What's High Mileage For A Second Hand Car?

robobobo

Hey guys,

I'm looking at buying my first car, obviously I haven't got a whole load to spend on one but I've been looking at some VW Golfs Mk 4 1.4l

Since my budget is only about €2000 im really only looking at cars around 00 and 99 since that's all I can afford,

of course they have quite high mileage on them, but how high is high for cars this old, and how long more do you reckon I'll get out of them

some of the golfs have been as low as 80k miles but mainly are around 100k miles with some as high as 150k,

what do you reckon is decent mileage for cars this age?

Carson10

Hi there. I think it would be about average for a 00 golf to have about 80-100,000miles on it if its a petrol model, a lot of the diesels have hugh mileage and are well worn.

Be sure if your buying a golf that the timing belt and water pump were done around 60,000. Its mostly written in Tip-X on the engine when you lift the hood. If not it will cost you about €400.

I have a 03 1.4 Golf petrol and it costs me €70 to fill it @ €1.29 a litre. Not cheap. does about 480 mile.

Those 1.4 Golfs are dirt, do yourself a favour and buy a 1.6 Focus, 1.4 Focus is also dirt btw

10,000 / 15,000 miles a year is average. If I was you I'd be looking for one with 100,000 ish miles on it that seems fresh and well kept with a good lash of NCT, you'll get years more out of one if you keep it serviced.

Atlantic Dawn

About 10-12k a year would be average. If you can get one between 80-100k that would be relatively low for the year. I wouldn't myself go buying a 1.4 Golf with more than 100k on it as the engine just is not up to big milage.

Carson10

Carson10 wrote: »

I have a 03 1.4 Golf petrol and it costs me €70 to fill it @ €1.29 a litre. Not cheap. does about 480 mile.

40mpg, nothing wrong with that.

jaffa20

I recently sold my 01 a3 1.6 with 135 k miles on the clock. Quite high for it's age but well looked after and full service history.

It was hard to shift and i think this was because it had the highest mileage of the those out there for sale. Irish motorists are obsessed with mileage.

It wouldn't bother me much as there could have been similar cars out there with half the miles but weren't looked after properly at all.

JJJJNR

High mileage > High ownership

I Was VB

JJJJNR wrote: »

High mileage > High ownership

I wouldnt say that at all, im the second owner on a 03 car with 334K miles on it.

daveharnett

For a golf sized car, I'd assume 10,000 miles per year for a petrol and 15,000 for a diesel. Those estimates go down for smaller classes of car, and up for bigger ones.

As others have said, VAG's 1.4 of that era is rubbish. Apart from being woefully underpowered (a 1L micra of the same era offers better power/weight), they like to shed what little power they have as they age (accompanied by burning oil, poisoned cats, and all the associated emissions problems). Avoid at all costs imo.

EPM

JJJJNR wrote: »

High mileage > High ownership

That's bull. So there's no one owner high milers:rolleyes:

OP, that engine doesn't seem to handle mileage well. Some are fine, others are not. Engines are quite scare secondhand too as a result.

+1 on the 1.6 Focus idea too. Insurance difference will be negligible.

But mileage wouldn't bother me as long as the car had been looked after and mantained properly there's no reason why it shouldn't serve you well. Parts wear out yes but try find an example with the usual wear and tear items (timing belt and pump, bushings etc) and it might be a better buy than one with lower miles and sfa done to it.

R.O.R

JJJJNR wrote: »

High mileage > High ownership

Is that not stating that high mileage is better than high ownership?

I'd rather a 1 owner 130,000 mile car than a 4 owner 45,000 mile car.

bazz26

OP, you may need a bit more money to put aside for expensive repairs on a 1.4 Golf of that vintage. Engine and gearbox on them are really poor.

I'd look at buying something else to be honest.

Leonard Hofstadter

If you're thinking about a Golf, get a Focus, the amount of knackered sounding 1.4 Golfs out there is ridiculous, even the early Mk 5s are sounding bad with tappety like noises(only louder) and they're 04-05 so only 5-6 years old!

Golfs, especially 1.4 petrols are one of the most overrated cars in that class(the uniquely Irish obession with getting the smallest and worst possible engine for a car never fails to amaze me), only the Toyota Corolla is more overrated, though that at least works(but it's still a complete POS, one of the most depressing cars I've ever had the misfortune to drive), well before it starts burning oil anyway like all VVT-is do:D.

Carson10

nobody wants to buy a used 1.6 litre car..high tax. no young person is going to go above 1.4 on a golf or a focus, insurance gets to high also.

Personally i think the golf is overall brilliant car, looks good anywhere and is built like a rock compared to tin can boring toyota corolla. There are far more 98 vw golfs and polos on the road than escorts or fiestas. They are built to last!

bazz26

Carson10 wrote: »

nobody wants to buy a used 1.6 litre car..high tax. no young person is going to go above 1.4 on a golf or a focus, insurance gets to high also.

