are Volkswagen cars more expensive to service than other cars?
Yes and no. I know this sounds confusing at best; let me explain: the VW’s Golf’s and Jetta’s of the generation of 98 and back actually were pretty decent automobiles. They avoided the “upscale approach” that later models took. Yes, some things are problem prone, i.e., the power door lock system operated by a vacuum pump and plastic hoses, but by and large, reliable and have reasonable repair costs. The generation that started with the NEW Beetle and the 99.5 year Golfs and Jetta are to be avoided. The idea was to move the vehicles upscale and so many issues came to pass. Also avoid the Passat (any year) as they are even more prone to electrical issues. The problem seems to be that German engineering is overly complex and seems by design to avoid simple solutions. On late model VW’s, the trunk latch is electrically operated: instead of having a lever or arm to unlatch the trunk, they use a mirco switch, relay and control unit + wiring to operate the trunk latch. A mechanical link would have been easier to adjust and repar: but, then, that’s not the VW way! Parts are another issue: because there are less VW’s on the road in the USA, parts cost more because there’s less movement (sales) of VW parts and then there’s the exchange rate issue; the euro is trading at yearly highs vs the US dollar and that also makes parts more expensive. I cannot comment on the models built since the 06 model year; I left the last VW dealership in Dec of 05, but have worked in VW service departments on/off over a 25 year period beginning in 1980. This is just my opinion; based upon my experience over this time period. Hope this helps, a car nut.