So what years were VW's OK?

bravenrace wrote:

wearymicrobe wrote: For me 2001-2009 give or take a year. Our 2014 has been rock solid, and anything they made with a Car or Bosh injection has been bulletproof as well.

You're 2014 is a 2014.

I know you didn't mean it that way but that is kinda funny. Your 2014 is still running well then? OK, I will go away now.

My dad's old 02 Jetta TDI was really good. I only know of some interior parts breaking.

tuna55 wrote: So... like this? http://greenville.craigslist.org/cto/4681885419.html

As a VW service manager from roughly that era, run as fast and as far as you can from that thing. Passats are pretty miserable cars overall.

The a/c cars got a rep for being long lasting mostly because they were dirt cheap to buy parts for and easy enough for the average home DIYer to wrench on. That did NOT mean they were/are good cars, although they do have a loyal following.

I've recounted the trials and tribulations of my Mk1 GTi more than once, Cliffs Notes: it broke a LOT even compared to my Brit cars. Having said that, they are like the a/c cars in being easy to work on and parts are cheap.

I love the Scirocco but that being said I probably wouldn't daily drive a VW. The MK1s and MK2s are getting hard to find one that would be in good enough shape to DD and anything after that either isn't reliable enough or isn't that much more fun to be worth buying one over other choices in the same price range...

2016? There is always hope.

If you think the 940 was needy, you are nowhere near ready for VW ownership!

I have never owned a VeeDub, but I have known enough people who have to know that I never, ever want to. At least one from the aformentioned era. I have known 4 people who have had B5/B5.5s and literally every one had a catastrophic failure of some kind. This is of course in addition to the myriad kinor issues you will never stop fixing.

One had a total failure of the tranny with no prior symptoms, another had a timing belt jump teeth like less than 20k after replacing it (yes he did the tensioner too), number 3 had sludge issues (look up the oil capacity of a longitudinally mounted 1.8t, it's a joke). I don't remember the specifics on the fourth, but I do know the car has been down for at least the last two months.

The one that threw the timing belt belonged to my roommate and best car buddy in college. I seem to remember the entire front end of the car being disassembled like every time he was in the engine bay. Access is a nightmare.

Run. Run far away.

Joe Gearin wrote: Also, it seems that 99% of the time I see a headlight or tail light out on a relatively new car----it's an Audi or VW. It's uncanny. Not sure who's making their lighting units--- but they seem to fail....often.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed this. I have seen a ridiculous number of new VAG cars with a light out...mostly tail lights. Or I'll see one on really bright, as if the brakes were on.

petegossett wrote: Avoid the Corrado unless you want to experience the emotional and financial roller coaster of owning an exotic car on a *slightly* lesser scale.

A Corrado is part Mk3 and Mk2 Golf with an exotic body.

Furious_E wrote: I have never owned a VeeDub, but I have known enough people who have to know that I never, ever want to. At least one from the aformentioned era. I have known 4 people who have had B5/B5.5s and literally every one had a catastrophic failure of some kind. This is of course in addition to the myriad kinor issues you will never stop fixing. One had a total failure of the tranny with no prior symptoms, another had a timing belt jump teeth like less than 20k after replacing it (yes he did the tensioner too), number 3 had sludge issues (look up the oil capacity of a longitudinally mounted 1.8t, it's a joke). I don't remember the specifics on the fourth, but I do know the car has been down for at least the last two months. The one that threw the timing belt belonged to my roommate and best car buddy in college. I seem to remember the entire front end of the car being disassembled like every time he was in the engine bay. Access is a nightmare. Run. Run far away.

You need to separate the B5/5.5 platform from the rest of the VAG line-up. One mistake should not be considered the history of a make.

My experience with a B5 was not good but my wife and I are on our 6th VW product. We still own 2 (my 03 Golf and her 90 Cabriolet). They have been good quality cars that have served us well and for long periods. The VW's are built with quality - my 03 Golf is like a bank vault compared to my 02 WRX.

