If not the Polo, then......

[Bflat]

Don't get me wrong, i'm absolutely in love with my Polo, and having spent the last 6 months or so before buying it spending far too many hours on carsales and google etc. researching, I was wondering what everyone else was also considering before they bought their Polo?

Personally, I was tossing up between the GTI and a Liberty Wagon. I figured whist i'm young i'll get the two door and leave the sleeperwagon project for another time

What else did you consider?

[noone]

I wanted something small, fast and fun.
I looked at a few different cars, XR4 (not nearly enough power), Golf Mk4 GTI, Civic, etc.

For the price, I could not find anything I liked with the Polo potential and I loved the way it looks.

It did not take long for the chip and lowering as these were always planned. Since then, it has become an obsession, toy and thirdly transport. So much fun when you want a fang, I know the local twists very well...

[Bflat]

I wanted something small, fast and fun.
I looked at a few different cars, XR4 (not nearly enough power), Golf Mk4 GTI, Civic, etc.

For the price, I could not find anything I liked with the Polo potential and I loved the way it looks.

It did not take long for the chip and lowering as these were always planned. Since then, it has become an obsession, toy and thirdly transport. So much fun when you want a fang, I know the local twists very well...

Totally agree. I drove an XR4 as well - it just didn't have the torque I wanted, and as for the Cliosport - talk about unrefined. Can't say i've ever driven a MK4 GTI but a mate and I once hassled one in his MX5 through some twistys which was fun/educational.

What kind of Civic did you consider? I reckon they're way off form at the moment, nothing like what they used to be.
As with you, and with thanks to VWW, I was well aware of it's tuning potential and I can't see the chip taking to long for me to shell out for. Who'd you lower with?

[pixl]

I was looking at the Lancer VRX. Volkswagen were running an ad campaign about the Golf for $30k which was what the VRX was going for. Went in to check it out, not even aware that a Polo GTI existed. Really unimpressed with the VRX, engine sounded really bad. The Golf was nice but the look on my face when I started up the Polo GTI -- ahh, l'amore

[vwthunder]

After having the polo any enjoying something that is quite quick, I would probably go for something with more tuning potential, eg Evo 8 or newer lancer

[Blitzen]

I test drove the XR4, XR5, WRX, and Astra SRI Turbo before settling on the Polo GTI. Easy car had it's plusses and minuses, but I was, and am very happy with the Polo.

[break]

I'm a bit of a car sl*t, so looked at just about everything prior to buying my Polo. I settled on the Polo as it was the best compromise of speed/comfort/practicality I could afford this side of a Golf GTI.

[jamesatfish]

Might sound odd but I walked into the VW dealer looking to buy 2 Caddy vans, but realised a Polo with no back seats would do almost as good a job as the Caddy for the things I wanted to cart around, was several thousand dollars cheaper and there was a suitable car sitting on the showroom floor versus the 6 month wait for my Caddy order. Ended up buying the Polo GTI and only ordering 1 Caddy.

[seangti]

I went through the same cars as others have said above. I needed a car that I could do some track days with, was comfortable and not noisy, could add roof racks not pay over $1000 a year in insurance, or over low $20k's to purchase. All the jap stuff; evo's, wrx's, 200sx's blew out the insurance side of things and the nissan 200's/350's etc can't hold roof racks.

[sssstew]

For me 5 months ago it was between the polo and a mini cooper S. Had to be small and light and with a good amount of pull, both of those cars are quite rare so didnt have a choice of more than a couple of cars. Took a Cooper S for a good spin and it lacked the pull, the surge you get when on boost, then took a Polo GTI out the day after and put my foot down from the lights and put a smile on my face which is what its all about so bought it the same day.

[Bflat]

For me 5 months ago it was between the polo and a mini cooper S. Had to be small and light and with a good amount of pull, both of those cars are quite rare so didnt have a choice of more than a couple of cars. Took a Cooper S for a good spin and it lacked the pull, the surge you get when on boost, then took a Polo GTI out the day after and put my foot down from the lights and put a smile on my face which is what its all about so bought it the same day.

Nice.
I partially considered a Cooper S but never got around to driving one (sat in my friends base cooper and wasn't impressed)
I probably spent too long in hindsight researching (9 months+) so when I first drove the gti (still new at the dealers!) I got the same feeling and said to myself "you want this car, even if you forget the feeling for a while you know you want it."
Finally got around to finding the perfect one and have been ecstatic since!

[tooch]

I wasn't really considering a Polo at all when I bought mine, I was going to buy a MKV Golf GTI or a Jetta. Wasn't keen on paying almost $30k for a 4-5 year old Golf with no warranty, so looked around a bit. When I saw a brand new Polo GTI at the dealers for under $24k drive away, I made the decision then and there

[Hilal]

The Polo GTi has got to be the best all round car, I've ever had and I've been through about 16 cars, wrx, swift, civic, pulsar, pulsar sss, forester gt, focus zetec.

Don't waste your time, just buy a Polo GTi.

[Ralfi]

I was thinking of a Golf GT initially, but the price was too much for a car I wasn't going to be driving every day. I also didn't know about the Polo GTI until a few weeks before I bought one. Knew it was the one as soon as I drove it.

[Fishoross]

I looked at a lot of different cars - mostly ones that were too expensive (XR5 turbo) but seriously considered something 2nd hand from the Renault stable. A Clio Cup 182 would probably have one out if there were more around on this side of the country. The Pog's great though - excellent bang for the buck (thanks for all the mods Chipped!) and great fun.