Faults:

Not a thing has faulted on this car.

This waxy substance leaked from below the doors, but that is common for Volkswagens, and does no harm whatsoever. I believe it's actually meant to do that according to dealers.

General Comments:

The engine pulls strong from below with it's great torque, and screams at 6000 RPMs approaching it's limit.

The transmission is good, but throws could be a bit shorter and entry into 3rd gear can be a bit sticky at quick speeds.

Interior is like that of a $35,000 car, although a bit tight in the back seats. Blue lighting gets many compliments.

Brakes are strong enough for the average person, but bigger rotors would be nice if you're in the twisties. Kits available from the Audi TT or even Porsche to remedy this.

Stock suspension is luxurious, but people who buy these want something sporty. I recommend get Eibach Pro-kit springs for your car and upgraded shock absorbers. Made a world of difference, I feel this is how the car was meant to feel, especially if you put on lower profile tires and/or bigger wheels.

Fuel economy is good, although the 1.8T would be a better motor for that. Around 30 MPG isn't bad at all for an 180 HP 2.8L narrow-angle V-6 (VR6) though. TDIs are nice economy-wise, but diesels pollute too much.

Lack of performance options from the factory was a bit annoying. 176HP stock from a sporty 2.8L VR6 is a bit weak compared to engines such as that of the BMW M3, which achieves 333HP without turbocharging. Even the new 1.8T can produce 220HP with just a performance computer chip.

The biggest problem I have is that Volkswagen isn't offering cars in the US with performance anywhere near the cars they sell in Germany. No 4Motion Golfs or Jettas to be had here, no Golf R32 which is an AMAZING car, no six speeds offered. Once again, no performance options for the US, shame! Although even Ford does the same thing, no Escort Cosworths ever offered here...

Faults:

Oh, my, where do I start? The first problem I noticed was that the radio volume would modulate itself. It turns itself up and down at will, not in great amounts, but gradually. I like my music loud so now I drive with one hand on the wheel and one on the volume control. Talked to the dealer about it and they said they couldn't duplicate the problem.

There is a creak that comes from the left AC vent that the dealer supposedly fixed. This vent still creaks 2 years later.

The doors needed adjustment to stop the creaks 2 months after I picked up the car.

When it is damp out the car occasionally won't start and when it does it runs rough. The dealer told me that this was due the wiring not being happy when there is too much moisture. I told him that I had a Nissan Pathfinder with 180000 KMs on it and it started no problem.

At some point in 2001 the driver's seat heater stopped working. One of the mechanics at the dealership had a quick look, but could not find the problem.

The "Check Engine Light" goes on and off when it feels like it. The dealer told me that the possible cause is a temperature sensor in the cooling system. He's not sure, but figures if I spend around $200 to fix it, it might go away.

The latch for the center console broke off in my hand a few days ago.

The rear brakes and rotors need replacing at 41000 KMs as the pads disappeared and partially chewed through the rotors. Be aware that the braking power with this car is completely opposite to most other cars. 70% of your braking power is in the rear of the car instead of the front. Not realizing this, when my back brakes started to squeak I didn't worry too much. Big mistake.

The A/C has a wonderful musty wet dog kind of smell. Interesting how that hasn't happened with my 10 year Nissan.

General Comments:

I thought I did all the right things when I was looking at purchasing this car. I read reviews, did comparisons, checked Consumer Reports. I new that the car was slightly overpriced compared to the competition, but performance wise it was much better. Boy, did I make a mistake.

The car itself was fantastic to drive for the first 6 months. The early problems I had, I just dismissed as being odd occurrences. The car handled fantastic and went like stink. But as time passed, more and more problems started popping up.

I should have known I would have problems when the first car they tried to deliver to me had to have the entire sunroof replaced because it would not close properly.

At this point, with 2 months left on my lease, and 1 more payment to go, I want to return the car to the dealer just so I don't have any other problems that I have to fix.