Faults:

Please take in the fact the car is approaching five years of age. And, I do race this car on a regular basis (legally)

1) MAF Failure- This is due to me trying to produce more power by tweaking stock parts. Causing the "check engine light" to come on. Nothing to stress over.

2) ASR Malfunction- This light came on at the same time the engine light came on. Still on as of today (October 13, 2007). I really haven't had time nor do I see a need to rush this repair, because the only effect is that I don't have to turn ASR off anymore. In other words I have no traction control, which I really have no use for.

3) Airbag- The air bag just came on a few days ago, as of October 13, 2007. I am having this checked out Monday. We shall see then.

4) Front Pads Worn- This light came on after replacing rear pads. I'm guessing this was triggered because of different thicknesses between front and rear pads. No big deal, changing them myself tomorrow.

5) Interior- A few minor plastic pieces have begun to come loose, but can be purchased for next to nothing. And, the driver's side stock Recaro race seat has a small split in the stitching. Once again, a do it myself project.

General Comments:

Knowing it is a 20th Anniversary Edition GTI is enough to make any owner smile. It is a very attractive car and is shown not only in appearance, but also in the heads it turns. The stock 1.8 liter, 4-cylinder, turbocharged, intercooled was quick to get my heart racing, but along with the APR stage III+ turbo upgrade kit (minus the intercooler upgrade), Greddy 28R front-mount intercooler kit, ECS Tuning XAS cold air intake system, HKS USA super sequential blow-off valve, Eurospec 069a adjustable cam sprocket, and oh so much more is enough to make a smile from ear to ear. To accommodate the risen power levels, one might want to add a performance brake system and drop the ride height about two inches, which I have also done. The stock aluminum block can handle much more performance than originally intended by the manufacturer. There is so much more to say, but as of now I have said enough. I can't see why people can hate these cars.

Faults:

Engine problems, transmission problems, electrical problems, too many plastic pieces have broken off to count.

General Comments:

Sloppy handling, clumsy and slow automatic, spastic turbo-charged engine that gets lousy gas mileage. The car is four years old, but creaks and rattles like a 1980s Chrysler K-car. The VW GTI is a total joke. Even the president of VW came out against the car as not being a "proper GTI." Of course, that was after I made the mistake of buying one.

Faults:

Nothing major has gone wrong with the car yet. The day after I bought it, the check engine light illuminated, so I took it to my local VW dealer. They found that a secondary air intake had come loose, so they tightened it and reset the engine light. Haven't seen it again yet.

General Comments:

This car is absolutely the best car I have ever had the pleasure of owning. It is fun to drive and row through the 6 speed manual. The 2.8L VR6 has great power, although around town, gas mileage is severely lacking.

The interior is miles ahead of the GTI's major competitors, and it really turns heads on the outside too. It is lowered an inch from stock with stiffer springs and 17 inch BBS wheels. The car is WICKED. The aftermarket Kenwood subs in the back really help supplement the already adequate stock VW system.

My GTI is great. It would make a great car for any kid getting ready to start college, like me.