[Phibes]

Hey all, well you know I love my Golf, not sure about VAG the company, as I
have never dealt with them or their dealers..(seems I am lucky in this
regard from what I have read) but I was researching a bit last night in
preperation to tackle a rattle in the passanger side door today (completed.
. was a rattle from the rod that connects to the inside door handle .. easy
enough to fix also fixed a klunck in the window rail).. anywhow I came
across countless posts from people complaining about Lemon VW's and non-
stop problems they had with them.. Then I reflected.. I guess also I have
had my share of problems with the Golf, in just 3 months of owning it:

Oxygen Sensor (Replaced)
Coolent Temp Sensor (Replaced)
Coolent Valve Thingy (Replaced)
Tie Rods (Replaced)
High/Low Presssure Switch (Replaced)
Drivers Side Power window Motor (Replaced)
Drivers Side Window Rail (Replaced)
Passenger Side Window Rail (on it's last legs)
Vavle Cover Gasket (small leak)
Rattle in door (Fixed)
Noise from AC blower (Fixed)
Coolent Fan Motor (Replaced)
Headliner falling off (Fixed)
Antenna (no reception, Broken retainer)
Shock absorber bumpers (rotted/disintegrated)
Shock Absorber dust Boots (torn/fixed)
Axle shaft/CV Boots (torn/fixed)
Petrol Tank Seal (fixed)
Door Bracket Bolts (loosening/fixed and refixed)
AutoTrans (funky behavour .. similar to CamTech's post)
Ignition Wires (Replaced)
Distributer Cap and Rotor (Replaced)
Fuel Pressure Regulator (Replaced)
Brake Pads (replaced)
Brakes (Brakes are just lame)

Before I bought it: it has a reconned A/C compressor and who knows what
else is in the service/repair history .. and even when first recieved
(before the mods) if it is driven semi-hard, it had terrible fuel economy,
for sure now the fuel economy is a lost cause..but thats ok with me in
return for performance. And on this point, even though it is a 1.6 (not a
1.3/.4) it really had pretty lame performance for a relatively light car..
My last car was a Waja.. and I think that performed as well or better than
the Golf when I first got it..

Ok from my point of view it is a 6 year old vehicle .. but it has really
low miles ..only 53K's when purchased.. and I understand it is just a
machine so parts are gonna wear and so forth.. and allot of the list above
is normal wear and tear... but in all honesty.. at this rate I can't see
see it lasting 10 years or a fabled 250,000 K's.. though I do occupy myself
with modding it.. and tweaking the performance (with my limited budget) ..
and I do allot of the minor repairs myself.. and I do enjoy working on the
car.. to see it from another point of view.. like lets say it was my
mother who owned this car.. it would prbably be equal to a nightmare for
her.. I wonder if it was such for the previous owner?

So I love the car anyways cause it's mine and my GF's , and I always liked
the Golf and am happy to own one.. I especially like some of the ingenius
design approaches employed; very modular and pretty simple to work on....
and I like the way it moves around on it's Eibach pro's and 16" wheels ..
but gotta ask.. WHere is the German reliablity quotient one expects when
paying so much for VAG..? I mean, I have always understood quality to
include reliability and longevity, and why must so much be done by me to
make this perform OK and feel a bit sporty? What was VAG building anhow.. I
can't imagine a MK3 GTI being a huge difference .. just more powerful and
front heavier..

SO what is your honest experience been like with your Audi's .. and VW's?


Peace,

[Entreri]

phibes,
you mean your golf have worst reliability than a waja? WOW!
in that case you've got a lemon golf and one of a kind clean waja then.
what luck huh?

anyway, as you yourself mentioned its wear & tear items and as with most
things you should keep it to standard thus the reliability issue will not
crop up. Being a 2nd hand doesn't help either, if you got a car which was
not serviced and taken care off by the previous owner then you're all set
for a lemon ride.

From my personal experience Audi is wayyyy more reliable than other cars
that I owned. The previous A6/100 C4 that i owned is a tank! just don't
want to fail. The freakin power window is still the factory fitted some 10
yrs ago. The engine needs an overhaul and gosh I runaround with the engine
for 1 yr just topping the oil with no problem.

The trick though is to get it to standard. Which is why, for every car that
I bought I'll spent thousands to replace all bits and parts to bring it to
standard spec, after which it should be fine. Just finish this stage of
"rehabilitation" to my current A4 B5.

