Hi All: Well....I couldn't wait. Sold my 2003 Jetta GLI (VR6 w/ 23,000) for $13,500 within 2 days in my local rag paper. I was appx. 6 weeks away from my Honda Fit Sport (MT) I went to my local VW dealer & they had several Jetta TDI's (appx. 45+ miles MPG highway) My wife hates & I mean HATES the Honda Fit! I rather like it myself. Too be honest I'm not a big "car" person. I just want to start the key & go w/ good mileage.

So...I spent $23,500 on the Jetta TDI w/ 3.9% APR. I do like the interior of the Jetta. Just like my older GLI, It's 1st class! The ride is pretty sweet with alot of torque (236 ft-lbs) Yes....It's $7500.00 more & but the resale value comes into play as she gets older.

All-in-All I would have been happy with the Honda Fit, but I need a new car now & 6 weeks is too far away for me. I could have used our extra car for a few weeks, but once again German Engineering won me over (this is my 5th Jetta) Well...I just thought I would throw my 2 cents in. I think all of you really are on with the Honda Fit, great car, excellent MPG & uses 87 octane fuel & it's a bullet-proof Honda! Well...I would like to say good luck to you all!

Alex

Link to my TDI:

http://vw.quirkcars.com/new-inventor...seHistory=true

 

Hello and goodbye! I can't imagine how a VW would ever compete for reliability with a Honda, but whatever...I've never driven a Jetta and probably never will...I hope you get the mileage they have told you!

And if yr wife HATES the Fit, then you shouldn't have one! Better leave it for someone who LOVES it! But thanks for letting us know anyway.

 

Oh man, all I could think of when I read your post is....gee, I wonder if he canceled on a Blue Sensation AT w/ nav! Maybe I'll get mine sooner!!

Best of luck to you with the new ride....personally, canceling on a Fit.....grounds for divorce!! JK!

 

vw engine bay is like spaghetti, linguine, penne and all the other pastas combined in a baby bowl.

hello and goodbye!

 

Do you know how many former VW owners vow that they would never again buy a VW? They rank near the very bottom of the reliability rankings. That's why I never ended up getting one.

Hope yours is an atypical example and will be reliable and rattle-free.

 

i too thought about the diesel. been looking for a diesel for approx 3 years but vw build vs honda build/reliability. honda won. can't beat the diesel low end torque though. gotta love that power. no hate there. only hating on the vw reliability not the engine.

 

My friend had a Passat before and he sold his car after 4 digit service. But he wants a european comfort with lower price so he got his Jetta TDI. Actually, Jetta is okay but it's not fun to drive (sorry). It has more power than Fit especially on uphill but still "fun" factor plays a big role this time.

I never see myself have a VW as well, but as Juliane said, better to have something that you and your wife enjoy (even though you may not enjoy as much as your wife) rather than having a very big fight. lol

 

Not really sure why, but VW has never interested me. Granted, I've never actually driven one, but it just doesn't the blood pumping, ya know? Glad you found a car that you both can live with, though. Here's hoping you're happy with it!

 

i sat in the back seat of a jetta before. very very tight. our fits have lots of legroom for 6ft'ers in the back.

 

i like VW's new line up. i hope you enjoy your new volkswagen. <3

 

I have a little VW experience:

77 Rabbit Diesel - Great car, no problems
07 Audi A4 2.0T - Stalls randomly (dealer can't find problem, been happening for three months now), broken power window lockout switch (which I used once), radio has electrical gremlins, a lot of creaks and rattles. I can't wait to return it in November.

and some Honda experience:

08 Acura TL-S - Great car, no problems
05 S2000 - Great car, convertible top replaced under warranty
03 TL-S - Great car, no problems
01 TL - "
01 S2000 - "
99 Civic EX - "
97 Civic EX - "
88 CRX Si - "
91 Accord - "
90 Accord - Great car (died once, electrical problem fixed free (recall) at 230k miles)
86 Accord - Great car, no problems
79 Accord - "
00 Interceptor - Great bike, no problems
94 VFR750 - "

I see a trend here. My Hondas average one problem per seven vehicles and I never had to pay anything to fix those. VWs average much much worse and I still can't get my stalling issue fixed. Hopefully you have more luck with the VW than most people.

