kilby
01-10-2006, 01:45 PM
April 2006 is the time for a new car for my wife, who drives about 500k per week for work (mostly highway) We currently own a 2001 Golf GLS TDI with about 120k on it. The car has been very economical to operate on a day to day basis, but these are some of the issues we have dealt with over the last 5 years, mostly under warranty.
Tha mass air flow sensor had to be replaced once, we had the intake de-coked , at 65k, (severe power loss) There have been TWO turbo's replaced due to wastegate failure, 1 at 60k and the next at 81k. The one at 81k we had to prove that we had done all the correct service as it was out of warranty (the first only lasted 21k !) There are rattles in both front doors when braking or accelerating that have never been resolved. The lower front door rubbers had to be replaced as they were hanging down, the car has excessive smoke on startup (lots!) VW says that "some" do it and others don't. Rear seat lift handles broke at 37k and had to be replaced, speaker blown at same time, door pulls replaced due to poor finish peeling off, buzzing in dashboard, anti rattle foam sprayed with little success, alarm going off, will not disarm, replaced door latch assembly, windows binding, replace regulator cables, front door lock replaced because of not locking. More that I can't remember.
So now it is new car time, we only have 5-speeds and have owned many European cars, my daughters both drive A2 Jettas, I have a 1993 325is and 1981 320i, all great cars but considering that the TDI has had mostly highway miles with good warmups all the time, NO teenage drivers ever and by the book service, do we buy a new 2006 Golf when they come out or would I be smart to trade a little driving fun and get an '06 Accord EXL with 166hp, and all the goodies including leather and moonroof for MSRP of $29,500 with 5-speed? We need at least one car that we don't always need to be fussing with as we are at very busy times of our lives. Has anybody else experienced similar problems? We love German cars, but it's not only VW's that are causing problems, last year I convinced my sister in law to get a new BMW 320i, which has been in the shop with electrical and fuel problems an embarrassing amount of times, I feel bad as I talked her out of Lexus and Acura.
Tha mass air flow sensor had to be replaced once, we had the intake de-coked , at 65k, (severe power loss) There have been TWO turbo's replaced due to wastegate failure, 1 at 60k and the next at 81k. The one at 81k we had to prove that we had done all the correct service as it was out of warranty (the first only lasted 21k !) There are rattles in both front doors when braking or accelerating that have never been resolved. The lower front door rubbers had to be replaced as they were hanging down, the car has excessive smoke on startup (lots!) VW says that "some" do it and others don't. Rear seat lift handles broke at 37k and had to be replaced, speaker blown at same time, door pulls replaced due to poor finish peeling off, buzzing in dashboard, anti rattle foam sprayed with little success, alarm going off, will not disarm, replaced door latch assembly, windows binding, replace regulator cables, front door lock replaced because of not locking. More that I can't remember.
So now it is new car time, we only have 5-speeds and have owned many European cars, my daughters both drive A2 Jettas, I have a 1993 325is and 1981 320i, all great cars but considering that the TDI has had mostly highway miles with good warmups all the time, NO teenage drivers ever and by the book service, do we buy a new 2006 Golf when they come out or would I be smart to trade a little driving fun and get an '06 Accord EXL with 166hp, and all the goodies including leather and moonroof for MSRP of $29,500 with 5-speed? We need at least one car that we don't always need to be fussing with as we are at very busy times of our lives. Has anybody else experienced similar problems? We love German cars, but it's not only VW's that are causing problems, last year I convinced my sister in law to get a new BMW 320i, which has been in the shop with electrical and fuel problems an embarrassing amount of times, I feel bad as I talked her out of Lexus and Acura.