UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

I have finally off loaded my second troublesome VW Polo Gti+, so this is a polite warning to anyone looking at buying my old vehicle.
Don’t! It’s a lemon.
Reg Number is GF20 AYP. A white GTI+, got a great spec, but please just walk away, it really isn’t worth the trouble.
The vehicle developed a serious water leak from behind the dashboard, which was traced to inferior sealing at the factory, unfortunately the dealer heavily damaged the vehicle whilst in their care, and it had an extensive list of problems from deeply scratched paintwork to damaged carpets, broken trims, missing insulation and a host of other cosmetic and mechanical issues.
It has currently very low mileage and was immaculate before the dealer ruined the vehicle.
Dealer bought car off of me (Location-Kent).
I will never buy another VW again, out of four VW’s over four years, only one wasn’t a lemon.
Dealer experience woeful and products are from my experience sub standard.
Going to sit on the money and wait for these current ludicrous car prices to get back into the real world, and then find a suitable replacement.
I’m hoping my honesty will save someone!

Gutted for you. What a shame since the car is great fun to drive. Hopefully you will have better luck in future.

Not sure if I admire the OP's loyalty or not.
If you've had two out of three VWs give problems, why would you give them a fourth attempt as he did with the Gti+?
I certainly wouldn't give them a fifth go!

Sorry to hear that OP, but you’ve just been unlucky. I’ve had five VWs and my wife four and only one was a lemon (my blue gt polo which was eventually fixed after 18 visits in 12 months). All the rest have been perfectly fine and several friends have had multiple VWs with no issues.

Good luck in your quest for the new car.

lancslad1985 wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:47 pm Sorry to hear that OP, but you’ve just been unlucky. I’ve had five VWs and my wife four and only one was a lemon (my blue gt polo which was eventually fixed after 18 visits in 12 months). All the rest have been perfectly fine and several friends have had multiple VWs with no issues.

Good luck in your quest for the new car.

I'm on my 13th and 14th VW. Only had one with a moderate thirst for oil and one that had a horrific repair by an "authorised VW repairer" - which you can't really blame on the way it was built. None of them have had a disabling fault that stranded me at the roadside.

Sorry to hear about your problems with the gti, it’s a great car.
I think it really all pivots on your dealer experience , not all cars are perfect far from it but that said if you have an understanding dealer you can work WITH to resolve any issues that do arise it is generally forgotten in the long term

Andy Beats wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 2:05 pm Not sure if I admire the OP's loyalty or not.
If you've had two out of three VWs give problems, why would you give them a fourth attempt as he did with the Gti+?
I certainly wouldn't give them a fifth go!

The first VW was a Golf R, which was fault less, the problems started when I started buying AW polo’s!
The first one (R-Line) had windscreen sealer all over the dashboard and looked like a patch work quilt after the dealer sprayed it and was always in my eye line, plus the gearbox (DSG) was woolly as it was a dry clutch and was nowhere near as good the wet clutch one in my Golf R.
I ousted that one when PCP deals got cheap on GTi’s, I owned the first GTi polo less than 24hours after noticed the tyre was not fitted on the rim correctly and I had driven down motorway at 70mph, then noticed the same corner had flaking paint, moss growing on window seals, a misaligned boot, frayed seat covers, damaged interior trims. So I suspected it was either damage repaired at the import centre or just a rogue one.
I should of walked away then, but there was nothing else I liked, so I accepted a replacement vehicle which because of covid took 8 months to arrive.
The replacement was perfect! Until I moved home and started leaving it outside on a drive instead of in a garage.
The Damp started, condensation, smells of stagnant water etc, I lifted carpet in driver’s footwell to find a swimming pool of water.
Dealer had car 4 weeks, and basically ruined the vehicle.
I won’t bore you with full details, but I can say the car was excessively damaged and totally unacceptable when you consider the car was immaculate when given to them.
Let’s remember the car was there though because it hadn’t been built correctly from the factory.
So no Andy, I won’t be allowing a 5th vehicle.
To be fair it was a nice car to drive and never actually broke down, but the build quality is so poor compared to VW of old and has lost the German touch and feel about them.
I’ve never understood why people become fan boys to one manufacturer! How boring! Live a little and try something else, my goodness double figures of the same brand. YAWN!
So, not sure what to buy next, quite obviously not VW.
I currently have an EV to use, which is fine, but need a second vehicle.
I’ve included picture of the wheel and tyre on first Gti and second picture is the paintwork on the second one. Around 50% of the car was deeply scratched like that.
Obviously my honesty perhaps isn’t appreciated, my bad.
I just thought I might save someone from buying something that it isnt. I won’t bother in the future!
Good luck all.

@Polo monster; sorry to hear of your issues. In your position, I think I would also be finished with VW.

That badly fitted tyre is shocking, potentially very dangerous, and suggests the tyre had been removed and refitted as I can’t believe it would’ve left the factory that way. If it was like that when the car was delivered to the dealership, it should certainly have been rectified by the dealer during PDI - unless it was the dealer that removed and refitted it badly for whatever reason. Did you feel vibrations through the steering while driving, as I’d expect a wheel with such a poorly fitted tyre to be out of balance.

The scratched paintwork looks as if someone has used an abrasive pan scouring pad on it and I agree, if the around 50% of the car’s paintwork was in that condition together with an area of flaking paint, it does suggest the car may have sustained some damage and had subsequently had substandard repairs carried out at some point between leaving the factory and you collecting it. IMO paintwork in that condition should never have passed inspection during the PDI, although it might have actually have been caused by the dealer - something you’ll never know. I know some dealers aren’t particularly good at car cleaning as they’re very unlikely to use the same safe washing / drying techniques that a professional detailer would, but I think that’s some of the worst - if not the worst - condition paintwork I’ve seen on a brand new car.

Whatever your replacement car is for the Polo GTI+, I hope it’s fault free and trouble free and meets with your expectations. All the best and good luck.