1986 Volkswagen Golf Diesel review from North America
"Worth its weight in gold plated latmin"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
A/C clutch gave out at about 200,000.
Replaced right side axle due to a bad C/V joint at 205,000.
Struts at 120,000 miles.
Heater flap to control the heat position, (defrost, vents or floor) broke loose around 100,000 miles. Time consuming repair because the heater core has to be removed.
Factory radio dead around 120,000 miles.
General comments?
This has been an excellent car and worth every penny I paid when it was new.
The body is a bit rough now due to many winters in Iowa and the road salt eventually gets to everything no matter how much you wash it.
The interior still looks new except for a small tear in the drivers seat.
With almost 220,000 miles, we're still running on the original clutch, and still getting over 40mpg on average.
BUT, it's getting about time to replace this car, I think the fuel injector pump is going out, and the clutch is getting thin. If the body was still in good shape, I wouldn't hesitate to fix these items, but at this point, I'm afraid the body will give out before anything mechanical.
I will probably replace it with a new Golf TDI.
Recommended reviews
| If you get one (new), take care of it, because it will outlive you |
|
| Cheap reliability refined to an art form |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1986 |
| First year of ownership | 1986 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6 diesel Manual |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 50 miles |
| Most recent distance | 218000 miles |
| Previous car | Ford Mustang |
| Date of Entry | 20th February, 2001 |