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Volkswagen Golf Problems

Are you having problems with your Volkswagen Golf? Let our team of motoring experts keep you up to date with all of the latest Volkswagen Golf issues & faults. We have gathered all of the most frequently asked questions and problems relating to the Volkswagen Golf in one spot to help you decide if it's a smart buy.

Ten clicks out

THE speedo is allowed to read up to 10 per cent higher under the law, but cannot under-read. In that sense it is within the law. The best solution is to use a GPS to confirm the speed you're doing (see below).

Good timing

CHANGE the belt. It should really have been changed at the earlier major service. It is being changed on the basis of time, not kilometres travelled, so do that, and do the water pump as the dealer suggests as they do leak.

Used Volkswagen Golf review: 1990-1993

The Japanese are so dominant in the small performance hatch arena today that if you were to land on this planet for the first time this week you could believe they wrote the book on them. Actually they didn’t, they were created in Europe back in the 1960s when Mini Coopers showed you didn’t need a V8 to go fast, a long time before the Japanese cottoned on to the idea and made it their own.

Subaru’s WRX stands out as the hot hatch hero, but just about every other Japanese carmaker has a sporty model in their range. The Europeans have continued to refine the formula and can claim to have hot hatches, like the VW GTi, that are also refined and sophisticated. The GTi made a fleeting appearance on the local market back in 1990 when the then importer launched a detuned version of the European model.

Having heard and read of the GTi’s reputation for 15 years or so the model that came here was a bit of a disappointment. It looked the same, and had the right badges, but lacked the sizzle of the model sold in Europe and failed to win over local performance car nuts who were largely still hooked on big V8s.

MODEL WATCH

The Golf GTi that landed here in 1990 was already a dated model in Europe, being part of the second generation Golf that was launched in 1983. It only just beat the major update that came a year later, so the excitement of finally being able to buy the GTi was somewhat dulled.

Still, the GTi’s reputation as the pace setter in the small front-wheel drive hot hatch market had reached Australia in the preceding years and the news it would finally come here was warmly welcomed.

The enthusiasm quickly waned, however, when it was realized that the importer had chosen to market it here as a luxury sporting hatch rather than an all-out performance model. The engine chosen for Australia was a mundane 1.8-litre single overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine that was strangled by emission gear and developed just 77 kW at 5400 revs and 155 Nm at 3800 revs.

With those sorts of numbers it’s clear the GTi wasn’t a rocketship. Instead it was smooth and refined, terms normally used when a car fails to excite the senses. A five-speed manual gearbox was standard at launch, but a three-speed auto was added in 1991.

While the local GTi lacked the punch of a hot hatch it wasn’t lacking in luxury with a raft of features to justify its rather exotic price tag. It came standard with air, central locking, a trip computer, fog lights, Pioneer sound, and mirrors that were powered and heated, but oddly it didn’t have power windows.

The GTi’s shape was functional rather than pretty. Its lines were forthright, simple and to the point, there was nothing to offend the eye or equally attract it. Inside there was pretty good room with comfortable seating front and rear, with a decent sized boot left over for luggage if needed. The dash was also functional and well laid-out, but the Europeans hadn’t quite made it to the level of the Japanese when it came to fit and finish of the interior parts. They were fiddly, clearly plastic, and weren’t put together very well.

On the road the modest output of the engine dulled the GTi’s performance, but with a reasonable amount of torque available in the mid-range it could be stirred along with the well-matched ratios in the five-speed manual gearbox. If the engine didn’t excite the chassis was highly praised for its reserves of grip and its nimbleness. The power steering was a little vague, but the driver still had a good road feel and it didn’t load up when cornering as some front drivers were inclined to do. Overall the ride was surprisingly supple when it was expected to be rock hard and unforgiving.

IN THE SHOP

Back in 1990 the Europeans were still coming to grips with the build quality of their Japanese rivals. They weren’t producing cars with anything like the same quality. VW was similarly struggling to get up to the Japanese standard for general fit and finish, and their shortcomings were clearly in view inside the GTi.

By today’s standards the plastics were poor, and made for European conditions rather than the ferocity of the sun they would have to contend with here. As a consequence they warped, buckled and split under the relentless attack from the sun. The interior trim also suffered under the tough local conditions, and was soon showing signs of wear and tear. Look also for faded metallic paint, again a legacy of the change to water-based paints that the industry was going through, and the force of the local sun.

Mechanically the GTi is robust and reliable, and little of a serious nature often goes wrong with them. It’s important though that they are well serviced, with regular oil changes. If the oil isn’t changed regularly the valve guides can wear and that will lead to oil use.

Check for a service record, and when driving look for oil smoke from the tail pipe on overrun. They can have problems with second gear synchro, but it’s not expensive to replace it if needed. Parts are reasonably priced and readily available, and servicing isn’t expensive if you seek out a specialist rather than use the factory dealers. Maintained well it’s generally held that a GTi will do 300,000 km or so without major problems.

CRUNCH TIME

An agile chassis with nimble handling was the GTi’s main safety mechanism in an era before ABS was widely used and airbags weren’t yet known about. Sturdy construction comes into play when the metal starts to crumble.

AT THE PUMP

Wearing a performance tag means a GTi is sometimes driven harder than other cars, and the fuel economy suffers. Look for 9.0-10.5 L/100 km in normal use around town.

LOOK FOR
• Respected badge
• Modest performance
• Solid looks
• Roomy interior
• Robust and reliable
• Service record a must

THE BOTTOM LINE
• Had the badge, but disappointedly it didn’t have the grunt to back it up.

RATING
• 60/100

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Used Volkswagen Golf review: 2004-2006

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 WATCH

Diesel 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 SHOP

VW 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 CRASH

The 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 PUMP

The 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’ VIEWS

Keith 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 facilities

THE 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

Read the article
Golf bawl

IT'S not normal with a modern diesel and I would be taking it back to the dealer and have them thoroughly check the engine and its systems because something is wrong.

Standardise all dashboards

PERHAPS you should ask yourself why our governments haven't standardised with most of the world on left-hand drive. That would fix your complaint immediately. The reason carmakers don't standardise is the cost of engineering cars for right-hand-drive markets. Jumping between cars all the time I, too, occasionally wipe the windscreen when I don't mean to, but do it once and you learn not to do it again. It's not a big deal in my view.

Great golf score

YOU'VE done well, but I often hear reports of VW drivers getting fewer than 5.0 litres/100km from their diesels on a run and 5.5 to 6.0 litres/100km around town. They're now all converted to self-igniters.

Little oil rig

VW'S technical people say your usage is within expected range. VW engines have a reputation for using some oil, so it's a good idea to check the oil regularly.

Economy car

RENAULT doesn't market a diesel engine here, so rule that out. You could consider a VW Golf diesel. Both the Peugeot and VW diesels are well built, reliable and economical so that would probably be the best overall option.

Blowing a fuse

NO mechanic is infallible and everyone can make mistakes. Cars are complex machines and problems are sometimes not easy to trace. It always pays to check the basics, and in your case the dealer mechanic doesn't appear to have done that.

Disclaimer: You acknowledge and agree that all answers are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied upon as bespoke advice. Carsguide is not liable for the accuracy of any information provided in the answers.
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