My first and only new car was a VW Jetta. Unfortunately it was purchased in the first few years of VW's Mexico plant which was still working out the kinks. I'm sure cars made in Germany or Mexico are equivalent today, but at the time not so much. It was really disheartening to need regular repairs on a new car. It was also no fun to discover VW hadn't engineered for the South's heat. Every plastic window hanger failed after two summers, leaving the electric windows stuck. Combined with regular issues with the AC system it turned me off buying another new VW or Audi for that matter. If I ever buy another new car it'll be Japanese.

I had a 2001 Jetta and it had the plastic window clip issues too.

The car I got after ditching my Ford is in fact Japanese - is 4 yo with 60k miles and hasnt needed more than fluid changes. I've never been back to the dealer.

I hear you. My 97 Corolla is still cheaper to keep running now than my Jetta was 10 years ago.