Buying Golf Mk4 1.6 - anything to look out for??

[bar_steward]

Hi all,
the mrs is looking for a cheap run around (~£2K) and i'm thinking a golf would be the best bet for the money. Just trying to do my homework though before we committ: does anyone know of the most common faults and whether anything is particularly expensive to fix?

Cheers all!!

[crossle]

From my own experience with a new 1.6 SE (2000 - 2007):

Thermostat housing prone to cracking.

Screen washer pump housing falls apart, all screenwash leaks away.

Tailgate screenwash pipe breaks, soaking boot carpet (3 replaced under warranty...)

Fuel injector failure. Mine all replaced with a later type under warranty.

Original brake discs wore very quickly - went through 2 sets of front discs in 4 years. Replaced with non-VW discs, no further problems!

Great car though, much better screwed together than my current Mk 5 GTI...

[DaveL86]

Off the top of my head the mk4 1.6 had a gearbox problem where a rivet would come loose and smash the gearbox case + more (or something like that)

A quick google found this (I've not read it all) http://www.btinternet.com/~a_hutton/VW_Gearbox_Fai...

mk4's are excellent, I had a 1.4 as my first car which was slow but a well built car regardless, still on the mk4 chassis with a Bora TDi and loving it.