Petrol or diesel golf mk7

[shahid1973]

I want to purchase a MK7 golf not sure whether to get petrol or diesel. I do approximately 10 to 12 thousand miles per year. I want to know which version is likely to be more reliable. Also what to look at when purchasing so I don't buy a lemon. Many thanks in advance for helping.

[Crasher]

Personally I think the entire range of engines are junk but if I was buying one it would be a 2 litre petrol GTI and I would do 5k oil changes using LongLife oil and add Liqui Moly Ceratec to TRY and avoid timing chain issues which are a HUGE problem. I hate to say it but the 2L TDI EA288 engine is probably the best but I would never own a Diesel.

[shahid1973]

Cheers Crasher appreciate your wise words of advice. Can I ask why you would never buy a diesel and second question what German used car would you recommend for a budget of £7000 to £9000? Has to be reliable and less chance of bug repair bills which I could not really afford what with the cost of living. Many thanks for your time.

[Whippy53]

Anything with the TDI EA288 seems to last, in 150hp form it should go forever so long as it's properly maintained, but, again, it's a lottery. Get one that been tootled round town all it's life or one that's been driven by a spotty eighteen year old who thinks he's the next F1 marvel but never changed the oil filter?

Then you've got the whole 'diesel killed the polar bears' thing, some towns and cities actively try and stop you driving a disease, then there's the whole EGR / DPF problem.

Probably better taking a bus now.

[Crasher]

Anything with the TDI EA288 seems to last

Except when the cam adjustment bolt works lose, falls down into the belt, punches a hole through the front oil seal holder and falls into the sump then the oil pours out until it seizes because the driver ignores the yellow warning and then red alarm...:banghead:

@shahid1973 (https://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/member.php?u=14700) Small Diesels are a crime against humanity, forced upon us by ignorant politicians seeking to appease climate change alarmists. I ranted about the switch from the early nineties citing particulate and NOX emissions until 20 years later the world woke up to the con, now the next one is being forced upon us, I wonder how long it will take the world to realise EV's are a disaster? The insane quest to lower Co2 emission's is what has ruined every engine made by VAG since the 1.8T.

[shahid1973]

Thanks Crasher which German car would you recommend for reliabilty and no big bills for £7000?

[Crasher]

Skoda Superb petrol https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301273654415?fuel-type=Petrol&sort=relevance&advertising-location=at_cars&price-to=7500&make=SKODA&model=Superb&include-delivery-option=on&radius=1500&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&price-from=6500&postcode=ng74bt&page=1&percentVehiclePriceDeposit=true

[Thriftmeister]

Why German? It's a bit of a random requirement. Surely it is the type of car, not who owns the brand. e.g. would you avoid a Seat or Skoda? Where are VWs made anyway? Spain for some.

Anyway if I was looking for a Golf right now I would seriously consider a Mazda 3 or a Honda Civic. Statistically you will certainly get a more reliable car with fewer big bills. For cheaper maintenance, look at a Focus. At £7-9000 you aren't looking at a status symbol!

[roblightbody]

You can protect yourself with a warranty from engine fears, to an extent, as long as you buy a good car that's been properly serviced etc.

I just had a turbo problem with my GTi and it was 100% covered by the VW warranty. I used the VW "all in" option this time. Not bad for 5.5 year old car.

[Thriftmeister]

Yes a VW "all in" is ok but at £7000 you are looking at a 10 year old 90,000 mile Golf which VW will not touch. Warrantywise, Carplan etc base their business model on refusing claims. I'm speaking from experience! Save the premium for your first repair.

I'm still in the dark as to why it has to be German? BMW? Some are made in South Carolina by ex Shipbuilders.:1zhelp: Mercedes? Alabama, :aargh4: and all over the Far East.

[roblightbody]

Sorry I didn't see the budget. I would suggest if you're desperate for a VAG group car, go for Skoda and get more (better/newer) for the same money.

I've had a string of 3 year old used VWs which have each worked out brilliantly, but I don't think my next car will be VW at all. I'll be going Japanese or Korean I think. The mk8 Golf (and the ID3) is the first time I can recall when a new model of a car came out which I like far less than the previous model.

