Torn with a Jetta

I am torn with getting a Jetta or not, see I test drove a automatic 2002 Jetta the other day, really liked it, style,interior, exterior, all very nice. The Lot dealer is asking for 5500 for it, it has 105,000 miles on it. Theres a few problems, 1) the assengr side window fell into the door while test driving it, th headlights need to be replaced, new back tires, and new radio, the guy saidd he would fix it all and, were going t try and lower the price a little bit more as well. If thats all said and done ill probabley decide to get it. Mechanics were telling me one, there expensive to maintain, I understand there import cars, there going to be pricey, But i NEED to know from YOU GUYS, HOW expensive are they to maintain, and how often?

Thanks.

Hello, All cars are pricey to maintain. If your serious about this car I suggest you do this. Find a licensed mechanic that you trust. Even possibly the local dealership. Pay to have a full safety inspection done. The mechanics license is at stake with the full safety inspection. About $150 where I live. Explain to the mechanic that you want a independent evaluation to include all the known issues and a written estimate please. A good mechanic will spend about 1 to 2 hours and go for a test drive. Do not be surprised that some hidden issues are uncovered. I payed $Canadian 450.00 for my 97 . Did it need work??? You bet . I do all my own work,and replaced the brakes, the alternator, and the windshield wiper assembly before I drove it. Its a nice car. Good luck Allan

I'm not trying to be a downer, but I wouldn't order up a jetta that old with that kind of mileage unless you have a service manual and you're certain you can do the work yourself, because you'll probably be doing plenty.

I've had two - I dumped mine, and then married someone who had one. Hers has been OK so far, but we are approaching $1000 of non-warranty repairs at 5 years old and 48,000 miles, and it's starting to get its own hiccups. Those charges are about half what they would've been if all of the fixes would've been dealer fixes - I did the ones that I could easily do without having a lift.

The window motors and regulators were problematic on some of the jettas - on my old one (which was lots less reliable than the above mentioned one, even by 50K miles), one side had both the motor and regulator replaced, and the other side (front passenger) had the motor and regulator replaced twice - under warranty. None of the parts are cheap if that's non warranty.

Hopefully, the newer ones are better, but you're looking at a IV, and both of mine were IVs. the IIIs aren't exactly reliability kings, either, but you'd hope sooner or later, VW would get the memo on getting into the 2000s and making cars that don't have 3 times the frequency of repairs that other imports have.

the window shout be fixed for free, mine was, due to a recall on the window clips but this was also on a 2002. also what motor does this car hav in it? the problem with automatics is that there is a switch for the brake pedal that will make it so u can take the car out of park that i hav heard can go every few months. thats one reason i like the 5speed over that automatic.