It's hilarious to read all the VW hate on this board yet most participants love BMW's, that have their own warts when it comes to some significant issues.

Like most European cars, they are not Honda's or Toyota's. They don't suffer people who won't take care of them and they won't suffer a few who do. Buy a VW, get a code reader, maintain it, and check your lights and you will be okay.

Why when you can buy a Honda and get away with minimal maintenance? I remember working as a honda tech. Guy came in with a 05 civic and 90k miles. Go to drain oil nothing came out. Asked the guy the last time he did an oilchange he said at 60k.... he thought every 30k miles not 3. Anyway the car ran fine, but after seeing the sosolidified oil in the valves we replaced the whole head per his request. Try doing that with a VAG product

wearymicrobe wrote:

bravenrace wrote:

wearymicrobe wrote: For me 2001-2009 give or take a year. Our 2014 has been rock solid, and anything they made with a Car or Bosh injection has been bulletproof as well.

You're 2014 is a 2014.

And its a lease, I do not trust VW period end stop...... but my wife wanted the car.

My point was only that its a relatively new car, a rock solid new car doesn't really prove anything one way or the other.

I know that many VAG products in the late 90's and early 2000s had some reliability issues, especially electrical, but am surprised at the number of people down on the 1.8T cars. I have owned two A4 1.8T cars and had only one issue with the 2001.5 car with the variable valve timing that required a part at 90,000 miles. Other than that, I had over 200,000 miles of just general maintenance on both cars. My brother's 2000 A4 had 240,000+ miles on it when he finally sold it and he never even replaced the turbo or had any major mechanical work done. My experience with a 2.7T A6 was similar, just the very expensive service at 100,000 miles and then another 80K of driving that other than a coil pack issue and a radiator hose that burst was quite reliable. Yes, these cars are not Hondas, but they are also built very solid and the interior quality is worth it in my opinion. The electrical issues on the VAG cars in the 90's were worse in my opinion, as my daughter's Cabrio was really bad with lots of gremlins. We were in the market for a new car and just bought my wife a 2013 VW CC and just love it, with the 2.0 direct injection turbo engine and the DSG transmission it is a great car. I would have no concerns about recommending a VAG product from any of the recent generation of cars. I agree with the BMW comments, our 318 continues to fall apart in the driveway,the interiors are total crap on these cars.

Bobzilla wrote: I think anything with a warranty still should be fine. Just lease, and then trade up every time the warranty expires. You'll be fine. Mostly.

My sister leased a Passat early 2000's (I think a VR6 on a 3 year lease), it had a coil issue and the car would just shutdown. It happened 3-4 times while she owned it. The dealership covered it, but would not give her a loaner, she even called VW corporate office and they didn't care. When they did repair it, took them at least a week. So a single mom that works was out a car. I know the dealership could take the blame on some of this but overall, unless you need a diesel, I would walk the other way and get a reliable car. Their are plenty of other makes that make a good sedan and hatchback.

My mom leased the Passat 1.8T during the same time as my sister, didn't have as many issue, but still had some electrical issues (3 year lease with issues is not a good car). I drove it, didn't care for it, and it was horrible in the snow (TC sucks).

I have owned a couple VW's myself, most of them were projects that I flipped.

Klayfish wrote: Or I'll see one on really bright, as if the brakes were on.

That is probably the owner leaving the rear fog light on. I haven't had good experience with VW's either though. I was at $1 per mile for maintenance/repairs on my 01 Jetta TDI I had, so I didn't keep that one around long. They are also really difficult and confusing to do pretty much any work on them. Also, if you have ever in your life needed to repair a car, and thought "well, I can't really afford the $100 part right now, I think the $40 aftermarket one will be fine", don't get a VW. They are the worst I have ever seen for having parts available that aren't even able to perform the task the stock one was without failing. Like timing belt tensioners and stuff like that.

