Volkswagen Golf 2004 Problems

NEW - If the BMW 3-Series was once the way of buying European prestige without breaking the bank that particular baton has been passed to the VW Golf.The Golf has become a popular choice for buyers wanting something more than the Japanese and Koreans can deliver, particularly in terms of driving excitement. Like all Europeans the Golf has exceptional road manners, it feels safe and solid with responsive steering, agile handling and comfortable ride.Available as a five-door hatch it's a fine all-rounder for anyone living within the confines of our traffic-choked cities. Its external dimensions are compact, but there's still decent room inside for four.Five is a squeeze, but then few of us ever drive with a full complement of passengers on board anyway. Behind the seating lies a good-sized boot for carrying whatever it is we need to haul around with us.There' s a good choice of engines, both petrol and diesel, including an economical 1.6-litre petrol four, a spirited 2.0-litre petrol four, and 1.9 and 2.0-litre turbo-diesels. It needs to be noted that the petrol engines require premium unleaded and there's no shortcutting that requirement without risking serious internal damage to the engine.VW also offered a wide choice of transmissions, with five and six-  speed manuals, a six-speed auto with tiptronic shifting, and a six-  speed DSG auto-shifting manual. With a five-star rating from ANCAP the Golf is right on the mark for safety, boasting a full complement of front, head and side airbags, with ABS braking, emergency brake assist and traction control.NOWVW enjoyed an extended honeymoon period after the company re-entered the market in its own right a few years ago. I t was an affordable way of buying European prestige, but the love affair has struck trouble in more recent times.The German carmaker has invested heavily in technology and its cars bristle with the latest engineering advancements, but it seems its advanced technology focus has brought with it a few issues that have caused owners considerable angst.The DSG gearbox, a wonderful gearbox when it's working properly, has been one subject of regular complaint here at Carsguide and owners have regularly complained that they have had difficulty in getting their issues resolved.Complaints about the DSG gearbox have typically been rough shifting, erratic shifting where it seems the wrong gear has been chosen, selecting neutral at the most inappropriate times. We have been given a copy of a technical bulletin issued to dealers advising them of a problem with oil fouling the wiring loom controlling the gearbox, which appears to be the cause of the shifting problems.When driving a DSG-equipped Golf it's vital that you conduct a thorough assessment of the gearbox looking for the above problems. There have been reports also of engine issues with owners having to replace engines at relatively low kilometers. VW claims the failures were due to owners using the incorrect fuel, but the jury is still out on that being the real cause.When considering a VW it's important to note that you must run the fuel specified by VW and that could mean higher running costs. Cutting corners could lead to even greater expense down the road.Window regulators have been known to fail, so make sure you check the operation of all windows, front and back. While the failures have been spectacular the build quality of the Golf is generally good.Before buying a used Golf find a good independent service specialist and you'll save heaps on servicing and repairs. It's also worth having a VW specialist go over any potential purchase to give you an independent report of the condition of the car.SMITHY SAYSA good driving car let down by some fairly serious mechanical flaws. Must be approached with caution, can be very expensive when things go wrong.VW Golf 2004-2009Price new: $27,990 to $35,290Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cylinder, 75 kW/148 Nm; 2.0-litre 4-cylinder, 110 kW/200 Nm; 1.9-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel, 77kW/250 Nm; 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo-diesel, 103 kW/320 NmTransmission: 6-speed auto, 6-speed DSG, 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual, FWDEconomy: 8.2 L/100 km (1.6), 8.5 L/100 km (2.0), 5.8 L/100 km (1.9 TD), 5.7 L/100 km (2.0 TD)Body: 5-door hatchVariants: Comfortline, Trendline, SportlineSafety: 5-star ANCAP

