Should I buy a Mk5 Volkswagen Golf?

I'm thinking of buying a Mk5 Volkswagen Golf (2004) 2.0 FSI GT with approx 120,000 miles on the clock, two previous owners and part SH. Does this sound like a reasonable buy?

What things should I be wary of when looking at this car? I've seen on the various forums that the Mk5 has its share of problems, with some people recommending the Mk4 instead. Also, I understand that it has electric power steering which can be problematic and prohibitively expensive to fix.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Asked on 14 December 2021 by

Answered by Andrew Brady

We've had quite a few issues reported with the Mk5 Golf: www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/volkswagen/golf-2004...d

That said, any car of this age could be problematic. Look for something that's clearly been well maintained (tidy bodywork, matching tyres and an extensive folder of receipts are all good signs). Don't concentrate too much on a particular model but a Ford Focus is plentiful on the used market and should be cheap to run.

Tags: buying a used car

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