Used 2001 Volkswagen Jetta Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Best Car for the Price
I bought this car after my last lease (99 Z24 Cavalier) expired. I have driven tonns of cars in the past and really researched the market before I bought this car. Drives and performs like a dream and so far (knock on the wood) "Kein Problem!". Highly recommended for anyone looking for serious value for the money.
Great Car, Dealers are terrible
I've owned the car over a year and have had no major problems. I am still excited to drive it. I am especcialy reminded of this when i go away a use arental. My big complaint, and this is big enought that i will not buy another, is that all VW dealers i've been to are terrible. From the time I bought it to all oil changes to simple warranty repairs or anything they are just a huge hassle. VW should look into this. No one should like their car as my as I do and not plan on ever getting another VW.
Stay away from this dump
Bought car because of it standard features -The following has been done to the car in 40000 miles of driving--1. brakes replaced at 22000 miles 2. seats broke 3. epc light replaced 4. tires replaced twice 5. oil usage 1 quart every month 6. Brakes locked up. 7. Will not release from Park 8. Emission contol light triggers every month. 9. Stay away from this car.
Excellent compact car
I bought this car after driving Hondas for 10 years. It's been a great experience so far -- can schlepp a lot considering its compact size! Couldn't be happier would recommend to anyone.
Never Again
This is by far the worst car I ever owned. Since I got it, every month I have to take to the mechanic. Too much money invested for nothing. I just trade it in for a Toyota RAV4 which I love. I wouldn't felt comfortable selling it to someone else, even thought many people wanted to buy it. Beware of the Jetta 1.8T.
So nice, so fun, lokks so good
This is THE BEST CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. It is quick, comfortable, easily seats a family of five, and drives just as good as a Mercedes-Benz. My next car is certianly to be a VW. The warranty is excellent, my dealer has good follow up for services.
Anyone need a transmition?
22,000 miles and we are on the 3rd transmition. It has been in the shop for a total of 27 days over the past two years.
2001 Jetta - Coil Ignition resolved
I Always wanted a Jetta, for it's known reliability and safety. However, I discovered how it is not so reliable, I've had multiple sensors go bad, the cat went bad along with the alternator and now the coil Ignition went bad. If your VW has issues when starting in the rain, engine light goes crazy the car bucks and feels like it wants to stall it is the ignition coil. Just got a quote from the dealer 525. to fix. I have currently 112K miles on it, young for a VW I think to have so many issues, I drove a Geo Storm Prior and sold it with 164K and never had so many issues. Luckily a lot of the stuff was cover under warranty at first.. but seems like a money pit, what's next?
My 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
Since I bought this car, I have had a lot of fun driving it. It is very good on gas as opposed to the 2.0L model. It has lots of power and great handling. I wouldn't trade it for anything else....well maybe a 2002 model because it's got more power.
German - engineering, Mexican assembly
After having three Hondas in a route, it was time for a change. And Jetta seemed to be a best bang for a buck, how stiupid I was!! This car is a disaster, windows constantly falling in, gas tank leaking, engingne light coming on and off. I have never had these kind of problems with any vehicle!! I wont even compare this vehicle to Honda because this would be insulting for any Honda out there. I had CRX with 210,000 miles that was far more reliable than Jetta with 55,000. Save yourself a pain dont even look at this vehicle - I know it looks great and handles good, but if you're looking for a good looking RELIABLE commuter this isnt it.
I wouldn't recommend wasting your money
I've had the worst experience with this poorly built car, um, jalopy. I too bought my car new in 2001. Since then I've had to maintain this car for every reason under the sun. I should have known when the interior paint started to peel; an exterior signal light fell out of its socket; and a piece of my sunroof came apart within the first year of the purchase. I can also let you know I've replaced all my tires; brake pads; and light bulbs! This car has German engineering, but it is built in Mexico! I expect the engine to quit in less than a year or so. My check engine light is always on, despite repairs. I learned my lesson, I'm going back to Japanese cars. :)
WOW I love this car!!