My rule of thumb used to be: check the final assembly location. I refused to even consider any VW assembled in Mexico. Mexican final assembly meant Mexican sub-assemblies and that is what brought down quality. Mexican assembly began in 1993 with the MkIII Jetta, I believe. But I stopped thinking much about VAG since then so things may have changed.

David

Anyone else see the ironing in VAG products bleeding money for repairs? Get it? VAG? bleeding? Every 28 days?

No? I thought it was funny.

Ok, I get the lovers and the haters

Haters: let's say I want mk2 gti in rough shape for $1500. What would you recommend instead?

Lovers: what are the common failure points On a mk2 gti?

tuna55 wrote: Ok, I get the lovers and the haters Haters: let's say I want mk2 gti in rough shape for $1500. What would you recommend instead? Lovers: what are the common failure points On a mk2 gti?

Any mazda with a BP motor.

Bear in mind I like mkiis.

tuna55 wrote: Ok, I get the lovers and the haters Haters: let's say I want mk2 gti in rough shape for $1500. What would you recommend instead? Lovers: what are the common failure points On a mk2 gti?

So..., I'm not sure this will help, but years ago I wanted an mk2 vw also, and I drove a few and was rather disappointed, then I drove an Alfa Romeo Milano and it was more like what I had imagined the mk2 would be, so I bought it. A year or so later, my sister bought a mk2 Jetta, and it was way less reliable and needed more work than the Alfa did...

My only personal VW experience was a Mk4 GTI that I owned for 5 years, drove it from 134 to 197k and sold it a few months ago. I apparently under-priced it as I had my asking price in-hand in $100s about 22 hours after listing it. All of the problems with that car were the result of previous abuse; The one time it needed a tow was a result of a prior ignition hack shorting out the immo. However a buddy I work with has an '04 Mk4 2.slow he bought new. It only has 100k on it, and is an electrical nightmare. He asked me if I wanted it for cheap, and I passed.

DWNSHFT wrote: My rule of thumb used to be: check the final assembly location. I refused to even consider any VW assembled in Mexico. Mexican final assembly meant Mexican sub-assemblies and that is what brought down quality. Mexican assembly began in 1993 with the MkIII Jetta, I believe. But I stopped thinking much about VAG since then so things may have changed. David

Probably the most reliable car I ever owned was my Westmoreland-build, Digifant-equipped Golf. It just worked, and worked well.

Of course, if you listen to the Internet, Digifant is a four letter word and anything built in PA was crap compared to German build cars.

DirtyBird222 wrote: Why when you can buy a Honda and get away with minimal maintenance? I remember working as a honda tech. Guy came in with a 05 civic and 90k miles. Go to drain oil nothing came out. Asked the guy the last time he did an oilchange he said at 60k.... he thought every 30k miles not 3. Anyway the car ran fine, but after seeing the sosolidified oil in the valves we replaced the whole head per his request. Try doing that with a VAG product

Well, let's see, my (running) VW has 385k on it, and the last time I changed the oil filter was 10k ago or so when it rusted through. I add oil when the oil pressure light comes on in left hand turns. (Engine only holds something like 3 quarts) I use the gasoline-diluted oil I drain out of my RX-7 because I'm too cheap to put new oil in the VW.

Looks clean as a whistle under the valve cover. Engine lives most of its life at near WOT and ~4000rpm.

I have tow other VWs. They don't run because I bought one as a rolling chassis and the other I bought as a rolling chassis with a drivetrain still installed.

DirtyBird222 wrote: Why when you can buy a Honda and get away with minimal maintenance?

Eh... my '03 TDI has needed a lot less parts-failure repairs than my '91 Acura did over 100K fewer miles. At 10 years and 229K miles, the Acura was pretty much 'done' due to how many things on it were broken (the list was lengthy). Comparatively, at 10 years and 300K miles, the TDI was damn near like new with a good detailing.

Every vw story is either "best car ever, super reliable for 200k" or "total pos, same things breaking constantly even with OEM parts." That's what scares me, there's no middle ground. Not a gamble I'm willing to take.