Those who need a sensible car, yet who also enjoy spirited driving will find the Volkswagen Golf does a good job of meeting these apparently conflicting needs.Even by Australian standards the Golf has grown in size with each new model, going from small to small-medium and finally to medium in overall dimensions. This is partly to provide the extra space needed for occupant crash protection though there is some more interior room as well.Aussies tend to regard them more as transport for a family with preteen children, but if you live in an inner city area in Melbourne of Sydney you may need nothing more than a Volkswagen Golf to fill all your motoring needs. In Europe, the VW Golf is often seen as a full-sized car and it's not unusual to see them carting four large adults about.Golf is chiefly sold as a three- or five-door door hatchback. A 'Golf' four-door sedan was called the Bora from 1999 until the launch of the fifth generation model in 2005, when it was renamed Jetta. Boot space in the sedans is substantially better than in the hatches and the four-door models are certainly worth consideration.VW Golf Cabriolet was sold until 2003. It has good roll-over protection for an open-top car and still offers a reasonable amount of space in the back seat. Access to the boot is difficult with the smallish boot lid sitting very low at the rear. The Cabriolet was replaced by the New Beetle Cabriolet, but in a surprise move, VW reintroduced the Golf Cabriolet in 2012.Engines come in various guises: petrol and diesel; with four-, five- and six-cylinder units. Four-cylinder petrol engines are the most common, coming in capacities of 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 litres. The 1.6 will suit most drivers, but those who like to drive hard may find it a bit dull. The 1.4-litre is a brilliant, relatively recent, design and the little turbo unit provides performance with economy.Volkswagen in Australia started a big push in the diesel field several years ago and these engines are now far more common than in the past. With capacities of 1.6, 1.9 and 2.0 litres they provide plenty of grunt and turbo lag isn't too bad. Those who enjoy a really good drive should consider the VW Golf GTi. A fun machine for the keen driver, it's rapidly becoming regarded as a classic in the Australian hot-hatch market.Then there's the Golf R range of extreme hotshots. These traditionally had a large V6 engine – 3.2 litres in a smallish car gives plenty of performance. These are tagged as Golf R32. The mk6 Golf R, launched in 2011, takes a different tack, going for 2.0 litres and a high-pressure turbo. Disguising the smaller size of the engine is the change of name to simply Golf R - somehow it wouldn't have been right to replace the R32 with an R20.Six-speed manuals arrived with the fifth-generation Golfs in 2004 and are popular on the used scene. The DSG gearbox, also launched in 2004, is a self-shifting manual gearbox. It provides far better performance than the old-style four-speed automatics used until 2004. However, in those early days the dual-clutch DSG was often slow and awkward at very slow speeds, making it a pain in tight parking situations. Later DSGs have been improved, but still aren't as good as conventional automatic transmissions.This VW is a relatively easy car to work on and spare parts are not overly expensive. The dealer network has expanded from a low point during the mid-1990s and nowadays we hear very few complaints about parts availability or servicing.Insurance charges are about average for an imported European vehicle on most Golf and Jetta models. The high-performance Golf GTi may attract higher premiums, the Golf R32 and Golf R almost certainly will cost you a lot more.WHAT TO LOOK FORRust isn't common in Golfs and is more likely to be the result of bad crash repairs than vehicle design. Have the car inspected professionally, or find another one. Older Golfs that have been kept in the open continuously may suffer from sun-dried dashboard tops and rear parcel shelves.Feel and look for uneven tyre wear, particularly on the front wheels. Engines should start quickly. Listen for untoward engine noises, especially when it's cold. Look for smoke from the exhaust when the engine is driven hard, particularly on long uphill runs. Make sure a manual gearbox doesn't crunch on fast downchanges.Check that dual-clutch transmissions are positive in their shifts and don't hesitate too much at very low speeds. Be sure the brakes pull the car up evenly. If ABS is fitted you should feel a pulsing through the pedal during hard stops.CAR BUYING TIPAn area to check early in the piece is the top of the rear bumper. Careless owners may have rested luggage on it while loading the car. And careless luggage packers may also be careless drivers, even careless about having servicing carried out according to schedule. 

