Lookin @ Polo GTI, please help.

[MaximusSmurf]

Hey guys..... yay for 1st post!

So hello to everyone and thanks for having me on your forums. I'll just give some background info first.

I've just recently landed a new sales job. So the motorbikes (Honda VTR 250 for sale soon if anyones interested) gotta go so I can find myself a car.

I'll be doing a fair bit of driving, I live pretty rural (down near Phillip Island) and the jobs out this way. Looking for something fuel economical (which the polo's seem to be) and looking for something comfortable (will find out this arvo, taking a new one for a test drive).

Now at the moment I'm saving up to go back overseas (probably to Europe for a year or two). The new job will help this as it pays better. So I'll be keeping the car for maybe 1-2 years.

As far as I can see this is how the Polo Gti's rate so far:
Pro's
Good resale?
Cheap insurance (pretty much)
Fuel econ
Comfortable?
Plenty of power (chip)
Light/good through corners?

Con's
A bit expensive
Servicing expensive?
2 Door (also not much back seat room)
Front wheel drive


Thats about what I know so far..... back seat probably isn't a really big concern, but some real world opinions would be super helpful. As would any servicing/maintenance info.

MY MAIN CONCERN....... this is where things get interesting..... is that I would definitely be getting it chipped straight away. Just can't resist all that torque. But because the chip makes such a large increase I assume it would change the driving dynamics of the car quite a lot. As I stated earlier I am going to test drive a new one from a dealer today (although I'd probably rather buy 2nd to save a couple of thousand on resale).

Ideally it would be great it some SUPER nice people of this forum wanted to let me take their car chipped polo gti for a drive. I understand thats a big ask.... even if anyone knew where I could ie Dealers with chip stock (unlikely) or maybe from an APR dealer, even know of someone in Victoria selling a chipped Polo GTI?

I know this was long winded and involving first post, so thanks again if you managed to read all the way through. I appreciate any help / advice that people can give relating to anything I have mentioned.

Also not sure if its relevant but my last car was a 2.2litre Astra SRI. I have driven some of my friends cars which include R32 gts-t, R32 GTR, S14, S15, EvoVII, VY Commodore SS (auto=yuck).....

[Mischa]

Hey guys..... yay for 1st post!

So hello to everyone and thanks for having me on your forums. I'll just give some background info first.

I've just recently landed a new sales job. So the motorbikes (Honda VTR 250 for sale soon if anyones interested) gotta go so I can find myself a car.

I'll be doing a fair bit of driving, I live pretty rural (down near Phillip Island) and the jobs out this way. Looking for something fuel economical (which the polo's seem to be) and looking for something comfortable (will find out this arvo, taking a new one for a test drive).

Now at the moment I'm saving up to go back overseas (probably to Europe for a year or two). The new job will help this as it pays better. So I'll be keeping the car for maybe 1-2 years.

As far as I can see this is how the Polo Gti's rate so far:
Pro's
Good resale?
Cheap insurance (pretty much)
Fuel econ
Comfortable?
Plenty of power (chip)
Light/good through corners?

Con's
A bit expensive
Servicing expensive?
2 Door (also not much back seat room)
Front wheel drive


Thats about what I know so far..... back seat probably isn't a really big concern, but some real world opinions would be super helpful. As would any servicing/maintenance info.

MY MAIN CONCERN....... this is where things get interesting..... is that I would definitely be getting it chipped straight away. Just can't resist all that torque. But because the chip makes such a large increase I assume it would change the driving dynamics of the car quite a lot. As I stated earlier I am going to test drive a new one from a dealer today (although I'd probably rather buy 2nd to save a couple of thousand on resale).

Ideally it would be great it some SUPER nice people of this forum wanted to let me take their car chipped polo gti for a drive. I understand thats a big ask.... even if anyone knew where I could ie Dealers with chip stock (unlikely) or maybe from an APR dealer, even know of someone in Victoria selling a chipped Polo GTI?

I know this was long winded and involving first post, so thanks again if you managed to read all the way through. I appreciate any help / advice that people can give relating to anything I have mentioned.

Also not sure if its relevant but my last car was a 2.2litre Astra SRI. I have driven some of my friends cars which include R32 gts-t, R32 GTR, S14, S15, EvoVII, VY Commodore SS (auto=yuck).....

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newforum/upload/showthread.php?t=11764

chipped already and looks like its been looked after. just get the std wheels with it if you're gonna be using it for work

[FL00DY]

Ok the thing I wish I would have looked at more carefully when sorting out my choice is the Fuel Consumption. Now yes it might only be a 1.8L and that means great fuel economy. But my weekly commute is over 500km a week. My previous car was a V6 VS Commodore with a 63L petrol tank and was fine on standard ULP, so $60-$70 did me fine for a week and I'd get 500-600km a tank.

