Are Volkswagen reliable cars?

Are Volkswagen reliable cars?

In general are these cars easy to maintain or do they have alot of problems?

Asked by: JinX @ 2009-08-07 11:58:29

Answers ::
Depends on the year and model.

miah

Very. I've had nothing but great experiences with all my VW's! I've had 2 Jettas, 99 & 03. Traded the 99 in & crashed the 03.
Now have an 07 GTI & a 09 Jetta sportswagon. The only problems I've ever heard off almost always concerned the Passats.

Bob A. Booey

there really good cars, but when something bad happends to the car then its hard to fix and it cost alot to fix it.

xanthonyy

My 1973 VW Thing is a great car! 36 years old and still runs GREAT! Easy to maintain and most parts are cheap.

Rod Knocker

i've have a 2001 VW bug and its only had a couple problems mostly due too overheating ( i live in arizona) other than that they are very reliable, parts are a bitch to find though, and if you take it to a shop they will overcharge every time.

Sean

ten times a day people ask this question. It depends on who you ask. your asking for an opinion so this is a poll not a question. It's like asking if fish tastes good. some love it some hate it. there can be no right answer.

Tomato

VW's have mixed reliability. just do your research before you conciser buying one. they tend to be more expensive to fix when it is needed, which on some models is a lot and on others is almost never.

paul_replies

Where can i find a VW bus for sale?

Okay, for my first car i have decided that i want a VW bus. Like a hippie van lol. But yeah i looked on carmax and auto trader. And i can NOT find one.

Asked by: in love :] @ 2009-08-07 00:00:15

Answers ::
they are very very rare now. especially the 21 window bus

blackmantis

well I dont know where you are in this world but if you in the U S check out Samba.com or google VW samba
that is were I am selling my Vw Bus lol.
and craigslist
by the way a VW bus is not a cheap ride any more they are collectors now
also
I am in GA
parts_pro@ ya hoo

Savannahjbo

here is a site selling some vw buses .

#1 Mythbuster fan

thesamba.com

Mr.Goodwrench

I bet you can find one on craigs list

PaperbagPrincess

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/

Azaria

Why does my Jetta smell like crayons?

recently bought a used Jetta and realized it smelled like melted crayon. I searched the car and the ashtray looked like it had some melted wax. I quickly removed it but the smell will not go away. I've left the windows open to air it out, I've done fabreeze and air fresheners. Nothing works. Someone else said they had a Jetta with the same smell. Any ideas on how to get rid of it?

Asked by: ricci.enriquez @ 2009-08-07 18:40:43

Answers ::
oh because ur gas has rotten gas tank and it makes it stink that way

i know ur answer

ha ha funny. for some reason a lot of VWs smell that way. nobody can figure it out.

Superman

same think for me...some people think its the plastic used through out the car. i've just gotten used to it. all you can really do is mask it with an air freshener.

paul_replies

This is a common complaint especially in hot and humid areas. In FL, we see a lot of it. Usually what happens is the insulation on the firewall behind the dash frame gets wet from a previous water leak (windshield, sunroof drain, or a/c) and it gets soaked up via a process called "wicking" . This insulation is treated I'm assuming with fire retardant or some other chemical, and when moisture is added, you get the odor. I've fixed several while working at the dealer, and believe me, its costly and time consuming. Remember to find and fix the water leak, or the process will start all over again. In addition to replacing the firewall insulation, we always replaced the carpet padding, and had the carpet cleaned, since it has to be removed for the procedure. This was how VW told us to cure the problem. On one occasion, after performing the repairs, the owner was so "tuned" in on the odor, they could still smell it, even though myself and others couldn't. I know its not very encouraging, but I hope this helps.

larsb

A lot of VW's have wax packed within the panels for sound deadening and insulation. If you're in a warm area, the smell always comes back. There is nothing wrong with your car by it smelling that way.

Wendy

about how much would a used VW beetle/bug..?

about how much would a used VW beetle/bug convertible cost from the VW dealership (or anywhere i guess lol)? im starting to save up now so im jw about how much do you think it would cost?

Asked by: shaelurr @ 2009-08-07 20:08:25

[Best Answer]old bug just a few thousand, newer ones anywhere from 7k to 15 k.

By : kwkeaton @ 1249710144

Answers ::
Those have some really bad problems associated with them. Lots of repairs and the repairs are expensive. MSN reliability reports show you which cars are good and bad. I'd suggest using that before making any choice about a "cute" car. http://autos.msn.com/home/reliability_ratings.aspx

Paul W

I have an orange bug convertible for 9k. Let me know You'll probably pay 13k at a dealership. I hope me saying that doesn't violate answering on here but I really do have one. I get a car through work so I have no use for it anymore

Lauren

Your Answer:
You could probably get somthing pretty good for about 1500.00 Good luck. Bugs have wide range in price because they were made for such a long time. A mint contition 60s bug could cost more than a 1990 bug from mexico. You are talking about a classic bug right? The new model bugs are crap. The old ones you can fix anything with a wrench and a hammer. If you want a new model bug......just dont do it. Get a classic bug.. Or if you want the coolest VW ever check out the VW "Thing" I had one, funest car EVER!!!!