The same could not be said of the other car that i own. Volvo 850 T5-R is
the most temperamental. without fail every week 1 of the numerous sensor
lights will blink with the most common is the lambda sensor. But super car
and ######in fast.

A wira 1.6 (a) engine changed to 1.8 (a) as with the gearbox. The 1.6
gearbox fail 3 times in 2 years! change the engine and the gearbox and it
all OK, at least on the gearbox front lah. The starter, alternator, the
fuel regulator, the throttle sensor, every 4-6 months my engine will have
idling problem due to broken plastic bits in the injection system and I
changed to original parts all the time. Had the car for 5 yrs and damn glad
to get rid of it. And yes I get the car to standard and even standard won't
do! So have to use Mitsubishi parts which last a wee bit longer

**other parts that fails won't even bother to list out

Citroen ZX 1.9 (M) - ehehehehhehe!!!!! lets see...... engine, clutch plate,
wiring, gearbox, sensors, ermmmm...... basically the car is brand new
everything.

Merc C220 - aiyoh!! I tell you the fabled merc's reliability is a myth.
Don't believe me just ask Jeremy clarkson! This car have its fair share of
"failures". The engine stops just like that, suddenly inaccurate fuel gauge
sensor, the bush for the rear drive shaft broke just like that. Change it
twice in a year and there are a few others too. But not as bad as the
volvo, citroen and definitely better than the wira.

BWM 318i E46 1st version 1.8 engine non-valvetronic. Not much to complain
cause the car is quite new just sometimes the Radio signal not that great.
But damn underpowered this.

IMHO, Audi have better reliability other than the wear and tear stuffs.

If want the more reliable car then you should get a Toyota. Prefereably
diesel powered 4WD. Now that can really last!

[kmnphg]

have to agree with entreri. You need to get it to standard, meaning
everything is running accordingly. Thus the need for a routine check-
up/inspection to identify any potential leaks/failure. Mine is audi C4
(mileage 160K miles).

[4000Q]

Just to add my experience in owning an Audi.

My car : Audi 90 Quattro
Manuf yr : 1985
Disp : 2226cc
Transmission : Manual - Quattro
How much : bought for less than RM10K

I think some of you might know my black quattro as I have been to a few
TT session some time ago. Been owning the car for a year now and my
previous ride was a Wira 1.6m Millenium Edition Yr 2000.

I ditch the Wira for this Quattro instead!

Now, items changed so far :

1. Fuel Pump (replaced at RM700)
2. Timing belt + bearings(replaced @ RM250)
3. Air con pipe (leaking. replaced at RM60 incl. gas)
4. Starter (replaced at RM180)
5. Expansion bottle/tank (next on the list - small crack)

I guess the above is enuf to convince that the car is a tank and will go
the distance if well taken care off. I change the engine oil monthly and
using only mineral oil. Did some DIY grounding to the car and the car is
doing great.

I drive the car daily to work from Ampang to Subang Airport. Fuel
consumption approx RM 15-20/day - not bad for a 2.3 lit 4WD car.

Drove back to Kuala Trg 4 times since last yr and no problems at all thus
far.

Performance wise ... I can say it can easily outrun most of the current
sedans. The cornering ... heaven!!

VAG Reliability ..... Damn Reliable if yu ask me.

cheers.

[JettaMk3]

Hmm... My car was unfortuantely nto very well maintained byt he previous
owner... so had qutie a bit to do...

1. All Shocks
2. Brakes... discs coming soon
3. Fuel filter, ATF filter, Air filter
4. Ignition coil, distributor, Crank Angle sensor
5. Now got ABS Sensor issues
6. AC... cost damn a lot cuz kena con by a crappy shop before so had to
spend money to fix all the problems the guy caused.

But I did quite a number of upgrades during the time... rear discs, air
filter, exhaust, ICE, rims, shocks, and soon will be the ignition coil
again... just need to fins a shop who can fabricate something to mount the
control unit safely... anyone got any ideas on where to do this?

[Phibes]

JattaMk3, I used to be a metal man (no not heavy metal - sheet metal and
stainless steel fabrication / installation / welding etc..) if you want to
hook up I can take a look. ALso I have the bracket from my EVAP that has
good rubber mounts and a proper frame for mounting to the chassis..
perhaps this can be rigged.


