Dream car disappointment
Discussion
I find myself in the situation that I am now car less after having to sell a car I always wanted due to the amount of issues it had. Every week there was something new and costly. It obviously wasn’t meant to be for me and the car.
I purchased the car in May and from day one the EML was on which took months to sort and get reimburse by the trader. The bonnet catch broke one day which was £250 to sort out, airconditioning condenser sprung a leak so no aircon when it was roasting, the check oil level light came on and when I checked the level was barely touching the bottom of the stick (a few days earlier I’d checked it and it was fine) and one of my last drives with it I was pulling away and felt a power reduction and what sounded like a turbo squeal.
Sadly for me I have ended up £3500 in the red after having to trade it in. Luckily I have use of another car from my parents so will have that car until I find myself a replacement. I felt a huge sense of relief when the car went but part of me wants to buy another example as I obviously bought a Friday afternoon car.
I should add this was the most expensive car I’ve ever bought. The car was a 67 plate Golf GTD.
Anyone else ever had this before ?
I purchased the car in May and from day one the EML was on which took months to sort and get reimburse by the trader. The bonnet catch broke one day which was £250 to sort out, airconditioning condenser sprung a leak so no aircon when it was roasting, the check oil level light came on and when I checked the level was barely touching the bottom of the stick (a few days earlier I’d checked it and it was fine) and one of my last drives with it I was pulling away and felt a power reduction and what sounded like a turbo squeal.
Sadly for me I have ended up £3500 in the red after having to trade it in. Luckily I have use of another car from my parents so will have that car until I find myself a replacement. I felt a huge sense of relief when the car went but part of me wants to buy another example as I obviously bought a Friday afternoon car.
I should add this was the most expensive car I’ve ever bought. The car was a 67 plate Golf GTD.
Anyone else ever had this before ?
Running some of these car is like running a truck
I think you should have to have some sort of small operators licence for performance/supercars
The only requirement being that you have 8k of funds available for maintenance !
If a car is an expensive new its running costs will always reflect that however I was surprised when you said it was a VW
I think you should have to have some sort of small operators licence for performance/supercars
The only requirement being that you have 8k of funds available for maintenance !
If a car is an expensive new its running costs will always reflect that however I was surprised when you said it was a VW
So your dream car is a 2017 Golf GTD? 
Well, on a serious note: Cars will need to have parts replaced when you start using them. What "worries" me is that you listed a snapped bonnet catch cable (while listening it was £250) in the same sentence as what sound to be a Turbo on it's way out.
With cars, sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. I have had complete faultless cars that have a reputation for being unreliable and I have had problems with supposedly rock solid cars.
Well, on a serious note: Cars will need to have parts replaced when you start using them. What "worries" me is that you listed a snapped bonnet catch cable (while listening it was £250) in the same sentence as what sound to be a Turbo on it's way out.
With cars, sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. I have had complete faultless cars that have a reputation for being unreliable and I have had problems with supposedly rock solid cars.
Filibuster said:
So your dream car is a 2017 Golf GTD?
Well, on a serious note: Cars will need to have parts replaced when you start using them. What "worries" me is that you listed a snapped bonnet catch cable (while listening it was £250) in the same sentence as what sound to be a Turbo on it's way out.
With cars, sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. I have had complete faultless cars that have a reputation for being unreliable and I have had problems with supposedly rock solid cars.
That's what I thought! Diesel Golf?Well, on a serious note: Cars will need to have parts replaced when you start using them. What "worries" me is that you listed a snapped bonnet catch cable (while listening it was £250) in the same sentence as what sound to be a Turbo on it's way out.
With cars, sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. I have had complete faultless cars that have a reputation for being unreliable and I have had problems with supposedly rock solid cars.
AlanS20 said:
I find myself in the situation that I am now car less after having to sell a car I always wanted due to the amount of issues it had. Every week there was something new and costly. It obviously wasn’t meant to be for me and the car.
I purchased the car in May and from day one the EML was on which took months to sort and get reimburse by the trader. The bonnet catch broke one day which was £250 to sort out, airconditioning condenser sprung a leak so no aircon when it was roasting, the check oil level light came on and when I checked the level was barely touching the bottom of the stick (a few days earlier I’d checked it and it was fine) and one of my last drives with it I was pulling away and felt a power reduction and what sounded like a turbo squeal.
