1996 Jetta Reliablility/Maintence??

[rwh11385]

Yeah, so my sister is looking for a car, and we've found a 96 Jetta for just under $3k.
I'm asking how is the drivability, maintence, reliability, etc. on these cars?

[Jand3rson]

Re: 1996 Jetta Reliablility/Maintence??

Yeah, so my sister is looking for a car, and we've found a 96 Jetta for just under $3k.
I'm asking how is the drivability, maintence, reliability, etc. on these cars?

MkIII Jettas are GREAT cars. Jordan had one for a long time, and it never had any problems that I can think of, and I've known countless people that have owned them since new, that have had very minimal, if any problems with them.

[Werksmini]

It is a VW though, the engineering isnt up to BMW standards.

[Jand3rson]

It is a VW though, the engineering isnt up to BMW standards.

To be perfectly honest, every time I go to the dealership for parts for my E30 or stuff for my mom's new beetle, there are always new BMW's in the service bays, and almost never any VW's.

[mgold]

My sister-in-law had a Jetta Mk III that was a piece of junk. Now part of it had to do with the fact that it was used (I suspect it may have been in an accident at some point because I found evidence of some previous bodywork, and no I don't believe they ran a Carfax on it), it was an automatic, and she probably didn't take very good care of it. Even then it had trim that was falling off the doors (a common problem with those cars as I understand it). The car stranded her a couple of times driving back to Sacramento from Santa Barbara and eventually the car completely died and was donated to charity. She's now driving a brand new Toyota Corolla.

[AdamF 88iS]

VWs have always been hit or miss. I think it has to do with which factory the particular car came out of. Some will run flawlessly, others will be constantly in the shop. Just choose wisely and you'll be ok.

[rwh11385]

Well shit, how am I to know what factory it came from. Now I am leaning away from it.

Hmmm, time to call about these Honda Civic's........

[bimmerphile]

VWs have always been hit or miss. I think it has to do with which factory the particular car came out of. Some will run flawlessly, others will be constantly in the shop. Just choose wisely and you'll be ok.

My parents only drive VW's. I cannot emphasize how true what Adam says is.

[Werksmini]

VWs have always been hit or miss. I think it has to do with which factory the particular car came out of. Some will run flawlessly, others will be constantly in the shop. Just choose wisely and you'll be ok.

My parents only drive VW's. I cannot emphasize how true what Adam says is.

Wolfsburg vs. mexican built has something to do with that.

[e30Matt]

Yeah, we've got an '01 Passat 1.8T and I swear to god, it's a rolling example of Murphy's Law.

[AndrewBird]

Well, I know for a fact they are good for roll overs/sliding(flying) down a 150 bank through a few trees. :)

Andrew

[rwh11385]

Well, he's driving the car by, and I'm going to check it out. I'd rather have my sister get a VW than a Camry, like she thinks she wants. Wouldn't mind a Civic in the drive, but not a gold/brown camry!

[decay]

i can tell you they're pretty goddamned safe... i took an a3 gti into a tree and soundwall at over 100mph. pushed the soundwall in about a foot, and there was a semi-cylindrical imprint of the tree from one side of the car to the other.

i walked away.

back on topic, i've owned 2 A2s and 3 A3's and they've all been nearly maintenance-free... i did a wheel bearing on one of the 8V's, had to replace a broken exhaust hanger on a VR6... that's all i can think of, though.