Faults:

Absolutely nothing. It currently only has 22,000 miles, but there have been no problems. My only complaint would be that there seems to be rattling noises occasionally.

General Comments:

Better than 50 miles per gallon. 10,000 mile oil changes. The operating costs of running this car is minimal. It is easy to maintain.

It is not a smelly, loud diesel... In fact it is pretty quiet, and only smokes at start-up. Many emissions are less than those in an unleaded combustion engine. It can be run on bio-diesel which is good for the economy and the environment.

The car has unbelievable handling. I don't think I could go back to driving an american or japanese car. The torque that the engine delivers is unbelievable. It powers through hills like you are driving a v8. And to top it off, it is fairly luxurious, even the base model has all of the major comfort options you need.

Faults:

Bad sensor in steering column.

Defective stereo.

Heated seats malfunctioning.

Engine stalls out.

Engine revving itself.

Brakes squeaky.

Gears grind in second.

ESP is complete garbage, can't figure out what is wrong with it.

General Comments:

So many problems with this vehicle. Owned it for 4 months & has been in the shop for 3 months. I would strongly recommend prospective buyers to look elsewhere.

Had to hire an attorney to help us with the lemon law & VW Corporate told us we must pay mileage and negative equity equaling $4000. Keep in mind we've driven the car a total of 3 weeks out of the 4 months we've owned it. Service department put most of the miles on it & negative equity for a car we've barely had??? Sound Fair?

Buyer Beware. Look Elsewhere if you want reliability & customer service.

Faults:

Only one manufacturers defect found at delivery. A mis-aligned plastic sill panel.

Cost to repair: $0.

Advice:

Since VW has had reliability problems with some models, a good dealership is essential. Do your research, talk to other owners and find out which franchises are good. Do not impulse buy at any dealer. If you follow this advice, you can assure a good experience with owning a Volkswagen.

General Comments:

The general impression at a first walk around is that it was assembled with a high degree of accuracy. In addition, the car has no gimick's in the design, which can be appreciated.

As one opens the door, the weight of the components communicate a solid feel, and safety.

The seats are very firm and help develop driver alertness by good seating posture.

The diesel engine is the main feature of this car. It has good acceleration off the line, and is relatively smooth for a diesel. It has plenty of low end torque and generates respectable horsepower because of the turbo charger. The fuel efficiency is incredible, and its functional simplicity a joy. In addition the diesel comes with more sound insulation than other models, which provides for a quieter cabin at highway speeds.

The five speed Manual gearbox has very tall gears. The engine takes this in stride because of its strong torque. It is also exceptional at high speed cruising with the engine turning over 2400 times per minute at 70 mph.

The suspension feels soft, but really stiffens up in the turns. Very little body roll occurs. However, it is not a sports car, and the standard tires seem too soft for aggressive cornering.

This is a very well built automobile, and a perfect choice for an experienced diesel lover. It is a prime example of good no nonsense German design.