Personally i think the golf is overall brilliant car, looks good anywhere and is built like a rock compared to tin can boring toyota corolla. There are far more 98 vw golfs and polos on the road than escorts or fiestas. They are built to last!

Oh dear.

yop

JJJJNR wrote: »

High mileage > High ownership

01 Focus 1.6 petrol, 126k miles..... how many owners JUST ME

Full service history (last 7 servicings done by me ) with receipts for all items bought, tires etc.

Yes car had markings/scratches for a 9 year old car but it runs as well as any car on the road, I serviced it every 8k miles.

I just sold it for 1900 euro.

So OP I wouldn't be put off at all, i would be keen to see a service history on it but you will have an idea by the car also.

You can buy a car with 50k miles on it and it can be a pile of sh*te

EPM

Carson10 wrote: »

nobody wants to buy a used 1.6 litre car..high tax. no young person is going to go above 1.4 on a golf or a focus, insurance gets to high also.

€112 a year tax difference. I reckon you'd make that back easily on savings at the pumps. Those cars are too heavy for weedy low power 1.4's and need revving to make decent progress. Insurance won't be much of a difference either.

Carson10 wrote: »

Personally i think the golf is overall brilliant car, looks good anywhere and is built like a rock compared to tin can boring toyota corolla. There are far more 98 vw golfs and polos on the road than escorts or fiestas. They are built to last!

Brilliant? Built like a rock? A bit of soft plastic on the dash fools a lot of people. You're getting mixed up between perceived build quality and build quality. And to be honest I'd class a Golf or Corolla as equally boring in their standard state. And they stopped building the Escort in 98 and started the Focus so that's not really suprising...

keno-daytrader

Carson10 wrote: »

nobody wants to buy a used 1.6 litre car..high tax. no young person is going to go above 1.4 on a golf or a focus, insurance gets to high also.

Personally i think the golf is overall brilliant car, looks good anywhere and is built like a rock compared to tin can boring toyota corolla. There are far more 98 vw golfs and polos on the road than escorts or fiestas. They are built to last!

I had/have a golf 1.4, they are horrible engines, blew at 85k miles and I know of 3 other people with the same engine/problem. Avoid the 1.4 pertrol, pure rubbish!

Try and sorce a used 1.4 pertol engine, not many around, have a thought as to why, built to last....... (in the grave yard!)

yop

Carson10 wrote: »

nobody wants to buy a used 1.6 litre car..high tax. no young person is going to go above 1.4 on a golf or a focus, insurance gets to high also.

Personally i think the golf is overall brilliant car, looks good anywhere and is built like a rock compared to tin can boring toyota corolla. There are far more 98 vw golfs and polos on the road than escorts or fiestas. They are built to last!

Looks good anywhere in the dark maybe

Your opinion fair enough but think some of your points are well off the mark.
Theres only 100 euro between the price in tax and shag all difference in insurance, sure said "young person" could spend that out on a Saturday nite

I bet you would find Corollas with higher mileage than Golfs though

EPM

Carson10 wrote: »

Yep the corollas are still a box of tin, luckily there always towing a cattle trailer to save them taking off in the wind or sittin or outside the house of a teacher who wears brown cords and a knitted jumper.

And a Golf appeals to a totally different customer base

hellyeah

going a bit of topic here ( dont know if this is allowed) i have a 99 escort
full service history with low miles for sale in the adverts section if your interested op. wicklow area.
admin if this is not allowed just delete.

robobobo

daveharnett wrote: »

As others have said, VAG's 1.4 of that era is rubbish. Apart from being woefully underpowered (a 1L micra of the same era offers better power/weight), they like to shed what little power they have as they age (accompanied by burning oil, poisoned cats, and all the associated emissions problems). Avoid at all costs imo.

Really is that so?

It just seems so hard to believe that when there's so many of them on the road, surely half (slight exaggeration) the irish population couldn't be so wrong?!

robobobo

captainspeed wrote: »

If you're thinking about a Golf, get a Focus, the amount of knackered sounding 1.4 Golfs out there is ridiculous, even the early Mk 5s are sounding bad with tappety like noises(only louder) and they're 04-05 so only 5-6 years old!

Golfs, especially 1.4 petrols are one of the most overrated cars in that class(the uniquely Irish obession with getting the smallest and worst possible engine for a car never fails to amaze me), only the Toyota Corolla is more overrated, though that at least works(but it's still a complete POS, one of the most depressing cars I've ever had the misfortune to drive), well before it starts burning oil anyway like all VVT-is do:D.

I've always thought that VW's are very reliable cars, and looking at the amount of them that are still on our roads and running from the 98 - 02 is a lot higher than the number of renaults, peugeots etc... that you see on the roads.

