Is the polo reliable

[vicious-bee]

Hi everyone can you please give me some feedback on the reliability because i have been reading some horrible reviews
on this car or it could be the shape before

[c4cpa]

As with all cars, they are as good as their owners treat them!! As long as they have been looked after and serviced when they should have been ( cam belts changed etc.. ) you shouldn't have any issues with relability, they are german afterall !!

[captainbeyond88]

I have had zero problems with mine in the 4 years i've had it and it is the 1.2 which is supposed to be the one which causes the most problems.
i couldn't recommend a polos more and as said before, make sure that it has a good service record and has been cared for and you are on to a winner

[JUV]

We bought a 2002 1.2 privately last September and have been VERY unlucky with it. It had around 60,000 miles on the clock, full service history, and we knew when we bought it that the timing chain had already jumped and been replaced with a new tensioner (a common problem on these engines) which we thought was going to save us some pain, but in the end we still had plenty of problems early on.

First off, the catalytic converter needed replacing. Then it transpired there was a problem with the throttle body, which also ended up needing replacing, along with a sensor and the EGR valve. All of this ended up costing us around £900 over the course of a few months. Symptoms ranged from harmless (but annoying) lights coming on the dashboard to partial or complete loss of power when driving - it was unpredictable, potentially dangerous, and real heartbreak for us as our nice "new" car swallowed up all our cash.

Since February (when the car was finally declared fixed) it's done 8,000 miles without issue. We don't trust it yet, but we want to believe we were just unlucky and the car has the potential to be reliable as long as we look after it. But I couldn't recommend the 1.2 in all good conscience...

[RUM4MO]

As with all cars, they are as good as their owners treat them!! As long as they have been looked after and serviced when they should have been ( cam belts changed etc.. ) you shouldn't have any issues with relability, they are german afterall !!

I think since the question has been asked, I'd have to say the "they are German after all" is not completely true, they are just a variation of the Skoda Fabia (same platform) with some slightly better quality "clothes" - oh and they are made in Spain!

A lot of the problems I have seen and paid for over the 6.75 years and 60,000 miles of supporting my wife's Polo 1.4 16V SE are down to the models roots - ie CZ made Skoda parts and poor designs from that platform, franky the running gear is appalling for a small modern "quality" car - but we must continue to try to get the best use out of the money that we spent on buying it. Frankly from reading the problems that can hit a 1.2 engine, I'd give these models a miss. The 1.4 16V 75PS engine is not a ball of fire - but it seems to keep going as long as the coils stay alive. One tip is to replace the (front) TCA rear bushes asap to improve the "feel" and save wasting tyres (a bit). Also, I'd make sure that the ARB has been replaced is the car is older than 2005 - and prepare for front springs (CZ made) breaking.

Body rust blisters are not unknown and check that the rear wiper spray bar does not rotate with the arm - if it does then it needs repairing (a kit is available). Rear brake calliper - if it has rear disc brakes, can go faulty and not return fully to the handbrake "off" position.

[Lordnikon]

Mines an absolute POS - only had it 6 months and for my first VW (had audi/seat in the past) it is truly rubbish. Bought into the hype of german reliability and my other marques were v v good but this is a dog. You have to pay top dollar compariable to other marques and yet riddled with basic and funamental faults.

List of mine so far

Coolant temp sensor
EGR Valve
Throttle body needed cleaning (easy one) this needs to be done regularly by all accounts
New plugs needed
Coilpacks
TCA's needed doing - common fault
All heater motors needed replacing - common fault
New Climatic control module
Front ARB replaced - again common fault
Front wishbone bushes replaced - best to do them while TCA's are done
New rear calipers both sides

Final kick in the teeth is that it was serviced at a VW garage 2 days before i picked it up ! Vowed to put it all right and sell it once done - never again !

[Veedub9n]

If its the 1.2 you get they are chain driven. I asked countless time on here, edition and VW themselve and they dont need replacing and should be maintenance free.

Theres a thread on Clubpolo that some1 wrote with a list of the common faults for a 9n (Should be under the Engine, Transmission and Exhaust section) will have to search for it, it hasnt been made a sticky....yet.

[Whos Adam?]

I think its a case of a few people are unlucky. You hear enough horror stories but there are enough people with good experiences.
And with a few exceptions this is always the case for every car!

I have 1.2 03 reg, just gone past 60k and (touch wood) no trouble yet. I am worrying about the common faults but I'll deal with it.

[RITCHAT]

I have a vw polo1.4 tdi now 5 years old well nearly.

1 had to replace the rear struts old ones knackered I put it down to driving country roads
2 front suspension replaced as above point being the reason
3 front discs replaced plus upgraded as left disc warped and caliper seized
4 rear wash wipe the wash part of it failed several times vw tried to fixed but made a mess so fixed it myself with a couple of petrol pipe clips
5 eats front tyres up like no body's business and I don't drive the car hard
6 tracking needs checked regularily, antiroll bar bushes need replaced again.
7 several bulbs have had to be replaced
8 reverse light switch replaced
9 front windows dont work sometimes
10front headlamps steam up vw couldn't fix again fixed this myself
11 headlamp adjuster inoperable changed under warranty
12 car jack totally crap wouldnot risk using it too flimsy for my liking the ford type is much better

plenty has gone wrong vw reliable??? I would question it, however 60+ mpg I can't complain about that but there are now loads of cars that are cheaper,bigger and better out there that will give me the same mileage and come with more extras inside as standard whereby vw charge through the nose for any creature comforts that even the lowly vauxhall lot have as standard.

Fortunately the car is easy serviced and parts are easy to come by even if they are expensive, christ they sell track rod ends but you have to buy the nuts separate for them crazy and expensive.

