VW Golfs are unreliable cars (see my repair history)

[jewels007]

I know it has been said many times, but I wanted to reinforce the message that VWs are unreliable cars.

While I love love love the body and interior design of VWs (especially the older models), my 98 Golf -- as well as those of several people I know -- has had more problems than the average car. VW parts are also very expensive to replace, so not only are you visiting the mechanic more often than normal, but you are also paying through the nose to have your car fixed.

In the past 10 years, here's a summary of what I've had done on my 98 Golf BEYOND regualar maintenance like oil and filter changes, new wiper blades, new lights and new tires. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list -- it's just the stuff I have records for:

Year - Problem - Cost

2000 - Tape deck eating tapes - $134
2001 - Replaced battery - $234
2002 - Second tape deck eating tapes - $184
2002 - Throttle body needed service - $109
2003 - Replaced extension pipe - $93
2004 - Replaced muffler/resonator - $300
2004 - Replaced ignition wires, diat cap, rotor, spark plugs  and ignition coil - $886
2005 - Replaced brake pads, rotor and caliper serviced - $320
2005 - Central locking system stopped working - did not have it fixed
2006 - Replaced rims and tires $400+
2006 - Front end alignment needed again, transmission leak treated with seal conditioner - $194
2007 - Replaced brake pads and shoes again - $240
2007 - Replaced battery again - $212
2007 - Replaced front wheel bearing - $200
2007 - Replaced timing belt, water pump, front end alignment and transmission service performed - $350
2007 - Replaced water pump again, timing belt readjusted and reset, brakes serviced, new coolant added, transmission leak dealt with by replacing gasket kit - $500
2007 - Replaced four ignition wires, brakes checked because making grinding noise (were ok) - $100
2007 - Replaced heater core - $800
2007 - Transmission leak dealt with third time by replacing axle outlet seal and air breather pipe, coolant level topped off (no charge)
2007 - Replaced rear shocks, dust boots, shock tower bearings, brake fluid flush and master cylinder, struts replaced - $1,000
2007 - fog lights turning on when car is turned off - had wires cut at no charge
2007 - door ajar audio signal coming on for no reason - had fuse removed at no charge
2007 - VW emblem falls off at car wash - did not replace because they wanted $50 for it!
2008 - Replaced strut mounts and bearings again because first set "defective" - no charge
2008 - Replaced ignition coil again - $300
 

Still needs:

- Tie rod to be replaced along with CV joint
- Front end alignment and two new front tires because of unusual wear
- transmission leak continues despite three efforts to fix it


What do you think - is that a lot? I welcome your feedback.

Thanks,
Jewels

[Marko]

Are you sure all of those items absolutely needed replacing? I've had mechanics recommend work that I knew for sure wasn't necessary.

And why did you buy 2 stock tape decks? The first time it broke you should've gotten an aftermarket one. Even a lower-end aftermarket head unit from Pioneer/Alpine/Kenwood (around $100) would be much higher quality than VW's factory unit.

[Squishy]

The following are all maintenance/wear-and-tear items:

2001 - Replaced battery - $234
2002 - Throttle body needed service - $109
2003 - Replaced extension pipe - $93
2004 - Replaced muffler/resonator - $300 (for Canadian winters, I consider exhaust piping wear and tear)
2004 - Replaced ignition wires, diat cap, rotor, spark plugs  and ignition coil - $886
2005 - Replaced brake pads, rotor and caliper serviced - $320
2006 - Replaced rims and tires $400+
2007 - Replaced brake pads and shoes again - $240
2007 - Replaced battery again - $212
2007 - Replaced front wheel bearing - $200
2007 - Replaced timing belt, water pump, front end alignment and transmission service performed - $350
2007 - Replaced four ignition wires, brakes checked because making grinding noise (were ok) - $100
2007 - Replaced rear shocks, dust boots, shock tower bearings, brake fluid flush and master cylinder, struts replaced - $1,000
- Tie rod to be replaced along with CV joint
- Front end alignment and two new front tires because of unusual wear

That cuts the list down considerably.  Items that stand out are the tape deck eating tapes (sounds like a supplier problem, unless you used old wrinkled tapes).  The door ajar and fog light issues sound like electrical graemlins caused by corrosion, possibly in the battery junction box - another casualty of Canadian winters.  Failure of the central (door?) locking system could be rusted door lock actuator rods which then burned out the actuators.  How often did you change your coolant?  If you waited until 2007 for the first service, that could explain your heater core going out.  Our winters also create pothole-filled roads that often require re-alignment.  Some cars take it better than others, so I guess in a way you could consider this a shortcoming of VW (maybe just barely).

