Used 1997 Volkswagen Jetta Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Fun to Drive, Poor Quality
I bought this car new and it's always been fun to drive. However quality leaves a lot to be desired. I've had several annoying problems before and after the warranty expired. I've replaced: Coil Packs (several times), wheel bearings, Door Locks, Outside Moldings, & the Cooling Fan (twice). Driver side seat is broken off one of it's hinges and the Secondary air pump is loud as it can be. Of course all of these things are not cheap to fix. Most of my driving is Highway & I don't drive it hard. Is it too much to ask for a VW to last more than a couple of years?
Dont buy VW
I will never again buy a German VW. poor quality. If you like to replace parts a lot, this is thw car for you.
Great Car all the way around!
this is an exceptionaly well built car, built by Volkswagen. If there is such a car that gives you the power and the feeling of being a sport car, but yet has the gift of luxury this is the car you are looking for.
Woooooo-whoooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!
In one sentence, The Jetta rocks! Although I have the bottom of the line Jetta (GL), it has been fun to drive and a great reliable car. This puppy has taken me on numerous road trips in comfort and style. In its seventh year with me the biggest problem I've had is replacing the A/C... and the smallest problem I've had is replacing the O2 sensor on a couple occasions. As a whole I would definitely recommend this fine piece of German machinery to anyone!
Loved it
Definately one of the best cars that I've owned. Very fast, stable and loaded with features. Only had a few repair problems. I was told by the dealer that the brake rotors can not be turned, they had to be replaced. Expensive fix. Not an expensive car to own overall. Definately recommend.
97 Jetta GLS
Have had the car for about 5 month now and I am pleased with it. I have put on it 8K miles and mechanical reliability has been good. The molding from one of the doors came off and the muffler seems to touch the underbody of the car whenever I hit deep wholes on the road, but other than that, I am very pleased with the car. Fuel economy has been good, avg. about 27 mpg.
A great, reliable car.
We bought our GLS new in 1997. It has a manual transmission and a 4cyl 2L engine. My wife and I have put 158k miles on it and it still runs great. We maintained our VW well and had ONLY ONE technical problem: all 4 power windows started to fail in 01. We were always impressed by the steering of the car in wet/snowy/icy conditions. We have driven it numerous times across the mountain passes in the winter and it has behaved admirably! The manual transmission has proven to be extremely reliable and it has always helped us in controlling the vehicle and having more fun driving it. This Jetta model has by far the largest trunk in its class.
Never Again
For starters they have the worst customer service on the planet. Secondly, I have had more problems with it than I could even fit into this review. Engine light constantly comes on and VW charges $97 just to tell you why, side molding has fallen off both side doors multiple times until I finally used epoxy, my door lock on both front doors broke and the lock would spin in place instead of unlock my doors, my passenger side window fell off the track and into the door and broke into pieces, my driver side window no longer works, cruise control broke, A/C no longer works, brakes went faster than I would have imagined, and even the mufflers are garbage!
Excellent Engine POOR Everything else
Drove this car with clean highway miles and easy on the clutch; Was fun to drive for first 6 months. Since purchase I have replaced 3 ignition modules, 2 wheel bearings, body molding, door locks, and a myriad of other mechanical and body components. When the dashboard lights failed and the check engine light came on for the 2nd time I got rid of the car. LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE - DON'T BUY THIS CAR. I will never buy another Volkswagon.
JETTA GT
Over 6 years of reliable driving, great fuel economy and handling. Cheap to own and maintain.
Even the service manager agrees
This car has been the worst vehicle I have ever owned. The electrical system has had to be rewired, the starter replaced, the computer replaced, and the windows have been repaired numerous times. Even the service agrees that they are all common Jetta problems, he's just never seen them in one place.
Transmission Problems With My 1997 VW
I bought my car 2-3 years ago and I have had nothing but trouble with the transmission slipping it started out something I can deal with but has just gotten worse threw time I think I have spend more money on this car than I paid at the dealership. I got an estimate on it $3000 to replace the transmission. Forget it I will go buy A Honda are A small truck I have heard that there is issues with this year and other years I wish I would of knew that before wasting my money I have always liked VW but I have lost all respect for them know
I love this car
Well this is my second MKIII jetta. My last one was a GL and now i upgraded to a GLX. I love this car. It is so fun to drive. The VR6 is a great motor. I added intake and a preformance chip.... the car feels even better! Stock sound system is nice too.
The Good, Bad and Ugly
My car now has 165,000 miles and is slowly hitting the hay. When the car works it's an amazing car. Unfortunately, when one thing goes wrong you better expect to be making regular appointments with your mechanic for a little while. I have serious electrical problems, door lock problems, the ABS is out, the cruise control went out, only one windshield spray nozzle works, belts, lights, side molding, clutch, pumps, catalytic converter, hoses and transmissions galore. I love my Jetta to death but she hates the cold and the heat and is the end result of all my money!
