Used Volkswagen Golf review: 2013 to 2019 (Mk7) | owner reviews: MPG, Problems & Reliability

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Comfortable interior, easy features to use, easy to get around town as it's not too big. Having said that it is spacious. I have to say now that the car is not very powerful and I'm having to rev very hard for it to go move off. Also, now having problems when moving off sometimes - loud bang then doesn't move? Have to then put it back in gear to then move off. Also there's a mysterious noise whilst sitting in back seat.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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I bought this VW 2.0 TDI Golf Plus thinking that it would be reliable how wrong could I be The engine management light came on within 6 months of buying at 27k. This was a faulty throttle body. 3 months later the ERG management light came on and that had to be changed. 1 month later the engine management light came on again this time the crankshaft sensor was faulty. Two months later the water pump started leaking. The rear window electrics became faulty and the window would not operate. Now 6 months later the engine management light is on again. I will never buy a VW of any description again as I am so very disappointed.

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No Red thumbs down

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On day one there was a rattle from the drivers sun visor (fixed under warranty). Year two, a water leak developed in the boot caused by a perished grommet in the tailgate. It was fixed under warranty but not without breaking the trim. In year three a there was s rattle from the engine under load between 2500 and 3000 rpm. It was undiagnosed and has not been resolved by VW. I'm now buying a Japanese car again. Aside from the faults, my Golf has been very comfortable and economical. It's a shame about customer service at my VW dealer, which doesn’t seem to care.

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No Red thumbs down

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Brillant engine, gearbox, drive and build quality. However the sat nav is worse than useless, it is not fit for purpose. If I could have the BMW sat nav in this car, it would be fantastic.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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I was given a VW Golf for work as my meetings span the length and breadth of the country. The driving experience is excellent but I am having some real difficulty when it comes to sleeping. A few issues I have encountered are: The seat – it only reclines to about 45 degrees which is comfortable for about 30-45 minutes but when I’m looking to power through and get a few hours of shut eye I find the seat quickly becomes uncomfortable. I have had to lie across the back seat on a couple of occasions which is fine but also increases the risk of fines when I am sleeping in car parks/permit holder areas. Noise isolation – extremely noisy even with all windows closed (which can get hot especially in the midday heat). Motorway services present a lot of problems with a lot of cars passing by as well as the noise of the actual motorway. I have had to resort to wearing earplugs but this has proved problematic when police have tried to wake me if I’m parked on someone’s driveway or commercial premises. Driving – 5 stars Sleeping – 1 star Overall 3 stars

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No Red thumbs down

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Found it nice to drive after owning a mk4. Then had problems. New clutch and flywheel. Gear box whine at 50 mph. Dashboard rattle caused by the shock absorber leaking. Lots of wind noise on motorway. Rear light cluster leaking water. Now there's steering rack noise. Would not buy again. Also emissions

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No Red thumbs down

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Leased this car through Motability after my last car was written off. It is a real revelation it is more economical and more comfortable than the 3cyl 1.2 Pug 308 I had previously. I have just clocked up a 1000 miles and it was only collected on September 19

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Its the first new car I have bought and has been the most disappointing and unreliable car I have had. From 2 years old it had problems starting and noisy grindy brakes when it had been parked for a while. A leak in the water system happened at just over 4 years followed by warning lights and a new particulate filter needed fitting. Started with a really uneven idle and erratic engine behaviour 18 months ago - sometimes very sluggish to drive sometimes fast so weird I began to dread driving it. On hills it would sometimes cut out - still the diaognsics said there was nothing wrong ! The automatic headlights move on their own and I have to wait ages with ignition on or the car wont start i had to have some work done on exposed wires - Inbetween al this a humming sound came from the front wheel - it was a wheel bearing and a new one was fitted. A month ago the car suddenly lost power as I was driving home was really scary - had to be towed to the garage - a warning light appeared at last and a code told the AA man it was the EGR valve blocked and this had probably been causing cars strange erratic performance all this time - I cant believe there was no warning until it conked out - what if I had been on a motorway ? that is a really poor warning VW - another huge bill - and now 4 weeks later I can hear a wheel bearing humming sound again- Reading forums the EGR problems are common with my particular 1.6 TDI model. I have paid out a huge amount of money - so much for VW reliability !! I am now looking for a new car - ps Its also being recalled soon for the emissions - do you think I could get a refund ?

