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You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. Mk5 Golf, (Best all-round engine)

• Thread starter Thread starter aston
• Start date Start date 9 February 2016

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aston

The Torque Meister

Points 342 Location South Dorset Car VOLVO and VW I need a smaller car and am kind of leaning towards the mkV Golf, Despite saying I'd never have another VAG product, with my caution in mind which of the multitude of engines found in the 5 if any has a reasonable amount of reliability? and represents a good buy? Thanks all

obi_waynne

Administrator

Staff member Moderator Points 1,157 Location Deal, Kent UK Car A3 1.4 TFSI 150 COD 1.8 T is a gem. Also the 1.9tdi would be my diesel recommendation. We have in depth articles on these engines with weak spots and things to look out for in our vw section.

Yugguy

Torque King

Points 507 Location Rugby (expat Preston lad) Car Merc C220Cdi Elegan 1.8T and 1.9PD are strong. PD130 is the best of the diesels. 1.8T tunable to large figures. Lots of the petrols could be thrashed though.

aston

The Torque Meister

Points 342 Location South Dorset Car VOLVO and VW Thanks but the 1.8t wasn't used in the mk5. Can you please put a link to the be issues. Thanks H

HDi fun

TC ModFather

Points 637 Location Buckinghamshire UK Car Passat 2.0 TDi 1.4 TSi is nice.

aston

The Torque Meister

Points 342 Location South Dorset Car VOLVO and VW I've read about a lot of problems with the 1.4 but then again I've read of problems with most

Yugguy

Torque King

Points 507 Location Rugby (expat Preston lad) Car Merc C220Cdi Elegan Ah right sorry yes - I was thinking of the Mk4. I've been researching these too, well more in Skoda form, for my next car. They come in 1.4t, 1.8t and 2.0t - 1.8 not to be confused with the superb mk4 1.8t, they are different engines. I don't think VAG put the 1.8t in the Golf, it was either 1.4t or 2.0t 1.8T and 1.4T cars get the dry clutch 7 speed DSG as they are lower torque. There have been some failures of this, especially in warmer countries, rectified by a change to mineral oil because synthetice caused shorts in the mechatronics unit . These made VAG do mandatory recalls of ALL affected vehicles in certain countries and optional in the UK. Also anecdotally the dry clutch is a bit jerky and you have to learn to drive it - unlike a standard slush, or even the wet clutch DSG where you can just press and go. There were also known problems with oil burning on early 1.4t - so much so that VAG took this engine out of the range, later 1.4ts are different. It was also a lottery with the early 1.4t as to wether you would get a burner. VAG were replacing whole engines under warranty. That said VAG have made something like 600000 of these clutches and only a relative few have gone. I know you want a Golf but if you can find a good Skoda Fabia 1.4T VRS that has had the engine changed or is not a burner it's meant to be a belter of a little hot hatch. Or the Skoda Octavia in 1.8t Laurent and Klement trim - huge spec and decent pace and not expensive. 2.0T gets the 6 speed wet clutch DSG, in my humble opinion this is a superb gearbox. Plenty of tuning options for 2.0T also - not so much for the 1.4t or 1.8t. Get a rare Jetta 2.0t and you'll get Golf GTI pace cheaper or newer for the same money. With the diesels I think the CRs are not quite as sturdy as the PDs

Aerial Andy944

The Torque Meister

Points 537 Location Sunny South Somerset UK Car VW Golf GT TDi 200 I have the PD170 diesel GT if you want a test drive Aston, that's if you're still down Dorchester way, as I'm not far away. I've owned ours from new and not had any major issues except DPF clogging up quite frequently but that's because of my driving style and short journeys. Mk5 diesels eat through front tyres also.

aston

The Torque Meister

Points 342 Location South Dorset Car VOLVO and VW Thank you very helpful indeed, my heart certainly says VAG, though my head knows the Focus is a far better buy by miles. from your research which floats your boat? I'd actually really like a mk5 GTI but really do a lot of miles, probably 20k a year