I just bought this car a week ago and I already know I will be keeping it till it kicks. I love driving it, it is so much fun! The handling is amazing, the shifting is smoother than anything I have ever driven. Take off is the best part. And I can fit all three of my kid seats in back! Thank you Volkswagen for making such a beautiful car
Jetta is amazing
I had no idea what I was buying when I got this car used but have been amazed at my luck. With little to no problems, my Jetta is my pride and joy. It is reasonably priced its an amazing car that looks as good as it feels. I would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone.
Save Your Money
I have a 2001 with every option. After 8,000 miles had to get new transmission. Next problem the lights, I have replaced every bulb in the car all before a year was up. The newest problem turn signal relay went out. I have heard of problems with the electrical and windows falling down and with the latest problems I expect for those things to occur next. Overall this car is a joke. Interior is made for short people only, very uncomfortable seats after any lengthy ride. Leather interior is already changing color and deteriorating and the "clear coat" is already coming off.
Caries my family, lets me have fun too!
Bought my Jetta GLS Wolfsburg new in 2001, and have loved it since day one. The standard hp/torque of 150/155 is adequate for spirited driving, and can easily be boosted to 210/230 with chip upgrades. the standard sports seats and suspension are good improvements over the GLS stock equipment. It is not one of those Japanese tuner cars, but it can be easily tuned and styled - many aftermarket suppliers are available. I have experienced no significant reliability issues - dealer loyalty pays off with some items replaced at no charge. The check engine light goes on/off and the dealer cannot always locate the source/trouble. I love the exterior styling, and everything inside feels nice to the touch and controls are located exactly where they should be.
Don't get a VW
Fun to drive even with the low HP, particularly mine with a stick, but such a hassle as far as reliability. Bought it new and had problems from almost day 1, you name I've fixed it.
Great when running
I have been extremely disappointed since I bought my Jetta in November of 2001. I have been stranded and had to tow my car twice in the past three weeks from ignition coil failures (26,000 miles and 26,800 miles). The check engine light flashes randomly and the electrical controls on my car have been repaired three times. My brake switch failed at about 18,000 miles. Not a good year for the Wolfsburg. I'd sale mine as soon as possible, except I would feel guilty turning it over to someone. I must say, it is a great car to drive...I just can't call it reliable.
I love my Jetta!
My 2001 Volkswagen Jetta GLS is a great car, especially if you have a daughter going into college or for a graduation present. That's when I got mine and I love my car. It's great easy to take care of and I've had minor problems with the bumper because I can't park very well.
Ger. Engnr-good; Mex. assembly-bad
I got in to my first car accident 16 days after I bought my first Jetta in Sept 2000. It was totaled and I am convinced saved my life. On the other hand, my new VW jetta (Oct.2000) drives like a dream but I have been hassled w/ the driver's seat cable breaking, the arm rest lock breaking, the engine light randomly coming on and dealing w/ a service team that thinks you have all day & every day to spend with them by turning what should be one visit into two. Due to these dumb things happening I am about to drop $1350 for the extended warranty (2001 models get the 24000mi or 2yr jippy warranty).
I loved mine!
Wow... I never had any trouble with my 2001 Jetta. I did take it in for ALL scheduled service, which helps I think. I just traded it in today for a 2004 jetta and was actually sad to let my 2001 go.
Buyer beware !
Bought our Jetta on 10/2000 , a shiny black one with beige interior, it was beautiful! After the honeymoon was over ( about 10,000 miles ) reality set in. This car is not reliable or fun to live with ! The cloth they use for the interior picks up anything and everything and always looks dirty, plus it's impossible to clean. The engine is peppy at low speed but on the highway it always sounds like it needs to be up-shifted to a higher gear. The doors leak out a gooey mess all over the rocker panels in hot weather. Both front side windows fell down inside the doors ( one twice so far ). The turn signals quit working at 30,000 miles ( new flasher @ $120 ).
great when no problems!