Are the Polo's any better than the golf's?
Or what would you recommend for me then?

Orando Broom

My Uncle has averaged 80k (miles) a year on his last two cars.

Mine is a '99 with 3 owners me included and 105k miles.

I am due a change but I am finding...actually another thread for this.

Mileage is a bit of a cod. Hard miles verus maintained miles is the critical element.

robobobo

yop wrote: »

01 Focus 1.6 petrol, 126k miles..... how many owners JUST ME

Full service history (last 7 servicings done by me ) with receipts for all items bought, tires etc.

Yes car had markings/scratches for a 9 year old car but it runs as well as any car on the road, I serviced it every 8k miles.

I just sold it for 1900 euro.

So OP I wouldn't be put off at all, i would be keen to see a service history on it but you will have an idea by the car also.

You can buy a car with 50k miles on it and it can be a pile of sh*te

I was just getting ready to ring you up there and buy the car from you.....then I saw that you'd sold it :-(

robobobo

hellyeah wrote: »

going a bit of topic here ( dont know if this is allowed) i have a 99 escort
full service history with low miles for sale in the adverts section if your interested op. wicklow area.
admin if this is not allowed just delete.

Hm thanks for that, might follow you up on that

robobobo

Right guys,

I greatly appreciate all the responses you've given to me

You've really made me think twice now about getting myself a golf,
It's hard to believe all the negative points you've made, I knew the 1.4 might be a bit sluggish but comparing it to a 1l micra, didn't think it'd be that bad. I mean i'm not looking to race around mondello in it!

And going for a 1.6 or higher prob isn't the best option for a recently qualified 17 year old guy with regards to insurance is it?

Are all VW's like this? Or around the 00 mark, because most people my age have themselves golfs or polos and tbh I haven't heard them complain about them

I love the look of the Mk 4 golf, compared to other cars that age but what are looks when the car doesn't do what it's meant to do......all this burning oil and stuff doesn't sound too good.

What would you recommend then for me?

Thanks again

Bazzo

I don't have any great input because the only car I've owned at the age of 20(a 1.4 petrol 306) was possibly _THE_ biggest nightmare in the world.

Also, to those claiming that there's not much insurance difference in the insurance between 1.6's and lower cc engines I'd suggest you check that out. I personally haven't bothered recently but last I checked anywhere over 1.4, even at the age of 20 cost an extortionate amount. The best deal I got last on my 1.4 was just over €1k for 3rd party fire & theft with quinn and that was 1 year policy holder, 1 year named driving, 2 years full license holder and no claims.

JJJJNR

Maybe I didn't expain myself but I meant high mileage is greater than high number of owners.. last time I checked the > sign was still greater than.

Maybe I've missed something.? LOL EDIT OH yeah LOL blonde moment.

Predator_

I got a few quotes off quinn on a golf and focus, 1.4 and 1.6. All quotes were exactly the same, around 850 euro, mid 20's full license.

Bazzo

Predator_ wrote: »

I got a few quotes off quinn on a golf and focus, 1.4 and 1.6. All quotes were exactly the same, around 850 euro, mid 20's full license.

Yeah but the YMD bracket with the extortionate prices is 17-24/5 isn't it? Did you try getting a quote for a someone in that bracket(especially as the OP said he was 17 I believe).

Sofiztikated

The OP is 17. But what we're trying to explain is that a 1.4/1.6 Golf or Focus is generally the same insurance group. Either way, he's going to get shafted on insurance.

There does seem to be an Irish thing with cars, getting the base spec, and thinking its the mutts nuts.

Bazzo

Sofiztikated wrote: »

The OP is 17. But what we're trying to explain is that a 1.4/1.6 Golf or Focus is generally the same insurance group. Either way, he's going to get shafted on insurance.

There does seem to be an Irish thing with cars, getting the base spec, and thinking its the mutts nuts.

No don't get me wrong I get what you're saying I'm just trying to (politely)disagree from my own experience, and apparently getting lost in tangents while I'm at it.

The first time I was getting quoted for insurance on my own policy I decided to go for a 1.4 as I was quoted something like €400 more on a 1.6, although the difference from 1.0 - 1.4 wasn't even that much. Things may have changed by now, but this is my personal experience. Anyways this is really OT so I'll withdraw now.

rs8

get a car van??? diesel making beter mpg and low tax (for now) ???

dunsandin

Get an astra 1.4 - good, solid car, plenty of poke and cheap to run and fix. Beats any golf on all counts, our work one has 169k miles on routine servicing, its a '99 - you'd get one for a grand, tops.

yop

robobobo wrote: »

I was just getting ready to ring you up there and buy the car from you.....then I saw that you'd sold it :-(

Ah sorry about that. Brother in law bought it off me

Leonard Hofstadter

If the OP must have a 1.4 then the Corolla is very gutsy for that size of engine. It's just a pity the rest of the car is such an absolute heap of junk, from the quality of the interior plastics, to the way it rides, to the appalling steering and brakes, the notchy 'box and the 97-02s are not a safe car at all. They were quite bad in the NCAP tests whereas the Golf and Focus got 4 stars, which was the maximum back then.

