summerboy1958
Member
Folks,
I have been looking for a replacement for the 07 Honda Fit that I stupidly wrecked. I have a 54 mile round trip every day (90% I-95) so have been looking at Prii, Honda Fit's and newer Corollas. I have mostly been focused on Hondas and Toyotas, as that is what we usually buy (for their vaunted reliability. We have had good luck with them). I came across a video of the '15 Golf Sportwagen TDI and was surprised to see them offered for sale. I really haven't paid much attention to VW's after the "DG" episode. However, I saw that they were offering an outstanding drive train warranty on the refurbished TDI's. My family has owned VW's in the past. My 1st car was a 1977 Champagne Edition Rabbit 2D with a 4MT purchased new. My sister had an old K Ghia (2 speed semi automatic), my brother a '73 Bus. My dad got us started with a '63 Beetle he brought over from Spain when he was in the Navy.
Anyway, I drove an 2015 GSW SEL with DCT and, despite the "automatic", I really like it. Far better than the Prius V I test drove. To be fair, the ride of the Prius V was smoother (smaller wheel, bigger tires) and the tech was better, but everything else wasn't. I am thinking about an SE or SEL 6MT (as i really don't understand the DCT and it looks overly complicated. I usually equate that to opportunity for failures).
I have been trying to understand why VW's have such a negative press on reliability. After a lot of poorly worded searches, it seems that there are a couple of bigger issues, namely the exhaust fluid doing injector, the HPFP and the DPF. These, however are covered under the revised warranty. So I am trying to understand what other "typical" issues there are. For example, my old Subaru's used to eat up brakes and CV joints (every 20k miles).
I did find a thread in here and besides a few pages lost to a rant, it discussed the dribbling rear washer, the CEL coming on intermittently, the door that leaked underneath, AC compressors failing, something about the steering hesitation or sticking, a heater core, glow plug failures, brake chatter backing up, etc.
I would really like to know if these are all just one offs or if there are some know, repeating issues (know to the TDI owners, anyway). The reason I ask, I am trying to decide between spending extra to buy a VW CPO to get the 2 yr B2B warranty or go for a refurb'd model with a good carfax (and a VW dealer inspection).
The refurb'd GSW are rare around me, rarer yet with the MT. I have to go an hour or more just to test drive one.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!!
I have been looking for a replacement for the 07 Honda Fit that I stupidly wrecked. I have a 54 mile round trip every day (90% I-95) so have been looking at Prii, Honda Fit's and newer Corollas. I have mostly been focused on Hondas and Toyotas, as that is what we usually buy (for their vaunted reliability. We have had good luck with them). I came across a video of the '15 Golf Sportwagen TDI and was surprised to see them offered for sale. I really haven't paid much attention to VW's after the "DG" episode. However, I saw that they were offering an outstanding drive train warranty on the refurbished TDI's. My family has owned VW's in the past. My 1st car was a 1977 Champagne Edition Rabbit 2D with a 4MT purchased new. My sister had an old K Ghia (2 speed semi automatic), my brother a '73 Bus. My dad got us started with a '63 Beetle he brought over from Spain when he was in the Navy.
Anyway, I drove an 2015 GSW SEL with DCT and, despite the "automatic", I really like it. Far better than the Prius V I test drove. To be fair, the ride of the Prius V was smoother (smaller wheel, bigger tires) and the tech was better, but everything else wasn't. I am thinking about an SE or SEL 6MT (as i really don't understand the DCT and it looks overly complicated. I usually equate that to opportunity for failures).
I have been trying to understand why VW's have such a negative press on reliability. After a lot of poorly worded searches, it seems that there are a couple of bigger issues, namely the exhaust fluid doing injector, the HPFP and the DPF. These, however are covered under the revised warranty. So I am trying to understand what other "typical" issues there are. For example, my old Subaru's used to eat up brakes and CV joints (every 20k miles).
I did find a thread in here and besides a few pages lost to a rant, it discussed the dribbling rear washer, the CEL coming on intermittently, the door that leaked underneath, AC compressors failing, something about the steering hesitation or sticking, a heater core, glow plug failures, brake chatter backing up, etc.
I would really like to know if these are all just one offs or if there are some know, repeating issues (know to the TDI owners, anyway). The reason I ask, I am trying to decide between spending extra to buy a VW CPO to get the 2 yr B2B warranty or go for a refurb'd model with a good carfax (and a VW dealer inspection).
The refurb'd GSW are rare around me, rarer yet with the MT. I have to go an hour or more just to test drive one.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!!