Faults:

Replaced anti-lock braking system processor at 62,000 miles (£380 - ouch!). Otherwise nothing.

General Comments:

Economical to run (35 - 40 mpg, servicing fairly cheap at Volkswagen main dealers).

Reasonable performance - feels nippy in town, but can get noisy on motorways.

For a cabriolet it feels very solid. There are a few squeaks and rattles, but that's only to be expected of this type of bodywork. The hood is very water-tight and insulates exterior noise well.

The interior trim is sturdy and shows few signs of wear.

Ride and handling are more on the side of 'comfort' than sport, but suit the car well.

There are no signs of rust yet, but the paintwork (metallic pearl effect) appears to chip easily.

A great drive with the top down. A cruiser not a road burner.

Faults:

After second service noticed that water temperature was running high. Returned to dealer and discovered that they had replaced coolant, but that there was an airlock in system and not enough coolant replaced. Topped up and no problem since.

No other fault since new.

General Comments:

My wife loves this car. She feels safe driving it and loves it's handling and performance. I admit that I enjoy a spin in it too and take it through the lanes of Kent in England too fast sometimes enjoying the boy racer performance coupled with pretty good comfort. This car has been very reliable and is easy to maintain.

Faults:

Leaky roof which cost £600 to replace.

Cylinder head rebuild at 87000.

Suspension replaced due to hard ride on inappropriately fitted wheels.

Engine mountings needed replacing twice in 18months!

Rear brakes cleaned and serviced due to excessive handbrake movement.

General Comments:

A gorgeous looking car, especially in white with a black hood.

The 1.8 litre engine has some serious grunt, even in carb form.

Don't expect recent VW build quality however. This model was devised over a decade earlier and rattles, shakes and squeaks are part of the experience of owning one of these.

Not quite recognised as a classic yet and because of this parts can be hard (or even impossible) to find.

A wonderful experience when topless for the driver, less so for the passengers due to buffeting.

Consider the running and possible repair costs before purchasing used. Look out for an enthusiast's car or a VW dealership trade in.

Do not buy from a dealer without a warranty. I did and quickly regretted it as £1000s of repairs were needed in the first year.

Faults:

The rubber seals around the front driver window have let in trickles of water in heavy rain. They could be replaced for under £200. I have not been using a silicone spray on them, but will do so on my newer cabrio purchase as this is supposed to help considerably.

No mechanical faults.

General Comments:

This was my fourth Cabrio, beginning in 1985. I now have a fifth one. They have all been the most reliable cars, none needing more than tyres and exhaust, apart from a rear brake cylinder seizing up, but I think that was poor servicing by a local garage.

The tyres do wear quite quickly if you don't change them from front to back.

Faults:

So far, so good - no faults at all, although the previous owner had trouble with the automatic gearbox (fixed by the selling dealer).

No sign of any of the electrical gremlins mentioned by many other reviewers - particularly in the US: did their cars come from another factory?

General Comments:

As a practical, day-in day-out convertible, the Golf Cabriolet has no competition in its price range.

Performance from the 1.6 engine is nothing special, but the fun factor is there in full measure every time the roof comes down.

Handling is sound and secure, and the auto box makes city driving easy.

At four years old, the interior is still pretty-much unmarked, and everything works as it should do.