2008-02-21

Volkswagen Jetta

my friend is contemplating purchasing a jetta. here are my reasons why and why not...

Reasons to get a jetta:

  • They're small and fun to drive
  • It's a solid frame and can take a hit
  • We have the cold weather package, w/seat heaters for the front seats.
  • Black leather interior is nice.
  • 400 miles to the tank when oil freshly changed AND travelling constantly between 70 and 80 MPH
Reasons to NOT get a jetta:
  • They're small. Don't think you're going to cart your taller than 5'10" friends around in the back seat, or much anything else. We can barely fit one 80lb bale of hay in the trunk. 2 large suitcases fit only w/much maneuvering, and only b/c the one is tall and skinny. You cannot easily fit a bicycle in the car. Only by putting the back seats down, and then, only just. We have carried 9 foot pine trees for the winter holidays, but only by putting the seats down and have the trunk of the tree touch the dashboard and having 3 or 4 feet dragging behind the car. Sap on your dash = BAD.
  • Good luck finding a good mechanic
  • Expensive upkeep.
  • Full of specialty parts, including special pink coolant, wiper fluid, light bulbs
  • Electrical system seems slightly faulty and very dependent on the temperature. When it's cold, some features seem to not work right (b/c the wires shrink). Many people report frequent bulb/fuse shorts for lighting.
  • Many recalled parts over the years (we have a 2000)
  • Door locks stick in warmer weather.
  • It's more expensive than a hybrid (or was in 2000)
  • Not very fuel efficient, especially for town traffic (speeds less than 65 mph).
  • The plastic/rubber parts of the interior seem to scratch easily.
  • The cup holders completely broke within the first year after we purchased this vehicle. They're over $100 to replace.

i think that's all i've got for now. please comment. i know i might...

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Sam. This will help. I'll be test driving soon. That looks like it ended up being more negative than you thought it would be?

Slammin' Sam said...

actually, i thought i'd have more negative. i like my car, it gets me where i want to go, and i feel safe in it. there are just lots of things i don't like about it. and honestly, i really just want a different car.

Bop said...

I did not make your door locks.

Slammin' Sam said...

bop, good to know?

also, another bad thing:

our rear passenger window's control button inexplicably fell into the door with no apparent outside influence (ie. no one pushed it in, it just fell).

and, our front passenger window only goes down (w/the passenger side control). luckily the driver side control can still make it go up.

can't believe i forgot those things.

Slammin' Sam said...

ugh... just remembered another thing after seeing a silver jetta...

VW fills the doors w/some weird waxy goop. then, when it gets really hot, it kind of explodes/oozes out the bottom of the door and gathers on the frame of the door and is nasty on the outside...

what's up w/that.

akemijoy said...

why do you hate our car? sad.

when are we getting a hybrid accord?