The windshield folds down and the doors pop off. Only bad thing is top speed is about 60 mph.

dubster

old bug just a few thousand, newer ones anywhere from 7k to 15 k.

kwkeaton

Assuming you are referring to the old bugs/beetles, not the new ones. It all depends on the condition of the car. Assuming you are referring to the new ones, well either way you are in trouble. If you buy a used one, yes they run for ever but only if you know how to keep them running (doing any mechanical labor on your own whenever sometime goes aw, or else having to pay a mechanic to do it for you). If you get a new one, you aren't going to get your money's worth because they are not as reliable as they used to be and pretty much everyone knowing of their problematic issues they depreciate quickly also.
No one is going to change your mind about this car if you really like it, in fact I like them very much, but also realize that I don't have deep pockets to keep up with the maintenance issues once the warranty runs out...so I would never get one unless 1. can fix them on my own 2. can afford the maintenance. 3. in your case convertible when it comes to insuring it would be really expensive also...
Go for something else, still chick...perhaps a 2000 to 2005 Volkswagen Golf Cabrio, much more reliability and bang for your money...a bunch of used parts at the junkyards when you need to replace something and still a very hot ride- $3500 to $5500 depending on engine mileage and general conditions.

Charlie

What is the difference between a muffler and an exhaust?

for and volkswagen.

Asked by: xanthonyy @ 2009-08-07 13:26:32

Answers ::
the exhaust is the whole system of pipes, flanges and gaskets.ect. the muffler is just that. the muffler!

michael

The muffler is one component of the exhaust system. The others are the engine manifold, the head pipe, the tail pipe and the clamps and hangers which hold it all together.

mustanger

"Exhaust" is the system of pipes that takes gasses from the exhaust valves through the exhaust manifold and carries them to the rear of the vehicle. "Muffler" is the part of the exhaust that quiets the noise inherent in the exhaust.

oklatom

Muffler - A noise canceller. If you've ever heard a car running without a muffler you'd know it. Mufflers are engineered as a set of tubes with holes in them (so the work almost like a musical instrument).

Exhaust System - Channels fumes away from a passenger compartment. It vents the gases that are produced by the combustion of an engine.

Hope that helps...

Curious

The 'muffler' or "silencer" depending on where you live is one and the same thing.

This is one component of the exhaust system.
The system starts at the exhaust ports of the head. This is known as the exhaust manifold. It then runs through a series of pipes with one or more boxes connected in the line. The muffler is one of these boxes and its function is to deaden noise. Another of these boxes is a resonator. The system may have one or two mufflers in it.

Many people commonly refer to the exhaust as the outlet pipe at the end of the exhaust system.

Sorry, I did not see the "..for an Volkswagen".
For an air-cooled beetle, the system starts with what is commonly known as the J-pipes, one coming from each exhaust port (this is to all intents and purposes the exhaust manifold. from there it leads to the muffler which in this case serves two purposes, firstly as a silencer and secondly as a heat exchanger. From the muffler two small exhaust pipes emerge. These are commonly known as pea-shooters.

For a car like the Golf, it is as I described initially.

Replica

what is wrong with my rotary engine?

i own a 1971 vw beetle. i believe the point are out of timing. when i pushed the gas it bearly moves, and it drains batteries within 5 miles. what could the problem be?

Asked by: cat011977 @ 2009-08-07 03:12:02

Answers ::
Faulty alternator.

And a 1971 beetle does not have a rotary engine.

Stuart H

If you have a VW Beetle with a rotary engine in it, that's the problem. How did that Mazda engine get into that VW?

Actually, VW did once own the Wankel engine design; however, they never put it into an automobile. They sold it to Mazda, where the tip seals were finally perfected (or so Mazda says), and the rest is history, culminating in the RX-8, the only rotary engine production car still being built.

designergenes

Generator is shot, timing is off, and the carb could be out of adjustment, or gunked up. No such thing as a rotary engine in a Beetle either.

djaca70

If your bug has a rotary engine, it came out of a Mazda!
Points do not go out of time. The gap either closes or spreads. Timing is controlled by the position of the distributor. It opens and shuts the valves at the proper "time".
If your bug is sluggish, adjust the valves (very easy to do when the engine is COLD)
Set the points (pop the cap, set the rotor on one of the "bumps" looses the screw that holds the points in place, place one side of a match book between the points and tighten the screw).
If the battery is draining, you either need a new voltage regulator or generator. When you turn on the key, does the light on the dash light up UNTIL the engine starts, and then shuts off? If it doesn't light up with the ignition on and the engine off, replace the bulb. Still no light, chase the wires. That light is what makes the generator start to charge once the engine starts.



By the Complete Idiots Guide to VW Repair. It is a GREAT manual to keep your bug running forever!

Rod Knocker

I have a Volkswagen bus. It starts, but when I push on the gas the engine dies. What's wrong with it?

I have been told by a friend that its the spark plugs. Can anyone confirm that?

Asked by: Nolan @ 2009-08-07 07:44:27

Answers ::
Unlikely. More likely is a fuel problem. Check the fuel filter then the pump.

GibsonEssGee

If it has a carburetor, that is where you should look first. If it was plugs, it would be hard to start.

djaca70

not enough info. FI or carb, miles, recent work done, what engine,what year. try starting it and let it idle for 2 mins then try giving it gas.
if it is fuel injected there are ten times as many hoses for there to be a vacume leak.

Tomato

Not enough info. But, If I was to take a guess,it's an older bus. It probably has a carburetor,or two. If that's the case make sure there are no vacuum leaks.

dewhatulike