1997 Volkswagen Golf GL review from North America

Car was in bad shape mechanically when I bought it, but the VW dealership told me it was in good condition.

At 96k:

Passenger airbag needed to be replaced.

Trunk leaked due to worn out tail-light seals

Tail-lights malfunctioning due to rusted out bulb housings caused by the leak

Slight coolant leak

CV joints were in very bad shape

Wheel bearings were worn out

Two huge cracks in the windshield

Catalytic converter blew up, destroying the exhaust system

The lights around the climate controls only work every once in a while.

It's a great car for daily commuting.

It gets great gas mileage (28-30+, with hard city driving)

Engine is solid; it's small, but it's all you need for a small car.

The back seat folds flat, giving tons of storage space.

Engine isn't too powerful, but it is reliable,

Seats are a little stiff, but not noticeable except on long drives.

This model is known for weird electrical problems.

With as much stuff as I've had go wrong with it, I can't see myself getting rid of it anytime soon.