Mrs decided on an import Mk5 Golf, how to avoid a bung auto?

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Mrs decided on an import Mk5 Golf, how to avoid a bung auto?

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6325 posts

Uber Geek

#1685388 9-Dec-2016 15:58

Polo is a good idea. Id roof rack our luggage. Its one trip with the folks 300km each league, then never to be repeated so why have a big car when are city bound and rarely use the thing.

Dont get me wrong I had an outback 3.0l and I loved it. Ive had a lot of Bimmers. So has her Dad the lucky guy, although at his age every man deserves a nice car, and lady.

If I was going to go a bimmer Id go the 330i or 335i simply for the power. But doubt Id fit either of those in her budget :-)

The 328i is pretty quick, but again I think she would be struggling with her cash.

TeaLeaf

6325 posts

Uber Geek

#1685853 10-Dec-2016 19:01

Gone of the idea of a golf or BMW due to cost.

Saw a nice Peugeot 308 on the side of the road for $6k, tiptronic, so no DSG, slightly better I assume?

I had a 206 GTI180 in Aus and loved that thing, but it was manual.

blakamin

4431 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1685862 10-Dec-2016 19:23

TeaLeaf:

Gone of the idea of a golf or BMW due to cost.

Saw a nice Peugeot 308 on the side of the road for $6k, tiptronic, so no DSG, slightly better I assume?

I had a 206 GTI180 in Aus and loved that thing, but it was manual.

Oh jeezus... Ask my In-Laws what they think of their GTI... When it's not being fixed. :/

TeaLeaf

6325 posts

Uber Geek

#1692820 20-Dec-2016 13:24

I have noticed the VR5 often is a manual in the Mk4s. Whilst a lot of reviews say it drives like a boat, none mention reliability issues. Is it different to any other mk4 in that regard? As least the manual generally will cost a clutch vs an entire gearbox.

E3xtc

773 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1693049 21-Dec-2016 06:42

FWIW - when our little man came into the world, we changed my wife's car from a Mk4 v6 4Motion Golf....she loved that car, still loves that car (pines for it almost daily). Was manual, enough hp to make it fun, wasn't constantly in the repair shop, and the burble from the v6 engine was a dream....was just too low and didn't have enough rear seat space for our new lives :(

Coil

6614 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1693060 21-Dec-2016 07:59

TeaLeaf:

I have noticed the VR5 often is a manual in the Mk4s. Whilst a lot of reviews say it drives like a boat, none mention reliability issues. Is it different to any other mk4 in that regard? As least the manual generally will cost a clutch vs an entire gearbox.

Dont touch a VR5. Gaurentee they will blow the head. Get a MK.4 GTI. Good car for 5K. Try for a NZ new.

ilovemusic

1439 posts

Uber Geek

#1693208 21-Dec-2016 12:32

mk4 gti was the worse one ever built !

a disgrace to the badge.

vw marketing at its worse.

it had none of the qualities associated with the gti nametag.

but because they are so hated amongst gti drivers, cars are dirt cheap, well built and reliable but a gti they ain't.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

martyyn

1971 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#1693218 21-Dec-2016 13:05

TeaLeaf:
Only issue with BMW is they are expensive to import parts. The chances of finding a wrecked golf are high. The chances of a BMW less so.

As others have pointed out this is a complete myth. I've owned 13 of them over the last 20 years and NEVER had a problem getting parts whether from a dealer, specialist wrecker or on TM.

TeaLeaf:
Its makes you wonder why every 3rd car I see on the road is a Golf *snip* but if Golfs were so bad, why are there still so many mk5s on the road.

Because there has been a mass explosion of Golf's being imported from Japan in the last 18-24 months. Probably longer in fact.

MikeAqua:
There are manufacturers of non-genuine BMW parts now and this brings the price down further.

There always has been, it's just not common knowledge. I've lost count the number of OEM parts I've bought only to find the BMW part number printed on them.

TeaLeaf:
Gone of the idea of a golf or BMW due to cost. Saw a nice Peugeot 308 on the side of the road for $6k, tiptronic, so no DSG, slightly better I assume?

Sorry, but what's the budget again ? If it's $6k then there will be plenty of early 2000 BMW's. The problem is so many of them have been bought by kids who don't maintain them, so finding a good one will be the hard part. I'd have a 2001-2003 325i over an 07 Focus/Golf/Corolla any day of the week.

TimA:
And guys.. Really.. Reading up above you all still have the mis conception that Euro's have more expensive parts.

SO MUCH THIS ^^^^^

But then if you all want to buy Japanese it leaves more BMW's for the rest of us :)

I've just done this process myself, needing a daily to crunch motorway miles and teach my daugter to drive. It took me 9 months I was so desperate to buy another manual BMW !

But my head ruled the heart and I went with a NZ new, 2007 Focus Zetec. Manual, 2.0l, service history, mint inside and out (and red so it goes faster) and it drives like a dream. I have my 3.5l BMW in the garage if I want to go for a fang, but as a daily driver it's unbeatable IMO.

I tried several Golfs (2000-2008) but whilst the seats where great, the interiors were just so bland. Not to mention how poorly the interior plastics had stood up. I started to think the switches were supposed to be white and not black !

What surprised me the most though was the 'golf-tax' everywhere I looked a Golf was often $2k more than the equivalent Focus.

[e] typos

TeaLeaf

6325 posts

Uber Geek

#1693229 21-Dec-2016 13:21

funny you should say, the 2.0l focus manual is what im looking at. even if a bit plastic the 1.6 fiesta seems a nice little car.

to find a manual Golf is impossible, outside GTI unless its a v5.

