Used 2001 Volkswagen Jetta Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Wolfsburg VW 1.8 Turbo
This car is a joy to drive. It handles perfectly with no drawbacks at all.
Bad Car
I bought my car in Aug of 2004 and have had it now for about 7 months. The car has been in and out of the shop about 10 times and for the most serious replacing the engine. It was a certified vehicle and everything was taken care of but I have missed so much work because of this car I would not suggest the Jetta to anyone looking to buy a car!!!!
Sad VW Owner
Very dissapointed...Window rotors have been replaced 5 times; windows leak; moon roof has plastic parts falling off; recalled for engine coil; uncomfortable back seats; center console broke...
Good car
I own a 2001 jetta and it is very great I love my car and would recommend it to everyone if you're careful and actually take care of your car the inside would deteriorate. If you're also careful the engine shouldn't break nothing should really go wrong unless it's something you did or the previous owner did. Also it should come with a cd player or at least mine did. it's great reliable and the best car to have
VW Jetta - My first and last VW.
I purchased the vehicle certified used with 30k miles on it. The Galactic Blue Metallic finish was gorgeous. BBS wheels were hot stuff. And then I began driving the vehicle. Plenty of pep and great gas mileage. 3,000 miles later, on the highway at cruise, my clutch plate broke. Destroyed the transmission. That was just the beginning. During the 2.5 years and 50,000 miles I owned the vehicle, I went through three power window switches, two coolant temp sensors, a trunk release, a glove box door, four Mass Air Flow sensors (two directly from the dealer at $500 a piece), a front left wheel bearing, and rear brake caliper hardware. $8,000+ in parts and repairs in 2.5 years. Questions?
Okay car
I bought a new 2001 Jetta GLS 2.0L (4sp auto) back in OCT 2000. I have 85,000 miles on it now and still runs like a new. I don't think I had many problems with this car. But once, there was a window problem which VW dealer recalled and fixed and another one was the automatic shift knob didn't work because when you try to change gears you're supposed to step on the brake for safety, but that sensor broke. I think replacing that cost me around $150~200.. and some light came on but VW dealer took care of.. And that's about it... bad thing about this car is that rear space is too small. No rear leg room. Gas mileage is poor. 2.0L has only 115hp and only get 22/28 miles per gallon.. weak engine
Treated Me Right
Almost 65,000 miles and no problems. I must say that this car has treated me right. I'm amazed by some of the other negative reviews I read in here. Either they had lemons or just didn't treat their car right. I followed all the recommend maintenance and the car has treated me right for it. As much as I like this car I have out grown it and because I feel that VW has made a huge mistake on the new Jetta, I will not be buying another one. I would recommend this car to anyone that is looking to buy used. Especially the VR6, this is a very solid engine and I know can and will run for many more miles.
VW Jetta, Great Car
I picked up a 2001 VW Jetta GLI VR6 at a great price about two years ago. I have delivered pizzas in it. I don't take good care of it with all the stop and go driving I do with this car. The only thing that I have replaced is the tires. I drive about 150 hard miles a day and my Jetta still looks and runs new. It never misses a beat and I mostly do downtown city driving. My Jetta is a little silver tank.
Fun Card
I think that the new Jetta is a great car. It is a bit smaller than what i thought, and it is right now being one of the down sides, at least for me. But besides that, i believe it is a great car!
Nice Ride
My Jetta is great, minus a few things here and there but I love it. It's faster than I had expected, showing me that I could surpass many higher end cars, it has a nice kick to it. I haven't had any engine trouble but I did by it used and haven't had it for too long so we shall see. I love a lot of details in the interior like the lights in the dash, the stereo system, sunroof, and heated seats. Unfortunately, it was poorly built I'm finding out. The interior rubber-like paint peels off and I have now just peeled it all off and it looks better. I learned quickly not too pull up on a curb because it basically pulls your bumper off which was surprising to me. Other than that though, I love it!
I'm in love!
I couldn't be happier with this car. It's absolutely gorgious and I'll be hanging on to it for a long time. When I do consider selling I'll be right back in line for a new Jetta!
