Help!! which car???

stuckinarut

i am going to buy very soon but have a problem. havnt made up my mind on what to get,im down to alfa 147, audi a3 and vw golf..in that order.

i have, however heard that alfa are a pain to maintain(id be looking at 01-02 70000 miles)
and my friend has audi and there always seems to be a problem with it,battery,electrics always something
then thers a golf which i think is prob safest but least wanted option

budget is €7000

please help!!!!!!!!!

ibh

What year A3 or Golf are you expecting to buy? I personally would avoid the Alfa. This is from having spent time in the motor trade and they are what i would descibe as 'hard to run'. Although maybe they have improved, you wouldn't catch me parting with my hard earned cash for one.
I sorta think the A3 is just a more expensive Golf, with an Audi badge. But i'm not rearly fond of that MkIV Golf.
Just opinion though, it's up to you and your own preferences..

stuckinarut

well the a3 i would have said about 98 possibly 99 depending on miles
the golf well im not too sure about,as new as poss for 7000 i suppose...
loving alfas at the moment though!!

Atomic Pineapple

have you looked at any seat leon's?? basically the same as the golf but you'd get a much better specced one and in my opinion they look nicer

louie

I stick with the Audi o VW. Way more reliable than Alfa but could be more expensive to run.

poker-jacks

louie wrote: »

I stick with the Audi o VW. Way more reliable than Alfa but could be more expensive to run.

I agree. The Audi is better looking than the mark 4 golf. I have an A3, and I bought it knowing that i'd have the odd electrical hitch (see my recent post re hazard light switch) because I asked around first. The Alfa looks great but has really bad rep!! Watch any episode of Top Gear with an Alfa and it'll make your mind up. Compare my 98 Audi A3 which I paid 7K for to the 01 Alfa for the same mileage and price....there's a reason for this.

The Audi's yer only man really...:rolleyes:

cantdecide

I'd have the audi- it's lke a less dull golf. But if you have a h*rn for the alfa (as a close friend always says), I wouldn't rule it out entirely.

cjt156

Believe me when I say that VW/Audi's reputation for reliability is far from deserved. Ditto the Alfa's rep for poor reliability. The 147 is better looking, better handling and has a better engine than the others - I'm guessing you're looking at 1.6 in each case?
Get one with a service history and have the cambelt changed at that mileage.
If your idea of "trouble" is to top up the oil every month and change consumable parts like wishbones and timing belts every few years then maybe an Alfa's not for you. Take one out for a spin & you may feel differently.

stuckinarut

ye i do really like the alfa but i was talkin to guys who work in alfa/fiat garage and they said i should under no circumstances buy an alfa being a student..if stuff goes wrong with it then i wont be able to afford fixing it,as they quoted me 3000 euro for one they are fixing currently.

pains me to say it but maybe a nice and easy golf is the way i should go:(

bazz26

stuckinarut wrote: »

pains me to say it but maybe a nice and easy golf is the way i should go:(

Don't bank on it mate. VWs are not the rock of reliability their marketing department claim them to be these days. They tend to be overated imo and people are inclined to pay silly money for them based on this. Plenty can and has gone wrong with Golfs especially the MkIV version.

€7k would get you a nice Ford Focus too. Well worth a look.

poker-jacks

bazz26 wrote: »

Don't bank on it mate. VWs are not the rock of reliability their marketing department claim them to be these days. They tend to be overated imo and people are inclined to pay silly money for them based on this. Plenty can and has gone wrong with Golfs especially the MkIV version.

€7k would get you a nice Ford Focus too. Well worth a look.

Early fords (ie pre 02 say) are glorified lawnmowers. The O/p is clearly looking for something with a bit of style too...

TychoCaine

poker-jacks wrote: »

Early fords (ie pre 02 say) are glorified lawnmowers. The O/p is clearly looking for something with a bit of style too...

:eek: The old model Fiesta was a bit of a tractor, but the Focus is a more comfortable and better handling car than the Golf.

You're looking in the wrong place for style if you're looking at a Mk IV Golf. The most boring car on the planet. The Mk I Focus was far better looking, and more reliable than the Golf to boot. The ADAC (German version of the AA) compile rankings every year of breakdowns of nearly new cars, and the Focus topped the list in 2001, well ahead of the Golf.

Stay away from the Alfa by the way. I've nearly bought one in the past, but a mate's previous build quality experiences with a 156, 147 and the dealers (verging on criminal conduct) put me off.

bazz26

poker-jacks wrote: »

Early fords (ie pre 02 say) are glorified lawnmowers. The O/p is clearly looking for something with a bit of style too...

And a Golf is more stylish than a Focus?

The MkI Focus exterior styling is alot more thought out than the MkIV Golfs, the Golf obviously wins when it comes to interior quality but it is uninspiring to look at. Both cars are gutless in 1.4 litre form. Focus is a superior drive, cheaper to buy and better equipped.

It would get my vote but then again I am biased because I bought one yesterday.

Henry Ford III

What version did you get Bazz?

bazz26

Henry Ford III wrote: »

What version did you get Bazz?

2005 1.6 TDCi Ghia in Panther Black. Picking it up on Friday.