1999 Volkswagen Golf s 1.6 from UK and Ireland

Summary:

The Car is lovely, only its completely let down by Volkswagon

Faults:

Window regulator broke at 40,000 miles, VW known problem yet they only offer the same replacement part even thought they are too weak to hold the glass.

Gear Box broke at 42,000 miles shattering bell housing and socking clutch in oil.

Brake lights have to be replaced every 3 months if your lucky...!

Central locking failed at 55,000 miles.

Drivers seat worn out on right hand side by 45,000 miles.

Gear Box Failed AGAIN! at 56,000 miles Oh Joy!

General Comments:

This car has got some good points, it is very nice to drive, when the gear box works, it feels safe and handles very well. The car is however plagued with known faults, the gear box spits bearing out and shatters the housing, this has happened twice to me. The window regulator's are guaranteed to break, £175 to replace each. VW service was terrible to say the least and they quoted over £1750 to replace the box, well is it worth it... I think not, I also wrote to VW and got NO reply I wrote again still no reply, I guess they just don't care very much.

Would I have another Golf? NO, would I have another VW? NO... Not because I do not like the car, but because of the way I was spoken too and the serious lack of customer service from both the main dealers and VW its-self.

VW have not even attempted to correct known faults on cars they design, £1750 might not be a lot of money to one of VW's main people, but I can ensure you that it is a lot of money to the average person buying your cars VW.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 27th December, 2006

1999 Volkswagen Golf GTi Turbo 1.8 petrol turbo from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Hot hatchback, but not as hot as the earlier Golf GTI

Faults:

Brake pads needed replacing at 15,000 miles, again at 33,000 miles and last of all at 56,000 miles.

Clutch lacked durability and needed replacing twice, first at 30,000 miles and again at 52,000 miles.

Driver's side window motor failed at 47,000 miles.

Tyres wore very quickly.

General Comments:

Expensive to run.

Well built, reliable and comfortable.

Had an upmarket feel, but wasn't as sporty as the GTI badge might suggest.

A reasonable buy at £16,000 for a very fast hatchback with high equipment levels.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 16th April, 2006

1999 Volkswagen Golf GTi 1.8T from UK and Ireland

Summary:

A quality motor, but not a real GTI

Faults:

Coil Pack failed which also took out the ignition amplifier, car run on three cylinders and felt like a bag of spanners, fortunatly a well documented failure and parts where cheap, plentiful and easy to change.

Gear linkage adjuster snapped and left me with 3 & 4 gear only, cheap bit of plastic and an hours labour fixed it.

Interior rattles a bit.

General Comments:

I find the golf a refined quick motor with plenty of mid range omph.

However it's just far too boring to have the GTI badge.

Don't get me wrong it's a cracking car, but just lacking in that top end zing and crisp handling that the best hot hatches enjoy.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th December, 2005

18th Mar 2007, 19:55

You say the zing etc the best hot hatches enjoy what is better all rounder than this people are hard to please.

In reply to 18th Mar 2007, 19:55

19th Mar 2007, 06:52

Hot hatches aren't meant to be 'all rounders', they're meant to be fast & fun to drive, so if it doesn't have these qualities in his opinion, then he's right to be disappointed.

In reply to 19th Mar 2007, 06:52

18th May 2011, 12:46

I have one and would agree with your comments re: it not being the sharpest tool in the box.

However, there is something about it I reckon. Lovely seats and interior, beautifully smooth, torquey engine, and styling which has aged far better than its contemporaries. Golfs always have aged gracefully, and the MK4 is no exception.

We have grown quite attached to it, to the extent it now has 143,000 miles on the clock and we have no yearn to sell it.

It still goes as well as it ever did, and feels surprisingly tight, apart from a baggy gear linkage, which I seem to recall affected these from pretty much new. It's reliable too, despite the miles. The alternator packed up a few months ago, and the gear linkage seems to need regular adjustment to avoid obstinate 1st and 2nd gears, but otherwise it's been literally servicing and consumables. Very easy / cheap to look after, and easy enough to work on yourself. VAG COM can read and reset fault codes, and quality pattern parts are available from numerous sources at prices comparable to those for a Ford or Vauxhall.

I service it once a year using the best 5W/40 fully synth I can find at the time, with plugs and air filter every 3rd service, and it just keeps on going. We will keep it until it dies, or the rust gets it.

The quality complaints for this model elsewhere simply do not match my own experiences. Mine has been exactly what the VW reputation suggests it would be.