Volkswagen Golf - Which engine to get

mhackett102

Hi folks,
Im looking to buy a Volkswagen Golf mk5 (2004+ model).
What would be the best suited engine for me?
I am currently insured on a diesel Ford Mondeo and I would like to buy a diesel again, but is it really worth paying the bit more for it, and paying more for tax and insurance then?

I am 18 years old and the car would be needed for driving to college next year, to work at the weekend, and the usual trips around the place then.
The Mondeo clocked up 30k km over the past year. There are two of us insured on it but I done the majority of the driving.

The three engines I would consider would be the 1.4 , 1.6 or the 1.9tdi

Noccy_Mondy

1.9 is the only one out of that bunch worth considering. 2.0 gti if you won't do the mileage for diesel. Realistically you haven't a hope of getting insured handy on either. Judging by the mondeo pics, you are still a learner? Very difficult, bordering impossible to get a quote so!

Bpmull

I have a 07 1.9tdi comfortline one. I was in a 1.4 during the week and I think they are grand around town but are just not powerful at all. Not sure what the 1.6 is like as I've never been in one. My 1.9tdi is adequate power wise pulls fairly well through the gears but it's still only 105bhp at the end of the day. I would personally recommend them my next car will most likely be a mk6.

mhackett102

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

1.9 is the only one out of that bunch worth considering. 2.0 gti if you won't do the mileage for diesel. Realistically you haven't a hope of getting insured handy on either. Judging by the mondeo pics, you are still a learner? Very difficult, bordering impossible to get a quote so!

Not a hope would I get insured on the 2.0 gti anyways.

Yep, still a Learner but the quotes ive got havent been too bad as I have one years driving done and had no accidents/claims.

I looked up insurance on a diesel Polo. €2200 as a Learner, €1600 with a Full Licence. I wont be doing anything regarding a car until May/June, so hopefully I'll get a test date and pass before then.

mhackett102

Bpmull wrote: »

I have a 07 1.9tdi comfortline one. I was in a 1.4 during the week and I think they are grand around town but are just not powerful at all. Not sure what the 1.6 is like as I've never been in one. My 1.9tdi is adequate power wise pulls fairly well through the gears but it's still only 105bhp at the end of the day. I would personally recommend them my next car will most likely be a mk6.

Ill be doing a lot of country road driving and a bit of motorway, not much city. The 1.4 would be cheaper to insure and tax, but I do need a bit of power in the car. Whats it like on fuel? And did you have to spend much on maintenance?

Bpmull

mhackett102 wrote: »

Ill be doing a lot of country road driving and a bit of motorway, not much city. The 1.4 would be cheaper to insure and tax, but I do need a bit of power in the car. Whats it like on fuel? And did you have to spend much on maintenance?

I'm getting about 50-55mpg out of mine kind of mixed driving but normally a lot of trips. I have it just under a year and have 30k km on it and since I've got it ive did 2 services so just oil and filters got 4 tyres and replaced front and rear pads and that's it well wipers too. It's the least I've ever had to spend on a car.

Noccy_Mondy

mhackett102 wrote:

I looked up insurance on a diesel Polo. €2200 as a Learner, €1600 with a Full Licence. I wont be doing anything regarding a car until May/June, so hopefully I'll get a test date and pass before then.

Golf is in a different insurance league to a polo though. Golf is a grand car to have, I can see the popularity of them tbh. But to me anyway, paying anything near or over 2.5k on insurance, no matter who you are is madness, dead money. I'd just find a car that could be insured easier for a few years until you build up a ncb and then insurance will come down. I know it would be difficult to drop down from spending a long stint in a 125 brake mondeo

mhackett102

Bpmull wrote: »

I'm getting about 50-55mpg out of mine kind of mixed driving but normally a lot of trips. I have it just under a year and have 30k km on it and since I've got it ive did 2 services so just oil and filters got 4 tyres and replaced front and rear pads and that's it well wipers too. It's the least I've ever had to spend on a car.

Jesus thats very good to be getting. The Mondeo is averaging around 40-45mpg.
I think the 1.9tdi will be the way to go, unless I hear anything different from anyone else!

mhackett102

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

Golf is in a different insurance league to a polo though. Golf is a grand car to have, I can see the popularity of them tbh. But to me anyway, paying anything near or over 2.5k on insurance, no matter who you are is madness, dead money. I'd just find a car that could be insured easier for a few years until you build up a ncb and then insurance will come down. I know it would be difficult to drop down from spending a long stint in a 125 brake mondeo

Thats the other side to it.. As good the 1.9tdi engine may be, the insurance will be expensive (for me).

