How reliable is the MK6 Golf TDI?

[Donster 125]

Hello everyone,

Im planning on buying a 2012 Golf TDI Highline (standard). I've read all the stickies on this site as to potential problems, recalls etc. Some seemed reasonable, others painted a scary picture and visions of my car crapping out on its first drive.

Still, how reliable is VW? I want to hear from actual owners. Am i buying a money pit? Am i better off with a gas VW, or another brand all together? Ive heard lots of mixed responses from local VW owners. Granted some of them owned earlier models that were not German built.

Still, what are your thoughts, if any?

Regards,

D

[chittychittybangbang]

Do you plan on keeping the car a long time? If so, the diesel premium will pay off.

Can you do any maintenance yourself and can you afford the regular maintenance?

IMHO, VW is less reliable than Honda and it would be nice if they had a warranty like Hyundai. But until Honda makes a diesel or electric cars get really good, I'm still going to stick with the minor problems that VW TDI have. Yes a few have had major problems but this is a few cars out of many. Nobody outside of VW knows the real number of problems and forums are pretty much mostly problems so the perception can be worse than reality. Also, every manufacturer puts out lemons.

[Donster 125]

Originally Posted by chittychittybangbang

Do you plan on keeping the car a long time? If so, the diesel premium will pay off.

Can you do any maintenance yourself and can you afford the regular maintenance?

IMHO, VW is less reliable than Honda and it would be nice if they had a warranty like Hyundai. But until Honda makes a diesel or electric cars get really good, I'm still going to stick with the minor problems that VW TDI have. Yes a few have had major problems but this is a few cars out of many. Nobody outside of VW knows the real number of problems and forums are pretty much mostly problems so the perception can be worse than reality. Also, every manufacturer puts out lemons.

I am completely mechanically incompetent. I say that not with pride, but with honesty.

It will be my first car. Until i get hired by my preferred career, I am essentially a private tutor who will be travelling a lot as per my job requirements.

Since I plan on spending money on my firearm hobby, I don't plan on buying another car anytime in the near future. I am contemplating whether or not I should install bi-xenon headlights, but that is just speculation.

I was hoping to get a 5 year minimum from the car (which should really pay off with the diesel). However is such longevity even in the realm of possibility with this car?

On a side note, I would love to know why diesel is $0.09 more expensive than gas currently (in my area anyway )

[ksing44]

Honestly, the cars are too new to know. Mine has been perfect for 30K miles in a little over a year, but that doesn't really say anything. If you come back in 5 years, then we will all be able to let you know. It is a new system, with lots of technology and potentially expensive parts. I bought one and love the car, but I am pretty sure a Honda would have been a better bet for no or at least fewer and less expensive issues long term. My wife may try the new Honda Civic. Her Accord has been an absolute marvel for more than 10 years.

[chittychittybangbang]

There are some taxis and a few private owners who have already had over 120,000 miles and most are happy. Add some more detail to your location and maybe somebody can suggest a local mechanic.

Major services other than tires, fuel and air filters, 20k miles, 10k miles, and both are cheap, can really be done anywhere.
Gearbox oil =100k miles, pretty easy, timing belt - 120k miles, $800-1000 is avg at non dealer mechanic.

There are a few people who have had a bad HPFP as you may have read and a few people who needed a new DPF filter, that costs $2000-3000 but some choose to delete this system instead.

IMHO, the avg engine reliability has gone down since the early 2000s but the body and fit-finish and body reliability has gone up. Even still, I really don't see any other options for high mpg cars that I would personally own right now. Honda hybrids aren't worth the extra cost and Lexus hybrids are a joke vs. their Toyota siblings. The Prius is the only non TDI that I would recommend. Test drive a Prius and a Golf, see which one YOU like. IMHO, the Prius will probably have higher average reliability but again, everyone puts out a few lemons.

[wimpog]

Originally Posted by chittychittybangbang

a few people who needed a new DPF filter, that costs $2000-3000 but some choose to delete this system instead.

This filter is that expensive? Good thing it has to be changed at 120,000 miles. Did some people needed to have it replaced before that? What do you mean "some choose to delete this system instead" - delete how? Would it cause any problems, if it is deleted, like emissions?

[2wheelmike]

Originally Posted by Donster 125

On a side note, I would love to know why diesel is $0.09 more expensive than gas currently (in my area anyway )

Diesel's at LEAST 10 cents/gal more than Premium gas in my area. Evidently, we are importing so much extra oil so we can turn around and export so much refined fuel (gas to Mexico, diesel to S. America), that the premium export price is driving up prices here in the states! So we're paying to fight all these stinkin wars to protect valuable oil supplies so that we can export more fuel to other countries - driving up costs for everything here and further weakening our own economy!
So much for the argument that fuel is expensive because we haven't built a refinery in who knows how long. I say tax the fuel exports and make those f***ers pay their fair share of our "production" costs. Rant over-

[benfactorial]

Right now I own a 2012 Golf TDI (DSG), but I've only had it for about 3 weeks. However, prior to this car, I owned a 2008 VW Rabbit (manual tranny, gas engine) for almost 4 years. I experienced only minor problems with that car, and they were all electrical. Over the course of ~4 years I had to replace both headlights (1 of them twice), both tail lights, both reverse (backup) lights, and the iPod adapter/dock (which was $500, but under warranty). But, I did not have a single thing go wrong with the engine, transmission, clutch, suspension, or anything else. One other thing a bit costly with the Rabbit - oil changes. VWs require the more expensive synthetic oil, and my Rabbit required more oil than a "standard car". So I always paid about twice as much to get an oil change versus a non-VW.

One good thing about the TDI is that oil changes are required less frequently (every 10k miles vs. every 5k miles for the Rabbit). I've also read that diesels in general (VW or not) are more reliable than gas cars because of the forged steel and heavier duty engine parts required. I can't attest to this yet, though, as I'm still a brand new diesel driver.

In my opinion, with modern cars these days, there is little variation in engine reliability between different automakers. Over the last decade or so, it just seems like the gap has narrowed between Honda and Toyota and the rest of the car manufacturers. These days, driver experience and refinement are much more of consideration for me than the automaker's reliability reputation.

[EJtdeye]

I've owned my 2011 Golf Tdi DSG for 1 year this month. It has been very reliable mechanically. I've had a glitch with my radio head unit which was replaced by the dealer under warranty. I'll be getting a Revo flash in a couple of days for some more power. Everything is good so far.

[fredhaus]

i've had my 2012 golf tdi manual for less than 90 days and already have 17k miles on it .no problems whatsoever. i use the car as a courier for quicksilver and am saving about $500/month in fuel cost. once the dpf needs replacing, i will get rid of the system. It requires a new downpipe and ecu reprogramming. see malone tuning for ecu and they have info on the downpipe