High Milers

[Garth]

Mines done 81k now and things have been falling off it at an increasing rate since 55k 

I've got a full VW service history and always look after my cars but this one doesn't seem too strong...

Hey Garth, what exactly have you had isues with?

Suspension springs and top mounts have both broken, dv has split, evap solenoid valve has broken, there is still an unidentified fault on the engine that 2 VW dealers cannot solve.
The electirc folding mirrors fold in but not out, the rear wiper comes on when it feels like it (usually when the engine is started and the only way to stop the wiper is turn the engine off).
The electric motor in the seat for the lumbar has died.

That's all I can remember off the top of my head apart from the rattles and squeaks that keep appearing

[Nasir]

@Garth, the wiper fault is common. I think you need a new wiper motor as some of the earlier ones were known for this problem.

[jimmyca69]

Only problem i see is that a lot of the higher mileage cars are owned by same person so are looked after to your standard.

Buying a high mileage car though is slightly worrying me given i cant really know if its been looked after. I know FVWSH is a must now, and ill also do the usual checks for the mentioned problems.

What are the major service schedules to look out for and ideally have receipts for these?

[Garth]

Only problem i see is that a lot of the higher mileage cars are owned by same person so are looked after to your standard.

Buying a high mileage car though is slightly worrying me given i cant really know if its been looked after. I know FVWSH is a must now, and ill also do the usual checks for the mentioned problems.

What are the major service schedules to look out for and ideally have receipts for these?

It must have had the cambelt changed and ideally the waterpump too. I have recently had mine done and it's a big bill you don't want just after buying a car

[dajonic]

Did I say 115k and no probs...D'oh!! New turbo needed Having said that I'm the third owner and this is the first major thing going through the service records that has needed replacing.

[RedRobin]

Did I say 115k and no probs...D'oh!! New turbo needed Having said that I'm the third owner and this is the first major thing going through the service records that has needed replacing.

....Sorry to hear that, mate. Been there and done that.. You K03 or K04? maverick has a K03 for sale.. Check the For Sale section.

[dajonic]

Yep K03. Bought one from BDM with 500 miles on it.

[RedRobin]

Yep K03. Bought one from BDM with 500 miles on it.

....Can't do much better than only 500 miles on it! 

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Mines done 81k now and things have been falling off it at an increasing rate since 55k 

I've got a full VW service history and always look after my cars but this one doesn't seem too strong...

Hey Garth, what exactly have you had isues with?

Suspension springs and top mounts have both broken, dv has split, evap solenoid valve has broken, there is still an unidentified fault on the engine that 2 VW dealers cannot solve.

What are the symptoms of your engine fault?

The electirc folding mirrors fold in but not out,

There was a TSB on that.  Usually needs a new door controller.  Should have been done under warranty.

the rear wiper comes on when it feels like it (usually when the engine is started and the only way to stop the wiper is turn the engine off).

As above, a TSB was issued.  Can't remember what the cure was though.

The electric motor in the seat for the lumbar has died.

Carefully check the wiring and connections under the seat - the wires actually tie-wraped to the seat frame, and those which go under the carpet under the flap.  But make sure your ignition is OFF if you want to unplug any connectors.

That's all I can remember off the top of my head apart from the rattles and squeaks that keep appearing

Oil SWMBOs ear-rings. 

Well that's what they did in the advert! 

[djhorace]

I personally wouldn't. I know of 2 BWJ (K04) failures, one fairly catastrophic (Piston Ring/Scored block), and at least 3 BWA engines that have had issues, moreso with higher miles.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

I personally wouldn't. I know of 2 BWJ (K04) failures, one fairly catastrophic (Piston Ring/Scored block), and at least 3 BWA engines that have had issues, moreso with higher miles.

With the greatest of respect mate, I'd strongly suggest those engines in question have been abused.  The scored piston rings and block is an absolute classic case of thrashing the ar$e off the thing from stone cold - and no doubt not using the correct oil.

And just in case you arn't aware, the 2.0 TFSI is basically the same block and bottom end as the 1.8 20vT - versions of which run reliably with sommat like 500bhp in the international Formula 2 championship.  Virtually all modern VAG engines are fairly bullet-proof, just not idiot-proof.

[Garth]

Virtually all modern VAG engines are fairly bullet-proof, just not idiot-proof.

Engine block, yes.... electrics and ancillaries, no.

Small parts such as dv's and coil packs have had a poor reliabilty record for a number of years. As with all moderm engines, they have too much in the way of electronics which can (and do) go wrong. That said, VW is far from the worst culprit!

On a positive note, my engine fault has been identified and fixed by a local mechanic.... for free. Turns out it was only a loose connection on the lambda sensor. Can you believe 2 main dealers took a day to investigate and couldn't find a fault? It took my local guy 10 mins to fix it 

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Virtually all modern VAG engines are fairly bullet-proof, just not idiot-proof.

Engine block, yes.... electrics and ancillaries, no.

Ancillaries are debatable as to weather they are part of the actual engine.  Just like the dodgy batch of air conditioning compressors - just because one of those might fail, you wouldn't describe the engine as a whole as being weak or unreliable.

Small parts such as dv's and coil packs have had a poor reliabilty record for a number of years.

Hmmmm . . . with a DV, I'd probably class that as a consumable, similar to say spark plugs, air filter, fuel filter - so it is unfair to include DVs in overall reliability, especially as they only seem to go south after a remap.

And coil packs - don't agree.  The modern single coils (push-in type, without any screw holes) introduced around 2000, have been increadibly reliable.  It was the earlier screw-in type coils on the 1.8 20vT which had the reliablity issues - and these were eventually solved when VAG used a new supplier.

As with all moderm engines, they have too much in the way of electronics which can (and do) go wrong.

Again, 'electronics' are not the same as the lumps of metal which make up the physical engine.  And Bosch ECUs are bullet-proof.  And if you try to include things like coolant temp senders, or camshaft position sensors - again, not part of the main engine, and are no more unreliable than the same components on a Vauxhall or BMW or Reno.

That said, VW is far from the worst culprit!

Exactly.  I would say petrol Renault engines are considerably less reliable than any VAG motor - an achilies heel on Renos is the throttle butterfly gumming up - 1980s Vauxhalls used to do that!

On a positive note, my engine fault has been identified and fixed by a local mechanic.... for free. Turns out it was only a loose connection on the lambda sensor. Can you believe 2 main dealers took a day to investigate and couldn't find a fault? It took my local guy 10 mins to fix it 

That's a great result - but that would have shown up during data logging - something the VW stealers seem utterly incompetent to do, even though they have the VAS5052 tablet.