Used 2001 Volkswagen Jetta Wagon Consumer Reviews
There is no point in owning a gas VW
Bought the Jetta Wagon because we had just bought a Golf TDI and were impressed with the great interior and driving experience. Whoops! In two years we've had $6000 in maintenance. 22c/mile, more than twice any other car I have owned. And that's with just 100k on the clock. I've taken numerous Hondas and Subarus past 150k, and NONE of them has ever cost me more than 8-10cents/mi to maintain. Multiple cooling leaks, water pump (plastic impeller) failure (twice). Failed MAF sensor. Electrical, window and door latch problems. Last week a new ECU ($1000). It's not just the number of things, it's the parts cost (which Consumer Reports doesn't report). Example: cup holder broke. The PART was $180!
Review of 2001 Jetta Wagon
The Jetta wagon looks great, is fun to drive, and can haul a lot of stuff...but it is not reliable. It has spent 30 days in the shop in one year. The problems have been sensor malfunctions, failed switches (casuing the car to be unable to switch out of park), and transmission problems (causing 4th gear to fail and the other gears to malfunction). VW dealer and customer service has been terrible. I have serviced the vehicle at TransOcean VW in Pasadena. I would not reccomend them. In additional to the mechanical problems, they dented the car.
The Best
My Volkswagen Jetta Wagon is the best. I am a musician and haul lots of instruments and gear. I loaded all this up in several wagons for a test drive and there was no question. This car held more equipment, drives much better (it's a blast to drive), is more comfortable for long drives, and the sound system is outstanding. The heated seats and sunroof add to the joy. I could not be happier with this car. I've got 115,000 miles and never had a problem. I have only had to make oil changes and 3 tune-ups. Fahrvergnuegen! Danke Volkswagen!
2002 Wagon rocks!
Bought a 2002 Jetta wagon in Oct 2001 and I love the car. I got the 2.0 liter 5-speed manual transmission and this car has no problems accelerating with one person. The cornering is excellent and the ride feels like a sports car. The interior looks and feels great (esp. at night). Small size makes parking easy. The wagon gives you almost as much cargo space as a small SUV with much better gas mileage.
Great German Wagon
This car replaced a 2000 Beetle (I loved the Beetle but needed more useful cargo space). It has very few negatives: its mileage isn't great. I've used regular gas for three years. The mpg actually improved from when I used super. It has no knocks or pings. I had a problem with the coolant system when I moved to the desert. The coolant evaporates in this intense heat. Now, the positives: the car is great. Its handling after six years is still crisp and responsive. Its fit / finish are excellent. Even using regular gas the acceleration is excellent. I also have a '04 Mustang Convertible. My Jetta wagon is so much more fun to drive. I love this car.