There are a few things in life as reliable as a VW for mot. At least that’s what the marketing people in Wolfsburg would have us believe. Truth is though, they’re bang on the money where the solid and sensible Mk4 Golf is concerned. Dynamically so much better than the Mk3 that it replaced in 1998, the Mk4 was available with a choice of of engines that went from the flaccid to the furious, ranging from the placid 1.4 to the raucous all-wheel-drive 204bhp 2.8 V6 4Motion and 3.2 litres R32.

Add to that a selection of strong and talented diesels – including highly efficient PumpDeuse PD units – and it’s simple to see why the model’s gained such a loyal and enthusiastic following by mechanics. Today the Mk4 remains as popular as ever, and falling prices have added to the attraction. Safe, refined and a class above its other hatch rivals, it’s a conservative choice but one that’s steeped in common sense.

That decision is backed up by the vast availability of reasonably priced parts from a variety of suppliers; even genuine VAG parts aren’t dear and you get a two-year warranty for car repairs of most items. The key if you go the independent route, as always with a quality product such as a Golf, is to pick quality OE parts. That means don’t just pick the cheapest – stick to the known OE brands such as Bosch, Lemforder, Ate and LUK. While there’s no doubting the Golf’s excellent build, it’s difficult to ignore whispers about it not being quite as trouble-free as we’d all been led to believe. Indeed, such stories have hurt the model’s ratings in some owner-reliability surveys. However, bear in mind people’s expectations are high in VW – so anything less than 100% makes a big impression. Sure enough, though, talking to the experts we’ve confirmed that minor glitches do exist – and we’ve highlighted them here. But don’t let this skew your perception; the Mk4′s still impressively reliable.