POS Car
500 miles clutch master replaced, 5,000 miles water pump replaced, 10,000 miles power windows replaced, 12,000 miles climate control repaired, 20,000 interior plastic trim falling off, 25,000 new rear brakes and rotors, 32,000 engine coil being replaced. Everytime I need a repair I have to call 5 or 6 vw's so that I don't have to wait over a week for an appointment. This car absolutely sucks and I will be getting rid of it asap. DO NOT BUY THIS POS. You have been warned.
Be wary of VR6 w/ auto trans
Bought a used 2001 Jetta VR6 automatic to replace a 2001 Beetle 1.8T 5-Speed. This was the 8th VW I've owned (several GTIs, Sciroccos, a Karmann Ghia) but the first VR6, the first 4-speed automatic and the first with unexpected issues. Electrical gremlins made themselves known within the first 1000 miles we put on the car. First, it would occasionally refuse to start unless you reseated the battery-box fuses. Then the sunroof began opening spontaneously. The dealership wasn't able to sort the electrical problems, so I took it to my usual private VW expert. He rolled his eyes and said that VR6 automatics are notoriously problematic (though he had praise for the 2.0 and 1.8T manuals).
I love my Jetta.
I've had really good luck and a good experience with my Jetta. I've had three issues which weren't recall issues and of those I was without my car overnight only once for 3 days. Since my dealer gave me a loaner, I wasn't without transportation. It has run like a champ. I'm almost at the 80k mileage limit and the last issue I've had has been an upgrade to the catalytic converter software; my extended warranty covered the cost and I walked out without paying a penny. The s/w upgrade actually helped the performance a bit which was a nice benefit. It's been good value for the money and has stood by me well.
A Quality Car @ A Good Price
This is my 2nd Jetta (91 Jetta - 11 years 200k miles) and the evolution of the vehicle has been impressive. Excellent quality and attention to detail throughout. The 2.0 is not a racehorse but delivers excellent economy and exceptional reliability. If you want speed get the 1.8. The handling, braking, and overall driver experience are a pleasure to experience. Only mystery has been 2 occurrences of Check Engine Light and recall for power windows. Very Pleased overall.
The Best Car Out there
The VW Jetta Is one the best cars out there. You cant beat it. so fun to drive and the car looks great the styling will never go away.
Nice car, when it isn't in the shop
This is one of the best driving cars I have ever had. Fast, quick, and amenities up the wazoo. I love the nice leather, rain sensor, Monsoon sound, and tight feel of the car. Unfortunately, this is not ofset by reasonable reliability, and has been the worst car I have EVER owned for reliablilty. In the shop over nine times for major things, not to mention the minor ones. Transmission lock, coolant leak, two coils, three O2 sensors, window fell, fuel pump relay, and on and on. I guess the really bad part is that VW just doesn't seem to care...
Fun car, hate the check engine light
I bought my Jetta two months ago and have put about 2000 miles on it, it had 93000 when I bought it. I love the looks of the car and the features are second to none in the small car realm, the heated leather, sunroof, radio controls on the steering column, it's very fun to drive and fairly economical, it gets around 31 mpg, my only complaint is the check engine light, no matter how many repairs, it will not go off and stay off. $530 later I've decided to let it be on. Sometimes I get so mad about it but then I drive the car and remember why I love it, it's fun to drive, more classy than civic or corolla... did I mention it's fun to drive?
Think twice or just don't buy!
Dissappointment is all I have to say. I bought my Volkswagen Jetta GLS 1.8T two years ago and have had nothing but costly trouble. I've replaced my electrical harness, main engine gasket cover, and Mass Ariflow sensor (twice)-each $200-300 in cost. Lights are iffy-I've also replaced nearly every single bulb possible in and out(rear breaklights twice), the center console's latch (three times). The continuous rattle from the front panel as well as from the e-brake button are enough to drive you crazy and from discussions with other Jetta owners I know this is a problem across the board. And this week I had to replace the horns-$250! If you want a VW get a Passat. They manufacture these in Germany rather than Mexico.
