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2008 Volkswagen Jetta

80 messages,  Last post on May 16, 2012 at 3:18 PM

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What is this discussion about? Volkswagen Jetta, Sedan

    

Messages Page 4 of 8

#31 of 80 Feedback on Jettas by m6user

Jul 04, 2008 (2:55 pm)

The '08 Jetta SE auto is currently on my list of potential cars that I'm looking at to buy sometime in the next three months. I didn't see a thread on the Jetta forum regarding real world mpg experience on the 2.5 auto powertrain. Love to hear some realistic reports on mileage as well as opinions of the '08 or Jetttas in general. Thanks.

#32 of 80 gas mileage by roughrider1

Jul 04, 2008 (6:20 pm)

M6user, I drive in mostly rural areas with some city driving, and I constantly get 31 mpg and if I have to go far on freeway, I get 33 mpg. Very pleased with mine.

#33 of 80 Re: gas mileage [roughrider1] by m6user

Jul 04, 2008 (6:59 pm)

Replying to: roughrider1 (Jul 04, 2008 6:20 pm)
Thanks roughrider1! That's actually very good mpg...well above the lower range. Would you consider yourself to be a conservative driver?
 
I read all the Jetta consumer reviews and some complained about mpg or marked it down a little. Then I read about a lot of clutches going and understanding the demographics of the Jetta market, I add two and two together and decide one might beget the other. I have never had any trouble getting epa estimates on my cars and I would say I'm a pretty average driver. In a hurry sometimes but mostly fairly easy going.

#34 of 80 Re: Feedback on Jettas [m6user] by jeffyscott

Jul 05, 2008 (1:01 pm)

Replying to: m6user (Jul 04, 2008 2:55 pm)
In the one long trip we took we averaged 31 or 32 mpg on in our 2005.5 with 2.5 ATX, driving on the freeway typically at 70-75 mph. I don't really know what it gets around town, because my wife drives it and unlike me she does not check mpg with every tank.

#35 of 80 Re: Feedback on Jettas [jeffyscott] by m6user

Jul 05, 2008 (5:32 pm)

Replying to: jeffyscott (Jul 05, 2008 1:01 pm)
Thanks. How has your repairs/maint been? Is it true that an oil change is something like $100 even though you might only have to get it changed once a year or so?
 
From what I can gather, the engine realiability of the Jetta has improved since they came out with the 2.5 and overall reliability has also improved over the last several years. Would you agree with that?

#36 of 80 Re: Feedback on Jettas [m6user] by jeffyscott

Jul 05, 2008 (7:46 pm)

Replying to: m6user (Jul 05, 2008 5:32 pm)
We never paid anywhere near $100 for an oil change. Our first one was free and the other two were about $60 or a little less. We have spent $455 on maintenance in 3+ years and 25,000 miles.
 
Ours was a pretty early one, bought end of May 2005, I think that was the second or third month for it. So we probably had more issues than average, which we fully expected. Several minor things right away and then strut bearings after 6 months and one bigger item, a transmission repair after one year. These were all under warranty. Oh yeah, and there was a speedometer TSB.
 
Also two minor recalls one was to check location of a fuel line or something the other is for to disable certain headlight aiming screws.
 
CR now rates the 05-07 as average or above, this is a definite improvement over ratings for the prior versions of the Jetta. The engine gets a lot of red circles (= good reliability) in CRs ratings.

#37 of 80 Re: Feedback on Jettas [jeffyscott] by m6user

Jul 05, 2008 (8:17 pm)

Replying to: jeffyscott (Jul 05, 2008 7:46 pm)
Thanks for info. Sounds a lot like a Buick LaSabre Ltd I had. Loved the car but it really did have a lot of warranty work, mostly minor, some major....a lot like your experience. I know what a hassle it is even if they are picking up the tab. Have things pretty much smoothed out on it now?
 
Now the real question.....if you were in the market would you buy a new Jetta? What about the new 2009 TDI?

#38 of 80 Re: Feedback on Jettas [m6user] by jeffyscott

Jul 06, 2008 (5:36 am)

Replying to: m6user (Jul 05, 2008 8:17 pm)
In the last 2 years+, since the transmission there was really only the second recall which is a nothing issue. They did not disable certain headlight aiming screws, which apparently cars in the US are not allowed to have by NHTSA. The speedometer was always off, but I became aware of TSB admitting it and giving a fix recently, so that was just done at the last oil change. Previously they had said they could check it but if it was not off, they would have to charge us $50, so we had let it go.
 
