Used 2003 Volkswagen GTI Hatchback Consumer Reviews
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Awesome...Will be missed
I love this car...it has been nothing but fun and excitement. It gets great gas mileage yet has strong turbo power when needed. It is a real hoot to drive no matter where you are going or what traffic is doing. I am moving up to a BMW Z4 3.0si so this will need to get sold. I will miss it, but hopefully it can make someone else very happy!
Happy So Far
A blast to drive. I'm getting pretty bad gas mileage (20-21 mpg) since the car feels comfortable in the 4000+ RPM range. The 200 hp VR6 is definitely smoother, quieter, and not as jerky as the 1.8T. However, I probably would have gotten the 1.8T if I could have gotten the 6-speed and climate control. I was disappointed to see that the final assembly was in Brazil as eveything I had read before that (including Edmunds) indicated that the final assembly would be in Germany. That being said, the build quality feels very good. I do think the car is a great value and would do it again.
- 1.8T 2dr HatchbackMSRP: $5,995826 mi away
- 1.8T 2dr HatchbackMSRP: $8,9771,031 mi away
- VR6 2dr HatchbackMSRP: $11,6951,324 mi away
First and last time.
I was very very pleased with the car up to about week 3, and now I can honestly say that I will NEVER buy another VW. Reason? The South-American Assembled interior rattles more than a jar of marbles in the paint shaker at home depot. Going straight, going slow, on the highway, in the neighboorhood, doesnt matter. constant rattles from everywhere in the car, more than even my 91 chevy blazer with broken interior pieces. My question for VW is this: Why are we still paying German prices and premiums for South american construction and quality?
Refined sport coupe
Since day one I've been overjoyed in owning 238/4000 of these truly enjoyable cars. It drives smooth even in triple digit speeds. Easy upgradibility for someone wanting more power, and more then enough get up and go for someone just needing passing power. One trip down a windy road and you realize what this car is really all about. All in all nothing else in this price range compares. The srt-4 may have more power, but hardly any refinement, the acura rsx just isnt at par either in my opinion. As far as a civic or focus... yea right.
My Gti 20th
My Gti 20th is an excellent car. I picked up it from the dealership and did nothing but enjoy my new Gti. It is built great, fast, fun, and most important, affordable !
You get what you paid for!!!!
I felt good until the coilpack failed and interior trims started to rattle. VW dropped the price and they did not forget to lower the quality!!!!!!! It is unacceptable for A BRAND NEW CAR!!
good
this car is a lovely car but if you buy this car from the right dealer.i would never go to east cost automall again which they located in nj in englewood.the car runs perfect and it's a fun car.it's pretty quick and reliable.
Decent for the price
Good price on my VR6. Unlike the turbo (which I also owned) broad power range and decent torque. However, handling is pretty sloppy stock, with poor understeer. Suspension roll is also fairly iffy, and the stick linkage is loose/imprecise. Number one performance problem with GTIs is WEIGHT. They weigh too much for their size, and too much weight in the front. Just being realistic folks. That said, for the price it's a good performer, and it's the only performer of its class hatchback wise.
GTI
Everything is great, fully loaded and features are excellent, only problem I've had so far ia a defective hood release
Bomb Diggity
This GTI is the funnest car I have driven in a long time. Compared to my last car, a 95 Neon, it beats the pants of that on.
Best Sports Hatchback Out There
I have had my GTI for about 3 months now and have enjoyed every second. I got mine with every option. Taking into consideration the power, smooth refinement, luxurious feel, and the price it is by far the best sports hatchback on the market. I must also say that had another very good buying experience with Dave Walter VW in Akron. This the second car I bought from them and both times it was the best car buying experience I have had. So if you are in the Northeast Ohio area be sure to check them out.
Don't buy the Turbo!!!
I traded in a 2001 Jetta 1.8T for a GTI VR6 no comparison!!The torque and power of the VR6 is just incredible. The car feels much bigger than it is. The GRUNTTT from the VR6 at around 3000 rpm is wonderfull. This is my 7th VW and they just keep getting better. NEVER a lack of power like the Turbo.
excellent
great car, nice handling,superior appearance, nice wheels, good stereo system. I love this car and I will always stick with VW.
