Who's had a (basic) mk4?

[shreddedmeat]

Need to get a new runabout for the missus for about £1000. Due to previous accident, it needs to be lowest insurance group possible. Because of this I was looking at the likes of Lupos and mk4 Polos, but a bit of time on the comparison sites shows a poverty spec MK4 Golf with the 1.4 or 1.6 will be almost exactly the same, and there's a fair few of them knocking about.

Doesn't have to be fast, just not break down. Have actually had cars with the same 1.4 and 1.6 in the past and they seemed pretty solid, but then I never got them as far as 100k before getting rid. Obviously parts not really an issue cos they're ten a penny

Anyone had one? Can they take 100k+? Easy to do basic maintenance/servicing?

Cheers

[paulw123]

Had a MK4 gt tdi 110 for 9years 180K miles, and still got a 51 plate mk4 1.6 petrol from new, currently 65K miles.
They all suffer from failing window regulators, rear washers blocking.
The 51 plate has had new;  lamba sensor, fuel filter corroded thro, coil pack.

My advice would be get a gt tdi, much more fun/driving experience. The 1.6 petrol is underpowered and boring....

[shreddedmeat]

Had a MK4 gt tdi 110 for 9years 180K miles, and still got a 51 plate mk4 1.6 petrol from new, currently 65K miles.
They all suffer from failing window regulators, rear washers blocking.
The 51 plate has had new;  lamba sensor, fuel filter corroded thro, coil pack.

My advice would be get a gt tdi, much more fun/driving experience. The 1.6 petrol is underpowered and boring....

Cheers, looked into a TDI and it would be about £260 a year more in insurance! At which point I would rather plump for a 1.8 GTI :D

Not too bothered about the performance though (I'll still have my GTI all to myself). Sounds like they have a bunch of little things that go wrong then?

[Dave J]

Sorry, not a basic mk4, but I had a 1.8t which I ran from 20k to 108k in loads of states of tune (I'd still have it now, if a bint in a 1-series hadn't smashed into the rear). The basics of the mkiv seemed to me very hardy indeed.

Mine had the usual issues of window regulators, and I changed the rear wiper motor / spindle before it gave me any grief.

In my opinion, the biggest problem with the mkiv is the door locks. Replaced mine about twice all round - absolutely terrible design! The doors would basically deadlock on after intermittent failures. The locks then have to be smashed off from inside - good luck getting door cards off with the doors shut!

A mate of mine had an S-reg 1.6 - think it was very reliable for him - didn't seem to have the issues I did, which was strange!

[shreddedmeat]

Cheers. Nothing too scary, I don't mind getting my hands dirty every so often so long as I know the motor isn't going to lunch itself or something

[tony_danza]

My missus' first car was a 1.4e, bought brand new on a Y plate.

Window regs, door lock modules, rear wiper wash failure, gearbox earth rotting through, water pump failure, coil packs and the back box fell off. Think it'd done 80k+ by the time we got rid 6 years later.

The 1.6 of that era is poo.

Bigger miles will suffer general steering/suspension bushes, rear beam bushes, engine mounts...

If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen 

[shreddedmeat]

If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen 

TBF I think that about my car sometimes :D

Have heard that cars 02 onwards suffer less issues as they started to update the crap stuff. No idea if that's the case...

[tony_danza]

My 52 plate Anniversary suffered all the same stuff.

Oh, and temp sender was another. I'll probably think of more....

[shreddedmeat]

Hmm... The question is then, if it was your grand where would you put it?

[rich83]

What about a 1.9 diesel mk4? they go for ever if looked after

[Frodo-anni]

Golf or Bora,

my mk4 anni, had window regs, arches, fan resistor fault. But i loved that car 

[richtung]

just echoing the suggestion of the Bora.

The Bora TDI is usually a few insurance groups lower than the Gold equivalent..

Rich

[prp74]

I've also got a MK4 GTI which I bought last year for a run around. It's an X reg and it has 86K on the clock and 1 previous owner. Even though it's a GTI it very slow (VERY), but it's a good car for a run around. Tax is £240 a year so would defo go for a GT TDI 130, which I have had in the past and loved. It had 180k and only sold it as we needed something bigger. Wish I never sold it  

[gtipirelli]

I had a mark 4 for 9 years and did over 200k miles in it. It started off as my company car and I bought it at the end of the term. It was a GT TDi and was one of the best all round cars I ever owned. It seemed much better built than the mark 5.

[tony_danza]

Yup, I knew of a 250k+ PD150.

It all sounds doom and gloom, but once you get all those faults out of the way, they're solid little cars. Find one that's been owned by someone who's looked after it and you're golden.