In reply to Contradiction:
Compare it to a WRX, an EVO, a Mini Cooper S, an Si (if you think those still belong in this category), a Focus RS, a BMW (in intent but not price), etc. and then ask yourself “Is this any worse for reliability or repairs than other enthusiast cars that are designed for performance and will be driven accordingly?”
I hear you and I really want to say "Yes they are" but the answer in my attempts has been a resounding "No, no they are not".
It is no coincidence that I've owned 13 BMWs and only 2 VWs. It wasn't lack of fun that sent me across the river... it was lack of forward motion. It's toatally cool to deal with a stuck window, sunroof, dampers that need replacing every 15 minutes, radiators made out of chewing gum... in the name of fun... but the folks with the propellers on the logo seem to understand (or did... who the hell can afford a new one) that it has to still drive home most of the time.
Twice burned. Never again (until a moment of weakness makes me buy a used RS32 just because I want one really bad and suddenly forgot all the pain those shiny happy person put me thru)
In reply to Contradiction:
I had a specific problem with the DSG in my GTI that soured me on those transmissions. But other than that there were no problems with the car. Subaru on the other hand has stunned me with their ability to make seals that are designed to leak yet work for thousands of oily squeaky rattly miles. ALL of my Subarus have had constant small problems but I am so used to Subarus that I can fix anything on the car cheaply.
crankwalk wrote: As far as any car will last a long time if you take care of it? That's garbage. There are lots of faulty designs out there that were MISTAKES to let out in the public.
I had a really sweet Passat 1.8T that had a coke problem. It turned the oil to tar and filled the intake with ... rock hard black "sediment". Like... Mobil1 0w40 full synth at 4k intervals... not some E36 M3 Valvoline crap either. Does that count? There were enough of them that I used to get class action mail and someone at VW thought it prudent to extend my warranty to 120k even though I sold the car a year before I got that mail... after the 4th flight of new coil packs, 2nd fuel pump, 2nd MAF, 1st trans control unit, right front axle, bad sunroof motor, and the ubiquitous and never solved "won't crank and acts like you didn't even turn the key when cold (< 15F) but if you push it into the garage and let it sit... totally fine in 15 minutes but we can't reproduce it here at the dealer" issue.
In hindsight I should have swapped an LS/t-56 into it because otherwise it was the perfect sportwagon. Except the rear windows would only go up if you helped them. It was only here for 3 years. Perhaps I should have been more understanding. Jesus christ. Now I'm all pissed again.
Dammit.
I was reading consumer reports yearly auto issue last night and forgot to snap a pic of the reliability page. VW is like a bruise on the page with all sorts of black fail-bubbles condensed into one area.
ProDarwin wrote: Dammit. I was reading consumer reports yearly auto issue last night and forgot to snap a pic of the reliability page. VW is like a bruise on the page with all sorts of black fail-bubbles condensed into one area.
Always at the bottom. Usually with land rover, Edsel, and nsu. Lol
They are great cars until they aren't and they can drain your wallet like the big boys.
And I've put 100's of thousands of trouble free miles on my VW/Audi's, including the "GRM horribly unreliable B5 Audi's".
I love that ad,a caliper that has almost 200k miles on it freezes and he's angry. LOL. It's OLD. Things WEAR OUT.
I figured it wasn't long before the V-dub fanbois came in screaming foul. Never disappointed.
In reply to Bobzilla:
Better than Hyundai/Kia/GM fanbois...
bravenrace wrote: In reply to Bobzilla: Better than Hyundai/Kia/GM fanbois...
Hey, at least our junk is EXPECTED to be junk. DUH! We don't put on an air of sophistication. 
Pinky out.
I can say that my brother turned from die-hard VW guy to a Honda guy after 2 new VWs, a 2002 Beetle and then a 2004 Jetta Wagon, had random non-reproducible electrical issues that couldn't be fixed. Long story short, the wife got sick of being stranded. He does still have an 88 GTI in the garage that he can't get to run right, but that's on him. Those older VWs are damn tough.
Wow, I think I unleashed a E36 M3storm here...
Every car has their quirks and failings, it just seems to me the VW/Audis tend to fail in ways that they shouldn't since its not always the "bleeding edge" stuff that fails. I almost threw German cars into there instead of just VW/Audi, but it seems BMW and Mercedes have stopped making wiring harness insulation biodegrable.
Thats not to say the advanced stuff doesn't have a tendency to fail, I've read some stories about HPFPs, where the same part was recalled on Audis, but only TSB'd or claimed to be fine on VWs. I think its a level of arrogance on the part of manufacturers or their US arms that separate them from the US/Asian makes. Not that they don't have some of that arrogance either, it just seems stronger with certain makes.
I've also heard Hyundai/Kia tends to push back on warranty work when maintanence was done anywhere other than the dealer during the 100K mile warranty.
Ford seems to like to deny problems exist until they have an official solution for them (3.5 Ecoboost intercooler condensation, cruise control fires, etc)
Subaru has had troubles keeping head gaskets together in the past, and also tries to deny warranty claims on performance models if there is an inkling of ham-handed driving (sometimes even if there isn't)
Toyota has a bit of that arrogantness I described above, but as a general rule it seems to be because their cars tend to be solid, until they aren't (sludging issues, anyone?)
