1999 Volkswagen Golf GTi review from North America
"I paid $17,000 for a junker that falls apart on a nearly continuous basis"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Electric windows failed 3 months after I bought the car. I have had the windows repaired at the Volkswagen dealership and they fail again in a few months. The most annoying part is that the window falls into a down position when it fails. Currently, the passenger window is failed and stuck down (I had to tape plastic over the door!). This will be the seventh window repair!
Rear seatbelt stuck. Something with spooling mechanism.
Sunroof slipped off track and stuck. I managed to fix myself with a screwdriver.
Engine light is currently on. I have spent $700 in repairs to make the light go out, but I am told $500 more is necessary to finish.
Lot of broken plastic items like hinge in glovebox, seat recliner levers, and sunroof track.
General comments?
Too many failures for a 3 year old car. Windows failing and falling down have resulted in water damage on upholstery.
I bought it new and anticipated only oil and filter changes, but have had to fix a lot more.
The only good thing I can say is that it Starts up and runs reliably.
I am currently demanding a partial refund for this car from Volkswagen of America.
Recommended reviews
| A HUGE waste of money... it is fun to drive, though |
|
| Handles great while everything falls off of it |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1999 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | I4 Manual |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 1 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 2 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 1 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 100 miles |
| Most recent distance | 65000 miles |
| Previous car | Pontiac Firebird |
| Date of Entry | 30th September, 2002 |