So far so good
Mine now has 47,500 miles on it. So far mine has been as reliable as you could hope for out of a car that only cost about $21k. My back rotors had to be replaced (right after my warranty was up). Chip it! What a difference it makes. There are not many cars that can hang with a chipped 1.8t between 0- 80 mph. Mine has not had any problems with the coils, windows, etc. "knock- knock-knock". Oh, yeah, the trim seems to be peeling off (the coating on the trim). That's about the only thing about this car that oozes with cheapness.
safe car
Bought the Jetta new and drove it for 53,500 miles. Fun car to drive and comfortable. Only complaint is electrical problems (windshield wipers, door locks, CD player,dash lights) which were corrected by service department after several trips in. Most impressed with the safety of vehicle. My wife and daughter were t-boned by a car going in excess of 70 mph. All air bags deployed and the only injury from this twisted metal was my wife sufferd a broken arm. Doctors, police and insurance adjuster were all amazed, given the impact the Jetta received and the condition of the vehicle, that no one was not killed or more severly injured. The safety features were the #1 reason I bought the Jetta. I'm glad that I did.
One best Jetta ever
I owned a 1992 MB 400E before this Jetta. I used to have a 1986 Jetta also. By buying this car I didn't lose the power/weight ration thanks to the high low-end torque. I enjoy the manual transmission something I missed in MB. There have been very few flaws with the car. I think I am going to keep it another 2 years until I can get the next gen Jetta or back to E-class again. I would recommend Jetta for those who want to have fun while driving even in a traffic jam.
VW Jetta 1.8t
Car was fine at first. Windows regulators break and window drops into door - $$$$$ Engine Mass Air Flow sensor a common problem. $300.00 to fix. 1.8t engine surges - Very common problem. No real fix
Think twice
We bought htis car for the safety rating and the great reviews. The first six months were great except the gas mileage was way lower than we expected. Then thingsstarted to fall apart. The interior was pealing anywhere there was painted plastic. The center console broke because it was cheap plastic. After about a year, the rest of the car started to fall apart. Except for the first year, we have spent about $800 a year in repairs and of course nothing that went wrong was cover by the warranty. Various engine sensors and parts needed to be replaced and, a shock to me, after only 2 years and 25,000 miles the whole rear brake system had to be replaced.Think twice about buying a used VW Jetta.
dontgetajetta
The car was great the first 2 years, but once the warranty ended so did the customer service. The past 4 months I've had the air flow sensor, battery, oil pan, and catalytic converter replaced. Still waiting for the cat. after 1.5 months. The driver side window has fallen into the door.
5 yrs later...$8000 in maint. & rising
If you are going to buy a used vw jetta make sure to get extended warranty! Bought the car used at around 60,000 miles with warranty till 100,000 miles. Problems: internal engine problems-dealer replace whole engine, got used engine in-did not work, got another used engine-worked, secondary air system leak-replace cracked round plastic resevour next to oil pan-not covered by warranty, replaced all belts; due to noise, replace faulty ac compressor, coolant leak at thermostat housing. rear alignment is off: not adjustable, WTF! Just got new tires. must be bent suspension? thats gonna cost alot! Otherwise great performance, vr6 is quiet and seems at times "as if the engine is not even running.
I LOVE THIS CAR
I bought this car in January of 2001, brand new! It has the sport suspension, monsoon sound system, 5 speed, 16 inch BBS rims, recaro seats, and sunroof! IT handles like a DREAM! Its fast, fun, and very reliable! My only problem with it was the windows, but apparently ALL VWs had that problem, and it was fixed! Service was ok at the dealer i bought it at, but EXCELLENT at The Imported Car Store in Melbourne! NO mechanical problems or electrical problems! nothing what so ever! i have 26k miles on it now! and it still runs strong! the gas mileage is good and i would highly reccommend one for anyone looking for a car of this type! it is FAST
Cool
Attended a seminar where J Mays, the designer for Audi & VW cars showed the passion that went into the design of the Jetta (and the awesome switchblade key) and decided to get one. The car has tremendous power and good handling except for the occasional torque steer from the heavy VR6. Interior details are magnificient and one just has to see them to realize that someone spent time thinking about it. It is truly a driver's car.
