is the GTi less well built than you thought?

[Homer]

Having had a Honda back in the day nothing ever went wrong with the engine even after 120k miles on the clock.

However with the GTi I have replaced the PCV, DV, injector, cam follower shortly. I know many of you have also replaced coil packs and other engine parts.

I found all this kinda surprising as VW have a great name and there is of course the allure of German built cars. So I have been a bit surprised by all these common faults. Anyone else feel the same?

[mesaosi]

You can blame the EU and all the emissions regulations. Less went wrong with older engines, because there was less to go wrong. You'll notice most if not all of the parts you've listed are related in some way or shape to reducing emissions of the engine. You add more complex parts with tighter tolerances, and chances are they're more likely to brake.

[Scottymon]

I agree, so far I've replaced:

Calipers all round
CV joint
Windscreen wiper motor and mech
Drivers side window motor and buttons
Cruise control
DV twice
PCV
Coil packs
Cam follower (preventative)
White wormed alloys inc centre caps
Throttle Body...

Have rusty arches that need doing and rear badge has started to white worm too.

I've owned many SAABs over the years which are meant to be unreliable but make the Golf seem second rate... Having clocked many to 150k miles and more without much trouble.

I can excuse wear and tear items, but rusting, electrical faults and corrosion really annoy me on a premium modern day car, ESP. Now VW seem to have removed their 100% payment of the rust problems.

[garrardrj]

The cost of alot of cars new should have a lifetime warranty on their parts , apart form serviceable bits like brakes tyres oil blah blah . I would buy a new car if it did not depreciate so rapidly in the first three years too . How can the car be worth the initial outlay if in 3 years its only worth half at best (with a few exceptions) a £40k car should never be only worth £20k after 3 years , thats £7k pa . The VW's i have had seem to relatively well made but then i don't use a car loads , Never done more than 6k pa ever in any one . VW's are definitely better built than they used to be , having had Mk 1 2 and 3's . Better since MK4 which i didn't have as i went from VR6 to a BMW due to the bills i got with it .

[GrayMK5GTI]

Turbo cars have a lot of ancillary's which mean there are more to go wrong (DV's, pcv, coil packs etc). N/A Honda engines don't have any of those which is why they are so reliable  

A lot of the time you only notice parts failing when the car is modified. I had a low pressure fuelling problem which only appeared when I mapped the car. When I put the car back to stock, the problem disappeared

[homesqueeze]

Yep, have had disappointing amount of faults. Depreciation is pretty good for the Gti though. I bought mine new for £19,999 8yrs ago and it's still worth £6-7k 

[GTI5]

It's only fair to compare like for like engines, NA has an advantage when it comes to complexity with modern Turbo Diesel probably the worst on paper...hence DPF delete/EGR Delete etc

But I would say Japanese cars seem to be more reliable but they didn't use to offer as many FI cars.

The whole German is best for reliability is just marketing, emissions regulations have played a part but I also think the lease market might be having an impact...rent car - give back after warranty...rinse and repeat.

Some of it's just luck I guess...I got stung needing a new DSG box and DMF at 53000 miles, I was offered goodwill which brought a £5k bill down to around £2300 .

[Beddie]

Both my mk5 gti's were faultless, the first one I had for 10 months and didn't even have to top up the oil, the second (ed30) was just as good and still felt and drove like a new car after 76K despite having a fairly punishing life as an occasional weekend track car...
That said I don't think the Golf is any better or any worse than any other mass produced car, all have there faults and they'll always be the Friday afternoon cars regardless of marque imo, hell I've got a Renault van so by rights and internet rumours  I should never get to work, but the reality is that the thing has been bulletproof for 90K so far...touch wood lol 

[tony_danza]

Couple of coilpacks, and many miles and trackdays at st2+ Revo. It was mapped to how I wanted it though, rather than for how much pub-BS horses I could get out of it.

One thing I noticed when I was in france, is how many old french cars there are on the roads. Stereotypes really should be ignored.

[Scottymon]

Couple of coilpacks, and many miles and trackdays at st2+ Revo. It was mapped to how I wanted it though, rather than for how much pub-BS horses I could get out of it.

One thing I noticed when I was in france, is how many old french cars there are on the roads. Stereotypes really should be ignored.

So no: DV/PCV/CamF/Throttle bodies then?  You must be one of the lucky ones, how many miles on it?

[Beddie]

So no: DV/PCV/CamF/Throttle bodies then?  You must be one of the lucky ones, how many miles on it?

None for me either, did 15k and 76k respectively in my 2 mk5s, although I did swap the DV in the ed30 @ 70k although the old one looked like new so put it back on when I sold it..

[tony_danza]

Couple of coilpacks, and many miles and trackdays at st2+ Revo. It was mapped to how I wanted it though, rather than for how much pub-BS horses I could get out of it.

One thing I noticed when I was in france, is how many old french cars there are on the roads. Stereotypes really should be ignored.

So no: DV/PCV/CamF/Throttle bodies then?  You must be one of the lucky ones, how many miles on it?

I did preventative medicine, so an uprated PCV, whatever revision the TSI valve was and changed the follower at 10k services. 50k I think when I sold it?

Still know of it now, as it still goes into Votex for maintenance. Going strong for a '56plate DSG.

They're excellent engines ruined by **** mapping and bad owners.

[andybon]

I think what it may have been was VW had a great car on paper, Then an accountant and one of the pricks from Brussels got involved and threw it all away in the favor of cost, Economy and emissions!

[Scottymon]

I now have a possessed rear wiper, which probably needs a new wiper motor.. sigh; I guess I can do this at the same time as the corroded rear badge.

Question is, will a mad rear wiper fail an MOT?  Thought I had everything sorted for this (after replacing CV/Throttle Body/Front wiper motor and mech/Front Pads/Front Tyres just recently).

[N8KOW]

Both my mk5 gti's were faultless, the first one I had for 10 months and didn't even have to top up the oil, the second (ed30) was just as good and still felt and drove like a new car after 76K despite having a fairly punishing life as an occasional weekend track car...
That said I don't think the Golf is any better or any worse than any other mass produced car, all have there faults and they'll always be the Friday afternoon cars regardless of marque imo, hell I've got a Renault van so by rights and internet rumours  I should never get to work, but the reality is that the thing has been bulletproof for 90K so far...touch wood lol 

I think what Beddie is saying is spot on tbh! German cars are certainly well made, and have great reliability, this doesn't make them bomb proof!