Yugguy said: Ah right sorry yes - I was thinking of the Mk4. I've been researching these too, well more in Skoda form, for my next car. They come in 1.4t, 1.8t and 2.0t - 1.8 not to be confused with the superb mk4 1.8t, they are different engines. I don't think VAG put the 1.8t in the Golf, it was either 1.4t or 2.0t 1.8T and 1.4T cars get the dry clutch 7 speed DSG as they are lower torque. There have been some failures of this, especially in warmer countries, rectified by a change to mineral oil because synthetice caused shorts in the mechatronics unit . These made VAG do mandatory recalls of ALL affected vehicles in certain countries and optional in the UK. Also anecdotally the dry clutch is a bit jerky and you have to learn to drive it - unlike a standard slush, or even the wet clutch DSG where you can just press and go. There were also known problems with oil burning on early 1.4t - so much so that VAG took this engine out of the range, later 1.4ts are different. It was also a lottery with the early 1.4t as to wether you would get a burner. VAG were replacing whole engines under warranty. That said VAG have made something like 600000 of these clutches and only a relative few have gone. I know you want a Golf but if you can find a good Skoda Fabia 1.4T VRS that has had the engine changed or is not a burner it's meant to be a belter of a little hot hatch. Or the Skoda Octavia in 1.8t Laurent and Klement trim - huge spec and decent pace and not expensive. 2.0T gets the 6 speed wet clutch DSG, in my humble opinion this is a superb gearbox. Plenty of tuning options for 2.0T also - not so much for the 1.4t or 1.8t. Get a rare Jetta 2.0t and you'll get Golf GTI pace cheaper or newer for the same money. With the diesels I think the CRs are not quite as sturdy as the PDs Click to expand...

aston

The Torque Meister

Points 342 Location South Dorset Car VOLVO and VW

Aerial Andy944 said: I have the PD170 diesel GT if you want a test drive Aston, that's if you're still down Dorchester way, as I'm not far away. I've owned ours from new and not had any major issues except DPF clogging up quite frequently but that's because of my driving style and short journeys. Mk5 diesels eat through front tyres also. Click to expand...

Thanks Andy, I am now near Salisbury, not too far away, how do you find the VW? why did you choose that particular car?

Aerial Andy944

The Torque Meister

Points 537 Location Sunny South Somerset UK Car VW Golf GT TDi 200

aston said: Thanks Andy, I am now near Salisbury, not too far away, how do you find the VW? why did you choose that particular car? Click to expand...

Ah you've moved the other side of me now, I'm still in Henstridge between Shaftesbury and Sherborne. Found the Golf to be well screwed together, no breakdowns even though I've neglected the servicing on occasions. All it goes through is tyres, 8000 miles being about best I've got. The BMN engine coded PD170 unit is very frugal when you want it to be, mid 50s mpg on combined run, could hit 60+ mpg on motorway run. Tend to get 600 miles from the 60 lt tank on mostly sub 15 mile journeys round my way. When you want to get a move on 30-60 the acceleration is more than enough for most circumstances. The PD140 actually is considered the more desirable option as with a remap you can get nearly the same power with slightly better pickup due to the smaller Turbo and no DPF worries. I just liked the look of the 170 as it had the straight twin exhaust exit instead of the 140s concealed behind bumper downturn one but I suppose you could get a custom made now to get the Gti look.

Aerial Andy944

The Torque Meister

Points 537 Location Sunny South Somerset UK Car VW Golf GT TDi 200 Ride is quite stiff, Clarkson once described the ride as like falling downstairs with calipers on I like it stiff, corners really well for an essentially family hatchback. Have the leather heated seats option which hug you better than the cloth covered ones I found. Switch gear is better laid out than my bros MK6 I feel also.

aston

The Torque Meister

Points 342 Location South Dorset Car VOLVO and VW it seems that the 1.9 engine is the diesel choice from what i have read on various forums etc, I must admit I have had a couple of t4's with the 1.9 and they have been great and trouble free

Yugguy

Torque King

Points 507 Location Rugby (expat Preston lad) Car Merc C220Cdi Elegan In the mark 5 they only got the 1.9 PD in 110bhp form, as an economy car for the cheapskates. Mark 5 diesels are the common rail 2.0 140 and 170bhp variants. Mark 6 2.0 diesels went back to PD technology. Golf GTIs look nice but you can get a Skoda Octavia VRS with the same engine and running gear, it'll be as fast and better equipped as standard. And it looks good. The Seat Leon FR with the same running gear does look a bit low rent IMO compared to these two. Do you want diesel or petrol though? H

