Faults:

Power mirror malfunction twice and repaired by the dealer under warranty.

Glove box cover had been replaced 3 times already - very weak hinges.

Heated front seat malfunctioned twice (AGAIN!). Have to wait for several weeks before the dealer is able to get the replacement parts.

Fluctuation in engine speed (+/- 50 rpm) during idle vibrates the whole car. Ignition system replaced by the dealer and the problem still stays.

Some creaks around the roof during cornering, but too minor to get it fixed though.

Overall, I have only minor problems with the car, but never serious enough to get me stranded on the road or to get it fixed right away (as opposed to my friend's experience with the same model)

General Comments:

Good - overall design, ride quality (read: not absolute sharp handling!), interior design, materials used, cabin ambiance, amenities, general ergonomics.

Bad - reliability, warranty coverage, cost of ownership, radio buttons layout.

My 2000 Golf GLS is a fully-loaded one with all options ticked except the auto tranny. Overall I'm impressed with the option list and their good value. Compared to other manufacturers the asking price for each option is reasonable, sometimes a bargain not to be missed.

Overall the car feels very safe and solid not found in other cars of the same size. Material used feels upscale that should only appear on cars $10k more expensive (aka, Audi...).

Apart from the ownership cost / reliability issues I would whole-heartedly recommend this car. (Looking forward to Golf V - it's on my shopping list!) EVERY passenger I ever took on board commented positively.

Love the torquey engine around our hilly West Coast environment. It would be better if I can have 50% more horsepower though (V5 engine to N America?).

My Golf came with only 2-year comprehensive warranty, which is the worst in the industry at that time. Now VW comes with 4-year warranty that makes it more attractive and worry-free.

Faults:

Lifting mechanism on both driver and passenger electric windows have broken within 4 months of each other, at which time window just drops into the door cavity.

No other real problems with the car, but extremely poor service from VW dealer. unhelpful and only interested in generating more work at additional cost.

General Comments:

Excellent performance at all times. I commute over 100 miles per day, mainly motorway driving with fuel economy of 50-60 miles per gallon at speeds of 75-85 mph. I have driven several diesel cars all of which feel like a diesel, but the golf feels like a petrol.

Inside the car very comfortable, and excellent accessories.

Would buy another diesel golf based on the car itself, however high servicing cost combined with awful service does concern me a little.

Faults:

The driver's back door has some noise like if there is something loose. This problem has not been solved by the dealer since July, 2002, when the car went there to get the problem solved.

The dealer didn't made all noise fade.

The front passenger window didn't all the way down and it started to produce a terrible noise inside the door.

The dealer fixed, tough the fetter lock isn't aligned with the car's interior surface any longer. It comes all the way down, creating a hole.

Sometimes the alarm system starts to discharge without reason.

General Comments:

This last generation of Golf is bigger and better.

The interior denotes a high quality. By looking at the superior dashboard, we can feel that the materials used are one of the better in the market.

The dashboard panel is extremely beautiful with its red and blue color, that gives an comfortable feeling at night.

The Climatronic system is clever, always keeping the right temperature that is required. The only negative point is that it could be a dual-zone air-conditioning.

Seats are OK. Solid and comfortable. After long trips, I don't feel tired or with my backs aching.

The color interior is black (dashboard) and gray (seats and the lower part of the dashboard). The combination is quite nice, but they are easy to get dirty. The velvet cloth feels good as we touch them, but once again, very easy to get dirty.

In the third head support doesn't allow people to have a right back vision.

The handling is superb. The car feels held on the floor.

This 2.0 engine is somehow old, but it has a high torch. Any direct acceleration and the car respond to it right away.

It is a little bit petrol eater, but that's the price to pay for a powerful engine.

Summarizing: a great cars for people who love to drive.