This was my last VW. Bottom of the line GL - the only option on the car was AIR. This had the 115HP 2L 4 banger with a 5 spd manual. The cool thing about this care was that it would run at its HP (115MPH). I once drove from Needles to Newberry Springs in a little over 1 hour. I did the whole run without dropping below 100. However, that was when the car was about 4 months old and the suspension, etc. was still nice and tight. Purcahsed new out the door for about 15,000 and put about 145,000 miles on it. I sold it in 10 years on eBay for $1800. It had some minor problems, but the AIR was still good. Never had any major problems with the car. I recall the biggest expense I had was the ignition switch needed to be replaced - my daughter broke it during my attempts to teach her to drive a stick shift - she gave it up.

Great little car! Fun to drive with good power and decent handling in the corners. My Jetta had an automatic transmission which is a nice option if you're not into the manual shift. The automatic lacked a little in the acceleration, but still fun to drive. Interior was average and the heater/stereo controls were basic along with the sound system. Braking was adequate. This vehicle was very dependable for the time I owned it. Very little maintenance other than routine oil changes, etc.. Nice cargo room in the trunk for the size of the car. Overall very nice little car that is dependable.

Everyone slammed the MKIII for being Mexican garbage. Bah! 11 years old, and the car never had a problem that took more than 20min to fix or cost over $20 (Maintenance aside). Despite having had all 4 wheels off the ground on a few occasions the car never had a squeek or rattle. O.K., the two-point-slow isn't the sexiest engine, but it has potential, and it's reliable as it gets. If you can find on in good shape, you'll be very happy you did.

the car is, was and always willl be an icon due to stunning looks and amazing perfomance. . .if you want one then you better be able to fork out the money because not only is a VR6 in good condition rare but the 2.8 in-line 6 cylender powerhouse wil dry up your pockets but also leave you with no doubt that this is umong the best volkswagens ever made

This is a very nice car for a first time driver. Generally, these are not manual and thus make it an easier transition into driving. Does need regular check-ups due to it's age, however it definitely works for getting me from point A to point B. Very fun to drive and gas doesn't usually cost more than $25 bucks to fill up.