Peace

[Entreri]

for ease of reference let us streamline the threads

-----------------------------------------------------

Oddity4

Total Posts: 32
Member Since: 22-Sep-2004
posted on 22-Nov-04 22:16 [edited 0 times] [edit] [delete]
-------------------------


hey brendan
my a4 has got 213000kms on it. 1996 non turbo. had a bad owner so i
overhauled the gearbox.
now its problem free. the only things i have changed were done more for
cosmetics rather than
parts failure.

i used to own a bmw3 series convertible, and the audi is more reliable.

damage list:

gearbox - overhauled
driver side power window motor - replaced
new tires front
new shocks
restored springs to stock specs
restored wheels to stock 16inch
resprayed
restored exhaust system to stock
upgraded new front lights
new leather interior
ac system serviced
flywheel mod
battery replaced to MF
upgraded front antiroll bar
roof liner replaced

so. there u go.

[Entreri]

Phibes

Total Posts: 174
Member Since: 19-Aug-2004
About Me
posted on 23-Nov-04 1:00 [edited 0 times] [edit] [delete]
-------------------------------

Hi Oddity4,

Yes your car looks fine indeed, would have never guessed it had 213K's on
it.. congrats.

On the subject of quality.. I drove Gen-2 today - OH MY GOD, what a piece
of S#!T is this car, I drove it for about 20 minutes and I swear to you, my
back is still aching.. I got out and inspected the car.. here’s what I
found..

- the front and rear doors are made at different sizes, just like someone
didn't bother to measure accurately.. the rear door is slightly taller than
the fronts on the top.. no way this is by design.

-the fuel filler door is glued to the support hinge.. which is starting to
sieze up, well actually it should be glued but it looks like someone forgot
to press the pieces of metal together after they applied the glue so you
have a nice bead of dry glue underneath the metal that is about 2cm above
it..

- it is a new car and the interior already looks old from fingernail
scratches on the handles and gear shift lever and on about everything else
you need to touch
- it is the loudest most awful sounding Aircon system I have ever heard..
not blower noise.. just air noise.. it sounds like you are driving with you
head sticking through the roof.. even at it's lowest sweat inducing setting
- the seats are so high it feels like I was sitting ona bar stool
- the drivers side seat adjuster for the back angle is unmovable.. and
there is not enough room to get a man hand to turn it between the seat and
the door even if it wasn't seized
- the passenger side lever for the seat adjuster is already broken off and
sitting on the floor beside the seat for safe keeping
- the doors "weather stripping" are glued on.. well they are partially
glued on.. and already delaminating from the chassis which doesn't really
matter because they are little more than electrical tape anyhow
- moisture trapped in the rear tail light
- the paint is scratched behind the door handle from fingernails when
opening the door
- this car has to be light.. it sounds like a coke can, the doors have no
weight at all to them , it is a manual.. and it has totally NO POWER, what
a joke.

Actually I did think it was not a very good deal as I seen one starting to
fall apart in the Proton show room while I was there just by people opening
and closing the hood and doors.. but they told me it was a "prototype" ok..
now I can confirm they are selling a prototype.. not a real car. Proton Gen
2 gives the automobile a bad name, I would have preferred to ride a horse
to PJ.

1 Piece of advice - NEVER EVER EVER BUY A GEN-2 .. you will be sad every
time you see it in the morning and you will become depressed, miserable and
perhaps even psychotic and suicidal.

I love the Golf a whole lot more after this experience.. man really I musta
forgot what others are actually driving.. and how good VAG cars are.. I
guess it is true - "familiarity breeds contempt". Considering we paid about
the same amount of money as this GEN-2 would cost.. WHAT a great deal we
got.. when I got back and got into the 6 year old Golf.. man it was like
going to a beach resort after being in jail..

(No I have nothing against Proton, I liked my Waja and still think it is
good value for money)


Peace

---------------
Phibes

[Entreri]

phibes, have you read the article written by this lady reporter about the
gen-2? after an advice from the protonmen told her to rev the car beyond
4000rpm for power she was raving about the power delivery and how powerful
the Gen-2 is. MUAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!!!!

i have the impression that she was driving a kancil 660cc before

[Phibes]

Enteri, nope haven't read any reviews on the Gen-2 actually I am of the
opinion after being here a while, that Malaysian media love to put the
"Boleh" skew on things.. and will avoid anything negative about National
products. .. But do link me if you can.. I need a good laugh.

Let me assure you.. the GEN-2 is seriously lacking power in consideration
of it's HP rating and Theoretical Power to weight ratio on paper. perhaps
it's peak torque is somewhere under Idle speed?.. not sure.

Peace