Honda can't seem keep an automatic transmission alive behind a V6.
GM didn't seem to realize some people like to hang a bunch of crap off their keys...
So yeah, there's problems with everyone, but a lot of people never experience those problems, so it becomes a matter of playing the odds. Thats what I intended this discussion to be about. I do want to thank everyone who tried to respond constructively, especially with specific first-hand stories.
eastsidemav wrote: Wow, I think I unleashed a E36 M3storm here...
Happens every time there's a thread about modern VW's... really brings out the troll in some. E30 threads do it to me, although I'm trying to be better. 
My only question is......Did VAG stop putting flammable liquid catching undertrays on their cars yet?
Contradiction wrote: Let’s face it, if you want to buy a GTI you want one because you are an ENTHUSIAST and you want driving to be a FUN experience.
What about non-GTIs? They suffer from similar reliablity problems and are hardly ENTHUSIAST vehicles. I had a Jetta rental last week in CA and the only thing remotely exciting about the experience was the adrenaline rush of trying to back out of a parking spot without being able to see what was behind me at all.
Ian F wrote:93EXCivic wrote: Me! I have basically no problems with any one Civics. Most expensive repair between three of them ('93 EX, '96 DX and '99 Si) has been a radiator for a whooping $60.Conversely, my 1991 Integra required more expensive parts than my '03 Mk IV has over a similar age span (and less miles on the Acura). The HVAC failed terminally (blower motor and loss of freon), the LR caliper seized and the radiator failed.
Actually the A/C compressor went out on my '93 Civic but I am too cheap to fix it and it is all coming out soonish as it becomes an FSP car so that was a free fix.
My friend has a '0something Jetta TDI. The interior in that thing is falling apart terribly. The driver's door switches are falling out, part of the door card has collapsed and headliner is sagging. Then last week the automatic transmission went out. Plus you still have to deal with awful sound of a diesel.
93EXCivic wrote: My friend has a '0something Jetta TDI. The interior in that thing is falling apart terribly. The driver's door switches are falling out, part of the door card has collapsed and headliner is sagging. Then last week the automatic transmission went out. Plus you still have to deal with awful sound of a diesel.
With a good cleaning (which I don't do often enough), the interior of my '03 still looks almost new. The only part that has broken is some of the control knobs for the stereo, which didn't take well to vacuuming. Eventually I'll replace the head unit anyway as I've been wanting one with blue teeth and a USB/Aux input. It's held up a hell of a lot better than the Acura interior did. The engine still ran well, but the rest of that car was literally falling apart at 11 years old - with 100K fewer miles.
In reply to eastsidemav:
Honda has more issues than auto trans (although, they may have FINALLY figured that one out). P/S systems are horrific.
Bobzilla wrote: In reply to eastsidemav: Honda has more issues than auto trans (although, they may have FINALLY figured that one out). P/S systems are horrific.
Yeah, I was mainly going with the well known (and known to be true) stereotypes. You are correct that there are other issues, but I didn't feel like spending they next several days typing
So... after 5 pages of ranting, we've basically determined that all cars suck.
Ian F wrote: So... after 5 pages of ranting, we've basically determined that all cars suck.
Reminds me of my earlier days in the world of computers/programming. Instead of saying improved software/hardware was better, we said it "sucked less". I haven't heard that used since the IT world got a lot more mainstream.
So I guess I'm looking for the car that "sucks less". In which case, I should really stop looking at turbo cars...
Bobzilla wrote: In reply to eastsidemav: Honda has more issues than auto trans (although, they may have FINALLY figured that one out). P/S systems are horrific.
I've had 7 Hondas covering 5 generations and never experienced a P/S problem nor heard of one. Is it a recent thing?
eastsidemav wrote:Bobzilla wrote: In reply to eastsidemav: Honda has more issues than auto trans (although, they may have FINALLY figured that one out). P/S systems are horrific.Yeah, I was mainly going with the well known (and known to be true) stereotypes. You are correct that there are other issues, but I didn't feel like spending they next several days typing
In all honesty, if they could build a p/s system that didn't puke, a trans that didn't slip, a body where they actually finished all the spot welds, could make a HFL unit that didn't drain the battery and a radio that stayed working past 24 months I'd be out of a job!
DaveEstey wrote:Bobzilla wrote: In reply to eastsidemav: Honda has more issues than auto trans (although, they may have FINALLY figured that one out). P/S systems are horrific.I've had 7 Hondas covering 5 generations and never experienced a P/S problem nor heard of one. Is it a recent thing?
From ~2004-up. It's VERY wide spread. Pretty much anything US or Canadian made. The Japanese built cars seem to be the only ones not affected at this point. We've had recalls on p/s hoses, pumps and racks in the last 4-5 years.
In reply to Bobzilla:
Funny, with all these problems they still seem to be rated really well by pretty much every automotive authority.
You'll need to log in to post.