I need to look in more to the 1.4 engine in the Golf and see what their like.
I would much prefer to have a strong car, rather than the likes of the Micra or Fiesta.

George Dalton

The 2.0TDI 140bhp is by far the best diesel engine in those Golfs.

Bpmull

Just to mention too from mid 2006 onwards the 1.9tdi golfs have the bxe engine which in some case the conrod can break there is a thread on here about it in the last week or so. While I've never heard of it happen outside of online it can happen. It's quite unpredictable as to whether it would happen I know of plenty of bxe golfs with 300k km plus on them with original engines.

vandriver

Don't get a BXE engine.
Bpmull beat me to it!
My brother's golf TDI bxe engine threw a conrod out the side of the engine.

rebelbmx

George Dalton wrote: »

The 2.0TDI 140bhp is by far the best diesel engine in those Golfs.

The 2.0 TDI are known for cracking heads, would avoid

George Dalton

rebelbmx wrote: »

The 2.0 TDI are known for cracking heads, would avoid

Only the very early ones (2004-2005). And they have pretty much all been fixed by now and will have the revised head fitted.

briang747

1.9tdi is pretty bulletproof and has ample power. 2.0tdi was known for cracking heads and injectors going, but this may well be sorted by now. 1.4fsi is supposedly ****e and the worst of the lot. 1.6 is the better pick in the petrols but id still go for 1.9tdi if anything.
Its VW's best engine by far

mhackett102

Folks a new car has come into equation. An Audi A3.
I'd probably be buying the 2005/2006 model, and I would only consider the 1.6 and 1.9tdi engines.

For the type of driving I am doing (as mentioned in post #1) which would be most suited for me? And what would be the most common problems with the two engines?

squadro

I have the 1.6 audi straight and it wouldn't blow the stones out from under ya.
And there's a judder from moving off that is annoying as ****.

bazz26

The A3 is a Golf underneath and uses the same engines.

mhackett102

bazz26 wrote: »

The A3 is a Golf underneath and uses the same engines.

Yep both are practically the same, and are around the same price. But I prefer the A3 as it offers bit more spec and I'd prefer a 3dr car, so it will be easier to get a 3dr A3 than a Golf.

mhackett102

Sorry for bringing this up again, but has anyone had any experience with the Audi A3 1.6 petrol engine? And he same question regarding the 1.9 tdi?
Im going to a garage this weekend and the man has the two cars in stock., would just like to know a bit about the two and what to be looking out for!

bazz26

They are the exact same engines found in the Golf so the same pros and cons apply. The 1.9 TDi would be superior to the 1.6 petrol however.

Henry Ford III

mhackett102 wrote: »

Ill be doing a lot of country road driving and a bit of motorway, not much city. The 1.4 would be cheaper to insure and tax, but I do need a bit of power in the car. Whats it like on fuel? And did you have to spend much on maintenance?

Not on a learner permit I hope.

mhackett102

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Not on a learner permit I hope.

Certainly not. Got my full licence a couple of weeks ago

lomb

The 1.6 8 valve engine is not very good and the 1.4 75 BHP petrol is better as its 16v and revvy whereas the 1.6 wont.
The later fsi 16v 1.6 is a good engine if thirsty.
The diesels 1.9 are agricultural and no where near as good as the petrols. Even the 2l diesel common rail and that came in 2008 isn't very good. Sure its torquey but doesn't rev and is not a nice engine to drive. I shudder whenever I have a choice of driving one city driving. Good in cruise on open road though. No one wants to admit failure especially when they are paying for something but diesels are crap overall with manual gearboxes. I look forward genuinely to driving the 1.8 turbo petrol in my Tt and I wouldn't doubt a Mk5 2l gti would be similar.
Petrol all the way but you will pay for it at the pumps which wouldn't suit everyone.

Paul.k.b.90

Last 2 cars have been a MK5 14. golf and an Audi A3 2.0tdi sport.. Audi is a great car..600 miles a week and haven't had an issues (yet). The 1.4 golfs are ok for little city runs but any sort of motor driving I found it very underwhelming..Its a lot of car for a small engine, but saying that it again never gave me any trouble..only reason I switched was because I was offered a new job and needed a diesel for the commute..

Given your choice I would go with the 1.6 or the 1.9 if you do the miles to warrant a diesel

mhackett102

Going looking at a Passat, Bora and A3 on saturday (all are 1.9tdi) in a garage near enough to me so I'll see what the outcome is.

He also has a 1.4 Golf in stock so I may check that one out too! But Im very impressed with the Audi A3 he has in stock so that may be a possibility.