One reason why I chose the VW "all in", is that it forces my Arnold Clark garage to do an actual VW service on the car, rather than their basic "value" service that they insist on doing if the car is over 3 years old... its worked out well so far.

[Thriftmeister]

Yes I am in a similar position. We have a '13 Reg Golf GT and a '21 plate A4 Avant. Both superb cars to be in, and to drive, but the Golf has cost just over £2,000 in repairs over the past 12 months not including regular servicing. The Audi needs a software reset on the MMI about every 6 weeks to recover either the radio or the sat-nav or the CarPlay!

Like you, Mrs ThriftM walked away from the Golf 8 and its cost saving touchscreen stupidity. She also said a new Polo was overall less desirable than her 10 year old Golf.

Add to that the VW and Audi dealers near me are utterly appalling & incompetent and I have no choice but to look elsewhere. The question is where? Japan, Korea?

[Crasher]

Skoda

[Whippy53]

Yes I am in a similar position. We have a '13 Reg Golf GT and a '21 plate A4 Avant. Both superb cars to be in, and to drive, but the Golf has cost just over £2,000 in repairs over the past 12 months not including regular servicing. The Audi needs a software reset on the MMI about every 6 weeks to recover either the radio or the sat-nav or the CarPlay!

Like you, Mrs ThriftM walked away from the Golf 8 and its cost saving touchscreen stupidity. She also said a new Polo was overall less desirable than her 10 year old Golf.

Add to that the VW and Audi dealers near me are utterly appalling & incompetent and I have no choice but to look elsewhere. The question is where? Japan, Korea?

Well, after years of saying I wouldn't, finally added a BMW 530 to my 'collection ' :1zhelp: and so far I'm impressed. Won't last though,vso I've kept the A6 for when (not if) it does on me.

[Thriftmeister]

Crasher,

I bow to your better judgement but are you not contradicting yourself when you say:

"Personally I think the entire range of engines are junk"

And
"Skoda"

:confused:

[Crasher]

Well if I wanted a new car, which I definitely don’t, I would have to make the best of a bad job and go for a Superb Sportline estate 280 or Arteon Shooting Brake 280 with the EA888 engine which I consider the lesser of the many evils, and I could drop one of these cash now… but I won’t. It isn’t VAG’s fault that all their engines are junk, it is stupid CO2 hysteria legislation inflicted on all of us by Marxist ideology. The last great engine VAG made was the 1.8 20VT, that they never made a 2 litre is a lost opportunity as I have built my own and they are fantastic, fulfilling that perfect slightly under square 500cc per cylinder design lauded recently by Cosworth as perfect. I fully intend to stick with my Octavia 1U VRS until they take my license off me, if ever the engine does let go, I will rebuild it as a 2 litre and continue to give the CO2 mob the significant middle digit… Even though it is a 2003, it is still fully ULEZ compliant so an up yours to Sadistic Kahn and his Marxist mob and vindicates what I have been screaming about over small Diesel engines for twenty years… :rant:now we have another ******* nightmare to contend with, EV’s, a disaster coming to your driveway soon.

[Whippy53]

Yeah, well we have a horse, an actual four legged grass munching beast. So, if push comes to shove you can put your bland, grey, plastic Euro tupperware box of angry pixies where the sun don't shine. Pony FTW.

[Crasher]

I want to get my Golf 1 and 2 GTI’s back on the road and restore (again) my 72 Bug, that is proper environmentally friendly transport… want to save the world, stop making new things and reuse what we have.

[Thriftmeister]

Data shows there’s no climate catastrophe looming – climatologist Dr J Christy debunks the narrative - YouTube (https://youtu.be/qJv1IPNZQao)

I watched that. I'm not climate tree hugger nor am I a denying zealot but is this bloke for real? Temperatures going up by 1 degree may not affect the tourists in Tenerife but what about fish, coral, crops, insects etc? They don't have A/C or central heating.

Seriously flawed arguments there Crasher.

I'm not siding with either camp. Temperatures have gone up & down since the beginning of time for reasons various. However, it does have a huge effect on which species live or die.

[Crasher]

There are seriously flawed arguments on both sides but it is probaly all going to be immaterial if Ping Pong the mad man invades Taiwan as predicated in 2025, when that happens none will give a **** about climate change.