Re the Jetta, my sister-in-law has a 2002 Jetta 1.8T GTI...and it's a monster! 5spd 182HP@5500RPM pushing a 2600lb car around...you need a GS-R or ITR to get that kind of acceleration (approximately). No Accord (except the new V6) or Civic is going to get you that...and so far, it's been perfectly reliable. Just a thought

 

Well, Honda didn't get its reliability reputation for nothing.

I can just speak for my car...60K miles, no problems.

 

I have put roughly 100k miles combined on the two Accords I've owned, and the only thing that has ever gone wrong is a $200 EGR, which is very typical.

 

That sounds about like my Mother's `98 Jetta. Lots of problems. It's an ok little car for her, but I would never buy one. I considered getting a GTI, but after getting back into my old Civic, I knew I'd always love hondas.

Considering you have 35k on your car and are already having problems with it, I'd ditch it quick. Even if you just happened to get a dud, things aren't going to get better.

The question you have to really as yourself is even if you do pay off your VW in 3 years, what will it be worth vs. what you put into it + frustration. Personally, I see money as a lower priority than trusting my car. You should love your car. Not fear it. And about the used cars, the first 100k of a honda are basically break in period anyway.

And while the car at the dealership may seem tempting, make sure you look around a bit more before making a real decision. Look online and call dealerships to see what they have. Test drive everything you see until you find one you enjoy driving around and seems reasonable price-wise. Remember that car prices vary by location, so just look at cars in your area and see what most of them are going for. Also, if you like the accord you saw, don't be afraid to try to talk them down. Decide what you think would be great to pay for it, and then decide firmly on a highest price you'll pay and stick to it. It's all about discipline.

So, sorry for the book, but yeah, ditch the jetta and get something you'll be more comfortable with. I just hope it's a honda.

 

I've heard VW still isn't up to par yet. A couple of my friends have had some problems. I was considering a GTI as well and decided against it because of it's reputation. I think VW makes really cool cars that perform great but not great to own. The Accord is a bigger car and will not perform the way you are used to with the VW but offer the reliability. You should test drive a Civic SI or the recently discontinued Prelude (used) if you want a better performing Honda. Good price for the 98 Accord. Don't keep an unreliable car it's not worth being stuck on a highway late at night or late for an important meeting.

Good luck.

 

It's also a brand new 2002. :rofl:

 

as for my experience with reliability in hondas:

1989 accord coupe, bought with 140kmi... sold it with 212kmi... no problems

1990 accord sedan, bought with 189kmi... sold it with 290kmi... needed a wheel bearing once, no other problems

1991 accord sedan, bought with 127kmi... still have with 200kmi... oil seal on the oil cooler went bad... easy fix, no other problems

1997 acura 3.0 cl, bought with 19kmi... still have with 65kmi... tranny had to be replaced, under warranty... no other problems

1994 accord, bought with 65kmi, now has 88kmi... wheel bearing is on its way out... no other problems

these cars all had their normal matenience and wear items... theres no way around brakes, tires... things like that...

 

if you get the accord and keep it for your expected 4-5 years like you said, the resale value for the car will be much higher than that of the VW if thats something that matters to you. however, not everyone cares about the resale value of a car they just bought and have no intentions of selling anytime soon. just thought i would mention that.