The V5 was well built and performed well although was thirsty. When we bought the Mk5 the twin turbo was a very new concept. The idea of a car with similar performance as my previous 2.3L car in a 1.4L seemed incredible.

We kept the car for three years and averaged @ 7.2L per 100km as opposed to @ 10L in the V5. We never experienced any issues. The performance was comparable to V5 and in DSG form was easy to drive. The finish in the Mk5 was not as good as the Mk4, lot of rattling in the centre console, which I believe was a design flaw.

We now have the Mk6 118KW TSI and so far this has proven more refined and certainly better put together. Interior is better and quieter. I am swapping out the standard RCD310 for the RCD510, mainly due to the fact that all the instrumentation is now white/black which is cool but the RCD310 is blue backlit (weird?).

I honestly think there is no better car in this segment. You can go anywhere, be anyone and the Golf will fit just fine. It is economic (this one averaging 6.5L per 100km), if in a crash there so many airbags it would be like a bouncy castle and with more safety abbreviations then a military procedure manual. (EBD, ABS, ESP and so on). Also the performance is one step down from “hot hatch”. Frankly here in NZ there are few roads to use “hot hatch” performance anyways.

If this sounds like an advert I have no affiliation with VW but I do get concerned when I see people being put off these cars, due to some adverse comments here. So just adding my thoughts to redress the balance somewhat.

There is some delay in the acceleration, in that you do have to be firm with the throttle but you do get used to that and I have never experienced any chirping or squeaking that concerned me. Does it make a slight noise, maybe but you can get too into this stuff sometimes. I know, I took back a TV once three times due to “buzzing”, in the end just forgot about it and it was fine…

I would recommend the 1.4 twin charged engine to anyone, we may have to get used to it as downsizing is coming big time. I doubt there will be engines over 2 litres in 10 years time…

Just my random thoughts in case it helps anyone.

Jules

It is interesting that the VW dealer was very keen to sell me a golf and offered $3500 – 4000 discount off on-road price. Even with this, I am not sure whether i will last years without costs being experienced with repairs – jap cars may be the lasting choice. VW is a good car, but if youy keep it for many years, I think there may be issues.

Back on topic though I think all the major glitches with Golf at the moment will be fully fixed within a year, these things happen to any new innovative product regardless of brand, but the Japanese probably have more stricter quality control on their products than the Germans, it’s just sometimes, moreso in the past, they create some not-so well designed (nothing to do with reliability) cars which are not as aesthically pleasing, eronomic or as comfortable as German or some other European cars.

In my response to you above – sorry included some typo errors;

Magneticq – s/be Magnetic

Sorts – s/be Sports.

At top – Joe Blow shoud have read Barry at EH.

Barry at EH

Horst, thank you for the information re 118TSI. I have been away at the time you wrote the above re Water Pump Magneticg Clutch drive to Supercharger, hence the late response. I appreciate your input very much.

I am locked in to a Sales Contract to purchase a very highly optioned 118TSI [$51000 plus some further items $2000 or so] so that my wife and I will enjoy satisfying performance with economy and luxury. I am reasonably confident that all will be well. This Luxury Small Car is my firt highly spec’d car, and we are really looking forward to the event – delivery expected in January 2010. Due to that delivery date the proverbial Magnetic Clutch squeal may not be a problem – we shall see, and of course I will keep you informed. I am looking forward to giving all readers some very good news – let’s hope that will be the case. That other Golf to which I referred has been repaired, and very well, as the owner of that Golf [which is a 90TSI] is rapt’ed in the car, and genuinely enjoys driving it even more so than his Audi Sorts [don't know what model it is] and that surely speaks highly of the Mark VI Models in general. Cheers for now.

Barry of Eagle Heights.