2003 vw gti
I love my new GTI VR6 if the gas/mileage wasnt such a big factor i would drive it everywhere, all the time. the car drives sooo smooth and at 10,000 miles already after 8 months and still nothing wrong with the car. the car comes with everything you could ask for in a sporty vehicle. i love it i know u will too.
What a Surprise
I am really impressed with this vehicle. It is a great combination of perfomance/ style/ and reliability/ and Cost. Im an Automotive Engineer and a tough customer :-) Although North America does not have the Haldex AWD coupling (which my company makes) This car performs great with the stability control option. My decision was down to the GTI and the Mini S. I chose the GTI because of engine performance and the 20th annv. package is just cool!
VW Quality
I bought my brand new GTI in March of 2002. I have already had both window regulators break, rendering my driver/passenger side windows useless and trapped inside both doors. Not good since I park my car on the street. It took over 3 weeks to get the windows fixed...because window regulators are on national back order. Now my right tail brake light is out and I only have 10,000mi on my car. It makes me wonder...what's next?
happy with car
went from a 2000 vr6 to the 03 1.8t, the car is great bang for the buck, wish it had the 6spd like the 337 though. missed out on that one.
title
its a great car - much overlooked
Excellent Ride!
I love driving this car!
Fun to drive, a pain to maintain
It is fun and easy to drive in heavy DC traffic or on roadtrips. The car is very stable on the highway and it plows through winter weather. The biggest problem is the reliability and build quality which is horrible. The car squeaks and rattles like a '72 AMC Gremlin. The fuel system is a nightmare. My car has had constant prolems with fuel delivery. It was in the shop for nearly 3 weeks right after I bought it. When starting up, The gas revs and then the car stalls out. You have to pump the gas to keep it running The window regulator failed . It is under warranty but the dealer hasn't had one in for a month. .
Damn and only four thousand of 'em
AWESOME!! No other word will aptly describe this car. Pull up to the light and give everyone a fleeting glimpse before I accelerate ...
Gti- Engineering.
The VW Gti is a very under-rated car, it is fully featured for the same price as a RSX premium. It is fast and corners better than any japanese car out there. (evident in a 1/4 mile ring against a Gt-s) It gets up to speed fast and has passing power to boot. Superb stock car.
Fun Car
Just got the 5 speed 03' right before the 04's were coming out. Outfitted with leather, esp, 17" wheels, and luxury package. got it for 19,600 so i'm pretty pleased. first time buying a new car, but i found one of the last GTI's in California, and called them up and said 19,600 - i'll buy it right now. guess that works. no problems thus far, the clutch took some breaking in, but its smooth now. occasional rattle in the car, hard to keep black interior clean, but the car can move. make no mistake about it, they say it can take any gasoline, but only premium will make it behave like a GTI. sunroof is great, looking forward to driving it home after work.
Great Car...Good Price
I have had my GTI VR6 for about 6 months. I have had no problems EXCEPT for: The car was delivered with low coolant level. One morning my computer told me to stop engine and check coolant level. I added some water, problem solved. Once a pebble got lodged between my rear brake rotor and the heat shield and made a high pitched screeching noise. Once I went in reverse, it ejected the pebble, problem solved. Also, the dealership drilled holes in front bumper for lisence plate frame when I asked them not to.
Fun to drive
Bought the car with 116500 three months ago, put 2000 on it. The car is very peppy with plenty of power, even in 5th going 60 mph, its got pickup without downshifting. When buying a VW with this many miles on it, check the records. See if the timing belt was done, if the clutch was done, and any other major repair work. VW Timing belts should be done by 105, silly German engineering needs to use timing chains... more reliable. The car is rated at 7.5 s 0-60, mine is stock and its around 5.5-6 s. Stock turbo is good quality, but can easily be bigger. The back of the engine compartment(where turbo is) has plenty of room for upgrade.
BEST CAR EVER
Germans at it again. Nothing beats german performance, quality, and reliability like a german car. If a tin box with a motor is what you are looking for, head to the japanese makets, if your looking for unreliability you can find those right here in America. Wouldn't buy any other car.
Poor Man's Porsche? Absolutely
I couldn't be happier. For the same price, no car gets even close to the driving quality of a GTI. Will definitely go for it again...