OOPS
Loved the jetta at first. Bought at a steal with 43,000 mi. At about 80,000 had TONS of problems. Brakes always squeak (replaced twice), electrical problems with AC, Engine lights on, brake system lights always on,and O2 sensors replced. Actually failed emissions this year (Car had to reach 600 degrees before sensors turned on). Transmission problems shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. And finally, the car wouldn't shift into 5th gear reliabily at all. Oh yeah, the driver side lock just fell right out!!This is odd because have very good service records. Thank god I had a great mechanic!
Well worth it.
I've had my Jetta Jazz for just under three years now. I think that for the money I paid it is a great car. My complaints are the clock spring needing to be replaced at 60,000 miles and the alternator and starter going at the same time at 70,000. Other than that all the parts last as long as they would on any other car. I have 92,000 miles on it now, and I would expect to put at least that many more miles on it befoer any other problems arise.
fundriver
This is my second Jetta. The first one was a 1989 GL. I just retired it at 210,000 miles. I wasn't the original owner either, but it has the original clutch, engine, and transmission.
smart/creative enginerin-deficient qual.
bought this car a year ago with radio/speakers stolen. shortly after,exhaust broke loose and paid $450 for new dual-muffler system (excluding catalytic converter, fixed everything from there back. touchy trunk opener latch but fixed. fixed front/rear alignment 1 month ago; needs rear again;no big bumps.brakes glazed over.check engine lit;sensor near fuel tank dealing with economy.replaced pwr steering reservoir & 2 hoses costing an excessive $520.transmission giving out? (jerk during accel).gas not bad, but could be better.gets 29hwy but Civic more power and runs 38hwy
Superb
My 1997 Volkswagen Jetta is an amazing car. It has been superbly reliable and really fun to drive. The VR6 motor is amazing. I've spent maybe $400 in unexpected maintenance since I bought car new. VWs last forever.
'97 Jetta Jazz
I absolutely loved this car when I got it new. I drove it with 115,000 miles with no problems. Then the 1st transmission died (manual). At 146,000 miles the second one died and I am ready to retire it. I still love the car but its not so much fun without the 2, 3 and 5th gears!
VRsechs
I've had this car since January, and being a VW enthuiast, I am very pleased with the GLX. The engine has plenty of torque and horsepower, and with the addition of my chip, suspension, rims and tires, and exhaust, the performance has only been enhanced. I did have my turn signal cluster go out, which cost $150, and my coilpack went bad, buth this can easily be avoided with $5. Great car
Don't buy this pain in the neck
I bought the car new from the dealer w/a keyless remote. It was worthless and I had it replaced several times (thank goodness for lifetime warranties). Finally I had the whole think yanked. Electrically this car is a heap. It can self-alarm after starting w/ the key & 30 secs later it goes off. I have to tow it in for repair. Why the side mirrors are heated to 100F is beyond me. Supposedly, if the driver's door is left ajar for several mins, the car self-alarms. VW engrs figured this means the driver is being attacked, so the car disables itself. I won't buy VW again.
REPAIRS-REPAIRS-REPAIRS!!!!
The car is in the shop as I am writing this- Havent had the car 6 months yet! This car is not reliable. Its been in the shop 6 days now and I am up to $4800 in repairs, including new starter and major electric malfunctioning and transmission. If you do not have the extra cash for these pricey repairs BEWARE!! And if you have your heart set on it, then make sure to purchase an extended warranty because you can count on breaking down. Car left me stranded with a horn that would not shut off- had to be towed. Brakes squeaks have a mind of their own. Guzzles gas like crazy. I would never purchase another VW again.
Jetta
I have owned this vehicle for over five years and have had no problems. This is my third VW and have been pleased with each. This is a fun vehicle to drive and it corners very well with minimal under steer. The heated cloth seats work great.
So-so
Fun to drive, great motor, lots of minor problems: coil pack went like all VR6's (if your car stutters when wet, it's the coil pack), speed sensor went- left me stranded several times, locks freeze up/fell out, been through 3 window regulators, cruise control not functional, intermittent wipers not functional, several sets of molding trim fell off, VW has terrible service and has surcharges to get parts in less than 48 hrs.
Love-Hate Relationship
There aren't a lot of cars that offer more driving bang for your buck than this one. The VR6 engine is plenty powerful, the handling is up to the job and there are more than enough luxury features, including excellent sport seats and a power sunroof. The problem is VW's laughably sub-par build quality. This car has had problems with the clutch, the shift mechanism, the air conditioning, the cruise control, several engine computer chips and so on. Then there are all the trim pieces that have come apart or dropped off completely. Final word: Great to drive, but poorly built.
Good looks, VERY poor vehicle...
