaves much to be desired. The engines are GREAT and will go forever but, but the time you hit 150,000 your windows won't work, you will have no door locks, and your doors won't close. I have replaced drivers side front and rear window motors twice. I have replaced my drivers side lock and latch twice and its only been 3 years!!!! Lot's of electrical maintenance. If you get this car, get the GL model where everything is manual!!!!!
BAD CAR!!
My 95 Jetta had lots of electrical and mechanical problems that the dealer couldnt fix. It even broke down three times in one month--I would press on the gas and it wouldnt go forward--and the dealer as well as another repair shop said there was nothing wrong with it!! I'm never getting another VW again.
electrical headache
i've had no mechanical problems, however, the electrical system has caused major problems. failed central alarm locking system disabled vechicle on several occasions. it's now disconnected. problem with all the power windows, cruise controll, dashboard lights, abs wheel sensors and failed speaker connections.
120K - very reliable and running strong!
Live in LA, bought w/110K on it for $3K. Now, 1-1/2year later, it has 120k. Had a 528i at the time of purchase, but Jetta is a lot easier to park along the curb. Handling is very nice ("poor man's bimmer"), although I miss the RWD. Turns on a dime. The acceleration is good enough to leave 90% of cars behind from a stop (just keep RPM around 3-4k). It lacks in creature comforts (no CC, leather, glove box, power seats or windows) and it has rattles, noisy on the freeway. However, the lack of power features makes it VERY dependable (with routine maintenance). Sold my bimmer b/c of electrical issues, but Jetta GL is so reliable I'm afraid to buy another car! A great deal for the money!
like riding on rails
the power and design of the six cylinder engine (vr6)gives a powerfull and responsive kick. the interior roomy yet very intimate gives you all comfort at your finger tips.did i forget to mention that all of it is soft leather with a sunroof! well got to go now.hold my horses you say i can't (175hp) thats too many to leave i the stable.
Jetta III GLX VR6
I bought this car new in 1995, and have loved it for all 126000 miles. It runs great and is very zippy. I would recommend the manual V6 if you're looking for great acceleration. Third gear is the best! Too bad it's speed is governed at 135 mph. I've heard of problems with electric features like cruise control and heated seats, but I haven't had any problems. I just wish Jettas were made in Germany like the Passat. Some of the Mexican substitutions are cheapo plastic.
130,000 miles and still going
Purchased in 1999. Was missing one of the "Celebration Edition" emblems on the passenger side exterior before I test drove it. By the time the test drive was over, the remaining emblem on the drivers side fell off. So what makes it a Celebration Edition? Nothing special about this car. Only features - sunroof, (who cares? I live in Pittsburgh. Get 50 days of sun a year) and an alarm. Thank God it's a 5-speed because that makes up for anything that's missing. 130,000 miles, still have the original clutch. Needed a new starter at 125,000 miles...Ran over a BIG deer on the road, hardly a scratch. Only damage was to the power steering pump. More fun to drive than my wife's Ford Focus wagon.
1995 jetta gls
great vehicle; very fun to drive... however, ever since i bought the car 4 months ago, i have had nothing but problems with it, i.e. cooling system (it overheated a lot, and still does from time to time), and have had clutch problems as well. i have had to put roughly 1,000 dollars into repairs in the 4 months i have owned the car. it's fun to drive when it's not acting up.
Love this car!
This car is very very reliable. I have 82,000 miles on it and hope to get 82,000 more since I like it so much and don't know what I could replace it with. I love driving it. I love the way it grips the road. After 8 years the interior still looks great too.
'95 VW Jetta
My 1995 Volkswagen Jetta is a good car. It's very solid. The only problems that I have has with it are with the front bearings.
wish i bought japanese
No engine broblems, but here's a list of things gone bad: alternator hardness shorted and had to replace, door lock cylinder fell out and couldn't shut the door, automatic lock system had a leak, random stalling at idle (mechanic and dealership never figured it out), insane amount of plastic parts falling off or breaking, dashboard lights needed replacing THREE times, cruise control flakey, speedometer and tachometer not currently working, alarm sytem doesn't work with trunk, daytime running lights not working correctly, lights shutting off when I'm driving!, sunroon broke, leaks from two windows and firewall...I could go on.