1.4 mk4 golfs

ben2k9

hi ca anyone tell me what the mk4 Volkswagen golf 1.4s are like?
planin on buyin 99 1.4 s one but herd to stay away?

jaffa20

You heard right.

Atlantic Dawn

If buying a 99 one you would want it to have been well looked after with decent service history. The 1.4 is a dog to drive, get atleast the 1.6 or diesel models instead.

faigs

If you're going for that age I'd stay away from petrol and get a well serviced diesel model.

ben2k9

cheers lads but ca ye explain a bit more why theyve a bad rep?

andyseadog

the 1.4 is slower than most other 1.4's of that era @75bhp
it will have tiny spec (rolly up windows etc)
not particularly pretty, nor cheap to run, nor reliable, nor fast, nor well speced, nor comfortable.....

bit of a black sheep really, look at a 1.4 focus of the same age, or even an *shudder* astra would have a better trim level. or personally a 1.4 corolla would be my choice

lifer_sean

The 1.6 is basically the same engine as the 1.4, but with longer stroke.

Diesels usually do an average of 15-20k miles a year, so most 99 diesels will (should !) have 150k plus miles, and will have earned their keep.

Golf looks good and fine to drive, but if you want reliability go for a "boring" Almera or Corolla. At least they will start every day and won't be putting on engine management lights all the time.

Nissan doctor

ben2k9 wrote: »

cheers lads but ca ye explain a bit more why theyve a bad rep?

The engine is prone to numerous sensor and coilpack failures, They have been known to wear out valve guides below 100k and the gearboxes are very weak.

The 1.4 is also very under powered for the car.

IMO if you must by a 99 golf try to get a diesel one.

smokie2008

^^^^^^What he said

ltdslipdiff

A Mazda 323 hatch would be a nice alternative too.....If you could stretch to '00 you'll get the VVTi lump in the Corolla which is a hoot !!! Watch for oil burning though.....

The Orb

ben2k9 wrote: »

hi ca anyone tell me what the mk4 Volkswagen golf 1.4s are like?
planin on buyin 99 1.4 s one but herd to stay away?

Avoid avoid avoid. I had a '99 1.4 and in 2008 the piston rings went with only 62k miles on the clock. Apparently it is a common problem on the 1.4. My car was rendered worthless. Get a 1.6 or a diesel, just avoid the 1.4 at all costs.

MagicMarker

I have a 1.6 Comfortline and love it tbh, although I'm coming from a Fiat Punto. :pac:

But yeah, I really do like it, it's comfortable, nice drive and compared to a punto it's a rocket.

lifer_sean

The Orb wrote: »

Get a 1.6 or a diesel, just avoid the 1.4 at all costs.

The 1.6 will have all the same problems as the 1.4. Might have a bit more power, but having driven a 1.6 Bora for a while I can't say the difference is that noticable.

If you do decide to go for diesel, the TDi is infinitely better than the SDi. Personally I wouldn't touch an SDi. Most were recalled when new for burning oil. Also no power compared to TDi.

Skuxx

Nissan doctor wrote: »

They have been known to wear out valve guides below 100k and the gearboxes are very weak.

That's very true, a mate at work has a 99, 150k miles and on his 3rd gearbox!

VinnyTGM

My 1.4 Mk4 has 98k miles on the clock and hasn't given one ounce of trouble, the only thing I had to replace was a thermostat at 90k but that is a wear item. If you look after it and don't rag it, it should last a while. Although it is a later model with a AXP engine, there are 3 different types of 1.4 engine, a pre '00 is known to be the worst, so go for a later one.

There not a terrible engine if you treat them right, compared to the diesels and 1.8 they can't take as much abuse.

If you want to drive a car hard, buy a gti or diesel.

If you avoid hard take-offs the gearbox should be ok, its wheelspinning and all that that cause the box to give trouble. Big wheels don't help it either, but I have had 18" wheels on mine for about 50k miles now and the box is fine.

VolvoMan

The 1.4 litre Golfs are known to never make it much past 100k miles without a full engine rebuild.

crosstownk

I've a 2000 VW Bora 1.4 16V AHW 52kW. Despite the poor power output it's grand around Dublin. In the (almost) 11 years and 100,000km/60,000 miles I've had it the following has required attention:

2001 - Brake discs warped (covered under warranty)
2006 - Piston slap - new pistons required (no cost as I got it done as a favour)
2010 - Auxiliary drive belt tensioner failed - replaced €170
2010 - Water pump bearings failed (blessed the timing belt didn't fap) cost me €400.

Apart from the piston slap everything else is acceptable. However, the NSF door lock is acting up and by sound of things the OSF window regulator is on borrowed time.

Mrs. crosstownk drives it most of the time and gets well annoyed at the battery that goes flat if the car is left undriven for a week or so but that said it's only on it's second battery in 11 years.

