1997 Volkswagen Jetta Consumer Reviews

love this car

Written by: lyn on 03/22/2008

Vehicle

1997 Volkswagen Jetta 4 Dr GL Sedan

Review

awesome performance, has never let me down, minimal maintenance, tight turning, holds at least 5 teen sized soccer players!

Favorite Features

easy to accessorize, great top end, a real feel-good car, fabulous gas mileage

Suggested Improvements

cup holders, more comfortable seats (front), cheaper exhaust system

1 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Good one

Written by: Marky on 10/07/2007

Vehicle

1997 Volkswagen Jetta 4 Dr Trek Sedan

Review

Owned since '97. Never any issue!! Still original engine, clutch, tranny and brakes at 140K. And still rolling fine.

Favorite Features

Suggested Improvements

0 out 2 people found this review helpful

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VW built to save lives.

Written by: TAMMY BANE on 09/10/2007

Vehicle

1997 Volkswagen Jetta 4 Dr Jazz Sedan

Review

My 17 year old daughters (twins) have been driving this car for 1 1/2 years. Friday night my daughter lost control of the vehicle, flipped twice, hit a tree, hit a rock wall and landed on the roof of the car. The exterior of the car is completely totaled. The interior of the car is completely intact. The frame work around the top and sides of the car held it from crumbling around her. My daughter walked away from the accident and has only 9 stitches in her knees (and I believe that is from crawling out of the car.) VW is built tough and will be the car of choice for my children to drive.

Favorite Features

Sturdy frame.

Suggested Improvements

5 out 5 people found this review helpful

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Jetta

Written by: Hank on 02/05/2007

Vehicle

1997 Volkswagen Jetta 4 Dr GLS Sedan

Review

I have owned this vehicle for over five years and have had no problems. This is my third VW and have been pleased with each. This is a fun vehicle to drive and it corners very well with minimal under steer. The heated cloth seats work great.

Favorite Features

The heated seats and stereo.

Suggested Improvements

The cup holder placement should be changed and it could use more power.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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Unreliable and Expensive

Written by: Jimbo on 12/26/2006

Vehicle

1997 Volkswagen Jetta 4 Dr GT Sedan

Review

I like the design and handling of this car however there have been several major issues. My car has had a series of electrical issues and you need to be a contortionist to get to the fuse box. I've had the air conditioner fail. the fan switch short out and MELT, the coil cracked (a common issue) and this is in addition to the exhaust rattling (another common problem). You expect to have to do replacement of wearable mechanicals however this is an expensive car to repair. Even basic replacement items such as struts are far more expensive than any car I've ever had. You have to go to the dealer to replace/ top off trans fluid in automatics. Idiotic.

Favorite Features

I like the body style.

Suggested Improvements

Improve reliability and stop making "special" parts that require "special tools" to replace. The use of a sealed transmission to require owners to be slaves to dealers is a criminal act in itself. Shame on VW.

3 out 3 people found this review helpful

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Never Buy a VW

Written by: ihatevw on 12/09/2006

Vehicle

1997 Volkswagen Jetta 4 Dr GL Sedan

Review

I really hate this car with a passion. Literally every day something goes wrong. Yesterday my starter went. I had it replaced. Today the idle is going crazy and its smelling like gas really bad. The coolant system is terrible. Pretty much everything on this car is designed poorly and made of plastic. The exhaust rattles of the underside of the car. The electrical system is total junk. I have had problems with this car since day one. If you are reading this and are considering getting a VW, please go buy a Honda, seriously.

Favorite Features

None

Suggested Improvements

Quit making VWs.

17 out 29 people found this review helpful

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My VR6 is AMAZING...

Written by: gh225345 on 11/08/2006

Vehicle

1997 Volkswagen Jetta 4 Dr GLX Sedan

Review

I really love this car. I've had it for a little over a year now and it runs excellently. I've had to replace a few minor things such as hoses and belts, clutch, and the trim started coming off but it was an easy fix with an adhesive tape that you can get from any auto parts store...it's called molding tape. I've put many high performance parts on my VW and it has 250 whp with no problems with the motor at all. I would highly recommend this vehicle. Just make sure you inspect it before you buy. My 1997.5 Jetta Vr6 has 111,982 miles on it and like I said before it runs great.

Favorite Features

The way this car can handle the road is amazing...

Suggested Improvements

Uprage your suspension. I have Bilsten fully adjustable suspension. The car is lowered a little bit but it looks great. Put some alloys on it. Cold air intake system, full exhaust, and a chip is all you really need for this car to fly.

5 out 5 people found this review helpful

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Fun to Drive

Written by: ape on 09/14/2006

Vehicle

1997 Volkswagen Jetta 4 Dr GT Sedan

Review

I bought this car after test driving other similar sedans because I liked the driveability and it wanted a manual. I still like the driveability but will not buy another VW for a long time. I've replaced the distributor cap and coils more than once, replaced the battery a couple times, replaced the ignition switch, and had it stop and need towing at least twice for issues such as the distributor cap. For a long time I've explained the problems by looking at the car's age and high mileage but after reading other reviews see other owners have had similar experiences. The trim has fallen off both sides of my car and currently all of the gauges randomly drop to zero while I'm driving!

Favorite Features

The turning radius, 5-speed manual transmission, and general driveability.

Suggested Improvements

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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Very Delicate

Written by: Steve on 08/29/2006

Vehicle

1997 Volkswagen Jetta 4 Dr GLS Sedan

Review

Our Jetta had many mechanical problems after the 100,000 mile mark. The first was a major auto trans rebuild. Then, the starter, drive axles, power steering hose, all four power window operators (at various times), cruise control and more. Volkswagen's parts are expensive. It is a nice driving car when running, but it is very delicate.

Favorite Features

The interior and roominess.

Suggested Improvements

The brake pedal is too high compared to in other cars.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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Relibable Little Car

Written by: reignevryd on 08/22/2006

Vehicle

1997 Volkswagen Jetta 4 Dr GLS Sedan

Review

I have to say that my first experience back with a Jetta wasn't a good one. It was a piece of junk. It was a 1995 GL, however it could have been a good car at one time. Now, I have the '97 GLS, bought used, and it has been a very reliable car. It feels good knowing that every morning when I go to work, it will fire right up. My car has had a few minor issues with the electrical system, such as the door locks and sunroof, but otherwise it is a great ride. I like the dash setup, and as a parent, this is crucial in order to control the locks, windows, and lighting with one hand.

Favorite Features

I like the good gas mileage, dash, windows, locks, overall reliability, performance, and big trunk.

Suggested Improvements

Work on exterior door locks.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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