1998 Volkswagen Golf SE 1.6 petrol

Summary:

To over engineered for its own good

Faults:

Irregular idle. VW replaced a failed lambda sensor, cracked throttle body and tightened the intake manifold bolts on successive visits. Idle still irregular.

Rear brakes constantly bind as the handbrake return mechanisms fails if it gets dirty.

Intermittent fault on offside electric windows. Motors seem to stick. Mechanic offered to replace them for £150 each with no guarantee that it would make any difference.

Passenger foot-well full of water. Apparently a common problem, but numerous VW mechanics have failed to plug the leak.

Upper door hinges are tiny considering the weight of the doors. They wear quickly (mine sloppy by 30,000 miles) so the door no longer fits the frame.

General Comments:

The Mk 4 golf drives like an overweight 70's American car. It squeals round corners with little prompting, the over-enthusiastic power steering damping out all road feeling.

Its very low underneath, and scrapes down minor country roads. You haven't a chance with four people in it.

Radio is a nightmare. How do you switch the auto traffic reporting off? The manual says it can be turned off, but doesn't mention how!

While under guarantee VW were always helpful, but never that useful.

Now I know why VW have dropped their 'if only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen' slogan.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 25th July, 2003

1998 Volkswagen Golf S 1.6

Summary:

Well built, but blandness conquers all

Faults:

Sunroof needed attention.

Brake lights seem to go every two weeks.

General Comments:

The car is as bland as a silver Ford Mondeo 1.8LX.

Its solidly built, quite quiet, but bland looking and bland to drive. My last car a 1998 Mazda 323 1.8SE had covered 103,000 mainly motorway miles. The old car was a lot more fun to drive, with its sharp quick witted steering, taut body control and reliability. The Golf is stodgy and boring. The car costed around £16000 new, the same money bought my much better Mazda 323F 1.8SE, which had a computer, air-con, alloys, traction control, remote locking, alarm and STYLE!!! This particular Golf lacks all these, I only bought it because it was on the company car list and as close in size to a 323F!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 31st March, 2003

1998 Volkswagen Golf GT TDI 1.9 turbo diesel

Summary:

I would never buy another!

Faults:

Glove-box lock failed.

Rear hatch lock failed.

Air con failed.

Central locking failed.

Alarm module replace.

Window wind mechanism replaced x2.

Rear wiper leak causing short.

Turbo failure £2000!!!

Rear drivers side brake line leak.

Water pump failure.

Cam belt needed replacing 20000 miles after a VW garage claimed to replaced it. The second VW garage only agreed not to charge because I had it in writing that it had been replaced.

3 off remote alarm units.

ABS sensor failure.

General Comments:

VW garages not interested once the sale was made, service hopeless, this was my 4th golf on the row, but I would never buy another VW, the dealers cannot cope and the cars have become so complicated the reliability is compromised.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 23rd August, 2002

29th Oct 2002, 07:14

Your experience is almost exactly the same as mine! I too have had multiple problems - never the same thing twice. Dealers fix them under warranty, but Volkswagen UK will not accept any liability for the poor reliability.

I have had several engine management systems failures (3 in 3 months) including one which caused the car to surge from idling speed to 2000rpm without warning. A real hoot in heavy traffic! My wife refused to drive the car (especially with our 2 chlidren in the back) until it was sorted out.

Dealers are hopeless and don't seem to give a hang. Also offered absolute rock bottom trade in for a 35000 mile car with full history serviced by them.

Golf reliability is a myth! Look at the reliability surveys (JD Power & Top Gear). My Golf Mk2 was great (sold it with 140,000 miles on the clock because we wanted a bigger car) but the Mk4 is a dog.

3rd Mar 2006, 11:54

Just wanted to add that my 1999 GTI 1.8 has had an almost identical list of problems and cost. I love the car, but it's VERY expensive to keep going and the dealers are just as described!!!