Former G.M. engineer - I have owned Oldsmobile, Saturn, VW & BMW 325Ci. VR6 is marvelous. Fit & finish: initially appears exceptional for price range. HOWEVER, I will NEVER buy another VW. Overall reliability & long-term quality is ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS; interior parts are cheap & break FREQUENTLY. Check engine light came on at ~50,000 miles & STAYED ON until I sold it at 70,000 miles. VW could not correct problems and told me, "that's just the way these engines are". I have PERSONAL knowledge of other VWs (GLS & GLXs from 1996 THRU 2001 & 2002 VW Beetle) that have had THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS. CHECK JDPowers surveys as well as NHTSA recall/TSB boards before buying ANYTHING from VW.
Love this Car
I have had a lot of luck with this car. Besides routine maintenance: tires, oil changes, belts, brakes, exhaust and tune ups, I have put nothing into the car. My only problem with German cars in general is their emissions standards are so high that to replace the system when it broke was $1500. Otherwise, I have put in the routine maintenance and he runs like a charm. Still reliable at 186,000 miles.
decent car, good value
I purchased this this 1997 white VW Jetta GLS a month ago and I am pretty pleased with the car. I had to fix some minor problems such as the brakes and the wheel alignment but those are typical repair costs. This car doesn't have good acceleration as an automatic and is frustrating if you want to cut lanes on a freeway. However, once you hit the gas pedal, the pickup speed more than offsets its poor acceleration, as I don't have any problems hitting 90-95 with this car.
Low-reliability car.
Vehicle has had numerous problems from a blown manual trans, to engine, drive train, emissions, problems, you name it. Pure crap car: poor engineering, poor materials, poor design, just plain poor overall. Everyone else I know that has a VW has the same problem. VW will not fix these know generic problems like trans seal, broken locks, etc. Never again!!!
1997 Volkswagen Jetta GT 2.0L
The Jetta GT is an excellent car! I have never experienced any of the problems with the alarm or sunroof, and I use them a lot, especially since warm weather has come. As for performance, I don't see why people complain, if you run it out right, it will take anything. This is the perfect car for someone who is looking to be different, but also wants to customize it. I have already put on exhaust, K & N air filters, nice 18' Rims and tires, Eibach pro-kit 1.5". Personally I have had no problems other than comfort on long road trips, but this car isn't for grandma, is it?
Can't stop driving it
I bought this car for one reason. It was a Trek, which means it has roofracks. Then two of my buddies and I hope in it in PA and ended up in Colorado. Talk about a test drive. It as an amazing trip and the car kicked @$$ even at 12,000 ft. when we went over Loveland Pass. It's still kicking hard 3 months later, with only a new pair of tires on it.
The best car I have ever had
P E R F E C T, what can I say...Great on gas, fun to drive, I bought it used with 89k miles, changed the oil, spent total 100 dollars on it, and just kept it maintained by changing the oil, tune ups, tire rotation, and basic maintainance. I never had a problem with it. TRUST YOUR VOLKSWAGEN DEALER. Before you buy your new volkswagen, take it to a dealer, invest that 40 dollars to have it checked, they can tell you exactly what needs to be done and what kind of condition it is in. This is the best car I ever had, when I am ready for a newer car, I will buy a newer Jetta. Love it
Looks Cool, Is a piece of Junk
I've had so many problems with this car I cannot even remember them all. The tailpipe fell right off the car while I was driving once. The electrical system went out. The ignition switch had to be replaced, the door strips came off three times, the handles have broken off the glove compartment, the lights have gone out in the console. I have taken excellent care of this car from day one and it has caused me nothing but grief. NOP NOT BUY ONE OF THESE. My girlfriends 12 year old Honda Accord with 115k miles on it is twice as reliable as this Jetta was, even when it was new. I will NEVER buy a Volkswagen again.
Reliable, Accurate handling, Economical!
This car is a great performer! I will never sell this car especially it's my 1st car. I have put a ton of things (even a whole drumset in the trunk) and I have taken care of it really special: K&N filters, new imported brakes (not dealer brake) and it's still running perfectly fine at 115000 miles. It's fast - I can beat anyone on highway and it's slick looking. As long as you maintain it just right, it's a very special car. GT is really rare - get one if you can!!
don't but a volkswagan!
i bought a jetta about two years ago from a private owner. i had a diagnostic done and it passed with flying colors. shortly after i bought it, it needed a alternator and belt, so i took it in to get fixed. $1,000 later, i went to service my car....$900. then my transmission went out for no apparent reason...$4800!! the car is a nice car if you have money to pay for repairs and service. i learned my lesson after spending $6500 in repairs in a little less than two years; the hard way.
good car, short money
sporty, fun to drive. quality German engineering for a fraction of the cost of other german motors
Great Drive - Fairly Reliable
I've put 35K on this since buying it and they have been a great 35K. Driven long distances, cities, twisty coastal roads are the best! Most fun I've had in a car. Just started having some electrical problems, but until this not one single issue (other than molding coming off and having to be glued back). I am debating selling at 65K miles because of what could come. Want another VW - been a pleasure.
