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Buying a 2nd hand Golf

  • 26-03-2008 1:50pm
    #1
    whicawha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭


    Hi,

    I have €5000 to spend on a 98-00 Golf with under 100,000 miles on the clock. Now I know a golf is well capable of doing 100,000+ miles but is there anything I should look out for when buying one?

    Thanks


Comments

  • #2
    ShayK1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,602 ✭✭✭ShayK1


    you may be interested in this so....
    http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Volkswagen/Golf/GT-TDI/918207/

    I've been looking for a Bora, Passat, Octavia or A4 and I came across that.


  • #3
    whicawha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭whicawha


    Sorry I should of pointed out that I am looking for a 1.4 or 1.6 pertrol. I am 21 so I have to consider insurance costs and running costs.
    Is the diesel more economical than the petrol 1.4s and 1.6s?
    Also I am planning on buying in the middle of April, I am just looking around now and I was wondering what I should be looking for either good points or bad points when looking at a 2nd Golf.
    My back is knackered too so I wont touch a base model. Has to be Comfortline or above.
    However that is a nice car!


  • #4
    mvpr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 295 ✭✭mvpr


    There are loads of threads on the MkIV Golf on here - I recommend reading through them to get some idea of what may or may not go wrong. Here's one I remember:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055189732

    I would definitely go for the 1.6. Doesnt seem to have the same problems as the 1.4 of that era, and will pull the car along more easily.

    1.4 will get you around 35 - 40mpg. Diesel will see you closer to 50mpg, or more on long journeys. The diesels come with a premium though.

    Have you considered any other car? Golf's tend to be overpriced...


  • #5
    whicawha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭whicawha


    mvpr wrote: »
    There are loads of threads on the MkIV Golf on here - I recommend reading through them to get some idea of what may or may not go wrong. Here's one I remember:

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055189732

    I would definitely go for the 1.6. Doesnt seem to have the same problems as the 1.4 of that era, and will pull the car along more easily.

    1.4 will get you around 35 - 40mpg. Diesel will see you closer to 50mpg, or more on long journeys. The diesels come with a premium though.

    Have you considered any other car? Golf's tend to be overpriced...

    Thanks, I wasnt gong to consider a diesel but I will be doing Dublin to Donegal at least twice a week so it might make more sense to look into one. I have also looked at Corrollas however, I dont think I would be confident enough when it comes to selling a car that will probably have more than 125,000miles on the clock, this and I actually like Golfs so I am happy paying the premium for one.


  • #6
    groupb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 542 ✭✭✭groupb


    whicawha wrote: »
    Sorry I should of pointed out that I am looking for a 1.4 or 1.6 pertrol. I am 21 so I have to consider insurance costs and running costs.
    Is the diesel more economical than the petrol 1.4s and 1.6s?
    Also I am planning on buying in the middle of April, I am just looking around now and I was wondering what I should be looking for either good points or bad points when looking at a 2nd Golf.
    My back is knackered too so I wont touch a base model. Has to be Comfortline or above.
    However that is a nice car!

    A petrol golf with over 100,000 miles(if one gets there) would'nt be a great buy. Those engines have been know to fail well before that mileage.A knocking noise is a giveaway. There were also issues with gearboxes and anything with big wheels should be avoided. A focus or anything Japanese would be far more durable.


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  • #7
    whicawha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭whicawha


    groupb wrote: »
    A petrol golf with over 100,000 miles(if one gets there) would'nt be a great buy. Those engines have been know to fail well before that mileage.A knocking noise is a giveaway. There were also issues with gearboxes and anything with big wheels should be avoided. A focus or anything Japanese would be far more durable.

    Thanks for this info, I doubt I will be going petrol. Does the diesel suffer from anything that you know off?


  • #8
    groupb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 542 ✭✭✭groupb


    I don't want an arguement , but why are you intent on buying a Golf?


  • #9
    whicawha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭whicawha


    groupb wrote: »
    I don't want an arguement , but why are you intent on buying a Golf?

    I like the look of them and I think they hold there value. Am I wrong?


  • #10
    bazz26
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 51,363 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    whicawha wrote: »
    I like the look of them and I think they hold there value. Am I wrong?

