Second hand cars? 99 Focus or 98 Golf

Cus-Dublin

Can anyone help me, im about to buy a second hand car and am looking at either a 98 Golf new model or 99 focus lx hatchback both 1.4 petrol, has anyone any advice on which car to pick and approx how much i should be paying, i have budget of about 6000. Cheers in advance.

fletch

If you enjoy drivin then I suggest the Focus.....if you care about resale values, then the Golf is the one to go for.....both will be equally as reliable to be honest. Personally there would be no contest for me, it would be the Focus all the way.

AlienGav

I concour! Love sayin that!

Focus all the way! The Golf is very sluggish! And you'll get much more bang for your buck with the Ford!

Cus-Dublin

Cheers, was just readin some old converstaions and someone said it would be better to wait til around the end of nov to buy as most people will want to get them off their hands before the new year and so would let them go for a lot less? I also heard the 1.4 focus can be a bit sluggish overtaking and was told to check out 1.6, not sure bout insurance tho!

greglo23

the late 90's golf 1.4's have problems with the gearbox and the catalytic converters. the focus would be a better buy.

ando

if yar getting a focus, try get a 1.6. The 1.4 is sl....o....................o............................w

bazz26

Both cars in 1.4 form will not light up the road but the 1.4 Focus is actually nipper than the Golf due to being lighter. The Focus is also more entertaining to drive than the Golf and has a slicker gearbox.

The ultra reliable image that the Mk IV Golf had was very over rated hence the bumped up prices some people will pay for them is unreal.

The only real let down of the Focus was that it did not have ABS as standard. Just check the brakes on the Focus as I heard that there was an issue on some of the early Focus models.

oilsheik

Golf IV has an axel on the back whereas the Focus has an independent multi link suspension for each back wheel. Therefore to drive the Golf will feel more rigid than the focus. As greglo said the Golf from 98 - 00 suffered for gearbox problems and the petrol engines burned oil. Good luck with your purchase.

stevenmu

For about 6k you could probably get a '00 Leon, which is basically the Golf with a nicer body, as with the Golf 1.4s aren't fast and 1.6s are quite rare.

kluivert

I have a 1999 Astra 1.4 16v DOHC with 73k and it kicks ass. It leaves Golfs standing as they are to fat and heavy.

Astra's are cheap in the UK check them out, easy to maintain and there's a great support network from www.astra-sport.co.uk They know everything there is about the car. Seriously my car ticks over quiter that some newer cars i cant beleive it - but i service it every 5k though so it seems to be doing the trick.

Focus is a good car as well. But a no no to the Golf - If your going to go with the Golf be aware theres lots of Crash and Repairs Jobs due to their high re sale value.

yop

if u can avoid the 1.4, they are a wheelbarrow with an engine, if u can push to the 1.6 u will not regret it, but if u are not too bother about power and over taking then the 1.4 will suit you no bother.

As said the Golf is much heavier, but also as said a nice Leon is a good car.

bmoferrall

kluivert wrote:

I have a 1999 Astra 1.4 16v DOHC with 73k and it kicks ass.

I had one of those ('98 1.4) once upon a time.
Thought it handled like a shopping trolley full of rocks.
On one occasion I was outsprinted from the lights by a punto.
Another occasion I found myself behind a honda, pootling along at 15mph. Driver had a mobile pinned under one ear and was munching a sandwich.
Feck this. I 'floored it' and attempted an audacious overtaking maneouvre :cool:.
With a flex of his right ankle I was left floundering in his wake, red-faced and looking for a convenient hole to disappear into .
Another petrolhead was born that day :rolleyes: .
Kicks ass? It's all relative I suppose. I resolved from that day to get rid of it anyway.
...bullet-proof reliability though...