HawthorneVillager.com

I am looking at purchasing a Jetta TDI. I am looking at 2006 or 2009 models (there was no 2007 and 2008 models realesed from what i hear).

While googling i read that the automatics have a lot of transmission problems and camshafts replacements needed.

I want to hear from somebody personally who has owned one of these or owns one now. Does the car give a lot of problems? Is it high maintenance?

Any good inputs will be appreciated. Thanks.

The question is, why would you want a used Jetta?

I'm no car expert, and I could be wrong, but I have never heard glowing reports on VW reliability.

I've got a 2010 Jetta TDI and absolutely love the car.

Servicing on them is easily every 16,000km. So when you're looking for something used keep in mind what servicing the owner should have done as they reach each interval.

With my TDI I'm averaging 800+km per tank (80-90% city driving). Definitely beats my previous Mazda3 which would get me about 440km per tank.

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According to Consumer Reports the VW Jetta 5cyl. is on the least reliable list. This list was mostly for 2007 cars.

Most Reliable Small Car
Most reliable (Best score first)

Honda Fit (pictured)*
Toyota Yaris*
Honda Civic Hybrid*
Toyota Corolla

Least reliable (Worst score first)

Chevrolet Cobalt
2006 Nissan Sentra
Volkswagen Jetta (5 cyl.)
Chevrolet Aveo

http://money.cnn.com/popups/2006/autos/reliable/index.html

I would personally never touch any VW with a 10-ft pole, but with the Jettas, and really any VW, people either love them or hate them, and with any car with spotty reliability records, opinions are always relative based on peoples' patience, connection with a car or brand, and spending tolerances (i.e. $1800 a year on repairs and maintenance, and needing to get towed might be "c'est la vie" for one person, but would be traumatic and grounds for selling to another).

I see a lot in town, so I'm sure you're you'll get some tried and true opinions coming your way.



No more 2003 Max?

alamshahid, 440 km/tank with a Mazda 3, really?! I easliy get close to 700, driving from Milton to the airport in rush hour...

"Per tank" measurement is meaningless unless you list the size of the tank, or better yet just use L/100km or MPG. Pretty sure your 2010 TDI has a 70L or more tank while your mazda 3 probably had a 45L or 50L tank.

I'm not doubting that your TDI gets better gas mileage, it is a small diesel engine afterall. But making it look like it's getting double the KMs out of the same amount of gas by saying 'per tank' isn't helping anyone.

I agree with Alpha. VW is a very polarizing brand when it comes to reliability. I just think they have a high chance of getting a lemon. Friends of mine had a TDI golf and had nothing but problems after 2 years. And even getting things fixed under warranty was almost impossible. Not that VW didn't try to fix it, but that they were incapable of it.

I have a 2011 Jetta - 55L tank, getting about 850km mixed usage.

Not sure when they changed the engine and transmission setup, but the current TDI + DSG setup is worth every cent. Its the same used in the Audi.

Like anything used, you are taking a chance. Most VW are spirited drives, so make sure your mechanic checks it out.

11+ years with my Golf never had to be in the shop for anything more than a silly issue.

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I Fell Into A Burning Ring Of Fire
I Went Down, Down, Down And The Flames Went Higher
And It Burns, Burns, Burns
The Ring Of Fire, The Ring Of Fire!

I have a 2001 Jetta (not TDI - still regretting that!). Getting warranty issues fixed is highly dealer dependant. I had some issues with my disk brakes wearing and a casting failure in my transmission gear box (manual 5 speed). Oakville Volkswagen was terrible to deal with. I've been going to Georgetown for service since 2002. They fixed the transmission under warranty, and were really good about it - explained they'd seen a couple of them and there was a problem with the casting supplier early in the production run (it was only it's second year out since a design change). I have not had any problems with it since and am looking at the TDI as a replacement for mine. My main complaint is parts are definitely more expensive. I do recall reading that there were issues with the Tiptronic transmission during it's early introduction (2008 I think) so I'd avoid an automatic from that year. But really, manual is just way more fun. I'd guess the tank is 65 L (that's what mine is). I'd hope you could do better than 800 L/tank but I guess the car is bigger now - more the size of what the Passat was. I get ~480-520 L/tank on mine. I think the only model year the TDI has not been available in Canda was 2007 (appeared in late 2008 with their new deisel engine that met California emmision standards).

And lets leave it at that.

Now... having owned 2000 TDI and my wife has 2009 TDI and now me with brand new 2012 TDI Jettas, you think I will be doing this if the cars were as horrible as the ppl who own nothing but corollas make them out to be?

+1

_________________
I Fell Into A Burning Ring Of Fire
I Went Down, Down, Down And The Flames Went Higher
And It Burns, Burns, Burns
The Ring Of Fire, The Ring Of Fire!

Well, I know you are all car experts, or maybe you are also just expressing an opinion.

Tell Consumer Reports, who rates these cars as one of the worst, but it is true, that my opinion, is that these cars are not that great.

No no... not an expert... OWNER

Consumer Reports must have missed getting comments from satisfied owners.