Faults:

I've had to fix a lot of things with this car:

- Alternator.

- Muffler (twice in 2 years).

- My head gasket was leaking oil in my coolant.

- Warped head (had it leveled and changed the timing belt etc.)

- Starter.

- 2 water pumps in 2 years.

General Comments:

This car is easy on fuel (I routinely get 45 MPG), but it's been very unreliable for me.

It's terribly slow (0-100km/h in 15sec), hellishly noisy, rides very harshly, vibrates like mad when the engine is cold.

It has failed to start many times in my first year of ownership (though that can be expected of a diesel in the harsh Canadian winter), leaving me stranded.

The shifter sometimes makes terrible scraping sounds when I shift, and it's very hard to put in first gear.

There are some good things about it though: It corners very well, the stock speakers are fairly good (they need to be to drown out that horrible amount of road noise and engine noise), the sunroof is sweet and the interior is still waterproof.

I'm getting rid of this lemon as soon as I have enough money to get myself a Japanese car. VW, never again!

Faults:

Valve cover gasket leaks, other than that perfect, German Engineering!!

General Comments:

This car flat kicks ass!!! It will cruise at 115 mph with an on rail feel and still pull hard from 100 mph. It gives me 35 mpg at 75 mph. It is bullet proof!!! This car corners like a Porsche!!!

It still turns heads at eight years old.