Faults:

Window motors went bad and replaced. Sun roof malfunctioned. Brakes fell apart. General problems with terrible quality of interior items. Transmission went at 60000 miles. Many more problems.

General Comments:

This car received great reviews, but was a total mess for me.

It was constantly broke with many expensive repairs.

The replacement transmission was $5700 and could only be done by the dealer.

Many garages will not touch the diesels.

Faults:

Nothing! I'm just coming up on my one year anniversary, and haven't had a single mechanical problem. [scans other reviews] Yet.

My only complaint lies with the CD player which, despite being a $500+ option, skips more frequently than the $100 clunker I had shoved in my old '81 Honda.

General Comments:

Mechanically, she's been problem-free so far.

The interior trim and finish is superb compared to comparable entry-level models. Lots of headroom for such a small car. Sound system is quite good (Monsoon).

Solid feel on the road - 100mph doesn't feel unsafe (well, except for the radar!). Certainly she's a little gutless (particularly at high revs), but let's keep in mind we're talking about an economy-oriented hatchback, now.

Compared to other entry-level cars I've pseudo-experienced, I'd give the Golf the nod.

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong with the car at all.

I have had a squeak on the brake pedal that was lubricated at its last service.

The dash or ash tray sometimes has a sqeauk.

General Comments:

This TDI 150 Golf is excellent. For a 6 speed diesel, it has more than enough power to satisfy my boy-racer habits. My last car was a Renault Clio 172.

Aside from all the extra fitments because it's an Anniversary, it's reliable and good looking and economical to operate.

My dealer (Parkway VolksWagen) of Derby, have given me good assistance and looked after the car well. I have had it for 18 months now and I love it.

I would most definately purchase the new Mk5 Golf.

Faults:

The car was perfect for two months, and then (in order) :

Poor radio reception

Rear wash wipe stopped working

Ignition coil failure (breakdown)

Engine mount needed replacing

Hazard light switch broke

Trim "buzz" from around steering column

Poor cold starting

Poor hot idling

Rattle from passenger seat

Rattle from tailgate

Another coil failure (another breakdown)

General Comments:

Nice car, when it works.

Not really a true GTI, more a soft-ish comfy luxury hatch with a bit of get up and go. Turbo engine is nice - not particularly powerful, but torquey where it counts. Car feels quicker than it is as a result.

Handling is OK, but nothing special. A bit soggy and with steering that feels like it isn't really connected to anything. Interior is pleasant to look at and on first glance seems expensive and nicely finished. There is no doubt that the Golf has more apparent "class" than any of its rivals.

However apparent this "class" is though, the car underneath it is really quite a poor effort. Mine's just had way too many problems to be remotely excusable in this day and age. I chopped in a Mondeo ST24 when I bought this car which suffered one minor fault in three years and 60,000 miles (engine pinking - fixed first time in 20 mins with a software upgrade). The Golf's first two months were good, but since then it's been one thing after another. The Mondeo was a better built and much better supported car - I can't believe it either. And VW's arrogant, expensive and incompetent dealers make Ford's merely indifferent ones look like saints.

I'm selling it before the warranty runs out next month. At least I'll benefit from the one undisputed benefit of the VW badge - residual values. On the evidence of this car, I can't see how these residuals are justified, or how they can continue for much longer.

Massively overrated car and brand, and I won't be buying another, no matter how much gloss and polish they put on the interiors, or how much "snob value" is attached to the badge.