Sadly for me I have ended up £3500 in the red after having to trade it in. Luckily I have use of another car from my parents so will have that car until I find myself a replacement. I felt a huge sense of relief when the car went but part of me wants to buy another example as I obviously bought a Friday afternoon car.
I should add this was the most expensive car I’ve ever bought. The car was a 67 plate Golf GTD.
Anyone else ever had this before ?
Sounds normal to me, the compressors normally fail on these I’ve seen very few that don’t have the active lighting fault, the headlights fail - module fills with water and occasionally the engines let go, there is nothing dreamy about a golf.I purchased the car in May and from day one the EML was on which took months to sort and get reimburse by the trader. The bonnet catch broke one day which was £250 to sort out, airconditioning condenser sprung a leak so no aircon when it was roasting, the check oil level light came on and when I checked the level was barely touching the bottom of the stick (a few days earlier I’d checked it and it was fine) and one of my last drives with it I was pulling away and felt a power reduction and what sounded like a turbo squeal.
Sadly for me I have ended up £3500 in the red after having to trade it in. Luckily I have use of another car from my parents so will have that car until I find myself a replacement. I felt a huge sense of relief when the car went but part of me wants to buy another example as I obviously bought a Friday afternoon car.
I should add this was the most expensive car I’ve ever bought. The car was a 67 plate Golf GTD.
Anyone else ever had this before ?
Sorry to hear this.
In future think carefully before buying German. Their perceived quality is grossly over-inflated reinforced by motoring journalists with worse engineering credentials than I have neurosurgical credentials and think a dull thud when they shut the door indicates a well engineered and reliable machine - in reality those cars can grenade themselves every bit as competently as any other car. All bad cars? Probably not, no. But just like you've been brainwashed into being wary about buying Italian you've similarly been brainwashed into thinking the mass produced German cars are much more robust than they really are.
As always, it's the luck of the draw, but you need to be able to fund unexpected repairs on German cars just the same as any other car. Maybe you'll "never had a problem" at the end of it, but plenty do have problems and the cost can be severe. Never let anyone fooling you into think you can safely just put fuel in one and not have the means to fix it in reserve.
In future think carefully before buying German. Their perceived quality is grossly over-inflated reinforced by motoring journalists with worse engineering credentials than I have neurosurgical credentials and think a dull thud when they shut the door indicates a well engineered and reliable machine - in reality those cars can grenade themselves every bit as competently as any other car. All bad cars? Probably not, no. But just like you've been brainwashed into being wary about buying Italian you've similarly been brainwashed into thinking the mass produced German cars are much more robust than they really are.
As always, it's the luck of the draw, but you need to be able to fund unexpected repairs on German cars just the same as any other car. Maybe you'll "never had a problem" at the end of it, but plenty do have problems and the cost can be severe. Never let anyone fooling you into think you can safely just put fuel in one and not have the means to fix it in reserve.
IJWS15 said:
Dream car = Golf GTD
Even my aspirations are higher than that!
Aspirations change. When I was a young driver, my dream car was a Clio 172. I got one and then it was a Megane 225 and so on. I always prefer dreams cars to be realistic prospects so the goal posts move and the dream car becomes the next aim. Is there much point of dreaming of driving a Veyron or F40 when 99% of us won't ever have the chance. Even my aspirations are higher than that!
Either way, back to the OP. It's a shame to be really looking forward to owning a car and it being a let down. Whether it's the way it drives or the overall ownership experience. Personally I have been very lucky that I've never bought a car that's been tarnished by unreliability or huge issues.
Late now but use specialists to sort issues….
I had Audi S3 from brand new in 2015…. Had Haldex issues, water pump, numerous clutches and bits….. when warranty ran out- took it to awesome GTI and never had issues again. Just needed caring for better than Audi do.
Had BMW M3 with coil pack issues amongst other bits too.
Have to budget for care and read up on common faults.
Sucks your dream car let you down though.
I had Audi S3 from brand new in 2015…. Had Haldex issues, water pump, numerous clutches and bits….. when warranty ran out- took it to awesome GTI and never had issues again. Just needed caring for better than Audi do.
Had BMW M3 with coil pack issues amongst other bits too.
Have to budget for care and read up on common faults.
Sucks your dream car let you down though.
Alex_225 said:
Aspirations change. When I was a young driver, my dream car was a Clio 172. I got one and then it was a Megane 225 and so on. I always prefer dreams cars to be realistic prospects so the goal posts move and the dream car becomes the next aim. Is there much point of dreaming of driving a Veyron or F40 when 99% of us won't ever have the chance.
