This is a photo of the new VW Polo's rear end - looks a bit rough round the edges to me and not at all VW like! Worthy of a Tata badge.

Did you change the resolution of that image? Either way, how you expect anyone to judge build quality from an image that's markedly artifacted (look at the base of the rear window)...

Did you change the resolution of that image? Either way, how you expect anyone to judge build quality from an image that's markedly artifacted (look at the base of the rear window)...

No, its straight from the Auto Express photoshop. Hope its not like that in the flesh, looks diabolical in the photo - in reverse gear, you could cut a field of wheat!

I think that's dithering from magazine printing Ken, not artefacts. Anyway it's easily good enough to see the thing Bassa is referring to. I'd say it looks real too, not a photoshop mistake.

It's just muck, shadows and a blurry photograph.

It's just dirt. I don't like the lights though

The panel gaps look pretty tight & consistent, which is what normally indicates the quality of assembly from outside.

This is a photo of the new VW Polo's rear end - looks a bit rough round the edges to me and not at all VW like! Worthy of a Tata badge.

How from that picture can come to the conclusion that you have. Despite all the rave reviews from frankly some of the most uneducated jounalists. And you see the rear of a car and you have come to the idea its a tata

How from that picture can come to the conclusion that you have. Despite all the rave reviews from frankly some of the most uneducated jounalists. And you see the rear of a car and you have come to the idea its a tata

I'm not referring to the panel gaps, which appear very good but the very bottom edge of the car's rear end. If you think that appears neat and classy in the published photo, may I suggest a trip to Specsavers.

I cannot believe it is as crude looking as that in the flesh but we will soon be able to judge for ourselves with the car's imminent release.

I see what you mean, but I like the style. The lights look good to me. Similar to the MKVI Golf. It's the front of the Polos that's always put me off.

Having seen several on the roads now, I have to say they look first class, understated quality, and if they did one with a decent engine I'd order one in a heartbeat.

Looks ok to me.

VW build quality

VW can do panel gaps, and make interiors look solid, but everything breaks when you so much as fart near it. Nuts and bolts are strong enough to hold if left untouched, but if, or rather when you need to remove them to fix something they are too flimsy for the job and seized in place, snapping or rounding in the process. I owned a Corrado for many years and it was cheaper to own and run a Subaru Impreza (which never broke) due to all the constant repairs. Our 3 Skoda's have been much the same with a constant stream of faults during the warranty period, and continuing thereafter. The Germans could learn a lot from the Japanese.

VW build quality

VW can do panel gaps, and make interiors look solid, but everything breaks when you so much as fart near it. Nuts and bolts are strong enough to hold if left untouched, but if, or rather when you need to remove them to fix something they are too flimsy for the job and seized in place, snapping or rounding in the process. I owned a Corrado for many years and it was cheaper to own and run a Subaru Impreza (which never broke) due to all the constant repairs. Our 3 Skoda's have been much the same with a constant stream of faults during the warranty period, and continuing thereafter. The Germans could learn a lot from the Japanese.

How come youve kept buying them if you think there is a quality issue :(

Having seen several on the roads now, I have to say they look first class, understated quality, and if they did one with a decent engine I'd order one in a heartbeat.

Are you sure, the Polo's not due for UK release until next month? The fenlands I believe can get a bit misty this time of year - are you sure they are not Mk6 Golfs