BMWs need to be a 6 to be reliable, finding one as suggested that has been taken care of, hard.

corollas, easy to find but you pay corollaTax.

I miss my Outback i bought her and some clown wrote off it and 4 other cars hitting her from behind at a major intersection on the phone in his uninsured wrx, how anyone misses a 16 lane intersection with vis from 200m away and a red light and 5 cars stopped even on a phone is beyond me. my guess is he was playing a game.

None the less the H6 outback engine is a ripper.

TeaLeaf

6325 posts

Uber Geek

#1693230 21-Dec-2016 13:22

funny you should say, the 2.0l focus manual is what im looking at. even if a bit plastic the 1.6 fiesta seems a nice little car.

to find a manual Golf is impossible, outside GTI unless its a v5.

BMWs need to be a 6 to be reliable, finding one as suggested that has been taken care of, hard.

corollas, easy to find but you pay corollaTax.

None the less the H6 outback engine is a ripper.

TeaLeaf

6325 posts

Uber Geek

#1693490 21-Dec-2016 20:45

Found a 2003 Mk4 with full service history, only done 50kkm and they changed the cam belt based on being 10 years old. One owner.

Gear shifted nicely, oil was good. But they want $5.5k and wont budge.

Kilometres or age, which is worth more?

Smithy100

180 posts

Master Geek

#1693626 22-Dec-2016 07:55

Condition is more important than kms (and age).

A well looked after/serviced higher km 15 year old car will be better than a 10 year old lower km car that hasn't been. Once a car is over 7/8 years old kms become less relevant. Condition and servicing much more so.

If the Mk 4 suits your budget - you need to ask yourself what else you can buy for $5.5k... and what would you prefer? FSH implies it's NZ New? Or is it a fresh import? If the former I'd be all over it - if it's the latter I'd be a little more wary. 50km in 13 years is not a lot but does raise the question as to why it's so low... consider also that a lot of parts age, as well as wear - think things like suspension mounts, various seals, electrics... rubber, plastic, and metals deteriorate over time regardless of km's travelled (or not). So ensure the car is in great condition aside from just the mechanicals.

TLDR; If you like it, get it checked out by a specialist if possible; and if all is (mostly) good then go for it.

Coil

6614 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1693632 22-Dec-2016 08:12

ilovemusic:

mk4 gti was the worse one ever built !

a disgrace to the badge.

vw marketing at its worse.

it had none of the qualities associated with the gti nametag.

but because they are so hated amongst gti drivers, cars are dirt cheap, well built and reliable but a gti they ain't.

You may find most European brands as we went through the 2000s had the same issue.
VW since 2000 has gone to crap.

Coil

6614 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1693642 22-Dec-2016 08:33

Smithy100:

Condition is more important than kms (and age).

A well looked after/serviced higher km 15 year old car will be better than a 10 year old lower km car that hasn't been. Once a car is over 7/8 years old kms become less relevant. Condition and servicing much more so.

If the Mk 4 suits your budget - you need to ask yourself what else you can buy for $5.5k... and what would you prefer? FSH implies it's NZ New? Or is it a fresh import? If the former I'd be all over it - if it's the latter I'd be a little more wary. 50km in 13 years is not a lot but does raise the question as to why it's so low... consider also that a lot of parts age, as well as wear - think things like suspension mounts, various seals, electrics... rubber, plastic, and metals deteriorate over time regardless of km's travelled (or not). So ensure the car is in great condition aside from just the mechanicals.

TLDR; If you like it, get it checked out by a specialist if possible; and if all is (mostly) good then go for it.

I just bought a 1999 328I touring.
The body is immaculate and the whole drive train is mint.
Its auto for now but will be manual. Not a single stone chip or dent across the entire car, Not even paint fade.
Its done 210KMS. Its the best E36 i have ever driven.
So i bought it for 4k.

This car i expect to last many years, Once manual the car will take a bit of abuse and can almost guarantee it wont have a problem apart from basic wear parts. Its about the condition of the car.

A/C blows bone cold, All electrics work. Really comfortable and quiet. Far superior quality and comfort than a new Jap car.

martyyn

1971 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#1693675 22-Dec-2016 09:37

50k in 13 years !! What have they been doing with it ? Unless it was something super-special and unless it had a full service history it would have minus points from me to be honest. Age and kms mean nothing, it's all about condition and how it's been looked after. I've never felt good about a car which isn't used. I'll do more than that just keeping my weekend car ticking over.

Assuming your budget is $5k you are in an odd place with cars. There are very few manual Euro's at that price point which I would consider good value (I'm a cheap bugger when buying cars) so you have a couple of options.

1. Wait until something comes up, but check all the usual places every day because if something does come up it will go very quickly.

2. Spend a little more and get a newer/better/more equipped car. I didn't pay much more than the $5.5k they are asking for my 07 zetec focus.

3. Spend less and use the difference in maintenance costs.

For example:

2006 Ford Focus done 225k km - asking $3600

It's NZ new so German built. Assuming it has nothing obviously wrong and it has some service history go in at $2750 and settle on 3k. Spend up to a grand on the mother of all services, a weekend giving it the groom of its life and put the remaining 1k in the bank in case anything comes up in the next 12 months. If it's all rosy after that time use it for a holiday ;)

I've got a 2001 530i BMW for sale if you fancy something a little more luxurious ;)

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