Buying a MK5 tips?

[EthanHD]

New to the forums but soon to become a regular member, I've recently sold my old car, and this weekend I'll be buying a MK5 1.9 TDi 105. Just wondering if there's anything I should look for when making my purchase? Like anything model / engine specific?

Thanks


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[Rob69]

Rattling, knocking noise from dual mass flywheel, expensive to fix.
Accelerate it hard to see if it goes into limp mode (turbo vnt problem), plus all the usual stuff, all electrics working? Etc. 1.9 better engine than the 2 litre.

[EthanHD]

Cheers, seen problems with the fly wheel pop up abit.


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[rabb5it]

Check for rust on the front wheel arches where the foam pad is between the wing and wheel arch liner on pre 07 diesel models. Check Dashboard MILs.

[jamesh89]

I've had all 4 callipers seize up on my 2.0 gt tdi - not sure if the same issue is present on the 1.9 engines but one to watch for. As said above, rust on the front arches is a common one - i recently managed to get mine replaced completely free of charge after a bit of wrangling with customer services and mine is a 54 plate on 120k

[rabb5it]

James, Calipers can often be stripped down, cleaned and a new seals fitted, I often do this if the piston is a bit sticky, I did it on one of my current rear wheels as the dust seal was broken when I got the car.

Can you please share your 'wrangling' experience with VW to me please as I also have a 54 Golf. I've had the paint inspection and was refused. I've written to the local dealer and been refused as they say my wing had been resprayed. I'm about to phone VW customer care. I hear that people's experiences are very inconsistent.

[jamesh89]

hi rabb5it

I did strip my latest one down and clean but it stuck again after a year - I didn't have the experience or tools back when it happened with my other 3 but a great tip and I'd definitely try myself first if it happened again. It's all a learning curve with cars isn't it?!

Re the wings - I found emailing VW customer care to be the most effective method. I spoke to two people on the phone who pretty much denied this was a common fault. There is someone in customer care (I've forgotten the name sorry) who deals specifically with these corrosion claims. Say you had a friend with you same age car who had dealt with this person and had his wings replaced - that's what I was advised to do.

Garry Perkins in the Swansea body shop was very helpful and he was the one who carried out the work. He did say very similar to me that mine had been resprayed and that VW could refuse the wings when he sent them back but that I should be ok - 4 months later and no word from them!

Good luck! Let m know if you need any more advice

[jamesh89]

hi rabb5it

I did strip my latest one down and clean but it stuck again after a year - I didn't have the experience or tools back when it happened with my other 3 but a great tip and I'd definitely try myself first if it happened again. It's all a learning curve with cars isn't it?!

Re the wings - I found emailing VW customer care to be the most effective method. I spoke to two people on the phone who pretty much denied this was a common fault. There is someone in customer care (I've forgotten the name sorry) who deals specifically with these corrosion claims. Say you had a friend with you same age car who had dealt with this person and had his wings replaced - that's what I was advised to do.

Garry Perkins in the Swansea body shop was very helpful and he was the one who carried out the work. He did say very similar to me that mine had been resprayed and that VW could refuse the wings when he sent them back but that I should be ok - 4 months later and no word from them!

Good luck! Let m know if you need any more advice

Just looked back through some old emails and it was James Taylor who dealt with my issue. He asked me to email customerservices@volkswagen.co.uk' marked for his attention.

[rabb5it]

Thank you for that James, any tips on what to say in the email?

[jamesh89]

Thank you for that James, any tips on what to say in the email?

I can't remember exactly what I said but believe it was along the lines of that I was experiencing rusting on the front arches of my Mk5 which I understand is a known fault due with this model due to the arch liners rubbing. I advised them I was disappointed that a colleague on the phone had dismissed my concerns and that a friend of mind had dealt directly with a dedicated member of the team who was dealing with these claims (you can obviously name him now if you'd like).

They were quick to get back in touch by phone and advised I took it back to the body shop in Swansea for an inspection

Following this, Garry in the body shop was in contact with James in customer care and I think they took care of the arrangements and the authorisation for the repair to be carried out under goodwill.

Let me know how you get on! Definitely worth persisting on this one, even if you don't get anywhere with the first few people you speak to. There's clearly a precedent for them fixing these wings and they acknowledge the fault.

[jamesh89]

Here's a very detailed thread on the matter if you have no luck with the above!


How to get rusty front wings replaced by volkswagen (http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php/136738-How-to-get-rusty-front-wings-replaced-by-volkswagen)

[rabb5it]

Thank you for this help James. I have just removed the wheel arch rust and hand painted over to make my otherwise decent looking car presentable and stop it getting worse over the winter, but what the hell, it's clearly this foam pad fitted between the wing and wheel arch liner, holding moisture against the wing causing it to rust. I can see the soaking foam pad now the lip is rusted of the wheel arch. I will post back here to let you know the outcome and for the benefit of anyone reading this in the future.

Very interesting are these two following websites I found yesterday that are set up by disgruntled VW customers, plenty of ammunition here.

http://www.corroding-volkswagens.com/vw-the-truth/

Modern VW Passat Rusting issue Corrosion Poor Quality (http://www.rustingvolkswagen.com/)