Reports of Bora unreliablity??

[Dyldo]

Hi guys

If my wife and i are lucky enough to get pregnant, I will be passing her the current TDi and pick myself up the nicest Bora 4Mo i can find. I've been absolutely salivating over one since reading up on them a few weeks ago, as before that i was always an R32 man (both MkIV and Mk V).

I mentioned my possible future car to a trusted mate of mine, and he said it'd be a very bad choice because of their "terrible reliability issues" and that "they are woeful cars". His cousin is a lead shop mechanic at a BMW dealer in Sydney's west and for a few years was handed the servicing duties for the local VW dealer. not sure if they still do this (I think it was Denlo Parramatta) but he said his biggest headache by far was handling all the problems on the Bora.

He couldn't say if it was all Boras or if it was specific to an engine type. To be honest, I think i have fallen in love with the Bora 4mo and have already planned the mods i want and these so-called servicing issues don't bother me much. I figure any 2nd hand car is a total mystery bag of issues until you get it serviced extensively and cared for blah blah. We all know a great manufactured car can easily go to pot if its not cared for properly, and vice versa of course.

Anyone got any thoughts/rebukes/comments?

(bearing in mind i'm definitely not Bora bashing here as i love them and i'm still gonna buy one)

[gavs]

Dyldo, like any car you are going to get people that say they're a heap of crap and others that say they're brilliant.

The only reliability issues I personally know of with the MkIV are the sometimes weak 1.6 gearbox (not an issue for you), the electricals can be full of gremlins (some cars are fine, some are riddled, it's a luck of the draw) and the odd sqeek and rattle.

Unfortunately with mechanics, they make up a lot of crap, or if something is too hard (like re-fitting ALL the bolts on an AC compressor, not just one!!!) they say that the car is a piece of crap and they're unreliable. I know the guy is a mate of yours, but ask him what the reliability issues are, post what he says on here and the more knowledgable members (like Jmac for example) will tell you what's true and not true.

Follow your heart mate, I was looking at a 4Motion, but was talked out of it by the gf's sister, she said it looked like a chic's car and I regret it whenever I see one on the road!

Brave choice of name too......

[Yevvy]

hey there, dyldo?

i've had my 4motion for almost 3 months now. its got a bit over 170k on the clock and it goes like a train. a bit of a chain rattle from underneath the bonnet and one of my speed sensors was faulty (replaced with a used unit, thanks to Gavin), but no mechanical problems. they are good solid cars, and a vr6 is pretty much bulletproof. don't know what your friend is on about, maybe he's just not happy with the clutch replacement on the vr6, coz apparently its a pain in the a... hope my little write up helps.

gavs, chick's car? really?

[gavs]

Yeah, I wished I never listened to her!!!!

[BI65ND]

Ive got a 4mo, and I had a slight issue with the clutch master cylinder when I first got it but thats the only problem Ive had. I'm guessing it was from the previous owner riding the clutch because it was completely worn out. There's the odd squeak with the plastic interior rubbing on itself, but that's hardly going to be an issue reliability wise.

Biggest issue I have with the car is that the suspension is way too soft. However Im coming from a car that had coilovers and heavy duty sway bars so stock suspensions not really a comparison. In the process of getting hold of some Koni and Eibach shocks, and will be getting some custom springs made.

I recommend the car though, great engine from the factory. Hard to tune as there's not heaps available, but really, they dont need much work.

[goodfella]

I have had a few minor issues - usual sensors and pencil coil went (non of which were APITA) otherwise it has been great!

I spoke to a few Lead VW Mechs and they told me the same thing, the v6 4mo is relatively solid and reliable!

[qsilverza]

Yeh I don't know of anyone with catastrophic engine failures or gearbox/diff failures on the 4mo there are the usual faults which have been documented many many times on this forum, have alook you are sure to dig up the info.

i.e.
Brake light switch
window regs
coil packs
coolant temp sensor
MAF
Fan regulators
etc etc.

[Gravey]

My mate used to work for a VW dealer in the service department and said most of his time was spent fixing Golf's and he barely saw any issues with the Bora V5 & V6.

[TopBloke]

I have had my Bora 4motion for about 6 months now with 95ks on the clock. the only thing so far has been some sensor that that they recalled on. Great cars for something that 8 years old now. Mods are pricey and check with local authrities about what mods you can do (here in adelaide you are very limited to what you can do legally)

[Mr Messy]

I can see the headlines now: Woman impregnated by Dyldo. It'll cause a revolution.

I reckon the Golf is more of a girl's car than the Bora. Nothing like a Polo though.

P.S how do you end up buying a Rallye if you were shopping for a 4mo?
It's like "I thought about buying an Evo but settled for a Lancer VRX instead."

[Manaz]

My mate used to work for a VW dealer in the service department and said most of his time was spent fixing Golf's and he barely saw any issues with the Bora V5 & V6.

Sales volumes would account for that - a lot more Golfs got sold than Boras.

[gavs]

I can see the headlines now: Woman impregnated by Dyldo. It'll cause a revolution.

I reckon the Golf is more of a girl's car than the Bora. Nothing like a Polo though.

P.S how do you end up buying a Rallye if you were shopping for a 4mo?
It's like "I thought about buying an Evo but settled for a Lancer VRX instead."

Ah, that would be the thing in life that always gets in the way of life's little pleasures.....FINANCE and the ar*eholes who deal with it!!!

[Mr Messy]

Too true, haha.
If I could make the payments, I'd be driving an RS4. GTI will do for now.

[Sixie]

Hi guys


I mentioned my possible future car to a trusted mate of mine, and he said it'd be a very bad choice because of their "terrible reliability issues" and that "they are woeful cars". His cousin is a lead shop mechanic at a BMW dealer in Sydney's west and for a few years was handed the servicing duties for the local VW dealer. not sure if they still do this (I think it was Denlo Parramatta) but he said his biggest headache by far was handling all the problems on the Bora.

:

How could Bora's be any worse than a Golf they are the same car! Kind of makes me think the person does not know what the **** they are talking about.

In fact unlike some Golfs all Boras came from Wolfsburg, not South Africa or some other crazy place.

I have owned four (company cars, when I had a company) one was terrible, the list of problems would make your eyes bleed, the other three just the standard issues mentioned elsewhere in this thread.

In fact the 2000 one I drove had absolutely nothing go wrong with it in the 50K I had it for, it just didnt like being T-boned.

My biggest issue currently is that the fuel filler flap release thingy likes to fire off at random intervals around the cabin, but at $22 I just decided to change it.

[FarQ]

Have had mine since new and even though its only done 62k, nothing wrong with it. The only thing that comes to mind is the sunroof will sometimes tilt by itself and the suspension is too soft....