VW Golf 2L FSI GT 5dr 05 - Advice on buying 2nd hand car

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Fri 11 Aug 2023 19:08
VW Golf 2L FSI GT 5dr 05 - Advice on buying 2nd hand car - LH2023

Hey all

I am looking at getting a 05 manual VW Golf 2L FSI GT 5dr and wondered if anyone knows much about the reliability of this car and any particular faults that are common/to prepare for?

Any advice much appreciated!

Edited by LH2023 on 11/08/2023 at 19:09

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 11 Aug 2023 20:27
VW Golf 2L FSI GT 5dr 05 - Advice on buying 2nd hand car - Xileno

This is an old car so buy on condition. Any common issues with the model back in the day have hopefully been fixed. Some look shabby on the front wings which is caused by the sound deadening foam. Some owners remove it completely.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 11 Aug 2023 20:43
VW Golf 2L FSI GT 5dr 05 - Advice on buying 2nd hand car - elekie&a/c doctor
Think I’d want to know how many owners it’s had . Golf models of this type are often ragged to death . Also check mot history. Avoid any dsg gearbox at this age . Engine oil leaks not uncommon . .
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 11 Aug 2023 23:08
VW Golf 2L FSI GT 5dr 05 - Advice on buying 2nd hand car - SLO76
Not a car I’d be shortlisting on a limited budget. The Mk V Golf wasn’t VW’s finest hour, they suffered loads of problems, from rust to electrical failures and in this particular direct injection engine they suffered carbon buildup around the valves.

If you absolutely must have one then factor in that it’ll almost certainly be overdue a timing belt and water pump change costing £350-£500 (depending on who does it) as no one will do this shortly before selling it and few small dealers will stump up for it. If there’s no receipt to prove it’s been done then it’ll need doing.

They suffer carbon buildup so look for rough running and smoke from the tail. ABS control modules can fail so check that the ABS light is off and stays off. It’s a Mot failure and costly to replace the module.

Look for rust around all four wheel arches, the tailgate and get underneath for a good look. These rust badly. It’s not the premium product VW would like everyone to have believed at the time.

If you find a longterm owned car with proof of regular servicing and you’re willing to fund a timing belt then it might be worthy of a look, but I’d suggest a much more reliable Mazda 3, Honda Civic, or the Mk II Ford Focus 1.6 petrol instead. The Mazda 3 2.0 Sport is a particularly nice thing if you can find one that’s been looked after. Rust is really the only major concern.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 12 Aug 2023 13:11
VW Golf 2L FSI GT 5dr 05 - Advice on buying 2nd hand car - Engineer Andy

Hey all

I am looking at getting a 05 manual VW Golf 2L FSI GT 5dr and wondered if anyone knows much about the reliability of this car and any particular faults that are common/to prepare for?

Any advice much appreciated!

Worth a look though the 'Good and Bad' section of the HJ site review and owners' reviews (you may have to check more than one if the engine and trim spec don't quite match what you're looking for) respectively:

www.honestjohn.co.uk/volkswagen/golf/2004/good

www.honestjohn.co.uk/owner-reviews/volkswagen/golf.../

Reply | Report as offensive | Link