1.4 Golf mk4 oil problem?

Peter03

I hope to be driving soon and the first car I want is the above. Is it true that most 1.4's are notorious for burning oil?

selfdiy

Yes they do burn oil, just check it weekly. They are also fairly heavy on petrol for a 1.4. Great engine though, never had any trouble from our one.

Peter03

I'd rather not have the hassle since it will be my first car. How often would you be topping up?

Leonard Hofstadter

They're also exceptionally slow even for a 1.4 and the gearboxes can give trouble. Few cars are as overrated by the general public as a 1.4 VW Golf. The 1.6s and TDIs are much better. Ditto for the Seat Leon and Skoda Octavia.

In terms of 1.4s nothing beats a Mazda 3 for reliability. It's a much better car than a Golf to my mind too, apart from the lack of soft touch plastics if you're sad enough to be into that kind of thing. A Toyota Corolla that's not burning oil is also pretty bulletproof - they're also very fast for a 1.4 too!

VinnyTGM

My 1.4 is at 110K miles and it hasn't given an ounce of trouble, it burns a small bit of oil, nothing major though, all engines burn oil in some quantity.

I took the sump off and cleaned it and cleaned the oil pick up.
And the oil and filter has been changed at 10k mile intervals since 50k, which is when I got it.
These have promoted the life of the engine, as it is the oil pick up getting blocked and starving the engine of oil which causes them to go bust.

Once you look after the car, ie regular oil and filter changes, and gearbox oil changes, and checking the oil level once a week the car shouldn't give you any trouble.

The 1.6's use the same gearbox as the 1.4, only it has more power so I don't see how thats a good thing.

But yeah, they are slow.

selfdiy

Peter03 wrote: »

I'd rather not have the hassle since it will be my first car. How often would you be topping up?

I guess it depends, how much milage you do, on mine its at least once a month.

I think its a good practice for you to get into, to check fluids weekly regardless of which car you have. Could save you allot of money in the long run and its 5 minute job you can do yourself every saturday.

VinnyTGM

selfdiy wrote: »

I think its a good practice for you to get into, to check fluids weekly regardless of which car you have. Could save you allot of money in the long run and its 5 minute job you can do yourself every saturday.

+1 I'd check everything as well, coolant, brake fluid...etc

Nissan doctor

Its fine people saying its a grand engine when looked after, and I agree, thats the case for most engines(although the VAG 1.4 can have issues no matter how well looked after).
The OP's problem will be finding one that has been well looked after, Its very difficult to be sure of how well a car has been minded, regarless of a stamped service history or not. That may only mean that someone had access to a stamp!

Peter03

Cheers for the replies lads, been looking at corrollas and seat's after the advice and might just play it safe with one of them, cheers!!

Nissan doctor

Peter03 wrote: »

Cheers for the replies lads, been looking at corrollas and seat's after the advice and might just play it safe with one of them, cheers!!

You know that Seat and VW are the same company.

The Seat Leon, VW golf and Skoda Octavia are all the same car with different bodies and the 1.4 in them all is the same engine.

I'd second the Mazda 3 as one of the most reliable cars out there.

tuxy

What year are you going for? Late 90's 1.4 Corolla are great value. More power than the 1.4 VAG but pretty much the same tax, insurance and mpg. If it's been abused it will burn oil too but the chances of this are much slimmer.

Peter03

I was hoping for late 90's - early 00's

Leonard Hofstadter

tuxy wrote: »

What year are you going for? Late 90's 1.4 Corolla are great value. More power than the 1.4 VAG but pretty much the same tax, insurance and mpg. If it's been abused it will burn oil too but the chances of this are much slimmer.

The older 1.3 Corollas (the bug eye ones) are much better than the VVTi models. The VVTis can burn oil (although apparently they will still pass the NCT) and the gearboxes can give trouble too. The built in radio goes wonky on most of them as well.

The older 4E-FE engines are one of the most reliable cars ever made. They use a different radio too, which does not give trouble.

Chuck_Norris

I had a 97 Corolla Liftback. A pig ugly car, but man was it bulletproof. Extremely nippy little car, and very light on the juice.

Traded it in in 2006 for a 1.4 Bora. Only had the car for 6 months, but glad I got rid of it when I did.

Had started burning oil. IIRC, the valve stem oil seals in those VAG 1.4 engines have a habit of going very early in their lifespan.

Nissan doctor

Anyone mentioned a 1.4 focus? Not powerful(same power as a 1.4 Golf) but a good solid reliable car IMO.

1.4 astra's are nippy and solid although poor maintenance can have these in bad shape too.

tuxy

captainspeed wrote: »

The older 1.3 Corollas (the bug eye ones) are much better than the VVTi models. The VVTis can burn oil (although apparently they will still pass the NCT) and the gearboxes can give trouble too. The built in radio goes wonky on most of them as well.

The older 4E-FE engines are one of the most reliable cars ever made. They use a different radio too, which does not give trouble.

Actually you are correct here. I was thinking 1.4 because they are both in the same tax bracket. 1332cc if I remember correctly, great engine.

unkel

The 1.4 petrol is easily one of the worst mainstream engines of the past decade or two

Why go for a 12-13 year old Golf 1.4 petrol (the Golf Mk IV of that era was the worst Golf ever made) when there are much younger, much better cars available for the same money?

bazz26

If the OP is looking at late 1990s or early 2000 cars then the Mazda 3 is probably outside his budget. The older Mazda 323 is worth looking at, as is the Ford Focus 1.4, Nissan Almera 1.4 or an unmolested Honda Civic 1.4

A MG ZR 1.4 is worth looking at too though they may be a bit expensive to insurance for the OP, being 105bhp.

Bobo78

It should matter that it s 105 bhp, when I was 18 and with provisional i paid the same price as with any 1.4 engine sized car which was Rovar 45 1.4.
Most important was the rating that particular car has i think.