This section is updated after six months of ownership of a brand new 03 Jetta Wagon.

I still love my Jetta Wagon but I do miss the customer service approach of Honda and the carefree ownership of my CRV.

Yes, with the Jetta Wagon, I have had more "subtle" issues than I ever did with my Honda. Here is a month to month breakdown of the issues the car has had.

Month One:
Remote key failure
Clicking noise coming from glove compartment area
Missing items that should have been in car

Month Two:
Remote key replaced
Clicking noise could not be resolved; still present
Finally got 1 item that should have come with car: cargo area cover

Month Three:
Sunroof rattling when opened
Clicking noise resolved by placing a hose in a different position within engine compartment

Month Four:
Sunroof rattles still occuring; manufacturer could not fix
Oil consumption issues present; for a car that is supposedly due for its first oil change at 5000 miles, I had a car that was getting oil dry by 3200 miles. Decided to have first oil change at 3500 miles.
Knocking sound appears by fuel tank area

Month Five:
Driver's seat creaking in all positions - seems like a mattress that has blown its springs.
Knocking sound still apparent.
Sunroof rattles still occuring.
Creaking sound from passenger rear tire when turning right

Month Six:
Took car on a 3800 mile trip over 11 days. Car behaved very well.
Now at 7000 miles, oil dipstick indicating car has no oil. (what happened to being able to wait until 10K miles for your next oil change?)
Took car in to a different VW dealership (my second one) to get the driver's seat fix (will be replaced), sunroof rattles taken care of (will do more research by they have a hunch that something is loose, like perhaps the sunvisor), and they are doing an oil consumption test which today, I have 8550 miles and so I will have to go back when I have 9550 miles so they can see how much oil the car is burning.

So as you can see, these don't seem to be horrific issues but they are issues that you don't expect to have in a brand new vehicle. Go figure.

How is the gas mileage per tank? Actually, it doesn't wonder too far off for the 24 city / 32 highway it states on sticker window. For mostly my inner city driving with lots of stop and go and short trips, i do average about 23. During my long trip, I was able to get about 420 per tank and still had some fuel left. So it averaged about 30-31 on the highway. Overall, pleased with the fuel economy.

Still love my VW wagon, but again, I can't recommend anyone to purchase one, especially if you just don't have the time to continuously make appts at the dealership, which there is always a wait list. Thank God that I don't have the worse problems at this point that other model year 2000+ VW drivers do. But I am sure they are coming up ahead, which makes me think I will get a Honda prior to running out my 4yr/50K warranty.

I do enjoy the stereo system, its peppiness (even though it is a 2.0L engine), and the room in the car. CONS: interior seats not easy to clean, and these small problems that I never encountered with a Honda product.

*****I'll update this in another six months for progress.





I love my 2003 Jetta Wagon GLS 5spd. That's the bottom line.

What is in the 2003 Jetta GLS Wagon:
Standard Features
Performance Handling:
2.0 L, 115 hp, 4 cylinder engine
Front wheel drive
Power rack and pinion steering
Independent strut front suspension
Track correcting independent torsion beam rear suspension
All season tires

Safety/Durability:
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
Daytime Running Lights
Front and side impact airbag supplemental restraints for front passenger and driver
Side Curtain Protection head impact airbag supplemental restraints for driver, front, and rear passengers
Height adjustable front safety belts
Adjustable front seat head restraints
Rear three-point safety belts and head restraints; all three seating positions
Child safety rear door locks
Anti-intrusion side impact beams
Front and rear power assisted disc brakes

Comfort/Convenience
Air-conditioning, CFC-free with pollen and dust filter
Cruise control
Power windows with pinch protection
Folding key with remote keyless entry
Power/heatable outside mirrors
Height adjustable, telescoping steering wheel
Center armrest
Seatback map pockets (even though this is listed on Monroney label and on website, this feature doesn't come with the vehicle!!!!?)
Adjustable intermittent front wipers
Rear wiper/washer system with intermittent wipe feature
Front and rear carpeted floor mats
Height adjustable front seats
Split folding rear seat
Dual front visor vanity mirrors
Rear reading lights
Remote release for fuel filler flap
Power central locking system
Roof rails
Cargo area cover

Special features at no charge:
15" alloy wheels
Power glass sunroof with tilt, slide and preselect
In-dash, single CD/cassette player
Anti-theft alarm system for vehicle and radio
Immobilizer III theft deterrent system

