2000 Volkswagen Golf SE Estate review from UK and Ireland
"I will never buy another VW after this experience"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Service indicator wrongly set to 2,000 miles instead of 10,000.
Heater control would not give full heat (wrongly adjusted when new)
Sticking ignition lock.
Squeaking door hinges.
Loose bolt on front anti-roll bar.
Horn failed (twice)
Rain water leak from drivers' door.
Split in drivers seat seam (stitching loose)
Temperature sensor failure in engine management system.
Lambda sensor failure.
Thermostat & water pump failed.
Rattle from centre console.
Noisy windscreen wiper mechanism.
General comments?
Awful reliability. Eight visits to dealer in 18 months (other than routine servicing).
Routine service costs astronomical, mostly labour, but parts are also a rip-off e.g. oil at £30 for 5 litres.
Dealer attitude can best be described as "polite indifference".
Had a long session on the phone with VW UK to attempt to resolve problems, but they were not at all helpful, difficult to get a straight answer and on occasion almost downright rude.
The attitude seems to be that if the car is unreliable then it is between you and the dealer and it's all under warranty for 3 years so what's the problem? I use the car for business so time off the road is lost money for me and the dealers can never provide a courtesy car when required. Read the JD Power Survey for dealer service!
VW do not value customer loyalty, this is my third (and last) Golf and my wife has had no fewer than five VWs previously. Her new car next year will be a Honda Civic to replace a Polo and mine will be a Mazda 6 to replace the Golf.
On the plus side the estate is very useful and practical - it's just a shame it's so badly built!
Search for New and Used Volkswagen Golfs available in the UK
Click here to advertise your car
Recommended reviews
|
| Nice to look at, but not worth the money or hassle |
|
| A truly dreadful experience |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 2000 |
| First year of ownership | 2000 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 Manual |
| Performance marks | 4 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 1 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 1 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 6 miles |
| Most recent distance | 35000 miles |
| Previous car | Volkswagen Golf |
| Date of Entry | 28th October, 2002 |