Very Nice car for the money
Anyone looking for a car in this price range should go out and test drive and feel the interior of the car. I was shopping around all dealers looking for a car 15-25k with a overall good package. It drives and feels like a audi (manual) and every detail in the car is high quality. I would definitely recommend this car over any car in this price range.
German Quality
I owned a '97 Jetta GLX-VR6 and was very skeptical about the 1.8t GTI. While it does not have the torque and power of the 97 Jetta GLX-VR6, I am please with the overall quality of this vehicle. VW has made great improvements in the fit and finish, primarily in the interior. I test drove, and was considering the Nissan Sentra Spec-V, but the fit and finish of the GTI brought me back to Volkswagen.
Love My GTI
Bought the car in September and absolutely love it. It's fun to drive and has plenty of power. Have 5,000 miles so far and no problems whatsoever. Would highly recommend to anyone.
GTI VR6-Fun to drive......to the shop
The good: Power, car looks good--Interior looks well made--Like the heated leather seats--Radio looks cool--17"wheels The bad: Had at the dealer many times because the check engine light keeps coming on--Have to drive with the seat moved forward about 3 inches if you want to fold the rear seats down--Monsoon sound system has NO bass response--Climate control fan starting to make noise--Factory roof rack mounting bolts not mounted properly into frame on passengers side making mounting a roof rack very difficult if not impossible--No help for previous issue from VW -- Has 5500 miles on it and is developing alot of rattles and noises.
WHOOOOOSHHHHH
The original Hot Hatchback and still the best. I drove a SVT Focus for a full day, then a single test drive of the GTI 1.8T was the answer. By far the most 'mature' in this scrappy class - am I getting too old? Is enjoying full torque at 2k RPM too mature for this class? You can't beat the 4 year warranty or fuel mileage if you drive it maturely. Performance is very good, some say best in class. Turbo boost comes on strongly at 2k RPM and is smooth until PAST redline. Brakes are initially very grabby but responsive. Gearbox hates being rushed. RECOMMENDED upgrade is new diverter valve (~$140) to reduce boost-lag during shifts.
Awesome Car!!!!!!!
When i had to replace my civic hatch, i looked at all the "pocket rockets" out there like the civic si and the nissan se-r spec v. Then i looked at a car that i have always been in love with, the gti. The car had all the options and it drove very smooth, but there was one thing i have dreamed of having forever. TURBO POWER. With traction control on, it spun the tires and the powerband was smooth as silk. The sound of the turbo was great too. It also had plenty of torque and that made it easier to drive than the other cars i drove. There hasn't been a day when i was unhappy with my buy. All i can say is to get the 5spd and the turbo. You won't be sorry.
Awesome
A fun vehicle to drive
Sweet car
Really nice car, very fast, fun to drive. Roomy interior for a 2 dr. Reliable, great features. Sporty car for half the price of most.
very refined pocket-rocket
The GTI is more expensive than the typical hot hatchback, but what you get is refinement that you usually only see on near-luxury vehicles in the mid $30,000 range. This is a very fun car to drive on long trips as well as everyday commutes. It's also very roomy and easy to live with on a day-to-day basis.
Shattered Dreams - Poor Reliability
As a child I always dreamed of driving a VW Golf. However, my experience with my GTI has shattered my dreams. The car has been in the shop four times in less than one year. That is unacceptable, but VW does not care (Once the car is sold you will be lucky to get a sorry). The GTI feels faster than it is. The ride is harsh and it does not go through the corners well. The back seats still rattle and my fear is the catalytic converter will go next.
5 years and going
My gti is 5 years old and generally runs well and is reliable. I would buy another gti. However here is a list of my negatives or complaints, radio knobs have loosened or fallen off, radio has poor am reception antenna was replaced once already, two different sensors [computer chips] had to be replaced in one year, original tire were low quality [had an abnormal number of flats] changed tires 1 flat in four years. Cup holder bad place. Almost impossible to do your own oil change. These are the problems I have had. Most of which occurred in the last 2 and a half years. It is a great car and I love it but everyone should know what its weaknesses are.