[ihpj]

My Mother's car (2005/05 1.4 16V Auto) has been reliable enough. When we bought it, realised they were not quite built as bullet proof as one would expect so renewed the Warranty at the end of the 3 years. It has had a couple of niggles but all sorted under factory warranty or extended:

* Leaking rear door seals (5 door model).
* Boot lock not working.
* Radio [Gamma HU] failed.
* Central locking not working [on all doors].
* Ventilation flap motor failure (very common fault).
* Multifunction switch failure on Auto Box.

Wouldn't dream of owning a 9N without a 'proper' Warranty - especially as ours is an Auto! Otherwise, pretty good and otherwise solid. Mother is happy with it and thats all that matters

If thinking of buying, best to VAG-COM it and make sure you buy one with a full and documented Service History (to help with VW Goodwill). Upon buying, I would advise changing all filters and oil and you should be pretty much OK.

[JUV]

I think its a case of a few people are unlucky. You hear enough horror stories but there are enough people with good experiences.
And with a few exceptions this is always the case for every car!

It's more than that with the 9N Polo, sadly. We had the horror stories with the engine but we also had the stupid design faults - the rear washer hoses popping open, the heater and recirc valve motors dying, the dodgy noises from the suspension, the ABS failing because of a poorly positioned fuse (how many expensive new ABS pumps have been needlessly sold off the back of that design snag), even a little bubble of rust appearing under the paintwork after just six years - things that ultimately EVERY owner of one of these will have to contend with, not because they're unlucky but because there are fundamental flaws with this car's design and build. Our Polo was "middle aged" and we put enough miles on it to find all its faults, but most of those faults are present in every 9N, and will come out to bite their owners in due course - the best advice I have is simply to get rid before they become your problem.

I have 1.2 03 reg, just gone past 60k and (touch wood) no trouble yet. I am worrying about the common faults but I'll deal with it.

You have good reason to worry!

For the record, after our Polo got through its MOT in September (and then broke down two days later with yet another EGR problem) we patched it up and sold it for about what we paid for it a year previously. The family car is now a boring but solid Mk4 Vauxhall Astra 1.6 - it's faster, more comfortable, two years younger, and has two more doors and a bigger boot than the Polo, and yet on paper (according to Parkers at least) it's actually worth less. More fool the VW buyers, I have to say. After our Polo experience I don't dare imagine that it won't break down tomorrow, but it's managed its first three months without any issues whatsoever - a heck of a lot more than the Polo managed.

[SimonCorrigan]

other than a faulty boot lock, knackered front bushes and the air con compressor dying its run well for the last 4 years or so. i have cover with warranty direct which coughed up for the air con compressor - i got a quote from vw who wanted about £1200. having said all this something major will go on the way home!

[david burton]

Bought mine with 11k on the clock 3 years ago, got it remapped at about 15k. 1.9 TDI Sport. I get around 55mpg out of it on a daily commute.

It's done 55k now. List of faults I've had:

1) Vacuum hose rubbed on EGR pipe and burnt a hole in it - loss of power and ECU light on. Fixed in about 20 minutes.
2) 6 disc CD changer notoriously unreliable. Mine jumps when cold but otherwise it's OK.
3) Washer hose popped off.

That's it. I had cambelt issues but that was down to the guy who fitted it, not the Polo. I change the oil and filter regularly and take care of it mechanically, never driven hard unless warmed up and I'm running lowered suspension and large wheels. I haven't come close to changing either pads or discs yet - my commute doesn't really need much braking and it's the key to economy anyway. Haven't had any tracking issues, uneven wear, or fast wear (all things considered). Handles well and keeps up with plenty of faster cars on the twisty roads. I also touch up any stone chips and have no rust issues to report.

The only annoying thing is the creaking dash - a strut brace helped but it still creaks a little. Some bulbs have needed replacing but why would you count that?!

<touch wood>

Trust me, if I had any excuse to change it, I would - but it just keeps on going without issues and there really is no need to get rid when it's so cheap to run. If I sold it now I would have had about 3k of depreciation in 3 years and normal running costs on top of that. There are a handful of disgruntled people on here who have had nothing but issues - but the majority are fine. Every person I know who's had a 9N hasn't had any major issues whatsoever. Same with the VRS and Ibiza.

Just thought I would level the balance a bit.

[g__humm]

i have had no majour things only like brakes and stuff which wear on any car anyway

[RUM4MO]

I think its a case of a few people are unlucky. You hear enough horror stories but there are enough people with good experiences.
And with a few exceptions this is always the case for every car!

It's more than that with the 9N Polo, sadly. We had the horror stories with the engine but we also had the stupid design faults - the rear washer hoses popping open, the heater and recirc valve motors dying, the dodgy noises from the suspension, the ABS failing because of a poorly positioned fuse (how many expensive new ABS pumps have been needlessly sold off the back of that design snag), even a little bubble of rust appearing under the paintwork after just six years - things that ultimately EVERY owner of one of these will have to contend with, not because they're unlucky but because there are fundamental flaws with this car's design and build. Our Polo was "middle aged" and we put enough miles on it to find all its faults, but most of those faults are present in every 9N, and will come out to bite their owners in due course - the best advice I have is simply to get rid before they become your problem.

Sorry but the above is just too accurate and anyone finding they do not need to spend over the odds on keeping their Polo 9N obviously don't use it much - ie don't really need a car. That was a smart choice of next car (VX Astra), most people despise VX but when it comes down to "£ and ease of ownership", I think that all the smart motoring pundits have missed the point - they are cars first and if used as cars instead of icons then you will have a different view of things. Unfortunately that way of thinking might be costing VX a lot of lost sales - which only makes these cars even better buys second hand as the pundits say they are dogs - and they are not. The rust bit does annoy me quite a bit though, B5 Passat did not rust for no reason, so why does 9N Polo do it!