Us V5 owners are a small but proud bunch, I doubt any one of us regret the purchase. It's not a
Cupra beater (or even FR beater in some cases), but that's not the point. I got put on to them by a friend, after wanting a good reliable car, and the V5 ticks all the boxes. What's more, because the V5 is very much an 'unloved' car for 99% of the population, the prices are really rock bottom. Don't ever try and sell one, it will leave you in tears. But buying one with the intention of driving it into the ground, and you're sorted. I got mine for £1400 off Ebay, my mate got his for £1050, and they regularly go for that sort of price.
My 2001 car is currently approaching 127k, and it's prety much as good as it left the factory. A recent dyno run had it running with 6 horses and 6 lbft of torque less than what the book says, which I think is fantastic for the age and mileage. And it has been suggested that a service and some decent fuel would get those back.
The only parts that have had to be replaced (apart from serviceable items) have been the mass airflow meter and coil packs. But both are common faults to VAG cars, not just the V5. I've swapped the bushes and shock absorbers, there was nothing really wrong with the old ones but I fancied tightening things up a bit.
My friends V5 fared a little worse, but still not massive problems. He bought the car with a radiator leak, the radiator itself was cheap but the front of the car has to come off. Replacing the radiator revealed a secondary water pump that had cracked, but that was a much easier job to replace. He's also had to swap his MAF.
And finally, we both suffer from leaky door seals. Again, it's not a Toledo only fault, as far as I know any Mark 4 Golf based car is likely to be affected by it.
I think that's about it. Oh, and SEAT charge a fortune for a new key, and I was quoted a ridiculous lead time as well. There's a few key cutting places now that can cut and code keys, they will do the same job for a much cheaper price, within half an hour. Someone posted that some of the Timpsons shops can do it.