    Second hand Golfs are not good value for money imo. People pay over the odds for Golfs to begin with. Anything with 100k+ miles will be worth very little come selling time. Most 99/00 reg cars even doing an average of 12k miles per year will be approaching 100k miles at this stage of their life. On a budget of €5k you will be looking at Golfs in this bracket I'm afraid.

    To be honest for €5k you could buy something else which may be newer and have less milage.

    And Golfs are not the rock of reliability that VW's commericals claim them to be.


  • #11
    whicawha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭whicawha


    bazz26 wrote: »
    Second hand Golfs are not good value for money imo. People pay over the odds for Golfs to begin with. Anything with 100k+ miles will be worth very little come selling time. Most 99/00 reg cars even doing an average of 12k miles per year will be approaching 100k miles at this stage of their life. On a budget of €5k you will be looking at Golfs in this bracket I'm afraid.

    To be honest for €5k you could buy something else which may be newer and have less milage.

    And Golfs are not the rock of reliability that VW's commericals claim them to be.

    What else would recommend, bearing in mind that I want the car to look good.


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  • #12
    Moanin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,136 ✭✭✭Moanin


    whicawha wrote: »
    Hi,

    I have €5000 to spend on a 98-00 Golf with under 100,000 miles on the clock. Now I know a golf is well capable of doing 100,000+ miles but is there anything I should look out for when buying one?

    Thanks

    Common faults on the MKIV are:

    Rear bulbs constantly blowing
    Fawlty door locks(I had to replace the driversd side one after 2 years)
    Rear windscreen washer leaking into the boot
    Airbag warning light constantly appearing on the dash

    I had a 2000 1.4 Golf and it suffered all of the above. Would go for the TDI if I were you.100k on a well serviced diesel is nothing.Go test drive the various engines and decide for yourself.Bear in minhd the TDi will attract road tax of €520 p@ though.


  • #13
    bazz26
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 51,363 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    Looks are subjective and totally depends on the individual so I cannot really advice you on what to buy on that basis.

    But I rather like the looks of the Seat Leon:
    http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/SEAT/Leon/1.4-SIGNO/983150/
    http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/SEAT/Leon/car/982487/

    Basically a Golf underneath, but in the the right set of alloy wheels they look very trendy imo.


  • #14
    whicawha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭whicawha


    bazz26 wrote: »
    Looks are subjective and totally depends on the individual so I cannot really advice you on what to buy on that basis.

    But I rather like the looks of the Seat Leon:
    http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/SEAT/Leon/1.4-SIGNO/983150/
    http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/SEAT/Leon/car/982487/

    Basically a Golf underneath, but in the the right set of alloy wheels they look very trendy imo.

    Really dont dig the Leon at all but thanks for the suggestion!


  • #15
    GERMAN ROCKS
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,796 ✭✭✭GERMAN ROCKS


    a peugeot 306 hdi????????????????????????????


  • #16
    hi_im_fil
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 889 ✭✭✭hi_im_fil


    Opel Astra?? Becoming really cheap lately, so you could go up a few years and afford to be picky due to the amount of them for sale


  • #17
    HJL
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 582 ✭✭✭HJL


    Moanin wrote: »
    Bear in minhd the TDi will attract road tax of €520 p@ though.

    actually its €560 per year now, that letter looking for €158 every 3 months makes my heart sink!

    OP, if you say you will be doing Dublin to Donegal twice a week then you should looking at diesels IMO, thats big enough milage to save on fuel for the extra you'll pay on road tax.
    although diesel prices are 7c a litre dearer than petrol here so i guess you might needto get the calculator out to figure out which is the best!


  • #18
    whicawha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭whicawha


    HJL wrote: »
    actually its €560 per year now, that letter looking for €158 every 3 months makes my heart sink!

    OP, if you say you will be doing Dublin to Donegal twice a week then you should looking at diesels IMO, thats big enough milage to save on fuel for the extra you'll pay on road tax.
    although diesel prices are 7c a litre dearer than petrol here so i guess you might needto get the calculator out to figure out which is the best!

    Thanks, I will get the calculator out :)

    Would anyone else like to add to the debate?


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