Faults:

Cassette player chewed up five cassettes in six months before being replaced.

Sunroof catch broke at 34,000 miles.

Right side passenger door handle jammed at 47,000 miles.

General Comments:

Mechanicals were faultlessly reliable despite the car being nearly five years old and having covered nearly 60,000 miles by the time I sold it.

Fuel bills were relatively low for a 1600cc petrol engine, which also gave strong performance.

Bodywork and interior trim were very good except for a broken sunroof catch and a jammed door handle.

Good value for money at £5,000 for a well equipped 30 month old medium sized hatchback.

Held its value well and sold privately for £3,300 two years later.

Ride and handling were also excellent.

Faults:

The only things that have gone wrong was the water pump after 18 years of motoring I'm sure ill let it off that one.

And also the exhaust bracket at the back of the engine to the pipe snapped, but an easy and not costly repair soon sorted that.

General Comments:

Well I really love my golf its only a little one, but it still has all the aspirations of its big brother the gti.

Its cheap its reliable and its so stylish.

Faults:

Drivers door hinge needed to be welded back in place.

Rear door handle snapped.

Boot latch rattles.

General Comments:

This car is sheer Germanic quality! It is so strong and reliable. Once it has warmed up, it drives like a new car. Although I haven't driven it for more than 1000 miles, its quality shines through. I have driven many cars. This, however, is a classic design, not just in its wonderful retro style, but in durability, reliability and economy. Oh and hardly any rust.

Parts are available everywhere and very reasonably priced. The only parts to have failed were through 18 years of use. These cars remind you of where Volkswagen's reputation was earned. I am sorry to say, it is no longer the case. This car would drive me to Sicily tomorrow if my wife would let me!

Faults:

Needed a new driver's door and sill when someone tried to drive a Fiat through the side of it.

Needed a new passenger front door after original was jemmied from the top.

Replaced exhaust and one tyre.

Mixture control had to be tuned two year ago.

Sun shine roof leaked occasionally, now OK after a bit of work on the small back gutter.

Rusting on back doors, one of which leaks.

General Comments:

Family hand-me-down after what must have been an interesting early life.

Hard to tell what was replaced by earlier owners, although one read door is very different in pain finish.

It is more fun than anyone has any right to expect from something 18 years old.

Handles just so it goes where you want at whatever speed you want to go.

Seems totally unbreakable (to the chagrine of fashion-conscious children).

Engine emissions less than a third of those required by annual test.