discounted used golf - has a number of scratches - go or no go?

[iampivot]

I have the option of buying a used golf V 1.6L Trendline at around au$16500. However, the car has a few scratches. Am curious if someone has an opinion if it's worth it to get the car with these blemishes, or I should stay away. What would it cost to fix these?

There's also a small dent in the right side back door, near the front door handle. I can provide higher res pics on request.

[STV4SYT]

Hmmm, if it hasnt been looked after on the outside has it been looked after mechanically?

In saying that ive had my car 3 months and done 6500km and have got 2 stone chips on the bonnet, paint has come off the rear bumper when i knocked into it with a guitar and one on the rear passengers door has a large chip where it got opened into a rail.

Is it me or does the paint come off the golf real easily?

[Mischa]

Is it me or does the paint come off the golf real easily?

LOL!!!!

my paint is still all there... although i havent smacked anything

I have the option of buying a used golf V 1.6L Trendline at around au$16500. However, the car has a few scratches. Am curious if someone has an opinion if it's worth it to get the car with these blemishes, or I should stay away. What would it cost to fix these?

There's also a small dent in the right side back door, near the front door handle. I can provide higher res pics on request.

if your'e in sydney i can hook you up with a good (excellent) smash repairer. take the car there and get a quote before you buy it. pm me if you want the details.

[iampivot]

if your'e in sydney i can hook you up with a good (excellent) smash repairer. take the car there and get a quote before you buy it. pm me if you want the details.

Bummer, I'm in Brisbane.

I figure a few of those would need fixing in any case to prevent rust. But I'm curious about ballpark figures here. Am I talking $400 or $1000 to fix these?

[Mischa]

Bummer, I'm in Brisbane.

I figure a few of those would need fixing in any case to prevent rust. But I'm curious about ballpark figures here. Am I talking $400 or $1000 to fix these?

the better part of 1000$ unfortunately

[McCosker]

If your not worried about a few chips its prob a good deal. I have always figured that chips are things are somthing that just happens if you drive your car. You might pick up a brand new car drive it out on the road then a truck flicks a rock up and then you have a chip.
If this car has been taken care of mechanically, i reckon it could be ok.

[jdd]

It’s a little hard to tell the exact colour but it appears to be silver.
If this is the case, or for that matter any metallic colour a repair will usually involve painting the entire panel. From experience, you can usually count on around 4-$500 per panel to prepare and paint in a metallic colour. The dent repair would be on to of that. I know it probably doesn’t look much but realistically you could be looking at $1000+ to repair this damage properly.

You also need to consider other costs like the transfer fee that, I believe for this type of vehicle in QLD is 3%, which effectively adds another $500 to the price.
This turns it into an 18K plus car, which seems pricey considering I think there is/was a special on run-out 1.6 trendlines for 19,990 drive away.

[iampivot]

It’s a little hard to tell the exact colour but it appears to be silver.

Yes it's silver metallic. The circular mark is at the side behind the back door. It's the panel that goes from the roof down to the wheel. I believe this panel is actually just an extension of the roof?

If this is the case, or for that matter any metallic colour a repair will usually involve painting the entire panel.

Is there any halfway repair that is possible that doesn't look too bad?

You also need to consider other costs like the transfer fee that, I believe for this type of vehicle in QLD is 3%, which effectively adds another $500 to the price.

I didn't know there was a tax on buying used cards in Queensland. I've just moved here from Europe myself. This has to be paid when transferring the registration?

This turns it into an 18K plus car, which seems pricey considering I think there is/was a special on run-out 1.6 trendlines for 19,990 drive away.

Hmm, I see used 1.6L Trendlines selling for more then $20000. When did they sell them new for $19990 driveaway? Most recently, I had a girl who wanted $20000 for a three year old bog standard 1.6L Trendline with 48000 km on it.

[Mischa]

take this as a price guide. i had a ding removed and resprayed (including spraying and colour coding at least 1m around the ding as well) for 350 cash. that scratch on the edge of the door looks easy, i reckon you could get that done for 250.

[jdd]

Yes it's silver metallic. The circular mark is at the side behind the back door. It's the panel that goes from the roof down to the wheel. I believe this panel is actually just an extension of the roof?