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No Red thumbs down

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i'll start with i received this as a company car which already had 100,000 miles on it. i though ok keep it for a while then they will get rid as promised, however that isnt the case and they want me to keep this piece of rubbish for alot longer. the cars only good point is fuel economy i easily average 58-62 and have had above 80, this is where the good points stop. being the S version its cheap, the seats are uncomfortable i a young guy and already after 6k miles in a month i get back, neck, shoulder pain, considering my supersports motorcycles is comfier is saying something. the electrics have also started developing a fault with the windows and having to have a service every 10K miles certainly isnt cheap if you want a cheap car then yes its for you if you dont value your posture or sanity, it is slow you never feel confident overtaking, you will always get tired driving and will feel depressed after a few thousand miles behind the wheel considering this if my first golf i will honestly say i will never have one again

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No Red thumbs down

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I've had this car for 18 months having previously had a Mercedes CLK 320. You would think I'd notice a difference in performance, but not really. The Golf is quick, and pulls like a train thanks to it's turbocharged diesel engine. The DSG gearbox is so smooth you don't notice gear changes, and the electric parking brake simple to use. It's so economical I have forgotten where the petrol station is, and the comfort levels are possibly better than the Mercedes. All in all a brilliant, economic, totally reliable car that does everything you could want without missing a beat. Brilliant.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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I've had this car for 18 months having previously had a Mercedes CLK 320. You would think I'd notice a difference in performance, but not really. The Golf is quick, and pulls like a train thanks to it's turbocharged diesel engine. The DSG gearbox is so smooth you don't notice gear changes, and the electric parking brake simple to use. It's so economical I have forgotten where the petrol station is, and the comfort levels are possibly better than the Mercedes. All in all a brilliant, economic, totally reliable car that does everything you could want without missing a beat. Brilliant.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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My fifth successive Golf and I hate it! The suspension crashes over even shallow potholes, jiggles over seemingly smooth roads and never misses an opportunity to give you a good jolt. The ride quality is totally unsuitable for a modestly powered family car. I imagine the poor suspension also explains a higher than wanted road rumble. I won't be keeping it!

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No Red thumbs down

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Not impressed. Hard ride, very basic interior trim and hard plastics. Has an intermittent feel pump issue, too. My first VW and definitely my last.

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No Red thumbs down

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Quite simply, in 30 years of motoring the best car I've ever owned or driven. Smooth, quiet, comfortable (though not the rear seats). Fast enough when you need it, supremely economical the rest of the time. I easily average 52 mpg in winter, 57 mpg in summer, people who say otherwise don't know how to use the superb DSG to best advantage. It tows a 5 berth caravan with aplomb, touring Europe for 4,000 miles in 2013 without ever using toll roads. It will soon be 6 years old. I don't intend to chop it in until it's beyond economic repair.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Underpowered, overpriced, overrated, bland, slow, over complicated and comes with a hopeless manual as long as 'War and Peace' where every paragraph is prefaced with, 'warning' or 'notice', and then fails to tell you what you want to know. If you are considering buying one, look elsewhere!

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No Red thumbs down

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This is a great all-rounder. I wanted a car in retirement that would give us comfort but with good mpg, good resale, fun and practicality. The Golf does all of this. I have stopped myself comparing it to my last company car, the BMW 3 Series. They are just different cars. The VW brand is just great, a point made by the RAC man who was rescuing my son in a non-German car. MPG is good for the urban journeys we have. Infotainment system is very good, albeit touchscreen sounds great but not brilliant when driving. Moving the hand away from the gear stick requires too much visual when driving. Very practical hatchback. We can both store our collapsable golf trolleys in the boot. The auto heating and cooling system would have been better than the manual system. The GT is packed with stuff. Gives a real punch when in sport mode and looks great. We had a problem with the satnav but appears to be a one-off for this car. It should do what we need of a car and worth a few more quid in 2 or 3 years compared to other cars of similar size.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Horrible ride, terrible build quality, noisy and unefficient.

