2004 Volkswagen GTI GLS review from North America
"A turbo lover's dream"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Slight shimmy in steering wheel during moderate to hard braking. Appeared at about 2000 miles. Dealer checked at 5000 mile oil changer interval, could not reproduce same shimmy. Shimmy has faded to nill.
General comments?
Superb power-train, the 1.8 Turbo pulls like a freight train.
Second gear synchro takes a beating unless the clutch is completely depressed.
If you are looking at an SVT Focus, Neon SRT-4, Ion Redline, Mazda 3, or a Civic Si. Look at the GTI it is far more comfortable than any of the competition.
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| Fun, but still practical, stylish, but not over-done, well built, but it has some issues |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8T Manual |
| Performance marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 9/10 |
| Comfort marks | 9/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 10/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 6/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 46 miles |
| Most recent distance | 9500 miles |
| Previous car | Infiniti G20 |
| Date of Entry | 18th July, 2004 |