What happens now with the need for 98 is I get 450km a tank, still pay the same $60, but then have to fill up again on Thursday or Friday. Even if I fill up half a tank, I'm still spending more then with the Commodore and normally have to fill up again to get around to things on the weekend. My petrol bill a week could easily be $120. And if 98 prices start getting up to $1.7> I'll be getting up earlier and training it to work.

Having said that, my driving style could be bit more conservative

[Mischa]

Ok the thing I wish I would have looked at more carefully when sorting out my choice is the Fuel Consumption. Now yes it might only be a 1.8L and that means great fuel economy. But my weekly commute is over 500km a week. My previous car was a V6 VS Commodore with a 63L petrol tank and was fine on standard ULP, so $60-$70 did me fine for a week and I'd get 500-600km a tank.

What happens now with the need for 98 is I get 450km a tank, still pay the same $60, but then have to fill up again on Thursday or Friday. Even if I fill up half a tank, I'm still spending more then with the Commodore and normally have to fill up again to get around to things on the weekend. My petrol bill a week could easily be $120. And if 98 prices start getting up to $1.7> I'll be getting up earlier and training it to work.

Having said that, my driving style could be bit more conservative

are you saying that 50L got you 500-600kms in a vs commodore? thats 10L/100km... when i had my vs commy i did more like 17L/100km...

[FL00DY]

are you saying that 63L got you 500-600kms in a vs commodore? thats 10L/100km... when i had my vs commy i did more like 17L/100km...

Fixed it for ya.

17L for a V6? It was either heavily modded or something wrong.

[MaximusSmurf]

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newf...ad.php?t=11764

chipped already and looks like its been looked after. just get the std wheels with it if you're gonna be using it for work

Saw that one but it's no really do-able being in WA. I'm in Vic, thats an awfully long drive just to test drive a car.

Ok the thing I wish I would have looked at more carefully when sorting out my choice is the Fuel Consumption. Now yes it might only be a 1.8L and that means great fuel economy. But my weekly commute is over 500km a week. My previous car was a V6 VS Commodore with a 63L petrol tank and was fine on standard ULP, so $60-$70 did me fine for a week and I'd get 500-600km a tank.

What happens now with the need for 98 is I get 450km a tank, still pay the same $60, but then have to fill up again on Thursday or Friday. Even if I fill up half a tank, I'm still spending more then with the Commodore and normally have to fill up again to get around to things on the weekend. My petrol bill a week could easily be $120. And if 98 prices start getting up to $1.7> I'll be getting up earlier and training it to work.

Having said that, my driving style could be bit more conservative

As for the commodore idea I don't quite know how you got that sort of fuel efficiency from a commo v6. I know a couple of people with commodores and no-one gives them a good wrap as far as fuel efficiency goes.

Also doing a quick estimation of petrol.
Commo V6 63litre tank x $1.30 ULP = ~$82
Polo GTI 45 Litre tank x $1.45 PULP = ~$65

Still works out a fair bit cheaper. And i think from what I've heard you should be able to pull 500-600kms out of a tank on the Polo GTI especially with a lot of hwy kms.

[VW GTI]

I currently average 11.7L/100km over my first 1500km (in 3 weeks ).

About 200km of that was highway driving.

[Mischa]

Fixed it for ya.

17L for a V6? It was either heavily modded or something wrong.

it struggled to get 400km out of a tank. same on my step mum's falcon and my friend's vr.

anyway from your original 60-70$ statement at 1.3$ a litre that would be 46 - 53L :S

[R1 Crasher]

Just to let the original poster know that Bayfords in Preston have three or four Polo Gti's for sale.Although I thought they were quite expensive they are open to offers on them.They are all ex VWA cars.

[MaximusSmurf]

Just to let the original poster know that Bayfords in Preston have three or four Polo Gti's for sale.Although I thought they were quite expensive they are open to offers on them.They are all ex VWA cars.

Thanks. Gave em a call. Goin to check the out on Friday.

Hoping to keep the car fairly stock (mainly just coz I don't want to spend heaps modding it). Been reading around the forums heaps the past couple of days. APR tune and custom dump pipe seem to be the best bang for buck, MAYBE put some different brake pads and coolant in too.

[MissVuks]

You mention the back seat as a negative..

I'm 5'8.5 and manage to fit comfortably in the back with my boyf driving who's 6'3

Now he wouldn't fit quite as comfortably but anyone under the height of 5'10 i reckon would be comfortable enough the back of the polo..

I didn't buy my car with the intention of fitting people in the back so it doesn't really bother me if on the odd occasion i have to sit in the back..