That would be called the 'C' pillar.
The problem with metallic colours, particularly light colours is that they are quite difficult to match precisely. It also has an added problem of matching the metallic flake size which, on VW's I believe is very small.
Unless this is all done exactly, you will be able to see where the new paint has been applied. If you look for it, you'll be amazed at how many metallic coloured cars are on the road with one panel that is a slightly different shade to the rest of the car.

Is there any halfway repair that is possible that doesn't look too bad?

For the chipped paint on the panel edges you might find that 'touch up' paint and a small brush produces an acceptable result although it will still be noticeable.
Also, bear in mind the Golf has a galvanised body so just because the paint has been scratched, it probably still won't rust unless the scratch is very deep and has penetrated the galvanised coating.

I didn't know there was a tax on buying used cards in Queensland. I've just moved here from Europe myself. This has to be paid when transferring the registration?

I reside in Victoria where we have flat 4% stamp duty payable when transferirng ownership of a used registered car. In QLD they have a variable scale depending on the car type and number of cylinders, for a 4 cyl it is 3%.
It is allso different with new cars, in Vic it is 2.5%, not sure about QLD.

Hmm, I see used 1.6L Trendlines selling for more then $20000. When did they sell them new for $19990 driveaway? Most recently, I had a girl who wanted $20000 for a three year old bog standard 1.6L Trendline with 48000 km on it.

I'm 99% certain there are currently(or have just finished), TV ads running advertising drive away specials on Golfs where the Trendline is/was advertised as 19,990 drive away.

[THR]

^ I think it was more like $25,490.

[volx]

It’s a little hard to tell the exact colour but it appears to be silver.
If this is the case, or for that matter any metallic colour a repair will usually involve painting the entire panel. From experience, you can usually count on around 4-$500 per panel to prepare and paint in a metallic colour. The dent repair would be on to of that. I know it probably doesn’t look much but realistically you could be looking at $1000+ to repair this damage properly.

You also need to consider other costs like the transfer fee that, I believe for this type of vehicle in QLD is 3%, which effectively adds another $500 to the price.
This turns it into an 18K plus car, which seems pricey considering I think there is/was a special on run-out 1.6 trendlines for 19,990 drive away.

Ha ha, what planet are you living on? Sorry, but there has never been and will never be a Golf, even base/Trendline manual, new for $19,990 drive away. A good friend sells them, and could get me an auto Trendline during last year's free-on-roads runout for $26,800 drive away. That's still over $24,000 manual. So don't kid yourself - you're not looking at an Edition at full price. As for this particular car, is that much lower based on age/kms than most others advertised? If not, why not hold out until you find one that doesn't need panel beating? Or get a quote and offer the price minus the quote. If you're looking at hagglign on exterior condition, you'll have much more luck with a private seller than a dealer. In fact, I wouldn't buy used from a dealer - they jack up the price enormously. Hope that helps... if I wasn't happy driving the car as I bought it, I wouldn't touch it. Scratches will happen, but it's different if they're yours... unless they result in an AMMMAAAAZING discount!

[iampivot]

As for this particular car, is that much lower based on age/kms than most others advertised? If not, why not hold out until you find one that doesn't need panel beating?

I have a similar one offered me at $18200. It's in pristine condition paint wise and recently serviced, but it's a 2004 model and has 48000 kms on it. Both of these are from private sellers. I can probably jack both down slightly more though.

Or get a quote and offer the price minus the quote. If you're looking at hagglign on exterior condition, you'll have much more luck with a private seller than a dealer.

It seems it's a buyers market these days. I assume the times are catching up with people and they don't as willingly buy new stuff these days.

It would be nice to have a model above the base level though. I'm viewing a comfortline 2.0FSI tomorrow at an asking price of $19500, but it's in white... I can get a 1.9TDI comfortline at about $23000, but I also have to negotiate with the missus, and she doesn't like the prospect of getting a European car, she thinks they're too expensive.

[iampivot]

Can anyone recommend somewhere in Brisbane to get quotes on paint work?

[jdd]

Ha ha, what planet are you living on? !

I thought it was planet Earth last time I checked
Ok, maybe I got it wrong, if so apologies
I could of sworn they were 19,990 in this TV ad recently but then maybe I am on another planet...
Anyway, back to the OP, if you can't live with the damage, I think you can do better elsewhere. You will nearly always get a better deal by purchasing privately. Dealers have many 'overheads' to cover when selling used cars.