End of an era? Jetta Sportwagen might be the replacement

[Bob98SR5]

I have been thinking about this for the past year now. Yes, the unthinkable: selling my 4runner.

Maybe I'm just getting to be an old fart, but my needs have changed since I originally purchased my 4runners since the late 90's. There is nothing mechanically wrong with it except I need to change out the lower control arm bushings. Coupled that with restoring the 76 2002, I'm pulling double duty as mechanic on two cars. Not to mention, gas prices have just about killed my desire to take longer trips. At 17.5 mpg, a trip to No Cal, Yosemite, Kings Canyon, etc. becomes expensive (or maybe I'm that cheap). I love road trips, love camping, etc, but gas is definitely not getting cheaper and the age on the 4runner means I'm spending a lot of money on steering/suspension components and tires as of late.

It is wearing thin, folks. I'm sure if I had a two bay garage where working would be easier, I may have a different take on this. But anyways, I've been thinking about replacing it with a car with better mileage but with *similar* utility.

The vehicle I've been considering is the 6 speed Jetta Sportwagen. I'll keep driving stick, thank you very much. All the reviews I've read have been outstanding on this vehicle. I know VW can't match Toyota on reliability, but the Sportwagen seems to get about 4 to 4.5 stars on just about every consumer report-type rating. The mileage is outstanding, the suspension is typical German, styling is pretty good, what's not to like?

So any JSW owners out there? I'm looking at 2010 to current. Let's chat.

Bob

[4x4mike]

Looks like I need to PM Bob. I think his UY account was hacked.

All kidding aside. We have some close friends with a 2011 Jetta TDI wagon. They like it a lot. I have to say it's quite comfortable and has much more interior room than our Forester. There is some turbo lag but it does get up to speed. There are some things here and there that I don't like but it seems all new cars share similar traits. Things like a cheap feel in the interior as well as the fit and finish of things like buttons and levers. Most stuff nowadays seems to be made of toy plastic and glue.

They are a VW family and have had at least one for close to 25 years. They currently own the wagon and a 2010 GTI. Both are sharp look cars.

[paddlenbike]

Hanna and I drove the TDI Sportwagon and so far it's our top choice for a replacement car for her. We would have bought one six months ago except we keep hearing about quality issues with VWs. It doesn't help that my Uncle is a diesel engine and electrical component engineer with Kenworth and he routinely bashes the TDI engine for quality problems. The DSG is a wonderful transmission but maintenance is really expensive, so good thing you want the manual.

I'm not sure what the breaking point is, but do a Google search and you'll find that the 2012 Jetta *sedan* was severely cheapened--interior-wise they went from leather in the 2011 to vinyl in 2012 and down to one of the lowest grade plastics you can fit into a car as well as less sound deadening. Mechanically, VW switched to a beam axle replacing the previous IRS suspension, rear drums replacing the rear discs. However that cheapening did NOT carry over to the Jetta Sportwagon, which is why it costs $3,000 more than the sedan for 2012. The Sportwagon was slated for the same cheapening that was inflicted on the sedan some time in 2013, so look out for that.

2011 Jetta models are recommended, 2012 models are NOT recommended. Road tests by auto magazines say that VWs used to feel high quality and fun to drive and now the Jetta (specifically) been reduced to bargain basement cheap feeling car with no driving feel.

As it turns out, the 5th gen 4Runner is high on Consumer Report's list for vehicles that scored low or "don't measure up to the standards set by previous models." The redesigned Jetta is #1 on the list, the 5th gen 4Runner is third and was called a "clear disappointment."
http://news.consumerreports.org/cars...r-ratings.html

Don't get me wrong, we loved the 2011 Sportwagon, but we're holding off because we both have that bad gut feeling.
I would find a way to keep the 4Runner, it's not worth THAT much and it has the utility of being a reliable 4WD snow or camping vehicle, it can haul a load and tow a trailer (when you get another house you'll be back in home improvement mode and living at Home Depot like me) and quite frankly it's just the kind of vehicle you want around for a myriad of uses. Eventually I want a 2013 Ford Focus ST, but the 4Runner will always stick around for those other duties, plus the "fun" duty of getting into the outdoors.

