interesting as people are always talking about how much they love their Jetta

Haha. I bought my 93 VR6 in 2000 for $600 and 73k miles. It needed a new fuel pump relay to start, then a new trans computer to shift and a new heater core to heat. To get a new heater core, of course the whole dash had to be removed AND the a/c lines disconnected. Vent and refill! It also had every piece of the interior disintegrate, the badges fall off, the moon roof broken and leaking, the headliner sag and the brake calipers leak. It was the worst piece of junk I ever owned. I felt sorry for the person who bought it. I barely broke even after doing all the work myself with discounted dealer parts through my mechanic buddy. Aaaargh! I actually surprised myself in 2011 buying a new Golf TDI. I was hoping that almost 20 years had passed. So far so good! No problems! ;)

G

I must be a lucky SOB, because the Passat and the Corrado G60 were both supposed to be lemons, but I got 7 years of trouble free service from the Corrado (just replaced an ECU relay and recharged the A/C), and 2 trouble free years from the Passat.

Actually, my luck ran out. Book value on the Passat was about $4000 so I declined the full coverage insurance and ate the loss. I never get in accidents, right? ;) I was unemployed so the loss stung, but I got a great job offered to me the day after the fire!