HDi fun

TC ModFather

Points 637 Location Buckinghamshire UK Car Passat 2.0 TDi MkIV then I would go with the 8 valve 2.0 GTi

auds2

Torque Junkie

Points 207 Location Durham Car AUDI A3 8v 1.6 TDI MK5 Were all PD either 1.9PD ( 90 or 105ps ) or 2.0PD ( 136 or 140ps )or 2.0PPD ( 170ps ) which was the 170 BMN engine. Mk6 are all common rail 1.6 ( 105ps ) or 2.0 ( 110, 140 or 170ps ) No PD engines made it to mk6.

Aerial Andy944

The Torque Meister

Points 537 Location Sunny South Somerset UK Car VW Golf GT TDi 200

Yugguy said: In the mark 5 they only got the 1.9 PD in 110bhp form, as an economy car for the cheapskates. Mark 5 diesels are the common rail 2.0 140 and 170bhp variants. Mark 6 2.0 diesels went back to PD technology. Click to expand...

Other way round mate, the PD was in the MK5 then the MK 6 got common rail around 2009 which is also about the time when dieselgate scandal was implemented. The 1.9 was even less powerful then 110hp and I tested one when brother was looking and it was slooooooooow. PPD140 engine is excellent especially when mapped to around 190hp. GT spec gets lower stiffer suspension for handling, good seats and covers all type of driving situations.

obi_waynne

Administrator

Staff member Moderator Points 1,157 Location Deal, Kent UK Car A3 1.4 TFSI 150 COD http://www.torquecars.com/volkswagen/1-9-tdi-tuning.php http://www.torquecars.com/volkswagen/2-0-tdi-140-170-tuning.php http://www.torquecars.com/volkswagen/2-0-tfsi-tuning.php Shame the 1.8T wasn't on these, it must have been in the Mk4 - this is actually worth considering though. I'd rather have a proven last generation engine than get a car with an unproven next generation engine. http://www.torquecars.com/audi/18t-tuning.php For the miles though you are silly not to consider the diesel, they are all very rapid and economical compared to most other popular brands of car.

Aerial Andy944

The Torque Meister

Points 537 Location Sunny South Somerset UK Car VW Golf GT TDi 200

auds2 said: MK5 Were all PD either 1.9PD ( 90 or 105ps ) or 2.0PD ( 136 or 140ps )or 2.0PPD ( 170ps ) which was the 170 BMN engine. Mk6 are all common rail 1.6 ( 105ps ) or 2.0 ( 110, 140 or 170ps ) No PD engines made it to mk6. Click to expand...

Beat me to it

Yugguy

Torque King

Points 507 Location Rugby (expat Preston lad) Car Merc C220Cdi Elegan I thought VAG had gone back to PD recently because of issues with CR? But I could well be wrong.

auds2

Torque Junkie

Points 207 Location Durham Car AUDI A3 8v 1.6 TDI No they are still on common rail with the new engines H

HDi fun

TC ModFather

Points 637 Location Buckinghamshire UK Car Passat 2.0 TDi No - VW has stuck with CR having resisted (until about 2008) it with PD for some time. Everyone else went to common rail from around 1998. Very sensible of the rest. VW typically had to be different and continue with it's own arrangement. Probably because they threw so much money into developing it that they had to wait for the imminent failures so they could belt us customers for injectors which cost £450 each when they fail. Which have to be replaced as a whole set. Thankfully I have a four cylinder. Not a V10. VW has a ridiculous pricing policy on parts. eg. ONE parking sensor for my Passat is three pence short of £120. Fitting is on top of this! One sensor for my 5 Series BMW was £22 including fitting. Now, what I want to know is this. If the injectors and parking sensors are so bloody superb (which they should be at these prices) then surely they should never fail?!? Ever!! I don't so much mind things failing on older cars, it's the eye watering cost of repairing them which makes this Passat so detestable. Since April 2014 (and just over 40,000 miles in my tenure) I have spent more on repairing this car alone that I spent on the previous three cars I owned since 1998. Prior to this I had a couple of Montegos and a Fiat going back to 1987 and cannot really remember the costs but nothing as savage as this VW. Nissan Primera 2.0i SLX Auto - 1997 - 2005 - 178,000 miles in my tenure Peugeot 406 GTX HDi 2.2 - 2006 - 2009 - 139,000 miles in my tenure BMW 528i SE Auto - 2010 - 2014 - 109,000 miles in my tenure. All three of these added together cost less in repairs than this VW alone has cost. That is very very bad news and a good reason for me to never go near VW Theftland again. There are still things wrong with it that I have not bothered fixing. Nothing safety related but rear window motors are failing, trailer electrics (which I don't use) door lock release switches, parking sensor (see above). Immobilizer and steering lock constantly throwing up checksum errors. The AC is pathetic despite full vac and recharge and diagnostics. The interior squeaks and creaks. The headlining squeaks and creaks. It's a piece of junk. And people revere VW!!!