Oh and they have to replace the truck lifters, the 2005s would lift the trunk lid all the way open when you hit the trunk release button. These had gradually weakened and it would just pop the lock , like most do. So I finally asked them about it at the last oil change. This feature was eliminated, so at first they were in denial, no one knew the truck lid was supposed to go up. They tested another 2005 on the lot and it did not do it (uh, yeah it's broken too ). It was not a big deal, I mean it would be a burden , but we could continue to survive with manually lifting the lid. I said something like "if you want to say that this is not something that will be fixed under warranty, fine, but don't try to tell me that it did not ever lift the trunk lid..." Finally they found a district manager who actually remembered that this was a feature in the early ones and agreed to replace next time we want to bring it in. I had also found a video clip someone had made of this feature in action and emailed it to the service manager .
 
All this sounds like a lot, but really we only made 2 extra trips to the dealer and we did get a free loaner as needed. In fact, during the transmission repair, we got a Mazda6 loaner, so it was kind of nice as I got an extended test drive and my wife drove our other vehicle. The first extra trip was when it was new and had to go for the recall, which was a minor thing except it said a fire could possibly start and we had 4-5 other minor items, anyway. The second extra trip was for the strut bearings, which were making strange noises they were replaced with a redesigned part. Including normal maintenance we have had it in 6 times in 3 years+. My Mazda6, because of their 4 month oil change requirement, has been in 5 times in 1.5 years.
 
My wife would buy another and I would be fine with that. She loves the car. The transmission needing repair is the only item that would cause me much concern, but transmission issues have not been common on these so I would not let it prevent us from getting another. I like my Mazda6 better, it is just slightly more comfortable for me mainly because the steering wheel telescopes further out.
 
But do like some things about her car more...the extendable sun visors, driver's arm rest for right arm, her automatic transmission is smoother than Mazda's, her A/C is better, her windshield washer system is better, her car is better in snow or even wet as she has ESP (stability control) plus I think her tires are more truely all-seasonish. Hers also had better IIHS crash test results.
 
You may already know this, but the current models have 4 year/50K mi bumper to bumper warranty, next year I think that drops to 3 years/36K mi and they add free maintenance for those 3 years.
 
Diesel mpg would be nice, even though often offset somewhat by the higher price of the fuel. OTOH, we do not drive all that much and don't like the idea of taking longer to get heat in winter. We would probably at least drive it and do the math on fuel savings vs. higher initial cost. I guess diesel engines are also supposed to be more durable, but since we would probably only hit 100K mi in about 12 years that is not a big consideration.
 
What would intrigue me more is if they would make the DSG transmission available in the lower priced trim levels of the Jetta and Rabbit.

#39 of 80 Re: Feedback on Jettas [jeffyscott] by m6user

Jul 06, 2008 (11:17 am)

Replying to: jeffyscott (Jul 06, 2008 5:36 am)
Thanks again for the copious notes. I've had my Mazda6 for about 10 months and it's been back to the dealer twice--both for oil changes and a bracket on one of the tailpipes came loose and they refastened it...very, very minor really. Has been an excellent car and it was originally for me but my wife has taken it over and I drive it rarely now. Hence I'm looking at another car for me. Oh what a chore(ha ha). The three I'm looking at are the Jetta, Sonata and the new Mazda6. Obviously I have to wait another 5-6 weeks to really look at the new Mazda6 and I'm sure prices on that will be high until at least January or so. If it really is popular and is as nice as it seems on paper I may just have to bite the bullet and pay top dollar. It's a shame because as you well know, the price we paid for the current Mazda6 was a steal in my opinion.
 
I feel pretty much the same with TDI....I don't think I would drive enough miles a year to really justify the extra expense up front. Anyway, is the new 3/36 warranty with free service on the Jetta worth it or would you rather have the comfort level of that fourth year? I guess I would lean towards a little better price on the 08 and the longer warranty. I also have to time my purchase because if I wait too long for the Mazda6, the supply of 08 Jettas may become pretty depleted. What do you think?

#40 of 80 Re: Feedback on Jettas [m6user] by jeffyscott

Jul 06, 2008 (7:45 pm)

Replying to: m6user (Jul 06, 2008 11:17 am)
Yep, I always like to point out to my wife that the Mazda6 cost us $3K less than the Jetta . I doubt that'll be the case with the new '09 at least for a while.
 
I don't know, the warranty vs. free service is kind of a toss-up to me, since they still have 5 year/60 K mi on the powertrain. I felt the same way with the Mazda6 which went from 4 years to 3 on the bumper to bumper but added a 5 year power train warranty. The price difference between a leftover '08 vs. new '09 would likely be a bigger factor to me.
 
If you know what you want, you could try to find out how many are around. When my wife got hers she knew exactly what she wanted, had to be the right color and trim level. I checked on-line inventory of dealers to find out there were very few within 100 miles, so we took what seemed like a good deal on one when offered. But she had also already narrowed it down to just the Jetta, there was no new car we were waiting to see...actually the Jetta was the new one that we had waited for, but it had come out early, like March.

Messages Page 4 of 8

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