99 vw golf 2000 euro

cormywormy

I was looking at a 1999 vw golf with 45000 miles on it, yes 45000 as the engine was changed due to burning oil.He wants 2000 for it, it is in mint condition with no marks on the body.Would it be good at 2000. It is a 1.4 petrol.

EPM

How many miles are on the rest of the car? Was the engine a new engine that went into it? If not do you have definitive proof of the mileage on the replacement? 1.4's have a habit of burning oil although there are a few high milers about running fine

cian1500ww

Seems a good enough price but with the engine after being changed I'd be careful. Plus the engine that was put in it could have 145,000 on it, you just don't know.

Max Power1

IMHO 2 grand is a bit steep for a 10 year old car tbh, but carzone would seem to back you up

http://www.carzone.ie/search/results?s

cormywormy

thanks for the quick replies, the "new" engine was only put in last week.it was out of a crashed car i think.It is still burning a small amount of oil and he said he is not happy with it so he is going to put new rings in the engine.

cian1500ww

Max Power1 wrote: »

IMHO 2 grand is a bit steep for a 10 year old car tbh, but carzone would seem to back you up

http://www.carzone.ie/search/results?

Yeah I checked there myself, the golfs are a brilliant car for holding their value, probably the best of all of vw's cars. For €5000 you could probably get a '00 golf diesel or a '03 diesel passat. I don't know why they hold their value so well, bit like the way civics hold their value too. Just a sought after car I s'pose.
OP I'd be careful about that engine, it shouldn't need rings at 45,000 miles.

EPM

I think a lot of the Golf prices are the owners perceived value of the car as opposed to its real value though

Eoin

I think they are overpriced, and my 99 1.4 Golf was very disappointing. Flimsy interior and a slow and somewhat unreliable engine. Nothing major, just little things like the throttle body sticking quite a lot. €2K isn't that bad though, I suppose.

bazz26

cian1500ww wrote: »

Yeah I checked there myself, the golfs are a brilliant car for holding their value, probably the best of all of vw's cars. For €5000 you could probably get a '00 golf diesel or a '03 diesel passat. I don't know why they hold their value so well, bit like the way civics hold their value too. Just a sought after car I s'pose.
OP I'd be careful about that engine, it shouldn't need rings at 45,000 miles.

Anyone who pays €5k for a 9 year old Golf diesel needs their head examined. Golfs are ok, most models are nothing overly special but the general public tend to over rate them and are willing to pay over the odds for them. A Ford Focus does most things just as well if not better as the Golf but doesn't command the same status from average Joe Public.

robtri

bazz26 wrote: »

Anyone who pays €5k for a 9 year old Golf diesel needs their head examined. Golfs are ok, most models are nothing overly special but the general public tend to over rate them and are willing to pay over the odds for them. A Ford Focus does most things just as well if not better as the Golf but doesn't command the same status from average Joe Public.

+1....

Quazzie

bazz26 wrote: »

A Ford Focus does most things just as well if not better as the Golf but doesn't command the same status from average Joe Public.

The build quality on a focus is nothing near the quality of even the most basic Golfs. I personally hate the driving position as I think its too elevated and it handles horribly compared to any golf I've driven. I can't understand why anyone would choose a Focus over a Golf

EPM

Eh? The seating position is a tad too high alright, but the Mk IV Golf isn't a patch on the Focus to drive. It feels too soggy. Can't match it on steering, gear change, body control. The only way I can see the Golf being better is the brakes (and even they are too sensitive at first)

bazz26

Quazzie wrote: »

The build quality on a focus is nothing near the quality of even the most basic Golfs. I personally hate the driving position as I think its too elevated and it handles horribly compared to any golf I've driven. I can't understand why anyone would choose a Focus over a Golf

I don't know what cars you have been driving but the Focus is well documented in motoring circles as being one of the best if not the best driver's car in its class. And just because the Golf has soft touch plastics, silicone dampened grab handles or an acoustic clunk when you close the door doesn't make it a superior car. Some people look beyond asthetics when choosing a car.

Biro

cian1500ww wrote: »

Yeah I checked there myself, the golfs are a brilliant car for holding their value, probably the best of all of vw's cars. For €5000 you could probably get a '00 golf diesel or a '03 diesel passat. I don't know why they hold their value so well, bit like the way civics hold their value too. Just a sought after car I s'pose.
OP I'd be careful about that engine, it shouldn't need rings at 45,000 miles.

Yes, but Civics are actually well engineered cars.
OP, don't bother, you're paying 2,000 of your money on a mediocre car with a poor engine that's not working correctly and is a replacement unit in itself.
Better off with a Civic. At least Honda's 1.4 is actually reliable and has some power, unlike the weedy VW unit.

W.Shakes-Beer

Golfs are well over rated imo. They are nearly a "status symbol" for people. havent got a clue why. For that money you'd get a similar aged Focus, Civic or Astra which are more superior imo and havent had the engine torn out of them. I'd avoid it, what seems like a good idea now may be the opposite in a few months.

mooman

This thread brightened my day, I've been thinkin about selling mine for €1500. Thats all they are worth to be honest. If i was you I'd steer clear the engine is widely regarded as one of VW's worst ever, if you really want a Golf go for the 1.6 at least.

Quazzie

mooman wrote: »

This thread brightened my day, I've been thinkin about selling mine for €1500. Thats all they are worth to be honest. If i was you I'd steer clear the engine is widely regarded as one of VW's worst ever, if you really want a Golf go for the 1.6 at least.

And 00 up at that. The <99 was a terrible engine too. nearly worse than the 1.4

cormywormy

Okay, thanks for all the replies lads. I think ill steer clear of this golf. Thanks for all the advice. I do really like the ford focus or i might get a 01-03 golf, i will have to wait and see what comes my way.

groupb

Quazzie wrote: »

The build quality on a focus is nothing near the quality of even the most basic Golfs. I personally hate the driving position as I think its too elevated and it handles horribly compared to any golf I've driven. I can't understand why anyone would choose a Focus over a Golf

If you can't understand why anyone would choose a Focus over a Golf , read any road test of the last ten years when they have been compared and see how many journalists would agree with you.
By the build quality , I take it you mean The percieved quality.
As regards durability a focus will outlive a golf with ease. I would have a lot more faith in a 100,000 mile focus than I'd have in a 50,000 mile golf.
As for handling , vw redesigned the suspension in the mk 5 golf to try and get it to handle and ride like a focus which tells you something.

squod

Quazzie wrote: »

The build quality on a focus is nothing near the quality of even the most basic Golfs. I personally hate the driving position as I think its too elevated and it handles horribly compared to any golf I've driven. I can't understand why anyone would choose a Focus over a Golf

The exact opposite is true.

Vain

I have a 99 1.4 golf 125k miles up on it now, still going strong, it likes oil alright. My girlfriend drives a 00 civic which has no abs and the golf does. Also the interior build quality is alot nicer in the golf and feels better put together, as far as I know my girlfriends civic has no airbags and I have 4. The civic is faster alright but the golf feels stronger on the road.

The 1.4 and 1.6 mk4 petrol engine isn't great. Gear box goes in them, burns oil. If you do go for a golf go for the 130 tdi. Stay away from the golf your on about, plenty of cars around the place that didnt have to have a new engine put in.