Factory Fun
The car drives and handles great if you don't mind the stiffness in ride. Enough interior room to seat someone over six feet comfortably. Get up and go is wonderful at any speed, along with cornering at excessive speeds, tail end doesn't get light and slide all over. I have over nine thousand miles on it with a trip over three thousand miles and never got sick of the car. I had the stereo replaced because of a fault under warranty, but other than that, nothing mechanically wrong. Love the car and worth every penny.
Hot Hatch
Tis car is very useful yet fun to drive. It can handle huge amounts of stuff in the back and still has the power to make you grin. Also, Very good build quality
Rattles ruin almost perfect review
Turob GTI makes this car one peppy ride. Handles like a charm, I have felt nothing like it except my friends BMW M3. Plenty of head room for a tall guy like me (6'4").
2003 Volkswagen GTI
The 2003 Volkswagen GTI is a very quick, very peppy car. It is absolutly a blast to drive and also a very reliable car. After I'm done with this one, I plan on buying another.
2 hot, 2 fun, 2 fast
I juss got my 2003 GTI VR6 at last tuesday, which was August, 8th. This little machine is extremely fast and with composure. I'm having break-in period up to 1,000 miles, so I mostly shift up at 2000~3000 rpm. On my research, I considered ACURA RSX TYPE- S, HYUNDAI TIBURON GT V6, MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE GT, and of course VOLKSWAGEN GTI VR6. I'm very picky about cars. After all I chose GTI VR6, and I'm 99.9% satisfying with my decision. I had pretty great deal on my GTI, because of season(end of 2003) and EDMUNDS.COM's TMV pricing. It helped a lot. My buddy also bought 2003 GTI VR6 before I was. I'm very proud of my GTI VR6.
Fun Volkswagen
My 2003 Volkswagen GTI is very fun to drive. I enjoy the vehicle very much. It handles great. I love the 6-speed transmission.
GTI 1.8T
THIS CAR PICKS UP AND MOVES JUST AS QUICK AS THE BMW 318 AND 325 FOR MUCH LESS. I GET MAD LOOKS DRIVING IT. MY ONLY ISSUE IS WITH THE MOONSOON STERIO SYSTEM I GOT THE UP GRADE WITH 200WATT AMP AND THE SPECKERS CAN'T HANDLE THE OUT PUT. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED ONE SPECKER WITHIN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF BUYING MY CAR AND NEED TO REPLACE MORE.
love it
love it veary much. Fun to drive .great power and handling.Volkswagen is the best car in the world.
Oh My Gawd
This car is one of a kind. Its fast, comfortable, Luxuriioosss... One improvement tho can be the suspension. Kinda boggy and has lotta Body Roll.
The Original Hot Hatch and It Rocks!!!!
I'm at 6,000 miles on my 2003 1.8t GTI and so far it's been a great ride. Fuel ecomony is good but does take a hit if you "drive" the car. But it's worth the hit trust me. I get a smile on my face every time I'm behind the wheel. The 1.8t engine is suberb and delivers plenty of power when needed. The car handles like a dream especially on the twisty roads here in New England. The Monsoon sound system is sounds awesome and delivers some serious bass for a factory stereo. Over all it's everything I expected!!!!!!!
Extra Peppy Hatch
I just bought the car a weekend ago, drove it 1500 miles back to where I live, from where I bought it, and I was easily the fastest car on the highway. Easily. I kept the gear in 6th and the car just went. The ride is pretty sporty. Coming from an Acura RL to this car, I felt a significant drop in ride comfort, particularly on the highway, but I gained a world in handling. Amazingly quick car. A ton of fun! Fuel economy is not quite what I hoped for, but I do have a heavy foot.
Oh the GTI...Muaaah!
It was love at first bite! As soon as I set eyes on the 2003 Volkswagen GTI, I was hooked! Although this vehicle was used, it looked as if it had just rolled off the show room floor. Its charcoal exterior...black leather interior...and five star rims...are flawless! I turned the key...music to my ears! The humming sound of that 1.8T engine was very inviting. I put it in first gear, and I knew this car was for me! With just a 4-cylinder engine, this car feels like a monster! It has fast acceleration, with more than enough torque to throw you head back in the seat! It is not what you'd expect out of a typical hatchback. If you looking for something between a sport and economy, this is your car! It is a true pleasure!