auds2

Torque Junkie

Points 207 Location Durham Car AUDI A3 8v 1.6 TDI I wouldnt mind if they invented the unit injector then they had reason to keep it going as long as they could but at the end of the day it was conceived by a brit and pinched by the yanks as i believe H

HDi fun

TC ModFather

Points 637 Location Buckinghamshire UK Car Passat 2.0 TDi I know it's not a VW invention and I also know that it's commonplace on industrial commercial, marine and railway diesel machinery. I just wonder perhaps if the concept is excessive for a passenger car. Perhaps the tolerances are just too tight for the small installations. I also cannot imagine commercial operators tolerating routine replacement of injectors every 100,000 - 150,000 miles. The PD engines are actually very nice to drive with stacks of pull from as low as 1300rpm in some cases. But they are not as refined as CR systems in my experience. Nor do they rev as purposefully as a CR engine.

aston

The Torque Meister

Points 342 Location South Dorset Car VOLVO and VW When I am interested in a car I usually research in 3 places, honest john, what car reviews and this forum, Check out the bad points for the mk5 on honest john, they seem to go on for ever, I am beginning to think it's a myth about VAG products being good, strangely I had a high mileage Alfa years ago and that never had any issues except bushes (Once) H

HDi fun

TC ModFather

Points 637 Location Buckinghamshire UK Car Passat 2.0 TDi

aston said: When I am interested in a car I usually research in 3 places, honest john, what car reviews and this forum, Check out the bad points for the mk5 on honest john, they seem to go on for ever, I am beginning to think it's a myth about VAG products being good, strangely I had a high mileage Alfa years ago and that never had any issues except bushes (Once) Click to expand...

I am wondering about the myth of VW reliability. As said previously I know that cars can go wrong and need repairs in addition to maintenance. It's the eye watering cost of fixing a VW that upsets me. More so when it's things that don't go wrong with other cars. New battery for 528i - £112 BMW dealer price new battery for Passat - £259 VW dealer price VW seems to think it makes and sells good cars. See my other posts about VW ownership. I shall never buy another. Ultimately VW will fail with this attitude. BMW cars maintain healthy second user prices. It keeps up the price of new cars. VW - peoples' cars. No way. Dictator's cars for dictator's subjects. Last edited: 13 February 2016 H

HDi fun

TC ModFather

Points 637 Location Buckinghamshire UK Car Passat 2.0 TDi VW - £120 for one parking proximity sensor!! Even though this is ten times the price of a BMW parking sensor VW tells me that they must be replaced as a set. That's £960. Really, yes. So, as I have said previously, these VW special sensors, at £120 each should never fail. Ever. VW is a brand to be avoided. It's a total rip off, VW dealers in the UK are close to criminal with their attitudes. Would I have another VW? No. H

HDi fun

TC ModFather

Points 637 Location Buckinghamshire UK Car Passat 2.0 TDi I would really like a VW UK employed senior person to challenge me on this. I am merely stating facts. It's bloody difficult to get someone into court for presenting information. H

HDi fun

TC ModFather

Points 637 Location Buckinghamshire UK Car Passat 2.0 TDi

aston said: When I am interested in a car I usually research in 3 places, honest john, what car reviews and this forum, Check out the bad points for the mk5 on honest john, they seem to go on for ever, I am beginning to think it's a myth about VAG products being good, strangely I had a high mileage Alfa years ago and that never had any issues except bushes (Once) Click to expand...