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No Red thumbs down

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Disappointed with the engine of this car. Head had to be done after just 60,000 miles and is undergoing more work, at 97,000 miles, to replace valves and valve seats. Clutch gave up after only 35,000 miles. Car was serviced regularly. Lacks power for overtaking. Generally, a quiet car when driven, has great room inside all round and controls are non-fiddly. Previously, I had two Fiestas - 1994 and 1996 - with a combined total of 250,000 miles clocked and not once was any work ever carried out on the engines. My problems with this Golf wouldn't put me off buying another one, but the word is VWs are not as sound as they used to be. Engine-wise, this is the worst car I've ever had.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Brilliant car. Comfy, extremely economical and relatively quick for a 1.6 diesel. Also sticks to the road really well when thrown about.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Wow. I've driven previous Golfs and always found the suspension a bit firm, but I have the basic golf and this is one comfortable car. I've driven it all the way to Dundee without stopping and had no aches and pains when getting out - this was in my basic model. I chose this over the A3 (really really boring to drive and lots of wind noise) and the Leon (cheap interior, second hand models were falling apart at 8000 miles). Obviously this car isn't going to be as comfortable as a bigger saloon car, but for a hatchback it's great. I'm also curious as to why people complain about the MPG. I'm getting 68mpg on average after 20,000 miles and still getting 60mpg when thrashing it about. Then again I also add Redex in to every tank to keep the engine nice and clean. This car also isn't a slouch for a 1.6 diesel. Unlike most diesels it's very rare to get any noticeable turbo lag at low revs and is keen to accelerate even at 70mph. After buying this car I'm struggling to think of what I'd change to. After test driving a V40, A3, Leon, A-class and 1-series I'm yet to find a car that is better in all areas. Sure the 1-series is more fun but less practical, the a-class is prettier but has a french engine and is slower, the A3 is boring as sin to drive and has no touch screen even though it's meant to be prestige, the V40 is slower but more economical (and smaller) and the Leon is cheaper but noticeably so. My only option next time is an SE/GT golf or a GTD it seems! Test drive this car - you won't regret it.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Car had lots of trouble that really shouldn't be the case for a car that I looked after and got serviced regularly. It had troubles with the engine it would display a message fault engine workshop and wouldn't start. Once compleatly lost power, lights went out and needles on dials all went to 0. It was at 7:00 pm in the evening and it was dark and I was stranded on the side if the road in the dark for 45 mins until the golf decided to start up again. Will be changing the car soon for a Peugeot 308 my girlfriend has one and it never ever gave any trouble.

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No Red thumbs down

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Not a great car was expecting better it's back to Peugeot for me.

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No Red thumbs down

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Good points: It was high quality and was very roomy Bad points: It was quite hard to have a conversation as the car was noisy and the ride quality as horrid, and it had quite a lot of problems

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No Red thumbs down

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No Red thumbs down

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Persistant warning lights - engine management Oil leaks Jerky transmission Electrical problems with lights

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No Red thumbs down

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No Red thumbs down

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comfortable drive

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No Red thumbs down

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Had to replace - rear disks & pads, rear springs, lower front wishbones and ball joints, radiator, rear windscreen wiper motor & screen wash, driver door lock and window winder mechanism.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No Red thumbs down

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No Red thumbs down

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its fine

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Nothing major as yet but feels ropey at times

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Nothing ever failed!

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Yes Green thumbs up

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It's 10 years old, I've had it about 8 months, absolutely brilliant car , had a puncture that's it !

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Yes Green thumbs up

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blighted by electrical niggles such as central locking and problems with sensors and traction control, otherwise reliable

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No Red thumbs down

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No Red thumbs down

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No Red thumbs down

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It Works.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No Red thumbs down

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No Red thumbs down

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NEVER HAD A PROBLEM

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Never had any problems

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It's never failed me touch wood every after leaving it in airport parking for 3 weeks.

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No Red thumbs down

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no problems

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No Red thumbs down

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No Red thumbs down

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Starts every time, runs well

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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i have not had any faults since owning

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Has not let me down .... yet

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No Red thumbs down

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reliability is ok

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No Red thumbs down

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superb, not one problem to report

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No faults on warranty - no faults off warranty so far.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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The car starts every time with out fail a good and very quick car

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No Red thumbs down

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No issues at all

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No problems in six months and 4000 miles

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No Red thumbs down

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No issues during 10,000 miles/12 monyhs

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Wheel alignment easily slips out

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Has been very reliable

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Pig to work on, rarely needs any.

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No Red thumbs down

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NO PROBLEMS SINCE BUYING CAR

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Only problem i have had is a blown Fuse for cig lighter.

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Good build

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Generally good but plagued by engine electrical issues

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No Red thumbs down

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To date I have had very few reliability issues with the vehicle. 1 was the ESP sensor that went. A VAG known issue.

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No Red thumbs down

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Kept on the driveway,starts first time,and never complains whatever the task

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Yes Green thumbs up

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No issues

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No Red thumbs down

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Had breather pipe go,

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No Red thumbs down

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Turbo problems, vw can't fix it, power delivery not smooth, 3 times turbo failed and requires ignition off and on to reset.

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No Red thumbs down

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Have only had one problem with the car - the bonnet catch needed replaced

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Yes Green thumbs up

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everything works, no problems whats so ever

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Yes Green thumbs up

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Never let me down. Yet!

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No Red thumbs down

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It's a VW!

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Yes Green thumbs up

Used Volkswagen Golf review: 2013 to 2019 (Mk7): owner reviews

The compact family hatchback against which all others are judged, the Volkswagen Golf is refined, well built and a pleasure to drive

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