I, for one, will never buy VW/Audi again. I leased the Audi strictly because it was a great deal ($359/mo 0 down on a $38k car, 30k miles) and only a two year term. I wanted to give them a shot because I love their style and the interior is very nice. Too bad the car runs like poo and has some other minor annoying issues. I would be very upset if I had actually purchased this car. I will not stray from Honda again, unless I can afford an Aston Martin someday lol.

 

Funny, I had the exact opposite problem. I looked at the new Jetta Clean Diesel Wagon, but it would not be available until January here in Ontario!!! So I went for the 2009 Fit Sport instead. Could not be happier. Averages 5.5-5.8 L/100km after the first 1000km. The sound and USB plug still make me drool...

 

All I have to say is, now I'm really hungry.

 

I have had a number of VW's over the years...most recently a '97 Jetta GLX VR6 that was completely trouble-free. There is something about VW's that make them fun to drive; they seem to have more "soul" than Japanese cars.

Good luck with your Jetta.

 

How can a person hate the Fit? VW is nowhere close to Honda & Toyota in quality. I feel for you dude.

 

The Jetta is a great car. If you like BMWs, then you'll love VWs. IMO, VW is the only entry-level manufacturer that most resembles BMW in the feel of its interior. However, as great as the TDI is, I can't justify spending the extra $$$ on a diesel motor and its fuel (unless I plan on owning it for more than 5yrs)...espeically when you can get a Civic, if not a Fit. The premium you pay on a diesel vehicle could very well pay for 1 or 2yrs of gas.

 

i really think you and your wife didnt give a fit a chance. Have you and your wife ever test drove an 09? We had our sights on the 4runner or Highlander until we test drove an 09 fit for shit and giggles. The minute she stepped in, it was game over; keep in mind she also used to "hate" the fit. Yes, it does look a tad small on the outside but you'll be surprised how roomy it is inside.
You should have kept your 03 Jetta until your fit came in. I also thought of myself as a "big car person" but its so nice driving a nimble car thats easy to drive/park and also gets excellent gas mileage.
I am a die hard toyota fan boy and never thought i would own a dinky car the size of a fit/yaris. Now i'm a proud owner and look damn sexy driving it. Thank you Honda.
I have never driven or owned a VW so i have nothing bad to say about it.

 

Hubby wanted me to get a Rav4 and I tested that plus the Matrix and Corolla. All 3 Toyotas were CHEAP as sh!t inside and the Corolla drove really poorly. The Rav4 would have cost us about 25K and it was full of cheap plastic parts inside. Really crappy quality Toyota is now offering...We have always had Toyotas and have never crossed the river to Honda.

The first time I drove the Fit, I fell in love but couldn't admit it, and it almost cost me the '08 I wanted.

VWs never get good reliability ratings. I've driven the 70's bugs and they were crap then... they are crap now. They have always been the bottom of the barrel but economical for gas, if you didn't mind having no heater in the winter and not being able to get onto the highway because of no power. Like American cars, they look pretty good design-wise, but having your car in the shop all the time is no fun. And not everyone works on them.

 

I do not like my 03 jetta AT, I had it since june and three things have gone wrong so far: Some gear wore out so if I stayed at 65+mph for more than two minutes the needle would just bounce around 60 even if I was going 75 (I checked with the rpms). the coolant that apparently lasts forever did not and leaked in to the sensor. and the AC busted on me. all at 83K. maybe if it was the 1.8 turbo MT version I would like it better, but I bet the turbo would break a lot. The handling is a little boaty and super mushy acceloration and the four gears are killing me (3k at 65pmh). best mpg was 31.

 

Good to hear, I am now averaging 8.5 L/100Km at just over 350Km so I was worried about why it was so high. All my driving has been in the city so far. I have the Sport Fit MT

So it gets better after 1000 km?

Thanks