I have a 4Mo and love it to bits. It has generally been very reliable. In nearly eight years of ownership I can only think of a handful of times it has let me down:
Dead battery - well it was 6 years old by then!
Flat tyre - I blame the potholes around here!
Split coolant hose - Long story, self inflicted, can't blame the car!
Broken clutch pedal - Common fault on a lot of cars not just a Golf (a tab of weld breaks which is designed as a safety feature in the event of a bump, but they often break after a few years).
So that's one genuine breakdown in almost 8 years. Oh, and one of the radio buttons is a little sticky. Errr, that's it (the damn thing is bound to break down now that I've tempted fate).
I love the engine. It's smooth and has a lot of torque. However don't expect a sports car. They are heavy and reasonably quick but not amazingly fast. I find mine perfect as a family car as I have one with four doors. The boot is a little small however, due to the 4wd.
Common faults on VW's of that age tend to be electrical but mine has been fine.
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