Great Car!
FUN FUN FUN! The VR6 is silky, fast, and reliable. It goes almost as much power as the BMW 325! But make sure you know someone that will be able to fix the car. It doesn't give much trouble, but the parts and VW mechanics seem to be few and far between if you live in a smaller town!
car for daddy
Cheap and easy to repair, lot of small problems - locks, airbag cable, drains but no expensive repair. engine and gearbox not killable. big fuel economy (small engine), very comfortable. The only 2 things i dont like; the exterior sound on highway and I have the impression that i have a truck engine with no power but noisy.
Fun German car
I just bought this car a few months ago and all I've really driven with it since then is long trips on the freeway. This car gets very very respectable gas milage for the freeway trips and its gearing is such that it has plenty of passing punch even in top gear at 70 MPH. Also this car is fun, it may be somewhat underpowered but it is certainly a car which wants to be hustled and loves the twisties. A+ German engineering in a resonable car.
I love this car.
I have driven my Jetta all over the country. I absolutley love it. It has never given me a problem, it's stylish and affordable. Can't go wrong.
Fun to drive GLX vr6
From the time i have owned this car, i have enjoyed driving it. It begs you to drive, push harder on the corners, it handles great. The engine is very peppy and responsive. All in all, its a very fun car, no major problems.
very satisfied
this has been the most enjoyable, reliabe car I've ever owned in 59 yrs. I have never been stranded and I have loved every minute of driving it.
Relibable Little Car
I have to say that my first experience back with a Jetta wasn't a good one. It was a piece of junk. It was a 1995 GL, however it could have been a good car at one time. Now, I have the '97 GLS, bought used, and it has been a very reliable car. It feels good knowing that every morning when I go to work, it will fire right up. My car has had a few minor issues with the electrical system, such as the door locks and sunroof, but otherwise it is a great ride. I like the dash setup, and as a parent, this is crucial in order to control the locks, windows, and lighting with one hand.
VW FROM MEXICO JUST NOT CUTTING IT
VR6 POWERTRAIN IS GREAT. HAS BEEN VERY RELIABLE AND FUN TO DRIVE. HOWEVER, ON THE THIRD YEAR, IRRITATING THINGS STARTED TO HAPPEN. BOTH REAR POWER WINDOW MOTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED ($600). AFTERWHICH, THE EXTERIOR SIDE DOOR MOLDINGS HAVE BEEN SLOWLY PEELING OFF. REPLACED ONE DRIVER'S SIDE MOLDING ($120) AFTER IT COMPLETELY CAME OFF. ALL THESE THINGS HAPPENED AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE? MY NEXT CAR WILL BE A HONDA ACCORD!
If only I'd known
I bought the car from a not so reliable dealer unfortunately. The car worked well for about a month. The transmission has been on its way out since I bought it. I've had to replace the fuel pump and other assorted things because it wouldn't start. Now it's not starting again, two months after the last fiasco. This time its believed to be the ignition switch. The only way it stays on is to hold the key all the way over. I have been told by a VW specialist to get rid of it while I still can. It's been nothing but problems and now I have to look for a new car before a start college in a month. My boyfriend's sister had one too and they told her it wasn't safe to drive anymore and to get rid of it.
If you have a VERY big walet
I got this car used last year with 90,000 miles on it. Of course it had its share of use before my ownership, but this is just stupid. The cup holders are a joke. they could barley hold a can of soda when i was merging on the highway. and the seats (not power) are very difficult to use. Engine has NO power. 0-60? yeah it could be a while. and panels falling off the outside of my door. that was horrible. Very unreliable but good in snow and if you plan on hitting any cars going about 40 mph you can plan to walk away alive. VERY sturdy front end. saved my life absolutely. Even with that said, I have put way too much money into this car, so plan on having finances ready for the unexpected!
97 Jetta GT
I bought the car new and I have enjoyed it very much. I have had no problems mechanically. I've had problems with the quirky stock alarm system. The adhesive on the door trim tends to weaken after a few years other than that I am very pleased. It looks as good as the first day I drove it home.
Great car ... but I've out grown it
This car was amazing while I owned it. I purchased it with about 60000 mi on it. In almost 4 years the car has given me little or no trouble whatsoever. I have had to dish out only about $1000 over and above regular maintenance costs. I was in an accident in 2001 and I almost totaled the Jetta. It needed over $5000 in repairs but when I got it back it was just as good as ever. A robust, stout, little beast... that's why I choose VWs. Overall, it's an amazing car...which is why I am buying a 2001 Jetta now! Great trunk space, excellent handling, and VW reliability have made this car a winner in my eyes. Keep up the build quality VW.