Used 2004 Volkswagen Jetta Consumer Reviews
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Nicknamed my battle tank.
Scott, 12/13/2015
2004 Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI 4dr Sedan (1.9L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5A)
25 of 28 people found this review helpful
I bought my '04 Jetta TDI as a commuter car and to keep the miles off my F250. Purchased it with 136,000 off Craigslist from original owner who had documentation of all routine maintenance from dealership in Milwaukee. Since purchase I'm currently at 222,000 miles. Since my purchase I've had some minor issues. Heater blower motor. Did the work myself with YouTube. Took a half hour and I believe $30. Front wheel bearing a few thousand miles ago. Awesome local mechanic did the bearing and full brake job and a pesty new thermostat for $400. Approx 500 miles ago I blew an intercooler hose connection putting the car into limp mode. I brought the car to Jim's Bug Center in Waukesha. For $250 he replaced the hose along with a few other worn hoses he located and a pulley bearing that would squeak when turning at slow speeds. The doozy was I opted for the dreaded timing belt replacement which was $750. Car drives almost as good as my wife's 2012 Jetta TDI still. Needless to say I'm a happy TDI owner.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Mechanically reliable, but that's all
hgates, 09/10/2012
2004 Volkswagen Jetta GL 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 4A)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
I have owned this for 8 years (purchased new). Mechanically, it is fairly reliable. Save a water pump there have been no issues other than normal wear and tear items. The engine seems solid, although underpowered and noisy. The transmission is not very responsive, especially switching from R to D. The rest of the car is complete junk. Everything falls off. The center hub cap on the alloys, the chrome trim on the doors, the fabric on the interior doors, the speaker grills, the headliner is falling down, the center console broke apart, the engine splash guard, the plastic lower grill inserts, etc. Also, all the rubber coating on everything peels and looks horrible after a few years.
wagon werks
rusty33, 10/10/2003
2004 Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI 4dr Wagon (1.9L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5M)
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
This vehicle can be summed up in two words- fuel mileage. Nothing in it's class even comes close. If one is looking for rubber burning performance, I suggest a look somewhere else. On the highway, this car delivers with a quiet, communicative ride. Interior room is adequate, but six-footers need not apply for a position in the back seat. Build quality is what we have come to expect from VW. No tinny doors on this one. The leather cleans up nicely after a good day at the beach. Overall, we are very satisfied with this current model and would recommend the experience to those looking for a stylish ride, adequate get up and go, and exceptional fuel economy.
VW Jetta are Junk
lchilders, 08/09/2010
2004 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 4A)
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
I bought this car brand new in March of 2004 after I lost my 01 honda civic. When I first drove the Jetta I fell in love with all the gadgets, blue light gauges and the comfort of the car itself. But when I bought the car immediately the nightmare began, first a week after I bought the car the bulb went out in the dash below the radio, then my gear shift locked up , my battery went dead after 3 1/2 years of ownership, I had to replace the bulbs in my rear and headlights more than 4 times, my water pump and tachometer needed replacing, my driver side window have twice come off track, armrest is broken, steering wheel is coming apart. 6 years of owning this junk as been a real nightmare.
SPORT WAGON WITH MPG
A J FICCARDI, 12/11/2003
2004 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 1.8T 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
the 1.8 turbo packs a delightful punch while returning 31 miles per gallon. The car handles wonderfully. The best additional feature is the huge cargo area. The interior materials are completely top notch as well. Every time i drive it, I enjoy it more. Everything on the car works better than expected.
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