I love my Jetta when I'm not having problems with it. As others have experienced---air flow sensor, ignition wiring, that nasty goop coming from the doors, moon roof pan, and the front window clips have been replaced 3 times!!! Not to mention, the battery, and rear brakes being done at 20K miles. I'm at 38K miles and I haven't had to replace the tires yet!!! Biggest complaint with this model is the aerodynamics. The first time I rolled the rear windows down on the interstate, I thought I had a flat...the sound is absolutely deafening....something I was unaware of and the dealership didn't tell me about. So you can't roll down the rear windows.
Check Engine Light: bane of my existence
I've had so many issues! It's like they've gone out of their way to make repairs and maintenance as difficult and expensive as possible. The engine leaks oil, a known VW issue. The worst part is the check engine light. In the 3.5 years I've owned this car, the CE light has been OFF for a total of 2 months. I have taken it to 5 different mechanics, each one plugs it in to the diagnostics computer and either gets NO codes or codes that make no sense. All they can do is turn it off, but it just comes back on. No one can fix it, no one can even find a cause, but the car can't pass an emissions test, and so now I can't legally drive it. $12K wasted!
Nice Little Car
I bought my 2001 Volkswagen Jetta GL brand new and I'm still happy with it. The styling is awesome, materials first rate, and design well above the others. After owning this car and it's features and design you get sort of spoiled. I love the struts on the trunk and front hood, daytime lights, how all the buttons light up at night, the auto locks, dual lit vanity mirrors, etc. However, it is as others have said, built in Mexico, so some parts are painted and will peel away after a few years. The paint is the same color as the plastic, so you could always peel all the paint off and be fine. Some things are expensive to fix and you'll be in the shop at least once a year. Still, this car has served us well.
One of the few happy Jetta owners
Considering trading for new GTI was going to look at those reviews and thought I'd check the Jetta reviews first. Wow. Surprised by all the problems. Have the base GL with 5sp. Added alloys wheels and CD player. So far, knock on wood, no problems. Electrical, engine, windows, etc. all fine for last 2 yrs. Car has been just as reliable my last Acura. Been to the dealer only for 2 oil changes and to install CD player. Hope the GTI reviews are better or I may stick with what I have. Cool message board.
repair despair
Fuel pump failure, check timing belt repair, check electrical problems, check I could go on and on about the problems I've had with this darn car.
Jetta GLS 2.0
great car, fun to drive, had no problems so far have 53000 miles
Ticking Time Bomb
29k mi. Have replaced the transmission, AC..twice, window clips..twice (window dropped into door), climatronic ac thermostat, CD player, radio, cup holder, center console/leather arm rest..(handle broke), battery...(they used unsealed batteries before 2002 which leak in hot weather like here in Houston), and have reprogrammed transmission points...8 times (red lines and shakes car). There is 2 second delay when shifting from R to D. The brakes wear out at 15-20k mi and have no sound indicator so that you ruin the routers w/out even knowing it. This wolf in sheeps clothing will take every dollar you have in repairs.
Love my Car, Not my dealership
To be honest I love my car. I don't love my local VW dealership. Every time I take her in for a $100 oil change something needs to be fixed. However, being female I always go for a second opinion before I get anything done and half the time they are just trying to rip me off. The catalytic converter did go. But it was under and extended warranty because there was an error in all 1.8ts in 2001. The O2 sensors. Fine, it was time for them to go. As for the rest I will never go back to my dealership unless I have a problem no one else can figure out.
Caveat Emptor/Buyer Beware
This car is cute and the body feels "durable." However, the engine was purposefully designed to ONLY be repaired by VW dealership, as most smaller repair shops never have the specific parts in stock, and always find it difficult to get the parts from VW. The "check engine" light continuously lighted up (usually for no reason, causing me unnecessary trips to VW). The "mass air flow sensor" failed at least 8 times. The radiator had to be replaced ($680). The water pump and related fans had to be replaced ($800+). Spark plugs "misfired" and had to be replaced ($950). Engine hoses and pipes burst because they melted ($450). I could go on and on.
