NHTSA Complaint #10231227 — 2000 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO

PURCHASED A 2000 VW CABRIO FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP IN NEW JERSEY (THAT WAS MY FIRST MISTAKE AS I AM A NEW YORK RESIDENT.) TEST DROVE AND VISUAL INSPECTION APPEARED GREAT. DROVE THE CAR OFF THE LOT AND WITHIN 3 MILES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CHECKED FLUIDS, PROCEEDED WITH OUR TRIP HOME. WITHIN 10 MILES, THE CAR'S MANUAL TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF FIFTH GEAR WHILE GOING 65MPS ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. WITH THE DEALERSHIP CLOSED (AND BEING THE CAR WAS SOLD "AS-IS", WE LIMPED HOME. THE 2 HOUR TRIP ENDED UP TAKING NEARLY 3 HOURS. MECHANIC FOUND THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REPLACED BUT NOT REFILLED WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID. BRAND NEW TRANNY INSTALLED ONLY TO FIND THE STARTER WAS ALSO MALFUNCTIONING. MEANWHILE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON DUE TO A $409.00 SECONDARY AIR PUMP FAILURE. I HADN'T EVEN OWNED THE CAR 2 WEEKS AND HAD ALREADY SPEND OVER $2000 IN REPAIRS. I FINALLY GOT THE CAR BACK FROM MY MECHANIC, DROVE IT FOR ONE DAY, AND NOW WE APPEAR TO HAVE A TIMING BELT ISSUE AND HAVE BEEN ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR AS THERE IS A POTENTIAL INTERFERENCE WITH MY PISTONS IF THE TIMING BELT BREAKS WHILE DRIVING. OH, AND TO BOOT, I NEED A NEW SET OF REAR BRAKES. BOTTOM LINE, IF ANYONE EVER DREAMS OF BUYING A CABRIO, DON'T DO IT UNLESS YOU HAVE UNLIMITED FUNDS AND A BACK UP CAR TO DRIVE. THIS CAR SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A HOBBY AND NOT A RELIABLE FORM OF TRANSPORTATION. *TR