The soaring price of petrol in the past year or so has had motorists looking at every possible alternative, including diesels that might save them a few bucks at the pump. If LPG has become the champion of used car buyers, the diesel has become one of the most popular alternatives for new car buyers.Increased sales of new diesels, like the VW Golf TDi, in recent times means that there are more used diesels coming on the market. The diesel is now a used buy worth considering by anyone wanting to save on their fuel bills.MODEL WATCHDiesel sales have soared in Europe in recent years as motorists have been slugged with higher fuel prices. The ugly phenomenon has recently reached Australian shores as local motorists have copped a similar whack at the pump. VW is a leader in diesel engine technology in Europe, boasting a range of diesel engines right across its entire model range from humble Polo to the prestigious Passat. In the middle of the range sits the ever-popular Golf, and it’s the Golf that VW has used to power its push into the growing oil-burner market here.The company hit the ground running in 2004 with the release of the 1.9 TDi in two trim levels — the Comfortline and the Trendline — and a 2.0-litre TDi Comfortline. Outwardly the diesel Golfs look like any other Generation 5 Golf. It’s only the TDi badges that distinguish them from their petrol cousins.Modern diesels shouldn’t be confused with the oil-burners of old, which were noisy, smelly, usually followed by clouds of thick black smoke, and generally holding up the traffic. The only time they came into their own was when they rattled past a servo as their petrol-powered cousins stopped to replenish their tanks.Today’s diesels are quiet, don’t smell or belch out clouds of black smoke, and aren’t left standing when the lights go green. Even better news is that they are still economical. The 1.9-litre TDi engine was a single overhead camshaft four cylinder turbo diesel that delivered 77 kW and 250 Nm — compare that to 75 kW and 148 Nm for the 1.6-litre petrol Golf model — while the 2.0-litre TDi was a more modern double overhead camshaft four cylinder turbo diesel that punched out 103 kW and 320 Nm at its peak. Compare the latter to the 2.0-litre FSi engine VW also offered that gave 110 kW and 200 Nm.The key to the diesel performance, and achieving the best fuel economy, is the massive torque that it offers. Drive to make best use of the torque and you will not only realise its potential to save fuel, but you will also realise its performance potential. Both diesels were available with VW’s DSG six-speed auto and a six-speed manual gearbox.On the road the diesel’s low-end and mid-range performance was easily able to account for its petrol equivalent. It was really only the petrol car’s top-end performance that out-gunned the diesel.IN THE SHOPVW build quality is generally high, as high as any other brand and higher than some. That said they can still have issues with build quality, but with VW handling the local distribution now those problems that do occur seem to be handled more effectively than they might have been in the past. Make sure your used car choice has a good service record with regular oil changes.IN A CRASHThe diesel Golfs have the same array of airbags as their petrol cousins so the crash rating is the same. An agile chassis and powerful braking provide plenty of active safety in avoiding a crash.AT THE PUMPThe diesel Golf will return fuel economy numbers in the region of 6.0 L/100 km. That’s about 20 per cent less than you would see from an equivalent petrol engine. The fuel economy equation gets a little tricky here because diesel is usually a little more expensive than regular unleaded, but the gap varies so it’s a moving target. At the time of writing diesel was three cents per litre more expensive than regular unleaded, but 10 cents per litre less expensive than 98-octane premium unleaded.Compared to a car running on regular unleaded it would take almost 90,000 km before the lower economy of the diesel would bring you to a break even point, but if you compare it to a car running on 98-octane unleaded you would gobble up the diesel’s average purchase premium in around 65,000 km.OWNERS’ VIEWSKeith Sanders and his wife tested the diesel Golf soon after its release and were quickly convinced it was for them. They chose the 1.9 TDi Comfortline with DSG gearbox because it was a willing performer and adequate for their needs. Now, after four years and 62,000 km they say it was a great choice. They have had a few issues with a faulty cruise control switch and a water leak through the windscreen, which have been fixed under warranty, but overall they’re happy with the diesel Golf and would buy another one without hesitation. Typically they get 6.3 L/100 km in average daily driving and low to mid-fives on the highway.Roland Nicholson drives a 12-month-old Golf TDi GT Sport with DSG, leather and sunroof. He was looking for better fuel economy when he bought it, but still wanted to have a sporty feel. He says it’s satisfying to see the trip computer showing 4.9 L/100 km on the freeway, and still have the quick acceleration when needed. The downsides to owning a diesel, he says, are the high price of diesel fuel and the lack of decent, clean refueling facilities at some service stations. His only complaint is that off the line the diesel/DSG combination is a bit hesitant and jerky. The vehicle itself is excellent, he says, the finish is very good and things like heated front seats are a great option.Nick Smithwick bought a 2006 2.0-litre TDi Comfortline brand new and loves it. He acknowledges that diesel is more expensive than petrol, but says 85 per cent of his driving is in traffic and around the city and he still gets over 850 km to the tank. On the highway he gets more than 1100 km.Stephanie Harris owns a 2007 2.0-litre TDi Golf and says its fuel economy is really good. She is not happy with the price of diesel, but on a trip she can get between 1100 and 1200 km and 900 km around town. She adds that it is very comfortable and has plenty of get up and go when needed.LOOK FOR• Good Golf build quality• Fuel economy savings• Higher purchase price a downer• Good performance• Ace drivability• Dirty refueling facilitiesTHE BOTTOM LINE• Diesels drive and perform well, but their higher purchase price has to be covered before any economy benefits can be enjoyed and that can rule them out.RATING• 85/100