How come youve kept buying them if you think there is a quality issue :(

The Corrado was bought way back in 1994 and was a loved car, despite its troublesome nature. Eventually both my g/f and I fell out of love with it after experiencing real reliability from Japanese car ownership, but altogether we owned it for 13 years between us when she took over running it after I got a Subaru. The Scoob was amazing ! Fast and powerful, yet solid and reliable. If I could justify the expense of running such a car then I'd have another right now without hesitation. We decided to get a pair of Fabia vRS's as a compromise on performance over economy, and based on the recent history of Skoda winning several customer satisfaction surveys. We swapped one of them in for an Octavia when our child was due and the reliability woes hadn't started by then. Over the last two years both the remaining Fab and the Octy have constantly had a catalogue of faults, ensuring that I certainly won't be buying another. My next car will probably be a Mini Cooper D for driving instructing, and the wifes would be a BMW 335D if we could afford it, but maybe the Impreza diesels will be into our price range secondhand by then. There are things about the Skoda's I love, especially the grunt from the diesel lumps, especially my map'd vRS. However, having owned them for a couple of years, and had to repeatedly repair things almost constantly on both our current cars, I feel I need to look elsewhere next time. They are good I suppose for their place in the market, being VAG's bargain basement offering, but looking at how much is shared with VAG's premium brands then I couldn't justify the more expensive badges in the group made from the same flimsy, brittle plastic and shoddy components.

Japanese build quality/reliabilty seems okay IF the car was built in Japan. Just check out the Civinfo forum site to see how poorly the Swindon built Civic fares. I had a new early example of the current model and got rid of it due to numerous recalls and lots of irritating faults. The very high scoring Jazz was built in Japan until recently with UK production switching to Swindon. Don't be surprised if that model's glowing record nosedives.

My F/L Octavia is so far living up to expectations, a very good honest car with excellent build quality.

It's still possible you have been unlucky enough to get lemons - all manufacturers suffer from them to varying degrees. Very unlucky if you've had several!

Gotta admit, the Fabia has been one of the most reliable cars I've had. My 3 BMW's constantly fell apart and needed (very expensive) components replacing all the time. Like a fuel tank for example - £500 for the tank and the labour of dropping the prop shaft and exhaust to get it out.

The Jap cars I've owned were old so I can't really comment on reliability as such (1990 Toyota MR2 and 1990 Honda CRX ED9). Mechanically they seemed sound enough but were more rusty than rusty things in a rusty contest. Sills, boot floor, bulkheads....etc etc.

I've never had an issue with VAG build quality, but as cars get more and more complex, they will go wrong more often unless you buy real quality cars. Even then, they can go wrong. I've had 6 Polos and a Golf ranging from 1988 to 2005. Most expensive failure was a rear brake regulator valve at £110 on the Golf.

Several manufacturers have lost the plot, trying to build to a price. Mercedes are perhaps the best example, with horrendous rust issues on cars with a 30 year rust through warranty, rusting at 5 years, and rusting badly.

You will hear horror stories on Forums for most makes of car. Want you don't read, are the hundreds of punters who never have a problem. The most reliable way to judge a cars reliability, is with the Warranty Direct Reliability index. Skoda sit at 89% which is respectable. VW are not far behind.

As for cars built in the UK, wouldn't touch one with a bargepole. Same goes for France and Italy. I would like an Aston Martin DB9 though

[quote name=MoggyTech;1823203

As for cars built in the UK' date=' wouldn't touch one with a bargepole. [/quote]

Perhaps this manufacturer could persuade you with their current ad. Ten out of ten for trying anyway.

Perhaps this manufacturer could persuade you with their current ad. Ten out of ten for trying anyway.

:rofl:

My next car will probably be a Mini Cooper D for driving instructing, and the wifes would be a BMW 335D if we could afford it,

Don't expect reliability from the 335D then; they have major problems with chewing swirl valves and turbos and the mini is exactly what I would call a class leading product either. The Mini has crap materials and the ones I have sat in certainly didn't feel like they'd last the distance.

My father in law has a '00 Accord and rants about how reliable it is; unfortunately once you actually ask about it he does admit that actually this has happened and that has happened which makes it no worse or better than the wife and I VAGs!

I have to say the new mini one is well built and IMHO very solid.

I don't think the plastics are of good enough quality for the price of the car. I think it looks and feels cheap myself.

Horses for courses me thinks

You looking at the latest one?

My big plus is that while they might not all be soft touch plastics, they don't start to creak unlike other brands