Faults:

The second day that I owned the car it refused to start, turned out to be a faulty temperature sender in the engine.

Front springs and dampers had to be replaced after 6 months of owning the car.

General Comments:

Great looking car inside and out, nice dashboard layout.

Lack of power for a car of this size, goes fast once your doing 40+ but is excellent on fuel. Generally get 110 miles from £10 of petrol (around 45 to the gallon I think!)

Faults:

Both C. V Joints have been replaced.

The clutch has been replaced.

Head Gasket Leak.

Basic Oil and water leaks.

Clutch cable has been replaced.

General Comments:

My car is a run out edition of the golf. Its Oak Green with a full 16V spec including power steering, central locking and front two electric windows.

What can I say about the car besides fantastic. Lots of low end torque, it handles like it's on rails and just loves to be flung about. The car is an enthusiasts car and comes into its own when driven hard. It could do with a little more power at the top end of the rev range. With the right choice modifications this car is untouchable. I still prefer the 8V to the 16V. Look after it and it will look after you. I'll write the car off rather than sell it.

Faults:

The automatic choke packed up at 90000 miles.

Nothing else has gone wrong with it so far.

General Comments:

This car is quick, although not terribly so. Good for about 105mph steady on the motorway.

Feels unsteady at those speed. Handles very very well, it steers neutral and will never lose its composure around corners.

Brakes are great.

Cabin is a bit dark - lots of black. Probably the most ergonomic controls.

Gearbox is so sweet!

Faults:

Exhaust needed replacing.

General Comments:

The true hot-hatch. I had a 1.3 before and getting into the Gti was an experience I will never forget. Can red-line in 5th way past the 120 mark. Handling OK tends to roll a bit. But never-less I highly recommend them.

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.