Faults:

Had to repair the clutch at 109,000 km.

Front bumper has needed to be re-secured over and over again (minor).

Trunk lifts have given out this year.

I've had to replace the struts 3 times since buying the car.

Insurance on this car at 10 years old is unreasonable. At 10 years old, it just can't be considered one of the top 10 most stolen cars in North America.

Find a good mechanic. The dealers charge far too much for repairs on Volkwagens.

General Comments:

I have to tell you that this has been the best car I have ever driven. It is so much fun to drive. Anyone that gets behind the wheel cannot believe how much power it has. For 105 HP, this little car has spunk that can compete with any other 4 cylinder out there. I test drove a brand new Neon (132hp) in 1994 just before I bought this car. There was no question which was the better deal for performance, economy and dependability. The Neon paused after giving it gas to accelerate.

This is a deceptively little car. I've folded down the back seat and brought home a glass-top 6-seater patio table and 4 chairs.

The seating is very comfortable. The lumbar support is still there after 10 years.

I love my Golf. In 2 years, I am passing it down to my daughter as her first car because I have confidence that this little car will be dependable and reliable right until she has graduated from university.

Faults:

Usually it's fine, but at low revs the engine sometimes cuts out completely when I take my foot off the gas, like there's no idle speed - does anyone know what the problem is?

General Comments:

I love my Golf! Having upgraded from a Fiesta it feels incredibly solid and well bolted together, and cruises un-shakably smoothly at any speed.

I'm a real fan of Volkswagens and this is an excellent example of a thoroughly reliable, comfortable family sized car, easily capable of carrying all your mates and luggage for under £2000.

It even looks solid as a rock with its angular styling, extended wheel arches and twin head-lamps like a GTI.

Under the bonnet there's actually a surprising amount of space making basic maintenance easy. It's all tough as old boots of course, but in this respect make sure previous owners have bothered to look after it!

I intend to keep this car for a while as it's always a smooth and relaxing pleasure to drive.

Faults:

Steering-servo broke (expensive!).

Tires blew (were original ones).

Minor repairs to the headlights.

Front passenger seat wouldn't fold.

Leaks from the 4wd.

General Comments:

I previously owned a Beetle which was a pretty good car considering its age (15 years when I bought it). Since I live in Sweden I wanted a better winter car than that. Hence the four wheel drive which is excellent. I'll never buy a car without it again.

However, this supposed diamond which had few miles turned into a money-eating machine deluxe. I spend almost as much on repairs as on the vehicle itself!! This was the last Volkswagen for me, Subaru here I come!

Faults:

Tired standard suspension (now uprated!)

Seized rear brake calipers.

Worn engine mounts (engine movement causing exhaust downpipes to crack!)

Sheared exhaust mounting due to stainless steel (heavy) exhaust.

Idle stab. valve.

Running off tune.

Misfiring (new ignition leads to cure).

General Comments:

The Golf is a very solid and generally reliable car. Although heavy for a hot hatch, it has enough torque to allow swift progress and handles superbly.

Engines are reliable, and, if looked after, power improves with mileage. From a standard output of 112BHP, my car achieved 121BHP with the aid of a performance air filter and stainless steel exhaust. Very respectable for 115,000 miles.

Standard brakes are reasonable when heated up and have a nice feel to them.

My car runs very well generally and the problems I have experienced are fairly common Golf faults. 40+MPG is achievable and servicing is cheap thanks to "German & Swedish" parts shops.

Faults:

Just elements subject to wear, brake pads, shocks and wheel bearings.

General Comments:

Incredible car, solid as a rock. The engine is PERFECT after 188000km, this means absolutely no oil consumption between oil changes. Good performance, superb build quality and very nice road handling.

Faults:

Fuel Hose victoria clip loosened letting too much air into the fuel/air mix causing poor acceleration. Fixed during service by turning the screw!

Plastic box attached to the engine with two thermostats and three coolant pipes developed a leak.

Both this and my previous Golf developed very heavy clutches. I am used to this, but may deter other people.

General Comments:

Unfortunately once the pleasure of owning a near perfect condition Mk2 Golf wears off I began to realise that the 8 V (115bhp) just wasn't fast enough - even though it was an improvement over my old GL4+e (90bhp). I think I will be upgrading to a VW Corrado VR6 next time if the bank balance allows.