Buying a 2nd Golf

[Chiefty]

Hi Guys,

Just got a quick question for all you guys,

I'm planning on buying a second hand mk5 golf.

My budget is $20,000
Currently looking around the net (autotrader, drive, etc)
I've narrowed it down to two:

2005 Golf 2.0 FSI COMFORTLINE 1K
54,400km's
$22990 (hoping to hagle a fair bit and get the price down to atleast $20k)
This car is an ex-fleet, and comes with a 2 year warranty and maintance history

2005 Volkswagen Golf 1.6 Trendline 2005
12,500km's
$19,800 This is being sold Privately and has warranty until Nov 08.

I expect to have the car for atleast 3-4 years. This is my problem. I like the FSI Golf, and i've heard great things about it. but is 54,000km's too many for a second hand golf(although this has a 2 year warranty)? I've seen some FSI's which have done 77,000km+ which have been advertised for $25,000+. Currently on my Green P-Plates so i can;t go the TDI which is a shame. (Insurance has been quoted at $3k)

the reason i'm choosing a golf is because I love to interior of the mk5s.

I want a car that is going to be fun to drive, have some zippyness about.

All i'm after is peoples opionons about the two, and which one they would choose

Thanks for your help.

Steven

[Mischa]

Hi Guys,

Just got a quick question for all you guys,

I'm planning on buying a second hand mk5 golf.

My budget is $20,000
Currently looking around the net (autotrader, drive, etc)
I've narrowed it down to two:

2005 Golf 2.0 FSI COMFORTLINE 1K
54,400km's
$22990 (hoping to hagle a fair bit and get the price down to atleast $20k)
This car is an ex-fleet, and comes with a 2 year warranty and maintance history

2005 Volkswagen Golf 1.6 Trendline 2005
12,500km's
$19,800 This is being sold Privately and has warranty until Nov 08.

I expect to have the car for atleast 3-4 years. This is my problem. I like the FSI Golf, and i've heard great things about it. but is 54,000km's too many for a second hand golf(although this has a 2 year warranty)? I've seen some FSI's which have done 77,000km+ which have been advertised for $25,000+. Currently on my Green P-Plates so i can;t go the TDI which is a shame. (Insurance has been quoted at $3k)

the reason i'm choosing a golf is because I love to interior of the mk5s.

I want a car that is going to be fun to drive, have some zippyness about.

All i'm after is peoples opionons about the two, and which one they would choose

Thanks for your help.

Steven

dont expect us to choose between the two haha. but yes id get the 2.0fsi in manual (not that one though i wouldnt touch a fleet vehicle) the 1.6 is a sluggish very very slow thing. although if i wasnt stuck with the mk5 thing i would go for a mk4 bora v6 4motion. 150kw, 4wd, leather, sunroof standard on every single one and they can be had for 20k. plus the interior is of better quality than the mk5 anyway. look at ones in black they are mega hot

[Lima]

...I want a car that is going to be fun to drive, have some zippyness about...

Definitely don't get a 1.6, and I'd then have to question your definition of "zippyness" before saying go the 2.0FSI. But, the chassis is generally conducive to being fun to drive, so you're on the right track there.

Can you stack shelves at Woolies and increase your budget a bit?

Otherwise, 55K shouldn't be an issue, so long as the car has been well maintained and you plan to do likewise.

Good luck.

(Fancy a Peugeot 306 S16 or GTi6 ... great to drive, plenty zippy enough, and apart from being French, haha, a great little car.)

[neil]

Strange the TDI and insurance issues. Have you explained to your
insurance company its a diesel, or is it the turbo thing.
If your interested in the fsi with 55000k's search out a few threads on this
site for the 60000k service costs.

[SoVeReIgN]

2L FSI no question.

Save for a couple more months and get a 2L. 1.6 is gutless.

[limmy]

don't know what your family situation is like...kids or no kids. if it were me...i would be getting a polo gti. but that's just me.

[volx]

ah here we go again... my little GT and GTI friends. To the newb thinking of an a-b car that will be relatively cheap to run, earn him some street cred with the non-enthusiast population, and leave some cash to spare, the 1.6 will be fine. Despite warnings from 'real drivers', I tested the 1.6 auto for myself and find it a nice, smooth drive around the city/suburbs, where traffic precludes real driving anyway. The FSI doesn't feel any different under these circumstances... it's just going to cost you more over the time you intend owning it. It will soon need an exy 60,000km service, will start to need things replacing in your ownership cycle that wouldn't with a low kms 1.6, will cost slightly more in petrol... get a basically new car within your means now, and keep something to aspire to later when you can truly afford your dream - a DSG or even GT perhaps?! x

[volx]

...oh, and you could haggle the 1.6 price down and get yourself a VGA extended warranty if you cared for one (before November when yours expires)... but I'd just get an inspection before buying... shouldn't have much go wrong with those kms and anything should've been picked up at the 7,500 service.

[evorobin]

2.0 FSI is a gem with manual box don't go 1.6 it'll be sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[99gti]

2.0 FSI for the win... Mind you - I have seen 1.6 do some amazing feats. Any one who has had the miss fortune of being behind matt in his Mk4 1.6 will know that these things can still cary their speed well.

[comfortline]

go the 2.0. the 1.6 is a boat anchor.

[Mischa]

ah here we go again... my little GT and GTI friends. To the newb thinking of an a-b car that will be relatively cheap to run, earn him some street cred with the non-enthusiast population, and leave some cash to spare, the 1.6 will be fine. Despite warnings from 'real drivers', I tested the 1.6 auto for myself and find it a nice, smooth drive around the city/suburbs, where traffic precludes real driving anyway. The FSI doesn't feel any different under these circumstances... it's just going to cost you more over the time you intend owning it. It will soon need an exy 60,000km service, will start to need things replacing in your ownership cycle that wouldn't with a low kms 1.6, will cost slightly more in petrol... get a basically new car within your means now, and keep something to aspire to later when you can truly afford your dream - a DSG or even GT perhaps?! x

i feel bad for you that your actually very sensible and reasonable advice will go unheeded lol. ah well we just dont learn do we

[volx]

i feel bad for you that your actually very sensible and reasonable advice will go unheeded lol. ah well we just dont learn do we

Ha ha, thanks for the sympathy Mischa, I know it will go unheeded by those with FSIs and GTIs in their eyes, lol! But having read this person's dilemma, thought I'd throw in two cents... because it's two cents I can afford to lose!

[fbruxel]

2.0FSI for sure...

otherwise find yourself a low km's SP23, it's an awesome car and can be had for the price you're after....