Great Birthday Gift
I have had my 2001 Volkswagen Jetta for about a week now and just love it. Previously having a VW, I knew that I was getting in to something worth my while. The 1.8T engine and manual tranny are near perfect. The premium sound system sounds great. Overall, this car is perfect if you want performance (0-60 in 8.2 sec), good gas milage (25/31), and a a reliable nameplate in Volkswagen. I definitely recommend this car, it's a lot of fun!
Excellent!!
First time owner of VW product. Will continue to purchase more. I am very impressed with quality and performance. Wish they had glx vr6 for 03, but discontinued.
Lint Trap!!!
I came on this to see if everyone with this car had the same problems and they sure did. My oil is gone literally every 1000 miles...and they tell me thats normal...ya ok. my passenger windown just fell into the side door shattering...that was common so they fixed both windows no problem but still inconvenience...the seats are embarrassing since it looks like i got into a fight with a cat and it won (winter sweaters) lint all over the car and vacuum doesn't pick it up (stuck)...on a positive note it is excellent on gas and no major mechanical problems:-)oh almost forgot within a yr of having the car i need new rotters and pads!
mix&match
Just got rid of my 2001GL.What I am going to miss in a Odyssey I traded it in for: -absolutely superb handling, braking and style,excellent fuel economy, and its "ugly duckling in the mood" charm. what I am not going to miss: -absolutely horrible auto transmission (get a stick by all means),misting in all and any type of weather,rear seat passengers complaining about lack of comfort, troubles with alarm system.
Worst car ever...
I own a 2001 Volkswagon Jetta GLX. WHile the car was under warranty there were no problems. Literally within 100 miles out of the warranty everything broke. The heated seats were the first to go. Then an a/c vent. The center console clip. Window clips were recalled. Once I had that fixed, my door locks went out. ($300+) The check engine light stays on in my car. Everytime I have it repaired, the very next day something else breaks. One word for anyone considering purchasing this car, RUN AWAY!!!!!!!
VW Problems
When I purchased my 2001 Volkswagen Jetta GLX VR6 it was fun to drive. Then I noticed I was not getting the fuel milage as advertised. I always had schedualed matenance done on this vehicle, but once one thing happend it was a domino effect. From O2 sensors to the transmission sliping, needing a new fuel pump and injector, this car has been a nightmare. The check engine light remains on, even after the work I did to it. The traction control and EPC lights won't disapear either. I only get 16 mpg. I might as well drive an SUV. I talk to people all of the time with this vehicle and they have similar problems.
Davydee
Nice size, excellent performance, 25 mpg avg. Great car until coil packs and mass airflow sensor failed at 35,000 miles. Dealer returned car after repair. Car failed again within 175 miles. Car has now been with dealer some 9 days awaiting parts. VW of America support is poor. Buy extended warranty if available.
Love it! / Hate it!
I love my Jetta...however, I burn 1 qt. of oil every 1,000 miles. This is rediculous. Interior plastic is peeling, have had many electrical problems, including brake-relay switch. The VW dealership is a scam. They were aware of this problem and wanted to charge full cost for diagnostics to "find" the problem (which turned out to be a "recall") I will not buy another VW simply because of the dealership.
I love my Jetta!
I LOVE my Jetta. After owning 2 sables in a row and a Sebring, I got my 1st German engineered car . . . . I will NEVER go back! I have a 6 year old son and he can fit himself and 2 friends in the backseat, PLENTY of trunk room for the sports stuff, but I still feel like I am driving a sports car. I feel so safe in it - it is so sturdy. The transmission seems to shift hard, had it checked, they said no problem - so I guess I have just gotten used to it - but otherwise I am in love! It is a bold red with black windows, sunroof, black leather interior - awesome!
Unreliable but fun and sexy
This car is fun to drive, sophisticated in exterior styling, very responsive and quick acceleration. BUT I've been stranded on a dark road at night one time by an indeterminate electrical problem; limped home on a very hot day with my elderly parents along (needed a NEW transmission that time); had the ignition coils replaced within 500 miles of going out of warrenty (the dealer didn't charge); and now the trouble light is on again.
Pretty Neutral.