[Good Times]

Have you looked at the Venza? Has an AWD option too btw. My friend just got it and it's pretty roomy and might fit the bill. The mpg is much better than your 4runner and it's new. Just some food for thought since I did ponder the same thing. Somehow I ended up w/ a 100 series LC which gets crappy mpg. doh!

O btw, once the 4runner is up and running (hint hint, wanna help me? haha), you're welcome to use it since I got to use your 4runner (and pull a RV out!) hehe. Don't forget you can always drive David's 80series Land Cruiser too!

[CJM]

I cant say much from experience of the newer VW, but even 5-10 year old ones I view as disposable trash. Maybe its just the fact the old jettas were so horribly built, IDK but I dont trust VW at all.

Id rather have a subaru wagon if I wanted a stick or a fiesta/focus wagon 9they still got those?).

[mastacox]

All I can say be very wary of any VW's known issues... I was a huge proponent of the TDI until we started having trouble with our 2006 Jetta TDI; when the sh*t hits the fan in a TDI it does it for real... in the course of about 6 weeks we've had (no exaggeration):

• DSG Service (every 40k miles): $400
• Timing belt job: $1000
• Dual-mass flywheel replaced (known issue): $1500
• A/C compressor seized, took the serpentine belt tensioner with it (not a rare issue): $1000
• Rear brakes job (known issue), did front brakes at the same time: $400

So in the last 6 weeks we've had to pay for I sh*t you not $4300 of maintenance and repair work on our car, $2500 of that being mechanical failures not regular maintenance. The car has 110,000 miles on it with good maintenance, and I barely trust it as far as I can throw it right now... Sure the mileage is amazing, but all of this mess has completely erased any possible money savings...

Look hard before you leap into the TDI arena, take for example on 2009's+ the possiblely very expensive problem with the high-pressure fuel pump, which may in some circumstances implode and spray metal shavings throughout the entire fuel system: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=299854. Fixes may be covered while under warrantee but all bets are off after warrantee expires (which is only what, 60k?)

[Seanz0rz]

my buddy has or had a 06 tdi. turbo went out. He purchased it from carmax, but had to pay to have the car shipped. last i asked a few months ago, he had 12 rental cars over 24 weeks. he had his tdi a total of 4 weeks. carmax offered to buy it back but not pay back shipping, so he keeps taking it in when it comes back and is not completely fixed.

personally, i would stay far away from any vw product. Sad really, they have some awesome stuff, but it just doesn't last!

[mastacox]

personally, i would stay far away from any vw product. Sad really, they have some awesome stuff, but it just doesn't last!

Honestly we're there as well. When we first bought the car it had 50,000 miles on it (first owner sold it when it's warranty ran out, he was the smart one LOL).

I really like a lot about the Jetta TDI, but man its maintenance is viscous when it hits... We'll have to get a larger car for my wife next year when #2 child comes along, lets just say we won't be replacing it with a Passat. I just hope we can get it out of our life before it needs a cam job (another known issue in this engine, but I've tried to be fastidious in our oil changes).

The dirty little secret for TDI's is the maintenance more than makes up for the fuel savings. Knowing what I know now, I would have preferred a gas econo-box like a Toyota Camry or Ford Fusion. Of course, each kind of car has it's own maintenance items you have to stay on top of, it just seems like the VW's are much less forgiving when it comes to that sort of thing, and the requirements are very strict :-\

[CJM]

You guys are the exact reasons I DO NOT like VW. Too many problems that are just poor craftsmanship and cheap parts.

[paddlenbike]

Brian, thanks for the post. People often talk-up things they own even if they're not the best, so I appreciate the honest assessment. With the VW off our list, that leaves us with the TSX Sportwagon and the newly redesigned 2013 Ford Fusion. But this is Bob's thread afterall, so I'll save my car shopping dilemmas for another thread.