Golf TDI reliability and should we buy another

[kilby]

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.

[The General]

The Accord will be a better choice than any Volkswagen. I myself love and drive my older European (VW) cars and love them...

But I would certainly recommend that you get the Accord.

[Huggyd]

I would agree with The General on this. I myself like the look and feel of the VW Jetta and Golf but recently my friend went out and got a TDI and found nothing but problems like you he has had the mass air flow sensor replaced, the back lift gate slowly rides down on its own, and he has only had the car personly for 4 months (keep in mind its like a 2000 used with like 120K when bought) but he told me that just to keep the warranty up he has to talk it to the dealership for oil changes and they charge him $90 FOR AN OIL CHANGE!!!!! :shock: any money saved driving around on one of these is spent FIXING or CHANGING OIL!!!!! BLA! no thanks VW!
So I would think look else where and go your research on what you want to pick up before spending the cash.

cheers
and happy shopping

[kilby]

2005 low mileage Acura TSX six speed or new 2006 Honda Accord EX-L five speed, 200hp and 166 hp respectively, TSX is a little more exciting ( like European ) Accord is more practical, both have great standard transmissions......oh the problems we have in the western world! Seriously though, these are two alternatives to VW and BMW, both marques we like and have owned a lot, there is just so much time you can spend at the shop though! Would be fun to drive car that you could just wash and wax for the first three or four years instead of getting to know the nice guys in the service department.

[andielicious]

i am having many problems with my 2003 jetta tdi. my advice to you is to run as far as you possibly can from vw's.