Warranty Information:
4 years/50,000 miles bumper to bumper
5 years/60,000 Powertrain Limited Warranty
12 years/unlimited mileage Limited Warranty against Corrosion Perforation
4 years/50,000 free Roadside Assistance provided by AAA

MSPR: 19590 destination charge: $20,165.00 (Invoice $18,765 - this includes dealer advertising fee, destination charge, port of entry fee - without these, invoice is actually 17,865)

Holdback on VWs: 2% of total base price including added on features

Now on to my review:

I previously owned a 2000 Honda CRV, which I loved when I first saw it. Once I test drove it, pure love!!!! After driving automatic for a few years, I felt it was time for something more dazzling, luxurious, and economical without sacrificing too much cargo space (once you drive a sports-utility vehicle, you get spoiled with space and never want to lose it) and paying lots of money. I personally don't care much for the newly styled CRVs and well, I was desperately wanting to get back into a VW as I had a great experience owning a 93 VW Fox. My dream from VW was always to have a Jetta hatchback (I am crazy for hatchbacks....) - and no, the Golf was not the answer even though it's similar enough to say it could be a Jetta Hatchback. When I saw the VW Jetta Wagon (came out in 2001), it was love at first sight (despite being ridiculed by friends that I would be driving a much less sportier looking vehicle vs. the CRV and what is a single person doing in a wagon in the first place!!!!).

I think different I guess (see my review for the Apple iBook....I am not a Windows person either).

Now on with the Jetta Wagon GLS experience:

Once you're in the GLS wagon, you don't feel as if you are in a station wagon. It's pure luxury (the velour seats are so cushiony and plush (way better than their standard cloth in the base GL model and a whole lot supportive and comfortable than the CRV) yet firm and hug you in once you precisely set them to your liking (if you like leather, there is a leather option but my review is based on velour), power locks/windows and access to the sunroof without getting into the car, a/c and heater are first rate, audio sound (even without Monsoon added you can lose your hearing if you wanted to) ROCKS, cool center armrest/storage compartment that adjusts between seats, huge lockable glovebox, state of the art remote key entry system), style (says european all over), and versatility (telescopic/adjustable steering wheel, dependable cupholders, everything power/sunroof works even if you turn off your car) without sacrificing functionality (excellent confident drive; I am 5'11'' and have excellent room to drive around in, easy to read instrumentation panel, and all you need is within reach), space (as a single person with a cat, I have remotely the same amount of space that I would ever need as I did with the Honda CRV; I don't feel cramped in the driver's seat even after adjusting the seat the way I like it -- I even sat behind the driver's seat to see if I would be comfortable sitting behind me while driving and I had plenty of space as well!, love that the cargo area cover is standard and there are compartments underneath the cargo floor) or evolutionary safety engineering (heatable power side mirrors, daytime running lights, all doors automatically lock once your car reaches 8 mph, 8 airbags, speed sensed windshield wipers, awesome engine for a 2.0L with 115 hp, body designed to protect you in a really bad accident, and its own anti-theft system with immobilizer unit ).

Personal comparison with another SUV:

The Jetta Wagon may only be a 2.0 L 115 hp, but it certainly zips vs. my 00 Honda CRV (2.0 L 146 hp).
I feel more secure, spoiled with comfort, and rewarded with better gas mileage (24/32 vs. 22/25 in Honda). I love Honda and their products but for what I was looking for, Honda didn't have an answer.

Why this wagon for me:

This wagon has everything I wished for (a VW, 5 spd (automatic is available and probably more available than the 5 spd but I was tired of just having a passive driving experience), luxury sensory experience, sunroof, cargo space of an SUV, sports performance in a sedan vehicle (I am quite content with this version vs. the 1.8 T or V6 option), economical, low maintenance (after your first 5K and 10K oil changes, the vehicle has an every 10K maintain schedule to follow - you got to love that!), European sensibility, roominess for driving and passengers (although I think the back fits 2 adults comfortably instead of three), a smaller vehicle than my Honda yet still feeling enormous on the inside), great safety features (I think Volvo has competition here) and more. The handling is crisp, the shifting secure, and the controls at night captivating! The standard sunroof is like the cherry on the sundae.

Under the hood / maintenance:

Every time you gas up, you should inspect tire pressure, engine oil, washer fluids, and clean your windows to increase visibility.

