Skip advert
Advertisement
Long term tests

VW Golf GTI

A windscreen crack necessitated a replacement

The Golf’s driver’s door was struggling a little with the whole concept of closing, and the windscreen had come out in sympathy with a large crack, so I put in a call to the previously helpful Autohaus of Northampton to explain my woes. ‘Not a problem,’ they said. ‘Jolly good,’ I said. We were getting along swimmingly.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The great day arrived. I removed my bike and golf clubs (you can fit a lot into a Golf) and dropped the GTI off. Later that afternoon they phoned me. I missed their call. I then spent the next few hours trying to raise a member of the service department. I listened to most of a compilation tape whilst on hold, but could get no word on the GTI. Poor show.

At the service desk the next day I was informed that they had repaired the faulty door catch under warranty. Good. They then told me that they had ‘located’ the crack on the windscreen. Would I like a replacement? No, I merely wanted you to engage in a game of ‘hunt the glaringly obvious flaw’ and then leave me with a damaged screen.

Autoglass are outside as I write.

Running Costs

Date acquiredSeptember 2005
Total mileage18,905
Costs this month£468 (windscreen)
Mileage this month1357
MPG this month30.8mpg
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Cars that ended production in 2025
Cars that ended production in 2025
Best cars

Cars that ended production in 2025

From Porsche’s Cayman to the Nissan GT-R to Ford’s Focus ST, these are the iconic performance cars that bow out in 2025
15 Dec 2025
The 'sorry little vehicle' that became the subject of a literary classic
MG Metro
Opinion

The 'sorry little vehicle' that became the subject of a literary classic

Forget Catcher in the Rye, says Porter, Secret Fords is the real must-read
11 Dec 2025
Latest Rocketeer Mazda MX-5 will best the Ferrari F40 on power-to-weight
Rocketeer MX-5
News

Latest Rocketeer Mazda MX-5 will best the Ferrari F40 on power-to-weight

Rocketeer’s been stuffing V6 engines into MX-5s for a few years now. Its operation is now expanding
11 Dec 2025