Size Issues

[isaacsr99]

Hey there, first time poster, new to the site.

I have a slight problem, i'm looking to buy my first car and the main issue i have is actually fitting comfortably into the driver's seat. I tried a few cars, Punto, Corsa, Clio etc then i tried my mates Mk3 Golf and i fell in love.

I fit in perfectly, so i started to search for local Mk3 Golfs for sale but with little luck. I only wanted a 1.4 due to insurance costs and found it mighty tough. I found a few white golfs that fit the bill - and i know beggers can't be choosers - but i really don't want a white car.

I started looking nationally through autotrader and found a Mk1 which i really like the look of. Basically my question is this, i know i can fit in to a Mk3 comfortably, but will i still be able to fit into a Mk1 comfortably ? Im 6ft 3" with quite long legs.

Hope i haven't posted anything wrong, and thanks in advance for any help

[redmax90]

keep tryin for a mark 3 ...the 1.4 is ok ..my mum had 2 of them. but the cost of insurance wont be much more for a 1.6 or 1.8 or tdi ..the only fault the 1.4 has is thats its a little breathless. To be fair mate stay away from a mark one ..unless of course u have the budget to keep her goin and the know how to pick a good one..they are gettin scarce now and remember some are maybe 30 yrs old..the problems with rust etc are just too much to take into considerating for modern everyday motoring. if ya have the cash and time yea ok ..consider it ..but be very wise
good luck mate
chris

[Eshrules]

i agree with the above, unless you have a bottomless pocket, a mk 1 would be a mistake, especially for your first golf. also, with the 1.4, other than the cheaper tax, you wont really benefit from anything else, the MPG will be around the same as a 1.6 or a Tdi, insurance on the Tdi may be slightly dearer depending on the bhp, mk3s are a grey area for me but theres a lot of tidy ones around and with 2 new generations being released since, your bound to pick up a bargain.

[isaacsr99]

Thanks for the advice guys, its a real shame though, i love the Mk1 shape. Looked in good nic from the advert pic but you can never really tell unless your up close and personal.

I guess my search will continue for a Mk3, i hate being an impatient person

[isaacsr99]

Considering I've only found this car within my budget (no more than £900) which i can actually fit in, has anyone got any suggestions as to what other cars that i could fit in around 10 Years old or so. Just so i can broaden my search for my 1st car.

Obviously i'm looking for a car that would be as cheap as possible to insure and run. Hatchback preferred.

Any help 'preciated

[NicholasP]

I find it hard to believe that you're having difficulties finding a 1.4 Golf mk3. They're everywhere. The mk3 in general is still quite a popular cheap little run about. Check on EBay....there are LOADS to choose from.

As has been said, if you can possibly up your budget a bit (or you're ok with very high mileage) stay away from the 1.4. and find a 1.6 The lack in power is not worth the savings in insurance trust me

other cars you could try....fiat bravo and peugeot 306 (high mileage ones..)

[Sam]

I find it hard to believe that you're having difficulties finding a 1.4 Golf mk3. They're everywhere. The mk3 in general is still quite a popular cheap little run about. Check on EBay....there are LOADS to choose from.

As has been said, if you can possibly up your budget a bit (or you're ok with very high mileage) stay away from the 1.4. and find a 1.6 The lack in power is not worth the savings in insurance trust me

other cars you could try....fiat bravo and peugeot 306 (high mileage ones..)

Good advice, but personally, I wouldn't buy from eBay without first seeing the car - an obvious but crucial point that a lot of people overlook.

I had a 1.4 MKII and it would sit all day at 80/85 on the Autobahn (of course) and while it wasn't a beast, it was still good for what I wanted. Insurance was cheap and so on.

I moved up (down, so far down) to a 306 1.4 and regretted it from the day I found it to the day I sold it. Horrible piece of metal.

If you're limited to engine size and front seat size and can fit in a Golf, move across the VAG platform to SEAT - have a look at an Ibiza or a Leon (the older shape)

And if all else fails, you'll pick up a Ford of some sort for £100

[NicholasP]

yeah im not a fan of French cars either. Ive driven quite a few saxos and clios and they dont really have that German solid feel to them. Seat Ibiza is a good idea...

Here's an example of a very decent golf mk3 1.4 off the bay...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VW-GOLF-1-4-BL...QQcmdZViewItem

Ofcourse, as hiscarsavw said, dont buy before you try!

Tell us what you go for......

Oh last point, if you're really on a tight budget, nothing beats an old fiesta. I had an old mk3 fiesta. Little blue one, with a 1.3 petrol engine. It had 59 bhp which was more than enough for town run abouts and motorway trips (believe it or not!) and was extremely cheap to insure..

I found one which has done just 40k for just £700 2 years ago and it never let me down once. They are probably the cheapest cars to repair as well...so an all round very economical choice if you're not concerned about image

N

[isaacsr99]

Well i was planning on sprucing it up, putting in a nice sound system etc and i do think the Golf is a nice looking car, and alot of my mates have them too so any problems that arise help would be close at hand.

Fiesta was my first port of call because of the number of them for sale in Autotrader but i really doubt i could fit in one comfortably.

I'll definitly let you know what i do and thanks for all the help thus far