I was in love with VW's, so I bought it. I've had to replace a lot of things, and the check engine light is still on, but it runs and gets me where I need to go. Talk about the soul of a VW! It dies almost every day when I get home from work, but never at a stop sign or light or anything like that, just when its home. Its really fun, but too expensive and has too many little things go wrong with it. Advice to first time buyers : get the timing belt done right away. Don't wait til' it breaks. If there's a check engine light on, don't expect it to be nothing. Get it checked out! These cars are the best around if you have the money and time to maintain them all the time. I'd suggest a Honda!
The Jetta is a Blast
Let me tell you, all it takes for the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta GLS Wolfsburg is new software and you're making 230 hp. My Jetta is heavily modified and its a blast to drive. I've pulled on cars that probably thought I didn't stand a chance. With simple bolt-ons this 1.8T is a real contender.
Great Little Car
This has been the funnest car I have ever owned. I would highly recommend it. I have had very few problems and tons of compliments!
Fun, Not Perfect
My '01 Wolfie has also experienced problems with squeeks and rattles pretty much from day one. Dealer tried, couldn't fix'em. Oddly enough, they have slowly gone away now. With 15000 hard miles the car seems to be getting better. Engine runs strong,tranny nice and tight, suspension still tight, but not harsh. The remote trunk release failed at 10000, but the dealer fixed it under warranty. No other problems to report. Basically, a really fun car, but still has the "econo-box" feel. It is not an expensive car, and it should not be expected to make you feel like it is. It doesn't. Only thing in common with my BMW is white paint.
The Most Fun, Least Reliable Car I've Had
Bought my Jetta Wolfsburg, or affectionately, "The Puebla Wolfsburgo" in 10/02 with 13,000 miles on it. It has great handling and incredible torque. I could rip around the city then climb up the canyons without this car missing a beat. However, its constant problems quickly overshadowed the fun. Interior and exterior lights went glitchy, sunroof opened and wouldn't close, dash peeled, rear cupholders broke, center armrest broke, engine oil leaked and fouled spark plugs, ignition coil and bearings went bad. And of course, the dreaded check engine light which comes on constantly. All this and only 34,000 miles on the car. Despite the incredible performance, I don't think these cars are worth the headaches.
Poor man's Mercedes!
This has to be the best car I've ever owned. It's fun to drive and handles very good. Of coarse, I opted for the 17" low profile tires with the sport suspension! And it's a very safe car! 5 out of 5 Star's. Only thing, interior lights burnt out within first year! Other then that, great car.
2001 VW Jetta
I have had nothing but problems with electrical system, recalls, clutch problems and general unpredictability in what might go wrong next! I definitely wouldn't buy another VW after the problems I've encountered with this model.
Nothing but Trouble
I purchased my 2001 Jetta a year ago. The 2.8 VR6 engine is very sporty and fun to drive. Its suspension is tight yet comfortable. Since I bought this car I have had to replace an ignition coil ($500), spark plug wire set ($170), transmission (under warranty thank god), O2 sensor ($200 under warranty), and ECM ($1500 under warranty). I have had the car back for six days and everything seems to be a ok.
Love it love it loveit
I love this car. It look great, it runs great and it gets great gas mileage!! I love it so much more than the malibu I was driving!
GLX Vr6
I have read many of the negative comments about the Jetta. It looks like the most of the problems are in the initial build quality. I am the second owner of this car and it has over 70k miles and for the price(used) you can not beat what you get. It is tight rides well and is an absolute blast to drive. I owned the 850 GLT before this car and the repairs on a european car and the cars like the Jetta are not cheap. Maybe if the negative drivers would buy a ford focus or something like that they would not be so shocked by some of the repair bills. After all you are buying a BMW type car check out the repair bill on those...
STOP the HATE
The 2001 VW Jetta is awesome. It is fast as heck, the interior is awesome, and VW dealerships have great customer service. Its fuel economy isn't great, but thats the only down fall.
Piece of Junk!
I bought this car so that I could have something reliable to get me from point A to point B. So long with reliable part, the first month I had it the car was in the shop. Since then it has been in 15 other times. First it was both oxygen sensors, 4 spark plug wires, my cadilitic converter, my serpentine belt, the passenger side window and other things that I can't remember. Now the transmission is going out like several other peoples' Jettas. Do not buy this car! You will regret it!