Which model is best?

[mhall]

Hello everyone,

This may appear to be a stupid question but I'm after some advice on which model VW to buy.

My wife and I currently run a 1997 Mk3 Golf petrol estate 1.8 CL which we've owned for 10 years and which has done 150k+ miles and is our 'main' family car. I also have a 1990 Mk2 1.6 which has the usual Pierburg carburettor troubles but is my runaround for when I'm not using my motorbike or taking stuff to the tip etc!

We've decided that it is time to get rid of the Mk2. Although it isn't unreliable it leaks a lot and so I spend as much time scraping the inside as the outside when it is cold. Plus we'd like something more economical than the estate (always given about 37-38mpg) now that our children have grown up. We'll keep the estate as it is such a useful load carrier and also very reliable.

My question is what to buy next? Before children we had a Mk1 and then a Mk2 Polo and have had another of the latter as a second car since. The Polo now looks to be about the size of a Mk2 Golf and they are apparently very economical but we both like the solidity of a Golf!

We're not after expensive wheels or trim. Steel wheels are fine for me. We don't want loads of extras but reasonable go with good economy are important. We do quite a bit of motorway driving and I'd rather not be forever changing gear. Then there is the question of diesel v petrol. I did have a 300k+ miles Mk2 Golf diesel before my current one and, apart from even worse water leaks, it was a great car if rather vibratory at low revs so I'd be happy with a diesel.

Sorry for the rambling but any advice would be gratefully received. Are Mk5s less reliable than earlier Golfs? What about the complexity? I do a lot of servicing myself and always change the oil and filter at 5000 rather than 10000 miles. and like to be able to do simple work myself. We'd probably drive the new car into the ground and have it serviced by a local garage rather than a main dealer as soon as any warranty has expired.

I think we've almost decided we want another Golf but are we kidding ourselves that we need something so big? We're probably looking at a Mk5 not Mk6 Golf but should we go for a Polo or a Golf? Is there anything particular to look out for on a Mk5?

Many thanks

Mark

[mikeybutch]

How much do you want to spend?I would say something with the 1.9Tdi engine but its hard to advise as its your preference that counts.We recently acquired a Bora by chance when a friend was going to scrap it and we needed a 2nd car in a hurry .So far so good and I think they are better value.

[bakili]

Well, decision is yours mate, test drive few and decide.
Older cars were better build but newer cars are much safer.
I cant advice you which one to buy, but I can say that I owe 1.9 TDI Golf and its cracking car. Economy wise its excellent, on long run I see 65+mpg, my is Match spec, so plenty of toys to play with. Insurance affordable, service and parts affordable as well, tons of used parts on ebay.

Good luck with buy.

[phil miller]

Mk5 golf 1.9 TDI the way forward in my eyes, had mine 2 yrs and love it to bits

[vc-10]

My dad has a Mk.3 Estate too- cracking car (he calls it 'SuperGolf'). It's brilliant. If you're not fussed about toys then a 1.9 TDI Mk.5 in the 'S' spec (or 'S A/C' if you want aircon) would be fine by the sounds of things. Efficient and they seem to be reasonably reliable.

Do have a look at the Polo though- it can't hurt to go and test drive one. The 1.4 TDI is excellent by all accounts. I love my Polo, but I do regret getting the 1.2 65PS. It's completely gutless and the diesel is quicker and more efficient. I average around 45mpg, which isn't bad, but not fantastic either. I've heard that the 1.4 will give you 65mpg most of the time.

Again, depending on how much you want to spend, there is the Polo Bluemotion, which is even better on the fuel economy point, but is harsher than the others as they took out some of the soundproofing to make it lighter.

[mhall]

Thanks everyone for your kind help and advice. It looks like we need to go looking at a 1.9TDi Mk5 S, then. We'll also take a look at the 1.4TDi Polo. We don't really know what to spend but looked at a 1.9 TDi Match 08 plate last week and at 11 grand that was too much (from a main dealer)! It did have alloys etc so I guess that was fair, don't really know yet. 42k miles. We don't change cars very often (as you can tell!) so we're not up with prices yet but we're not in too much of a rush to get something yet and have just started looking.

Anyway, thanks again for all the advice.

Mark

[vc-10]

The Match is the mid-spec car I believe, which would explain the higher price.

[chody]

what about a jetta cheaper than a golf my 57 plate sport was less than 9 grand 18 months ago with 30,000 miles on the clock with a bigger boot and the same mechanicals

[rolfather]

Go for the Polo mate.You'll be dissapointed in spending all your hard earned on a mk 5 golf only to find that the build quality is not a patch on your mk3.I've just sold my pride n joy mk3 gti run out model(zero rust and 14 years old) and made the jump to a mk5 gti 55 plate only to have discovered after a couple of months down the line it needed new wings and also sills repainting and coil pack re call.The wings are an absolute farce.Starts with tiny bubbles at the edge of the wing and the sills where they meet the wing.Had mine all done free of charge paid for by V.W but it's not the point,they're not a patch on the older V.w's. I should know, I've owned about 10 gti's now.Good look mate and don't forget to check around the wings with a mirror if possible.

[Alan G H]

Why not consider a Skoda Octavia TDI (golf in disguise). Where I work, we have a fair few of these as pool cars around the country (one careful owner, loads of careless drivers). They are cracking cars, and have been very reliable. One at my office is pushing 200,000 miles, and the other is at 150,000 miles, still going strong. Also consider SEAT's. I run a Toledo TDI (again a golf in disguise), 144,000 miles, and still going well, touch wood!