How Reliable is VW?

[Magfocus]

i like your choice of words "numbingly reliable"

 

sounds like the T brand haha

It was that obvious huh?

[Denosha]

Used to have a VW New Beetle 2.0. Reliability? The main guts were quite reliable. Engine, transmission, etc didn't give any problems the 5+ years we had it. The small things however.. First there was the problem with one of the headlights. Died 2x until the 3rd time send for servicing then they say it's caused by an electrical problem that they finally fixed. Then another time my powered window just died. Worse part is it died in the down position and there was no way to bring it up anymore so not safe to part the car outside have to immediately send in for servicing.

 

All the soft-touch plastics in the car also started "melting" becoming very sticky to the touch. I think they are not designed for our hot climate.

 

Overall i would rate the reliability as poor. The Subaru Legacy i'm driving now and my brother's Honda Jazz are far better. So far they don't even have any minor problems to complain of at all.

[Busker888]

Saw a black Passat CC drove out of VGS this afternoon. I must say the pick up is pretty impressive. The car looks fabulous, worth it if u got $103K to spare.

[Miles]

driven a vw .... never another vw for me.

 

[Wanderer]

driven a vw .... never another vw for me.

Care to share your story?

 

[Fcw75]

Driving a VW but only a Caddy. The car is reliable and the service is very good.

[Edrollbrick]

If you are already driving a conti, VW will be a great car in general. Have been driving the Passat for 3 years. There are issues that are solved under warranty with good support from AD.

 

Outside support are also available and I must say is getting better.

 

I will gauge my VW reliability as around 7.5/10.

[Karoon]

I love contis. I'd love them so much more if they can last more than 4 years here

[Miles]

Care to share your story?

 

like someone said earlier.... the main engine, gearbox, etc.... are reliable. but the small things, electronics, doors, boot release, power window, ignition cable, etc.... broke down anytime without warning. i guess the characteristics are not dissimilar to alfa, fiat, renault, peugeot or citroen. if you have time and money, good... you will get to know the SA very well and can flirt with the recep.

 

i "downgraded" to another conti (with american badge), enjoyed the drive just as much if not more (tho i get sneered at as compared to driving a vw), and never had a single problem in 4 years. the car is just as reliable as any jap. and the best thing is, after sales is also better than vw.

 

 

 

 

[Windchoco]

Wa... super suprised at the responses in this thread... Used to think v v highly of German quality (like better than japs)

 

But then again, cars are electrical and mechanical stuff... bound to have some lemons, and some problems here and there sooner or later right?

 

Could it be over-expectation due to the price paid?

[Windchoco]

my 8yrs old Jetta(1.6L) crossed over Tibet.... 12 days , 2300km without any problem

 

 

Wa serious bo ? U drove there?? or some dakar rally thing on tv?

[W210k]

Overall, VW as a brand, does not have a good reputation on reliability.

 

From the "Australian New Car Buyer" 2008 magazine Issue 31, under 'Things You Might Not Like' for each of the VW models summarized:

 

VW GOLF GT SPORT

- Reliability continues to be an issue with the Golf

 

VW GOLF

- The usual VW reliability warning

- A few squeaks and rattles in the cabin

 

VW PASSAT

- VW quality and reliability are inconsistent

 

VW GOLF GTI

- Reliability continues to be an issue with the Golf

- A few squeaks and rattles in the test car

 

VW JETTA

- Lots of squeaks and rattles in the test car

 

VW EOS

- VW's reliability record isn't great

 

Now, I have not seen such recurring, repetitive and consistent remarks on a brand's UNreliability and squeaks/rattles across nearly the ENTIRE RANGE of cars it makes. Not in this same magazine, or for that matter, any other magazine.

 

The 'scene' is no different in UK and USA mags too, where reliability is a let down for the VW range too, especially the more-recent (1990-onwards) cars that they make.

 

* The Golf III / Jetta III / Scirroco range in the late 80's were built like tanks.

Then from the Golf IV / Vento / Corrado range in the early 90's, it was downhill all the way for VW, in terms of overall quality.

 

Someone had mentioned JD Powers ranking in this thread too. Now ALL of the reviewers, ALL over the world, cannot be ALL wrong, can they?

 

There has to be some truth to all that.

 

And I am one living proof, having owned a VW before and don't think will ever consider buying another one. The usual stuff - squeaks and rattles like forever, power windows that keep failing one after another.

 

As a VW owner before, I know that its reliability is not good at all.

But the recent production models mentioned in the new car buyer magazine are really that bad on reliability. This will not help the brand image (if any) at all

Edited April 3, 2009 by W210k

[W210k]

I had owned a VW for many years and have had my share of its unreliability issues like:

- noisy, humming air-cond (could not be rectified over its period of ownership)

- foam flakes from the air-con ducting breaking off and flying into the passenger area, after just 3-4 years

- power windows failing one by one, all 4 doors, with the driver's window failing twice over the period I owned the car

- fluctuating RPMs

- the usual squeaks and rattles over road humps

- rattling dashboard (intermittent) on hard acceleration

 

Over the many years, in and out of AD workshop, scouring through magazines and VW owner websites the world over and also in vagsg.com, I have come to realize that most of the above are atypical, stardard issues of VW's production quality, aka unreliability.

 

Of course I have moved on (from VW) since then.

 

Yup, its all sounds so familiar

[KDF]

Now now, boys, I guess I'm not alone in planet VW haha. Okay I drive a VW bug and it rattles as described. The very first encounter was the blocked air-con within 2 weeks of purchase. Then the window button dropped oh boy .. an now it's left with the rattling which the service people seemed to be clueless about it

 

All in all .. I'm still happy with my bug :P

Edited June 14, 2009 by KDF

[KDF]

Brother, going there you must dress smart and look like someone who can afford a VW. Must be your looks !

 

Go to the PI ! You wear swimming costume also will serve you ! Buy buy buy !

 

CBX

 

Hey I see ah peks wearing slipper and shorts served by Mercedes staffs in stern black suits leh ..

[Kangadrool]

All the soft-touch plastics in the car also started "melting" becoming very sticky to the touch. I think they are not designed for our hot climate.

 

OT, think a lot of conti plastic/rubbers don't last here in our climate. My Tag H Formula 1 watch with rubber skirtings disintegrate itself just after 2 years and I hardly go under the sun; mostly in aircon environment.

 

[Maffie]

Hey I see ah peks wearing slipper and shorts served by Mercedes staffs in stern black suits leh ..

 

because ah pek is the generation that have the money...

[Paddie]

From my experience and those of my friends, the VWs made from the late 90s to around 2006 were not good for reliability. The basic mechanicals are very tough, but the interiors tend to squeak quite early into the car's life and there are small niggles here and there. But those from 2007 onwards have been much better. Perhaps it's too soon to tell about the long-term reliability, but it seems VW has genuinely made an effort to improve reliability and quality in the last 2 years.