2001 VW Jetta
I absolutely loved this vehicle when I first purchased it in October of 2006. Now all it does is have a problem after another! First the CD player broke, then the arm rest, then the trunk (which has completely stopped opening), and now the driver's side window doesn't work. Something inside the door has fallen. The window can go down but good luck getting it up. If you do then it starts slowly falling as the day goes by since the window is broken. Leather interior is peeling almost everywhere as well. I am really unsatisfied with the quality of the parts. It runs well but I can no longer get groceries in it or feel the wind. All of this happened before I hit 100,000 miles.
1.8 T
1.8 gls good mix of all the things I was looking for. sporty,reliable and good on gas.
Love it!!
Perhaps I'm in the minority here; but, I just love this car. It's a hoot to drive, safe as can be and has great asthetic lines. The VR6 is one peppy little engine with plenty of torque. It's mated to a 5speed manual in my case. Some times wish I had the automatic while stuck in the DC beltway traffic. There are also lot's of nice little things you can do to personalize the car. I.e. It's big in the tuner world.
One of the best cars for under $25k
Let me start by saying, everyone should stop comparing this to the BMW 3 series. It's more appropriate to compare the sister car, the A4 to the BMW. Compare the Jetta to the Acura Integra, but not cars priced about $10k more! Although, the fact that people compare the two says a great deal about the car. The car handles great, it's got plenty of power, it was reasonably priced especially considering all the features the car has. I've put a lot of mileage on the car in the first year and had no problems.
Expensive to service
Handles well. The seats collect fuzz- balls, however with a little work and a pet sponge they can be removed. Rubber interior parts peel. We've replaced the door handles twice and now the armrest is peeling. By the way the armrest also broke it won't hold position. Some of the interior lights work sporatically. The regular sevice maintenance is expensive. The 50000 mile scheduled maintenance costs about $375 and cosists of mostly checking things and replacing plugs, air filter, a tire rotation and an oil change. Good news is my windows haven't yet fallen out.
If I knew
This is a great car in general, but I would strongly advised you of some major problems. Take the leather interior, the black material seats will leave you spending hours a week tring to remove the dust that will accumulate on it, and it is extremely hard to remove. Also pay the extra for the 1.8 liter or TDI or even better VR6 cause the regular model is slow, slow slow!!! You will be disapointed it has no power. If I would have to do it all over I would much rather spend that money or less on other models, like acura or nissan ... But the comfort, the cheap fuel and the style still makes it worht buying!
Good with Warranty
I purchased my Jetta GLS new in '01. I loved the car for the first three years (while it was still covered under its factory warranty). Since then I've had a turbo hose blow, brake switch go three times, replaced two timing belts, and had to replace several emissions sensors. I love the car, but HATE the repair cost. I can't go in for a repair for less than $250 (average $550). So unless you drive a TON the gas savings doesn't make up for the repair cost. Also, mechanics are few, even at the dealers, so you may have to wait for Bob to come back from vacation to get your car back. The timing belt is a $cow$, it wears out quick and then the car needs several adjustments to get it running right again. Overall this is a good car, I just wish I had gotten the extended waranty. I am looking to replace my car soon due to the high cost of repairs.
Lemon
Too many hours spent in the shop to repair/replace electrical problems, check engine light problems, oxygen sensor and brake sensor problems.
Mexico+Tequilla=1.8T
The engine, suspension and transmission have been excellent. The brakes as well as the fit and finish have been a constant source of aggrevation. Although properly cared for the supposed quality BBS rims have been CRAP! Rattles in the speaker area, faulty rotors and rims that pit/clear coat failure make me a rather proturbed owner. After ditching a 99' Beetle for similar reasons, this one will follow shortly. My days with Volkswagen have come to an end.