Nissan doctor

crosstownk wrote: »

2006 - Piston slap - new pistons required (no cost as I got it done as a favour)

That must have been some favour, you don't just bolt off and bolt on pistons!

VinnyTGM

crosstownk wrote: »

I've a 2000 VW Bora 1.4 16V AHW 52kW. Despite the poor power output it's grand around Dublin. In the (almost) 11 years and 100,000km/60,000 miles I've had it the following has required attention:

2001 - Brake pads warped (covered under warranty)
2006 - Piston slap - new pistons required (no cost as I got it done as a favour)
2010 - Auxiliary drive belt tensioner failed - replaced €170
2010 - Water pump bearings failed (blessed the timing belt didn't fap) cost me €400.

Apart from the piston slap everything else is acceptable. However, the NSF door lock is acting up and by sound of things the OSF window regulator is on borrowed time.

Mrs. crosstownk drives it most of the time and gets well annoyed at the battery that goes flat if the car is left undriven for a week or so but that said it's only on it's second battery in 11 years.

The door locks and window regulators give equal amounts of trouble across every Mk4 based car be it a 1.0 litre engine or a 3.2 litre engine.

crosstownk

Nissan doctor wrote: »

That must have been some favour, you don't just bolt off and bolt on pistons!

It was a bit of a favour alright - it saved me a couple of grand!!

crosstownk

VinnyTGM wrote: »

The door locks and window regulators give equal amounts of trouble across every Mk4 based car be it a 1.0 litre engine or a 3.2 litre engine.

Valid point - I was just giving my own personal 2c.

Big_G

Driving one at the moment as a loaner. Has egr warning light on for the last 5000 miles. Apparently the 1.4 has common faults including piston rings going, gearbox issues, exhaust, MAF etc. Total mess. This one probably has all of those, burning oil like crazy so I'd say the piston rings are nearly gone or there is wear in the cylinders. Anyway, like they all said above, avoid.

C4Kid

The interior rattling does my head in when You hit a pothole or even just driving with the engine around 2000RPM it happens as well.

To minimise the risk of something going with the engine it's driven gently but that in itself is painfull .

bazz26

lifer_sean wrote: »

The 1.6 will have all the same problems as the 1.4. Might have a bit more power, but having driven a 1.6 Bora for a while I can't say the difference is that noticable.

If you do decide to go for diesel, the TDi is infinitely better than the SDi. Personally I wouldn't touch an SDi. Most were recalled when new for burning oil. Also no power compared to TDi.

There were two different 1.6 litre engines though, an 8valve and a 16valve. I presume the 16valve was a bored out version of the 1.4 litre so would suffer the same plight as the 1.4 litre. 1.6 litre 8valve unit is an older unit though and much more solid. If I was going petrol it would be the 1.6 litre 8 valve unit.

VinnyTGM

Big_G wrote: »

Driving one at the moment as a loaner. Has egr warning light on for the last 5000 miles. Apparently the 1.4 has common faults including piston rings going, gearbox issues, exhaust, MAF etc. Total mess. This one probably has all of those, burning oil like crazy so I'd say the piston rings are nearly gone or there is wear in the cylinders. Anyway, like they all said above, avoid.

What sort of exhaust issues? Never heard of a 1.4 with an exhaust problem.

The oil rings on the pistons are a weak spot and can fail, same with the gearboxes.

1.4's don't have a MAF.

golfbgud

Avoid - go with Japanese reliability (boring)....

Stevie Dakota

There's also the common issue of the rear washer pipe bursting when freezing dumping water all around the boot with fried electrics/bootlock as a result.

Leonard Hofstadter

1.4 Golfs are a four letter word that begins with 's', ends with 't' and it ain't soot!

If the OP absolutely must have a Golf, get a 1.6 or a 1.9 TDI.

I've never heard of any complaints about the reliability of the 1.6 (apart from the gearbox), it's an old 8 valve engine so there's nothing to go wrong!

A 1.6 Focus is so much better in so many ways.

The 98-early 02 shape Corolla is very lively for a 1.4, but they are well known for burning copious quantites of oil, so it's not really that reliable(although if you can get a VVTi that's not burning oil it will be practically bulletproof apart from the radio, which often fails in these cars), and they're some heap of absolute junk to drive with a nasty interior and a poor safety rating, so are also best avoided.

VinnyTGM

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

There's also the common issue of the rear washer pipe bursting when freezing dumping water all around the boot with fried electrics/bootlock as a result.

This problem is common across every Mk4 Golf, not just 1.4's.


Either way its an easy fix, all you need to do is reconnect the two pipes.

smokie2008

Here OP click here and check this thread out

C4Kid

This problem is common across every Mk4 Golf, not just 1.4's.


Either way its an easy fix, all you need to do is reconnect the two pipes.

I just did this today! sealed and taped the two pipes back together. I wonder how long it will last now