Volkswagen Polo Hatchback (2000 - 2002) 1.0 E 3d (2000/W) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

Thanks to VW's good image, it shows that I have style for a young driver on a small budget.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

They all either liked it or loved it due to its somewhat cool image, but then again they did not know about its problems and impracticality.

Would you buy this car again and why?

For this particular model, never again. The only one that would ever even interest me is the 1.4 diesel or the 1.6 GTI, but I think I will stay clear of the Polo for a while.

What are you likely to buy next?

Temporarily, I was given a wonderful 1991 Mazda 323f (which is much older, but FAR better than the Polo). However my next long term car has to be something bigger (more doors and a bigger boot), more power (better on motorways and hills), certainly more toys (at the very least, electric windows and central locking) and far more reliable (Japanese). Therefore I am looking for a 1.6 Nissan Primera or the 1.6 Toyota Carina.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Didn't buy from a dealer

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£700

When did you buy the car?

October 2012

Did you get a good deal and why?

With my lack of experience at the time, it felt like a good deal, but actually looking back it was over-priced for the amount of problems that it had.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

I needed a cheap car to insure, as my previous car failed its MOT.

What was the dealer like?

She would not budge from the price, even though, deep down, she knew that it was riddled with problems.

What's it like to drive?

Not brilliant, as the 1.0 engine is almost always under-powered, it struggles to take off (everybody overtakes you at the lights), it is super slow up hills, and is utterly hopeless on the motorway (stay in the outside lane and do no more than 60mph otherwise any more and you over-rev the engine, burn fuel, but more importantly more oil which may cause overheating). It does not handle very well, even the larger roundabout or corner at average speed could cause the back to slightly "kick-out". Lastly due to its sheer weight, the brakes are not superb either, whilst taking off becomes more difficult than normal, and stalling becomes increasingly common.

What's it like to park?

This is the only aspect whereby the Polo actually exceeds. With the short wheelbase and power steering, the car parking and turning circle is impressive. Although the only setback to this is a small rear window and mirrors.

Have you had any problems with the car?

When bought, the car came with news parts like a new battery, alternator etc, however these were not applied correctly. Therefore within the first week the car failed due to an ECU failure, which was costly to fix (£250). A few months later, the front-left shock absorber and suspension gave way (£150 to fix). There also were various problems with the interior trim, the cassette and CD player did not work, nearly all bulbs blew, and the car needed tracking as it pulled to the left. Plus it was riddled with faults which failed its MOT as the brake efficiency was low and the ABS sensor failed.

What's most practical about your car?

The hydraulic opening bonnet, power steering and its ease to park... but at the risk of sounding pedantic, there really was nothing else. It was far too small, the boot was small, the switch gear and sunvisors were difficult to operate. It was VERY heavy and slow off the mark (and very easy to stall), but REALLY needed some toys like electric windows or central locking at the very least.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

This was was more standard than a prison cell, therefore the only positive aspect of it was the smooth ride and the quality of the materials. That is it.