Faults:

In chronological order:

Engine oil leak

Head gasket failure (source of leak)

Front brake pads & discs

Glove box lock broke

Driver seat adjustment broke

Water pump failure

Head gasket blown (due to water pump failure)

Front suspension arm bushes & rear axle bushes worn

Engine oil still leaking to this day!

Passenger side sill fell off

Various plastic parts fell off from front spoiler

Alloy centre caps fell off

Various random noises (knocking and creaks etc.)

General Comments:

This is my first car, which I use mainly to get to and from work, so I only do short journeys. Even with all the problems I've had, I still enjoy driving this car. The interior has plenty of room for my 6'6" body, which is the main reason why I chose this car over others.

I get 42mpg, even with all my cold starts and short journeys, so really can't fault the engine when it actually works! I should mention that I don't feel very comfortable with overtaking on A/B roads, as it just doesn't have the power of the GTI.

The car however has quite of lot of different strange noises that randomly appear and disappear, like knocking sounds. Also the engine sounds terrible (has a whiny note) until you rev it a little.

Well finally I have to mention the problems I've had. I brought the car and had it serviced at a Volkwagen garage; they came up with a list of problems. After a few months it started leaking oil, and I was told that head gasket needing replacing. Then a squealing noise came from the bottom of the engine, and Volkswagen told me it was the alternator belt, and an independent garage told me the water pump belt needing refitting. Then on a motorway blast the water pump failed, leading to an overheated engine and the head gasket getting blown again.

I should note that when I bought the car, it didn't have a oil leak; only after getting it serviced did the leak appear, and also the squealing noise appeared after getting the head gasket replaced!!!

Faults:

Front lower arms needed replacement after 1st year (due to harsh use when first purchased).

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Brake vacuum hose split at joint Aug '06.

General Comments:

Brilliant First Car! Cheap, pretty quick and looks good.

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Fuel Economy Good. Full tank does 400+ miles

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No rust and perfect bodywork even after a year by the sea.

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Good quality interior. Comfortable, bright and easy to clean.

Faults:

ABS warning light intermittently flashing. Needed new ABS pump which is over £300 from VW dealer. Is better value to get one second hand for about £100.

Gearbox making hissing sounds. Reconditioned gearbox fitted for £600.

Brakes screeching. Needed lubricating.

Central locking stopped functioning. New fuse needed.

On board computer kept presetting after turning ignition off. Again needed a new fuse.

Cigarette lighter not working. Replaced with new unit.

Rear axle bushes perished. New bushes fitted.

General Comments:

Having driven some performance hot hatchbacks I was fully aware that the Mark 3 Golf GTi was not of a similar type of car. It has enough power to overtake when needed although it is not to be compared with hot hatches such as the Clio 172 Cup. The 8v GTi is nothing spectacular but is more than sufficient for most drivers.

The car is very comfortable to be in and this is complemented by having heated leather seats.

There have been numerous electrical faults with the car although I think I have rectified most of these. Replacement parts are expensive and dealer servicing costs are extremely high so it is best using a reputable specialist.

My car has covered over 126k miles, but apart from a lot of stone chips to the front end you would not think it had covered this mileage. The interior has worn extremely well and there are very few rattles from the cabin. It appears to have been built properly!

Fuel economy is acceptable and I get around 35mpg with normal driving.

Overall this is a good solid car although be prepared to spend money on keeping it running as there are bound to be minor niggles that need rectifiying. I hope to keep it running for a substantial amount of time now I have spent a lot of money getting it fully fixed.