Used car purchase suggestions

ste

Appreciate any help with selecting my next car

Background:
Cash buyer - giving old 1.6 focus hatch away
Budget €10-€15k
Age is very (very) late 20's
full license 3+ years
2+ years full NCB (once got fully insured)
Nothing (no claims) carried over from named driver, was randomly on other policies

Current 3rd party insurance ~ 500€

typically 10k miles p/year driving mostly urban/semi

What I want:
size~ between 3 series and mini
Much faster than had before, ie. at least 140bhp
Very nice inside, ideally mp3 connection, ac, comfortable (and whatever car I get it must be v v cleanly kept)
50k or less miles
Petrol
Insurance < €1k
Tax - max 2litre old system
I'd buy private provided all the important boxes in terms of service history/nct etc. are ticked

Plan would be to drive for about 2+ years until I'm ready to move up

My only thought so far is a MkV GTI - it'd be a significant step up (might be too much of a step up in terms of speed) but I'm fairly sure insurance would hit my max limit as would tax hit my limit

So is there anything else, either at or lower in terms of speed than the GTI that might fill my needs!

Dilbert75

147

coylemj

Yes, go for the Mk V Golf GT, either the 140 or 170 bhp models, the 170 has the twin exhaust, otherwise you can't tell the difference between them. You should be able to find one for 10k or so and the insurance won't be as heavy as the GTI.

Engine (petrol that is) is 1,396 c.c. so tax is 333.

bazz26

Someone else here was going to look at this but if it is still available it looks like alot of car for the money:

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201112201744260

ste

thanks for advice

re: Mk V Golf GT, either the 140 or 170 bhp models
Big difference in insurance class between these models, seems to be few and far between of the 170's out there and the 140's seems to be low enough spec inside? haven't seen any examples that jump out... also are they a patch on the GTI?

that TT linked looks brilliant - I just couldn't pull it off!

I priced up insurance on the GTI and it's a lot but I'm willing to go for it

But is there anything else I should be looking at? The Leon FR just looks drab inside. TT too flash.
What you think of
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volkswagen/Golf/2.0-GTI-/201117202160979/advert?channel=CARS
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volkswagen/Golf-GTi/200-b.h./201117202214360/advert?channel=CARS

MetzgerMeister

What would you think of a Mazda RX-8? It fits the bill apart from mp3 connectivity (although this can easily be done), taxed as a 1.8 i.e. €551 per annum.

coylemj

ste wrote: »

thanks for advice

re: Mk V Golf GT, either the 140 or 170 bhp models
Big difference in insurance class between these models, seems to be few and far between of the 170's out there and the 140's seems to be low enough spec inside? haven't seen any examples that jump out... also are they a patch on the GTI?

The Sportline spec. was merged into the GT in about July 2007 so the GT became the 'GT Sport', that's what's on the radiator badge so if you go for 2008 or late 2007 you should pick up a GT Sport and the spec. is pretty good. The tailgate badge changed at the same time from 'GT' to 'TSI'.

I'm not aware that there was any difference in trim between the 140 and 170 models, the twin exhaust as far as I'm aware was the only visible difference.

On donedeal put just 'Golf' in the model field, then in the search box type GT and either 140 or 170, click on 'More Search Options', give it a range of 2007 to 2008, tick the Petrol box and click the search button, you'll find five 140s and twelve 170s.

ste

Appreciate the advice on the below...

Would you view this car if you were in the market for a GTI in this price range. I dont mind that it has 4 doors.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volkswagen/Golf-GTi/200-Bhp-/201120202459995/advert?channel=CARS