Any concerns about the future?

[Wallbobbyc]

I just did a deal (still time to back out) for a 2019 SE. I was up all night with second thoughts...this car is being discontinued, there’s not a lot in circulation right now. If there’s some sort of serious problem, does VW even have people that can work on them in the US? I’m somebody who’s pretty tight with money - when there’s an issue with my current car I usually just buy the parts wholesale and do the work myself - so some sort of weird electrical error that is going to cost 2000 to diagnose and fix is not appealing to me. Does anybody have these sorts of concerns? Or is VW going to be rolling out more and more qualified EV service folks and there’s not much that can go wrong with the car anyway? Tell me your thoughts. I get the car tomorrow.

 

[Sparklebeard]

I just did a deal (still time to back out) for a 2019 SE. I was up all night with second thoughts...this car is being discontinued, there’s not a lot in circulation right now. If there’s some sort of serious problem, does VW even have people that can work on them in the US? I’m somebody who’s pretty tight with money - when there’s an issue with my current car I usually just buy the parts wholesale and do the work myself - so some sort of weird electrical error that is going to cost 2000 to diagnose and fix is not appealing to me. Does anybody have these sorts of concerns? Or is VW going to be rolling out more and more qualified EV service folks and there’s not much that can go wrong with the car anyway? Tell me your thoughts. I get the car tomorrow.

Aside from issues that can strike any Golf (which aren’t super common anyway) there isn’t much to go wrong with an e-Golf.

The only ‘issue’ seems to be the electrical fault ‘Stop driving’ one that affected earlier models and was covered by a recall.

If you’re in a state where you can buy a 2019 e-Golf the I would say there are e-Golf technicians available. VW is also moving towards all electric, so the number of technicians available will only increase.

There is an 8 year warranty on the battery, and the drivetrain is 5 years.

In terms of costs of repair, it’s unlikely that you’d be on the hook for that much just for diagnosis. There just aren’t that many things that could have gone wrong. Besides, you have 5 years to learn how to work on a high voltage car, before the drivetrain warranty expires

Realistically though, they’re super reliable.

 

[JoulesThief]

My only concern is that generally, German brand cars and cheap owners don't get along too well. Part area always expensive, for what you get. If you drive it nice and don't break anything, it's a good value. If you drive it enthusiastically ( almost all the members around here do) you will wear things out quicker, and you'll pay for parts and the time to get them fixed. German cars, in general, are not the easiest to work on, not unless you have been working on them for a while. Special tools can be required, at times.

You'll probably be able to work on everything on your car except the high voltage electrical system. That whole system is probably a no go for almost everyone here, too high a voltage and too much current in DC kills people instantly.

 

[ElectricTerrapin]

Just to add my own experience:
We leased our first e-Golf in 2015 and that car was trouble free for four years, until the lease ended. Our second e-Golf (2019) just had an air-conditioner problem and has been with VW for the last 5 days. I did eventually get a loaner car after complaining to VW customer care (shoutout to folks in this forum who gave me good advice). We live in the DC suburbs.

There is a good argument to be made that EVs are generally more reliable than cars with ICEs. However, when they break down, (based on our current experience,) the repair cycle appears to be longer because of the lack of EV certified technicians. This will improve over time, but will probably continue to be an issue for the near future.

I do some maintenance and minor repair on our old Honda Minivan - there are tons of forums and YouTube videos that provide useful instructions. I haven't had many issues with e-Golfs, but the air-conditioner (which is a heat exchanger for our SEL model) was not something I could fix. (I also thought that VW would fix this right away.) Some repairs may be very similar to the traditional Golf.

 

[Verbruggan]

If you are in a state where dealers are selling them new, they have the crew to fix them. If you are buying this car to be a winter beater, find something else. We're at 5K in 4 months. Only item we have is a slow air leak in the right rear tire that is loosing pressure once a month to trigger the sensor.

Stay tuned... or get one. Tis up to you.

I fix all my other ICE cars myself. I only pay someone if I am too busy to do it myself. I am rather comfortable & confident with the e-Golf' reliability. I am not you. Viel Glück!

 

[zanzabar]

Yes the car may be discontinued in 2021, but keep in mind that VW is investing A LOT OF $$$ in EVs and will have a new platform (several different models) out in a couple years, so they are in the EV business for the long haul. To me that means that dealers will always have techs trained to work on the 2015-2020 eGolfs regardless of when they get discontinued.

And, EV tech is really not very complex. I'd argue that it is MUCH easier to work on these than a new turbo direct injection gas engine, or a hybrid.

Get the car and sleep easy!

 

[Verbruggan]

And, EV tech is really not very complex. I'd argue that it is MUCH easier to work on these than a new turbo direct injection gas engine, or a hybrid.

And cleaner too.