(1) Tire pressure: You don't have to unscrew anything from the tires any longer....all you do is insert your little gauge and press in and read the pressure. No messy hands. Adjust tire pressure as needed.

(2) Opening the hood is fun. You release from inside your car, walk over to the hood, lift up anywhere in the front of the hood, look for a little lever (a helping hand I call it) and pull on it, and the hood is open for you. You no longer have to search for a clasp or fastener under the hood (which is an advantage at night or on cold days), and then you simply lift up the hood. The car's hood also has a built in suspension for the hood that you don't have to hook it up to a sustaining arm any longer or find any holes to insert it to. Very easy, quick, and painless.

Everything that you need to inspect under the hood is right there! The engine oil dipstick is in yellow and right in front of you. Very easy to pull out, inspect, insert, and voila! You are done.

I love to check under the hood now as it reminds me of a Pre-school Play Car (very easy, very big, and very friendly to those who are mechanically-challenged, like me.)

(3) Maintenance intervals are spread apart more so than other cars. First oil change is scheduled for 5000 miles and then 10,000 miles next. Thereafter, the intervals are on a 10,000 miles interval. Means less time at the service station and more time enjoying your drive.

This wagon is made in Germany and not in Mexico (and I believe that there is a difference in the assembly quality and durability because of this. Visit www.myvwlemon.com to see the negative aspect of owning a Mexican-made VW as well as some experience about the German (Wolfsburg) edition products.) Another site, more pro-VW, is www.vwvortex.com.

One of the greatest things to say about this wagon is that the entire Jetta Wagon line (GL and GLS; prior to 2003, there was also GLX) is assembled and manufactured in Wolfsburg, Germany. The Jetta sedans and Golfs are assembled and manufactured in Puebla, Mexico. So if you are looking for German-engineering without the price of an Audi, BMW, or Mercedes, consider this truly German-made sedan-utility-vehicle (SUV).

Great warranty:

For peace of mind, VW backs this wagon up with a 4 yr/50K mile warranty - bumper to bumper - so that is a plus when considering the standard 3/36 that is offered amongst the other big makes (Ford, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, etc.) A 5 yr/60mile power train and 12 year corrosion warranty is included too.

Plenty of wagons to choose from:

From a 1.8 Turbo, diesel, and the classic 2.0 liter 115 hp engine, you can get the wagon of your dreams. Standard and automatic.

Exterior colors to choose from are white, red, blue, black, green, silver, and gold. Interior, (GL=cloth, GLS=velour), can be beige, black or grey, depending on model and exterior color. Mine is the Reflex Silver with black interior. Way cool!

Customer Service and Satisfaction - Not Great

So far this is the only negative thing I have to write about VW. My vehicle did not come equipped with two items that were listed on the Monroney label (the sticker on your vehicle that lists all the items in the car, gas mileage comparison, and assembly/warranty informaton). It's been 20 days now and I have tried to get these items or resolution from the dealership and VW of America. One item was provided to me after repeatedly complaining for a period of 12 days by taking it off another car (this I think is not a good business practice since another car will have the same problem as I did.) Another item is a factory-installed feature that didn't come installed. So I am waiting to hear about a compromise. But I believe that this is way too long to get such a simple matter resolved.

From experience, customer service is not a strong suit for VW or its dealerships. I have been to three dealerships and they were all bad. There are seven total in my area and luckily have found the fourth one to be better than expected. The car sales process was painless and very accommodating but it looks like thereafter, you are on your own.

This was not anywhere near compared to the Honda Customer Satisfaction that you would receive from that brand.

more information on this or any other VW:
www.vw.com

Overall:

There isn't really anything I could say against this superb SUV. If you are looking for the same things that I was, go to your nearest VW dealership and test-drive today - then be ready to take one home :-) However, if you have any problems with your vehicle, be prepared to start having to spend a lot of money in repairs, rentals while your car gets fixed, and fighting the dealership, VW of America and even your advocates at VW Customer Care (who tend to side with the dealership anyway and are powerless to remedy any of your situations). I may love my car, but you certainly will endure one of the worst customer service expereinces for the lifetime of you owning your vehicle. It was a big mistake to try VW compared to Honda. Visit www.complaints.com, www.planetfeedback.com/sharedletters, and www.nhsta.dot.gov for more information on bad customer satisfaction and problems that others have experienced that VW doesn't step up to the plate and take care of!
Amount Paid (US$): 18700