The Volkswagen Golf has been a mainstay in the VWSA line-up since the very first generation was introduced here in 1978. Since that time there have been six more generations, and a few weeks ago Golf 8 was launched in Europe.
Related: Global reveal: The New Golf 8 - VW goes all in on the latest Golf
In South Africa it has been interesting that for a number of years the best-selling Golf derivative has been the GTI. There are a number of reasons for this. In countless enthusiasts’ eyes, the Golf GTi is the most rounded hot hatchback in the land, combining superb handling, strong performance and near-limousine ride quality. Fit and finish is superb on all Golf models.
Things haven’t been that rosy for the Golf nameplate in recent years, however, in terms of sales. This larger-format hatchback has lost out to smaller Cross Overs and SUVs in the sales race. In addition, the Golf itself has suffered from the increasing sophistication of its stablemate, the Volkswagen Polo, which is now just a tad smaller than the Golf in its current iteration. And a lot cheaper! The newly-introduced VW T-Cross has also stolen some thunder.
Related: The new VW T-Cross will knock off your socks
Nevertheless, Golf has such a strong heritage that we feel sure it’s a model that will remain with us for many years, if not decades, to come.
Topping up the windscreen washer bottle
There is nothing like doing some of your own maintenance on your car to deepen the relationship. This includes washing and polishing the car yourself, and less complicated chores like ensuring the tyre pressures are always spot-on.
Another DIY job you can do is to top up the windscreen washer bottle. You can do this without fear of invalidating the warranty, as opening and closing the bottle doesn’t require the use of any tools.
A word of warning, though: make sure you top up the correct fluid container with water! To help you do this, follow our step-by-step guide:
Step-by-step guide
1.Open the bonnet to reveal the engine bay. Follow the instructions in the owner’s handbook if you don’t know how to do this. The windscreen washer bottle is located at the right front corner of the engine bay, when viewing the car from the front.
4.It is very convenient to use a 500 ml conventional water bottle to top-up the screen wash bottle. You can use a larger container, such as a kitchen jug or a watering can, but these are rather unwieldy. You are aiming for accuracy here!
5.Normal tap water is our choice to top up the bottle. But you can spoil your Golf by treating the washer bottle to special screen wash fluids that can purchased at your local spares shop. Top it up to a point about 5 cm below the top of the bottle neck.
6. Close the cap firmly by simply pressing it shut. Test it to see that it is sealed properly.
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