I don't know if a transmission leak is a known issue with that generation VW Golf, but have you ever had a fluid flush done?  Some shops do it with external pressure and cleaning solvents, which can cause issues with seals.  I prefer to have a fluid exchange done, which is just cycling new fluid into the transmission using the transmission's own fluid pump.

EDIT: I noticed that you replaced the wheels along with tires in 2006.  Did those rust out?  If so, that would be premature, but not a VW problem per se.  Possibly a problem with the wheel supplier (who could supply many other manufacturers) or just bad luck from strategically placed rock chips in the paint, or curb hits.

[quadzilla]

Year - Problem - Cost

2000 - Tape deck eating tapes - $134
2001 - Replaced battery - $234
2002 - Second tape deck eating tapes - $184
2003 - Replaced extension pipe - $93
2004 - Replaced muffler/resonator - $300
2005 - Replaced brake pads, rotor and caliper serviced - $320
2006 - Replaced rims and tires $400+
2006 - Front end alignment needed again
2007 - Replaced brake pads and shoes again - $240
2007 - Replaced battery again - $212
2007 - Replaced front wheel bearing - $200
2007 - Replaced timing belt, water pump, front end alignment and transmission service performed - $350
2007 - Replaced water pump again, timing belt readjusted and reset, brakes serviced, new coolant added, transmission leak dealt with by replacing gasket kit - $500
2007 - Replaced heater core - $800
2007 - Replaced rear shocks, dust boots, shock tower bearings, brake fluid flush and master cylinder, struts replaced - $1,000
2007 - VW emblem falls off at car wash - did not replace because they wanted $50 for it!
2008 - Replaced strut mounts and bearings again because first set "defective" - no charge

To me this look like normal maintenance for ANY car somebody would buy. Sounds like A LOT of whining over nothing to me.

EDIT: Squishy beat me to it.

[dr_spock]

It doesn't look too bad for a 10 years-old car.  You seem to be going through ignition wires and coils more than normal.  Why a second water pump replacement?  What happened there?   How many kilometers do you have on the Golf?  I have a 1998 VW too with 180K.  

In the past 10 years I've replaced:

battery 2x
brakes 2x
spark plugs 1x
ignition wires 1x
mass air flow sensor 1x
window regulator 1x
head light switch 1x
timing belt 1x
water pump 1x
low beam headlight bulbs every 12-18 months, might have to do with they are always on as the DRLs.

Much of it is regular replacement for wear and tear on the parts.  It is not too hard to learn to do the repairs yourself and save a lot on the labour costs. 

[Squishy]

low beam headlight bulbs every 12-18 months, might have to do with they are always on as the DRLs.

Do you keep your fingers from touching the bulb glass when installing them?  Our OEM-style headlamp bulbs last five years on average, with the Escort bulbs going 8 years.  The only bulbs that have burnt out in a year were the SilverStar bulbs, back when I was on my illumination binge (before I figured out that less is more, in most cases).

[dr_spock]

Do you keep your fingers from touching the bulb glass when installing them?  Our OEM-style headlamp bulbs last five years on average, with the Escort bulbs going 8 years.  The only bulbs that have burnt out in a year were the SilverStar bulbs, back when I was on my illumination binge (before I figured out that less is more, in most cases).

Yup, I tried really hard not to touch the glass.  I handle the H1 bulbs by the connector like holding a mini sword.   My replacements are GE brand from Canadian Tire.  I wonder if I should try a different brand. 

[articsteve]

You did not mention mileage so it's not possible to give you an exact answer.

Fog lights, ignition coil and central locking should not have failed.  However, hardly surprising for VWs of that era.  VW autos, like most German sourced autos, not top of the line for the time.

[barrie1]

Tires are a wear item and should not be part of the Not Happy list as some brands actually do last longer then others. Cheaper tires do not have the milage life of more expensive tires generally but it also goes by the model of them as well. Some of the items on your list are normal wear and tear but the ign is more often it seems then it should be. The milage on the car will dictate that as the higher it gets the more items do wear out. 