Exactly this.Great way to welcome a relatively new poster to the forum guys (some of you, anyway), trashing his idea of a dream car.
No, I wouldn’t dream about a Golf either but I may have done at some point in my life and I definitely wouldn’t rip into someone for wanting one.
OP - ignore the idiots.
No, I wouldn’t dream about a Golf either but I may have done at some point in my life and I definitely wouldn’t rip into someone for wanting one.
OP - ignore the idiots.
Alex_225 said:
Aspirations change. When I was a young driver, my dream car was a Clio 172. I got one and then it was a Megane 225 and so on. I always prefer dreams cars to be realistic prospects so the goal posts move and the dream car becomes the next aim. Is there much point of dreaming of driving a Veyron or F40 when 99% of us won't ever have the chance.
This is why it's called a dream car, because owning it is a dream and dreams don't have to be sensible or realistic. If it's sensible and obtainable most people would call that a goal, not a dream. jamieduff1981 said:
Sorry to hear this.
In future think carefully before buying German. Their perceived quality is grossly over-inflated reinforced by motoring journalists with worse engineering credentials than I have neurosurgical credentials and think a dull thud when they shut the door indicates a well engineered and reliable machine - in reality those cars can grenade themselves every bit as competently as any other car. All bad cars? Probably not, no. But just like you've been brainwashed into being wary about buying Italian you've similarly been brainwashed into thinking the mass produced German cars are much more robust than they really are.
As always, it's the luck of the draw, but you need to be able to fund unexpected repairs on German cars just the same as any other car. Maybe you'll "never had a problem" at the end of it, but plenty do have problems and the cost can be severe. Never let anyone fooling you into think you can safely just put fuel in one and not have the means to fix it in reserve.
I've said it before, but the last time Germany made a genuinely well engineered and durable car it said "Made in West Germany" on the VIN plate. The Americans have a much more realistic view of them, and consider them fragile disposable trinkets for status seekers to lease and not a serious proposition as a vehicle.In future think carefully before buying German. Their perceived quality is grossly over-inflated reinforced by motoring journalists with worse engineering credentials than I have neurosurgical credentials and think a dull thud when they shut the door indicates a well engineered and reliable machine - in reality those cars can grenade themselves every bit as competently as any other car. All bad cars? Probably not, no. But just like you've been brainwashed into being wary about buying Italian you've similarly been brainwashed into thinking the mass produced German cars are much more robust than they really are.
As always, it's the luck of the draw, but you need to be able to fund unexpected repairs on German cars just the same as any other car. Maybe you'll "never had a problem" at the end of it, but plenty do have problems and the cost can be severe. Never let anyone fooling you into think you can safely just put fuel in one and not have the means to fix it in reserve.
Not so much dream cars but I expected more from a few driven on those driving experience things (bear in mind was quite a few years ago so things may have improved since).
Not so memorable:
Aston Martin vantage (didn't seem as strong as an Audi R8 nor as plush as a Bentley inside, bit cheap even)
The new V8 ford Mustang (not much grunt, couldn't really hear the engine as cabin too insulated)
TVR 350c (just didn't feel all that fast or sound as rowdy as I thought it would, not sure if something was wrong with it as thought it had a similar engine to the Tuscan - which was my actual dream car).
Ones I did remember:
Atom (bonkers fast, very raw)
Porsche 911 (fast, pointy steering, high chuckability)
Nissan gtr (thrown into back of seat...I guess similar to a fast Tesla of today, surprisingly great handling)
Bentley cont gt (poor driver's car with too much body roll but probably the most comfortable thing on 4 wheels)
Not so memorable:
Aston Martin vantage (didn't seem as strong as an Audi R8 nor as plush as a Bentley inside, bit cheap even)
The new V8 ford Mustang (not much grunt, couldn't really hear the engine as cabin too insulated)
TVR 350c (just didn't feel all that fast or sound as rowdy as I thought it would, not sure if something was wrong with it as thought it had a similar engine to the Tuscan - which was my actual dream car).
Ones I did remember:
Atom (bonkers fast, very raw)
Porsche 911 (fast, pointy steering, high chuckability)
Nissan gtr (thrown into back of seat...I guess similar to a fast Tesla of today, surprisingly great handling)
Bentley cont gt (poor driver's car with too much body roll but probably the most comfortable thing on 4 wheels)
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