Still it is reliable, well certainly it is leagues ahead of a Golf, especially a 1.4 Golf, although the earlier VVTis were notorious for burning copious quantites of oil and the integrated radio fails in most of them as well.

I would choose a Corolla over a 1.4 Golf because they are just so awful between sluggishness and unreliability; the TDIs and 1.6s which are reliable enough and have decent poke are a much better car than the Corolla though.

A Focus is on another level after those 2 though, it combines the strengths of both the Corolla and Golf and then is leagues ahead of either for the way it drives(with a 1.6, 1.4s are very slow, emphasis on the word very), it's simply the best car in the class!

Bazzo

took a quick gawk on carzone there at 1.4 focus' and the asking prices all seem to be over €2k for the 00's. Is this about right?

tobsey

OP have you thought about an Almera? A good few of them on Carzone in your price bracket and I'd say you'd find some in much better condition than a lot of the golfs that are out there.

bazz26

I would not bother with carzone with a budget of €2k. Carzone is mostly used by dealers and their €2k cars for sale tend to be rubbish that they got as trade-ins.

On your budget OP I would looking at buying private, just make sure you have a mechanic check the car out before buying it: This site is great for private sales and here are a few examples within your budget:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1577622
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1552626
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1580021
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1579367
http://www.adverts.ie/253104/cars/ford-focus-14-16v-zetec/page-2/#poststart

Atomic Pineapple

Predator_ wrote: »

I got a few quotes off quinn on a golf and focus, 1.4 and 1.6. All quotes were exactly the same, around 850 euro, mid 20's full license.

My cousin is 19 and insurance difference between 1.4 and 1.6 on any run of the mill car is not significantly higher.

Predator_

bazz26 wrote: »

I would not bother with carzone with a budget of €2k. Carzone is mostly used by dealers and their €2k cars for sale tend to be rubbish that they got as trade-ins.

On your budget OP I would looking at buying private, just make sure you have a mechanic check the car out before buying it: This site is great for private sales and here are a few examples within your budget:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1577622
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1552626
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1580021
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1579367
http://www.adverts.ie/253104/cars/ford-focus-14-16v-zetec/page-2/#poststart

sorry for the naive question, but how do you get a mechanic to check a car before you buy it?

PaulKK

Lads an awful lot of crap being thrown out about VW here.

A 1.4L golf is not going to be anywhere near as bad as many of you are making out.

Yes, they sometimes burn a bit of oil, and they can need a coilpack now and then, but in fairness its not going to be any worse than nearly any other car in the OPs budget.

Also I think the MK4 looks alright, its not the most stylish car but for its age and what you could get around then it aint bad.

Look, many of you on here may not like golfs and say they are boring and stuff like that, fair enough.. but to young lads they are pretty cool. I had a 1.4 MK3 and it took serious abuse from me, and my brother has a 1.4 MK4 and its been more or less trouble free. Neither cars ever let us down.

OP why not look at a 90bhp TDI, theres only 15bhp in the difference and you'll save the tax in fuel over the year?

In fairness I always changed the oil in mine at every 5K miles though.

Good luck whatever you buy OP.

EPM

PaulKK wrote: »

Lads an awful lot of crap being thrown out about VW here.

The majority isn't crap though

robobobo

PaulKK wrote: »

Lads an awful lot of crap being thrown out about VW here.

A 1.4L golf is not going to be anywhere near as bad as many of you are making out.

Yes, they sometimes burn a bit of oil, and they can need a coilpack now and then, but in fairness its not going to be any worse than nearly any other car in the OPs budget.

Also I think the MK4 looks alright, its not the most stylish car but for its age and what you could get around then it aint bad.

Look, many of you on here may not like golfs and say they are boring and stuff like that, fair enough.. but to young lads they are pretty cool. I had a 1.4 MK3 and it took serious abuse from me, and my brother has a 1.4 MK4 and its been more or less trouble free. Neither cars ever let us down.

OP why not look at a 90bhp TDI, theres only 15bhp in the difference and you'll save the tax in fuel over the year?

In fairness I always changed the oil in mine at every 5K miles though.

Good luck whatever you buy OP.

Thank you for the more positive comment there, I really find it hard to believe all the negativity when so many people own golfs and there still on the road and running.

With regards to the 90bhp TDI, the only problem with that is the insurance would be through the roof for a 1.9 tdi