I did research a Mitsubishi Galant V6 for you a few years ago in High Wycombe. That was a fourth place perhaps? Never mind. Last edited: 13 February 2016

Yugguy

Torque King

Points 507 Location Rugby (expat Preston lad) Car Merc C220Cdi Elegan Chaps if you research any car on the net you will find faulta. Even a lexus. People dont post about their 10 years of trouble free motoring. They post about breakdowns

obi_waynne

Administrator

Staff member Moderator Points 1,157 Location Deal, Kent UK Car A3 1.4 TFSI 150 COD From around 2004 the VAG group cars reliability suffered IMO. They were incredibly reliable and had a great reputation but now they languish at the bottom of reliability surveys. The Mk4 with low mileage would be a better buy than an average mileage Mk5 IMO. All cars have faults and searching for Car brand model fault will always bring up a shocking list of issues. The big surprises in reliability for me are Skoda who seem to buck the general VAG trend although the drivers of these cars are probably low mileage cautious low gear only drivers. Jap cars always have been reliable and cheap to run but can look quite dated quickly. Last edited: 14 February 2016

Aerial Andy944

The Torque Meister

Points 537 Location Sunny South Somerset UK Car VW Golf GT TDi 200 Well just my experience but I've had 2 Golfs in last 15 years, brother has a MK6 Tdi140 and father in law has had a MK6 also. Apart from wear and tear items no faults what so ever in all those years. I know it maybe luck but who knows, I've got nothing bad to say against them. Haven't found any difference in service costs compared to my Nissan or Father in laws recent Focus or Mondeo, all motoring costs will always be expensive as they always seem to come at a bad time. You're quite right to say people tend to shout about the bad things and forget about what's good. I can remember being taught in business studies, do something good for a customer they will tell maybe 2 other people. Do something bad and they will tell around 15 other people. That figure is probably a lot higher today with social media and forums like this one.

aston

The Torque Meister

Points 342 Location South Dorset Car VOLVO and VW I agree with the bad news etc but i figure honest john is more trade connected and tend to trust his reviews over others and also i check the reliability index which is trade linked, from my research the mk5 is best avoided, the mk4 1.9d or 1.8t a safer bet but the old Seat leon 20v a much better buy, well I have just been to the dealers and sat in all the hatches which caught my eye and i must say i didn't take to the mk5 golf however the post 2008 focus and c30 were nice H

HDi fun

TC ModFather

Points 637 Location Buckinghamshire UK Car Passat 2.0 TDi I don't particularly mind things going wrong. it's the outrageous cost of repairing which annoys me. The price of VW parts is not reflected in the quality. That's the point I am trying to convey.

aston

The Torque Meister

Points 342 Location South Dorset Car VOLVO and VW I agree, my Audi A6 is proving this, a nightmare, 7 weeks now in the garage solely for an ABS fault, doing it cheap is not an available option. I think I'm going Ford, having owned a few mondeos and an x type i think i can trust Ford H

HDi fun

TC ModFather

Points 637 Location Buckinghamshire UK Car Passat 2.0 TDi It's a shame because I really want to like the car. I like the PD low down thump, it's cavernous inside. It's a good workaday car with decent enough handling, ride and grip to obviate boredom.

aston

The Torque Meister

Points 342 Location South Dorset Car VOLVO and VW likewise, but since buying it and talking to dealers and mechanics alike VAG products are to be avoided, strangely though it seems Skoda are relatively problem free and from what I have read SEAT are a better drive H

HDi fun

TC ModFather

Points 637 Location Buckinghamshire UK Car Passat 2.0 TDi I think you're right. I'd feel more confident with a Skoda than a VW. We had a 1996 Seat Ibiza a few years ago - that was utterly reliable.

Yugguy

Torque King

Points 507 Location Rugby (expat Preston lad) Car Merc C220Cdi Elegan Astra j 2.0 cdti in elite trim. Not rated by badge snobs so dirt cheap but reviewers like honest john love it. Elite trim has huge standard spec, 165bhp so goes a bit, is said to be nice to drive and vx so cheap to maintain. Its in my list to look at later this year. H

HDi fun

TC ModFather

Points 637 Location Buckinghamshire UK Car Passat 2.0 TDi I wouldn't rush at a Vauxhall.

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