Fun car so far
Driving my Jetta has been great-the engine is wonderfully responsive, especially in 2nd & 3rd gears. Powerful enough to have fun, not so powerful that I get into trouble. The interior is of great quality, but the ergonomics aren't great - stereo and HVAC controls are a stretch. Seat could be more supportive. Dealer has never been able to completely fix a passenger side window glitch.
Love the car!!
This car is amazing..from low fuel consumption to great exterior design..i love everything about it..even when the check engine light turned on and i didn't have the money to fix it, it kept going strong and never let me down. Great car!!
The Money Pit
Where do I begin...Lets start with the peeling paint on the hood and roof. Not exactly showroom quality and its only two years old. I have replaced the rear brakes and calipers two times in the past 36K miles. My Maxima is going on 40K miles on the original brakes! Tail lights seem to burn out bulbs regularly to the point where I actually have a supply in the trunk and the brakes sound like a fog horn when backing up. According to two dealerships..."this is just how it is!" The pads are dragging against the rotors and there is no way to prevent it....right! What else..oh yeah..the chronic ignition coil failure and that horrible turbo lag.
Not So Much
Well, I love how this car drives, feels and performs... that is when it is not at the dealership. This car has been at the shop (Gene Messer VW) at least 15 times since it was purchased a little over two years ago. One time they had the car for six weeks because of the check engine light. For some reason, it always seems like there are several things wrong. Yikes, it is by far the worst car I have ever owned. Some problems include: Check engine light, airbag light, turbo, paint, rattles and other things.... Also, the service department has the worst setup I have ever seen. I really do think that these people have no idea how to work on their cars
This car rocks!!
It has all the features, appointments and performance of a BMW 3 series for about half the price. And it is so much fun to drive!!
Good year for the Jetta
I never would have thought about buying a foreign vehicle until my bf got me psyched about the idea of owning one. We just went to some random dealership and I was so happy when we test drove this. I've had it almost a yr now with no problems. It's got over 96,000 miles on it and is still a young one. I plan on keeping this vehicle for as long as I can.
What a Ride
Driving the 1.8T Jetta is just plain fun to drive. It's quick and agile and a sharp looking car and it has a very good ride. I haven't had any of the problems that others have had and have experienced great service at my local dealer. My Jetta is solidly built and it's living up to my expectations.
hsssssssssss
I love the car. Upset that the 2001 has only 155 hp and the 2002 has 185, but these things can be fixed. Easy to work with and one of the best manual cars I have driven. I put about 20,000 miles on my car a year for work and I have never been uncomfortable for a second. Nothing like the feeling of driving in 6 inches of snow and not having to worry about the ABS or traction control not working. I was passing most of the all wheel drive vehicles.
White Lemmon
This was the biggest mistake of my life. If it wasn't won thing it was another. I will NEVER buy another VW again and I tell everyone I see that they should stay away from all VW's. They have the worse customer service in the industry. I am trying to unload this piece of " " but, I can't seem to find any offers. I hope someone reads this and changes ther mind or maybe someone at VW will wakeup and smell the coffee.
Love it!
I bought this car used with 60,000 miles on it. I fell in love with it right away! It drives wonderfully, great sound system, and the previous owners added some upgrades. Unfortunately after putting about 500 miles on it the check engine light came on and it kept popping itself out of gear. I took it to the dealer and found I needed a new transmission. They were completely helpful. They towed the car, diagnosed it, and put in a new tranny all for free. I still love this car, its fun to drive and nice to look at.
A piece of @#@$
Two broken glove boxes, 1 oxygen sensor rear brakes worn really fast. numerous fault code problems in and out of shop 8 times needs a muffler.you smell the washer fluid in the car when sprayed.I traded a 1998 honda accord for this car what a mistake this car does not even hold value to a honda.