New VW Rabbit... I think i want one
 

I'm really diggin' the new VW Rabbits (http://www.vw.com/rabbit/index.html), and would like to unload the stratus.... so I'm thinking maybe about trading it in and maybe leasing a rabbit. I only drive about 25 miles per week, so maybe leasing could be the way to go. I haven't really put a ton of thought into it.

Why? Why oh why would you do that?

My 99 beetle was a good car for about 50k, then it literally started falling appart. My sisters 2005 beetle convertable has been at the dealer repeatedly. To this day, water drips in under the dash when it rains, and they are clueless as to where its coming from.

Perhaps when VW gets their ***** together in the quality dept.......

oh, hrm... well, I don't have any experience with the newer VW's. I've wanted a Jetta for a long time, but The Rabbit looks more like my style.
Do you just have bad luck or is this a serious problem?

Wasn't '99 the first year of the Mexican-made Jetta/Golf/Beetle platform?

Consumer Reports shows the '99s had horrible reliability but that it improved steadily over the years.

Yep:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1154065188.jpg

How is it different from the Golf?

It's made on the bad side of Mexico. :D

crap, now I'm sad. oh well...

I would at least check it out. I kind of like it and thought about getting one for my mom. I have an 03 Jetta and to be honest the engine has been reliable. The interior things are what bother me. Faulty things that I have run into in 3 years all covered under warranty -

1) Wiper motor failed (replaced)
2) Sunroof jammed (i knew this before I left the lot) (repaired)
3) Plastic box latch cracked (replaced)
4) Clutch pedal squeaks (repaired)
5) Passenger Seat Frame Cracked (awaiting parts now)

Not perfect reliability but I am still a fan of VW and would buy another one.

All cars have problems but if you want reliabilty with no style get a Toyota IMO. I sacrafice reliability for performance and fun and I love my VW so much so that I am thinking in the next couple of years of switching to the Touareg.

Well, I do like the GTi:
http://www.automobilemag.com/multime...gti_01_445.jpg

This is better though (faster, lighter, handles better and cheaper):
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/1....f34.1.500.jpg
Edmunds says it handles like a rear-drive BMW... :cool:

I find it pretty surprising that Rabbit is a stronger brand in the US than Golf. Always seemed like a dumb name to me. Kinda fits an old Mk1 Golf with 50hp diesel, but not a mk5.

+1

Volkswagens are great when they're working, but my A3 Jetta has been the pits reliability wise. Friends with A4s have had tons of electrical issues as well. It's tough, they are great cars to drive, but IMO not great cars to own.

Issues I've had in the past 2 years (does not include what I consider to be standard fix & replace items.. starters, batteries, exhaust etc. )
- Lost reverse
- Axle seals leaking, resulting in losing 5th gear
- Turbocharger seized
- ongoing, nonstop electrical gremlins
- AC has been fixed twice, not working again
- Door handles breaking... I rarely have all 4 working at once
- Body trim falling off
- Door hinges wearing out

Last week the car caught fire because of a short in the heater fan. Sparks, smoke and melted plastic... fuse didn't even blow. The garage said "Wow, lucky you saved it, usually they burn to the dirt." Nice!

Yeah, this is on a 10 yr old car with 180k miles (300+k kms). I've had Hondas, Toyotas and Mazdas with equivalent or more mileage that never, ever had issues like this.

Plus, you should see the receipts from the original owner's first 5 years. Crank pulley came loose!

When did VW's reliablilty go down hill? I owned a couple of older Rabbits (82&84) and while they were definitely econoboxes with underpowered engines they just seemed to last forever.

I've heard it was with the A3s... '93-98.

FWIW, I had an 87 Jetta with 370k+ miles, and it was a fantastic, reliable car. I drove it 25k miles/yr and would take it on 1500 mile trips without hesitation.

I checked out the new GTI. It drove well, but for $35K, I can think of some other cars I would rather have.

if they made the new rabbit look EXACTLY like the old one but w/ all new motor/ac/brakes/components etc. i'd buy it in a heartbeat. oh, and no power ANYTHING. thanks vw SmileWavy

I originally went to see the Rabbit, hoping it would be a smaller lighter version of the Golf. When I learned it was the same Mk5 chassis, I checked out the GTI, then gagged at the price.

The mk5 GTI is surely the best one since the 92 16v.

I'd rather spend 9,000 on a used SVT Focus than 23k on a new GTI.

YMMV.

That Focus is probably built better and more reliable down the road.

This was a big thing when I bought my car and now the manual passenger seat frame has problems. Awaiting the dealer to call and let me know the parts are in.

The trouble with VW isnt limited to just the cars built in Mexico. My 2000 GTI came straight from Germany. It then spent over 2 weeks in repairs over the 27 months that I owned it. I dumped it at 27 months with 50,000KM on it because it was 3 months out of warranty and needed a new alarm computer (car would lock and set off the alarm ramdomly) the rear wiper would spray washer fluid all over the back of the car and one of the sensors needed replacing to fix my CEL. Overall close to $2000 in repairs, thanks VW! never again.

It's funny how everone is having problems, my beetle TDI rocks, i guess it must be a gasser thing.

my '83 rabbit still runs even though it hasn't seen an oil change in 3 yrs LOL. oh yeah, and i only start it once every month or two when i need to get wheels/tires to the shop :D

well, some people here have no clue about the newer vw's...

1. the a3 cars were very reliable. I personally have a 96 golf with 451k miles on it, i drive it everyday 120 miles and get 36 mpg.

2. I also own a new 06 GTI, it cost me $22k..wtf did you get a 35k car? topped out they are 26k. Best GTI ever..i have had every version of them too so I can qualify this.

3. The new golfs and rabbits are made in GERMANY..not mexico.

4 Get the GTI as they have 0% financing right now on left over 06's..

5. Most of the problems people had with their vw's were stupid..and alot were self inflicted. i cannot tell you how many times I saw that when i worked at the VW dealer.

6. they do/did make some bad ones(mostly 99-05 a4 cars )...but so does porsche for that matter and I know benz and bmw do too.

Once VW moved to water pumpers overall reliability dropped. I owned a '67 squareback that is probably still running somewhere in Baja. I also owned a Scirocco, Rabbit, Golf, and a early Jetta III. All of those cars were fun to drive but suffered from shoddy workmanship/materials that was $$$ to rectify. From the posted chart it looks like they have improved but I've suffered too much to give them another chance.

Now I drive an Audi...tick tock tick tock...

2007 GTI fully loaded was $29,200 plus dealer mark-up, plus T & L. It was $35 grand. Yes, I know, the Los Angeles dealer was indeed trying to rip me off. There was only one on the lot, so there were no deals on it.

Must be part of the dealer training... that's the same speil my dad got when the power windows quit on his 2002 Jetta. They told him he must be using them too much.

Yep, the dealer was really annoyed by all the trouble dad had with that car. Dad felt so bad, he never went back! Drives a Honda now.

Can you explain self inflicted problems? I left an open bottle of cologne in the cupholder for a couple of hours and it leaked and the plastic finish in the holder peeled off. My sister's '01 Audi A4 has had so many interior defects material wise from the visors to the latches to the rear windows. I think the quality of interior materials sucks plain and simple. I worked for a testing lab for many years and never saw materials that just fall apart so easily. The plastics used are not capable of withstanding the warranty period and they very well should be. I had a SAAB 900 for 4 years and the car was a 97 and not one interior defect, scuff, or otherwise.

IMHO, with a VW, you either love it or hate it and even with the problems I still love my car. They have a soul and cars with soul will always have my attention.

That explains your Porsche. :D