[johngenx]

I agree that many things on the list are routine and would have been done for any car, but there are some very obviously frustrating re-repairs that I admit would have driven me to distraction too.  I HATE having to have things fixed repeatedly.

My 2001 Subaru has been very reliable, but over the last eight years and 200K, things have worn out.  Only one thing has struck me as a design flaw:  the right front axle is located right under the exhaust manifold, drying out and cracking the CV-joint boots.

What have I done?

Front struts, timing belts (with water pump, front main seal, pulleys and accessory drive belt), HVAC blower fan/motor assembly, a couple batteries (most wear out every 3-5 years), a starter motor, plug wires, front and rear brakes (at 90K and now they're at 30%, so will be done again soon) and replaced one front axle assembly.  The instrument bulbs were replaced too.

Current nagging issues?  The stupid rear window washer delivery tube is cracked, so when I clean the rear windshield, it leaks washer fluid into the cargo compartment.  I can fix this myself, but it's time consuming and means taking a ton of the rear interior trim apart.  The warmth of spring will enable this fix.

Now, along with this has been lots of oil changes and the replacement of all other fluids/filters/plugs/etc on a regular basis.  It's taken time and money to keep the 'ol gal in top shape, but no one said car ownership was cheap...

[initial_D]

I can certainly see the frustration of paying for all those work done and parts replacement. From the list, I wouldn't say VW is reliable, rather, the cost of ownership is higher than a compatible Asian Company equivalent. But the car is 10 years old, and I bet it was ton of fun to drive on a daily basis.

[stodge]

So VWs were unreliable 10 years ago, but now......?

What's your point?

[Cortina]

What do you think - is that a lot? I welcome your feedback.

Thanks,
Jewels

Time to buy a Toyota Echo/Corolla or Honda Civic.

BTW.

VW's are only  unreliable in NA. Not in Europe. 

[weebl]

Sorry, it sounds like a huge portion of the list is maintenance/wear.  Of the remaining items, some sound like it has to do with the age of the vehicle.  So then you're left with only a few "problems" on an old car.  Sorry, you don't have an argument there.  You could easily substitute any make/model in there and it would appear reasonable.

[vdk]

it's a MKIII . . . could've been a lot lot worse considering most of that is just maintenance..

[vicali]

you haven't replaced the door handles yet? you must have gotten a good one!

I had a 97 Jetta, some things needed to be fixed, some things wore out, i broke some things , nothing out of the ordinary. overall it was a good reliable car, so were my 90 and 91 jettas.

are you getting work done at a dealership? or vw mechanic?

the power doors work via the air pump behind the back seat.. they usually slow down and the pump runs longer and longer.. then it burns out. try sucking through a straw for 10 years without getting tired   

[TopGun]

I agree that many things on the list are routine and would have been done for any car, but there are some very obviously frustrating re-repairs that I admit would have driven me to distraction too.  I HATE having to have things fixed repeatedly.

Johngenx is on to something - refixing things.

Replace the VW with GM and I would fear this thread would sound very different.

• Replacing a heater core for $800 isn't a standard maintenance item in my books.
• Replacing rear shocks and struts for $1000?  Sounds like a lot to me.

[quadzilla]

I agree that many things on the list are routine and would have been done for any car, but there are some very obviously frustrating re-repairs that I admit would have driven me to distraction too.  I HATE having to have things fixed repeatedly.

Johngenx is on to something - refixing things.

Replace the VW with GM and I would fear this thread would sound very different.

• Replacing a heater core for $800 isn't a standard maintenance item in my books.
• Replacing rear shocks and struts for $1000?  Sounds like a lot to me.

Considering the OP has not returned to follow up with us....I'm thinking its a useless and run post. This post could be on 5 boards by now getting the same responses. Still, who knows why the poster paid that much for parts, maybe their shop ripped them off? We never know the whole story.

[Squishy]

The heater core isn't standard, but given that so many things listed as "BEYOND" regular maintenance were regular maintenance items, the poster may have left the factory coolant in there for way too long.

The struts don't seem too out of line to me.  It should be about 3-4 hours book time plus parts plus an alignment.

[articsteve]

Considering the OP has not returned to follow up with us....I'm thinking its a useless and run post. This post could be on 5 boards by now getting the same responses. Still, who knows why the poster paid that much for parts, maybe their shop ripped them off? We never know the whole story.