BMW 318iS or VW Golf GTi?

20-03-2007 8:01pm

Big Balls wrote:

Well it's a forum, you get opinions, if my opinion of lesser BMWs offends you then you should DEFFO get one as the badge is clearly all you want.

I've also owned nearly as many GTIs as there's days in a week but off you go so!

I was with you up to this..
There are plenty of reasons to buy a BMW apart from the badge.
But hey, don't let that get in the way of your "BMW man" argument. BMWs are out selling fords in the mondeo segment and they are nowhere near as exlusive as your badge snobbery argument suggests.

Mahatma coat · 21-03-2007 7:54am

to stick my oar into whats probably a dead thread,

I have an E30 318i, yes its a small car, thats what I bought it for - nippin round town etc - the kinda reasons small 4pot motors are popular, its by no means a racecar, however its main advantage over the golfs etc is that it is RWD, this makes all the difference IMHO when it comes to driving experience.

I wouldnt set off on an extemley long journey in the BMW, thats why I have a Falcon, but round town its nippy and maneouverable, much more so than any FWD car I've driven

Mahatma coat · 21-03-2007 8:04am

actualy I should rephrase that as FWD of equivelant size, yes yher fckn Mini Cooper (or any mini) would outmaneouver the shie out of me, and tehre are loads of ricerockets that will leave me standin at the lights, but which would I rather have?

you allready know that

HashSlinging · 21-03-2007 9:36am

You'd have the "Ultimate Washing Machine" with a 1400 spin cycle.

Biro · 21-03-2007 11:12am

Are you limiting yourself strictly to these two? Neither are bad, but then again, neither will set the heart racing on a backroad. The Mk 4 Golf is accepted now as being the worst GTi of them all. Now bear in mind that that doesn't mean that it's a pile of dung, it's just that the rest were very good (apart maybe from the mk3, marginally better only). So it's fine, but not exceptional on the handing front.
Also, it kind of bugs me the way some people seem to think that no matter what RWD is better handling than FWD. Thats just narrowminded and wrong.

Big Balls · 21-03-2007 11:51am

ronoc wrote:

I was with you up to this..
There are plenty of reasons to buy a BMW apart from the badge.
But hey, don't let that get in the way of your "BMW man" argument. BMWs are out selling fords in the mondeo segment and they are nowhere near as exlusive as your badge snobbery argument suggests.

You're kinda backing me up there even if you don't realise it. If they are outselling Mondeos it's people in 318 saloons who WANT a badge.

The real engine BMWs are exclusive, the badge is not. Check out any motoring website eg. Carzone and check out the amount of 318s compared to 325s, 328, 330s, 335s (I think there's TWO 335s for sale in the whole country!) that are up for sale.

If you want driving experience I don't see why you would need to buy a BMW with 143bhp to get that, there's plenty of cars out there with that power for less money so bearing all that in mind, I can't think of any other reason why you would want the BMW apart from having the badge if you are in anything less than a 320.

quarryman · 21-03-2007 12:00pm

Big Balls wrote:

........ there's plenty of cars out there with that power for less money so bearing all that in mind, I can't think of any other reason why you would want the BMW apart from having the badge if you are in anything less than a 320.

and those cars are?! I'm open to suggestions.

HashSlinging · 21-03-2007 12:13pm

What about this, im sure is well within budget, sleeper city..

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=588156

Biro · 21-03-2007 12:18pm

quarryman wrote:

and those cars are?! I'm open to suggestions.

7th gen Celica for a start... 140bhp, better handling, better looking, probably more reliable.

Big Balls · 21-03-2007 12:20pm

TBH I think 10k is a bit short to be spending to be trying to get the type of driving experience you are looking for.

You can sift through old Imprezas, MR2s etc but you are just gonna be bringing trouble onto yourself and I don't feel the GTI is going to give you that feeling that you are after!

This seems to be just a better example of the 318is you saw.

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=563542

By all means, go for a well kept BMW 318is over the GTI but if you saved a bit more you would get yourself into a BMW with a real engine.

I can't believe Hash threw up a Skoda with a stick on wooden trim steering wheel as an actual suggestion. Unless it's an RS then you are wasting your time. The guy wants to have a flashy enough car, not look like a bloody hackney driver!!!!

bazz26 · 21-03-2007 12:32pm

Seat Leon Cupra R:
http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=463397

That one is expensive but they are more plentiful and cheaper in the UK.

Also the 150bhp Leon TDi: http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=586431

Or the Skoda Octavia vRS:
http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=560306

Edit: Just saw that your budget is €10k so I don't think you will get any of these for that money.

$Leon$ · 21-03-2007 12:51pm

bazz26 wrote:

Seat Leon Cupra R:
http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=463397
.

Can't believe someone actually traded this in for a Kia

quarryman · 21-03-2007 2:23pm

Biro wrote:

7th gen Celica for a start... 140bhp, better handling, better looking, probably more reliable.

I don't think these are great looking cars, good performers from what I hear though.

Leons and vRS waaaay out of my budget Bazz

TBH I think 10k is a bit short to be spending to be trying to get the type of driving experience you are looking for.

You can sift through old Imprezas, MR2s etc but you are just gonna be bringing trouble onto yourself and I don't feel the GTI is going to give you that feeling that you are after!

This seems to be just a better example of the 318is you saw.

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index...r&carID=563542

I'm really trying to keep under a budget of 10k. My current car is worth about 5k so if I save a grand, I'll be going to the bank looking for another 4k. That's about as much as i want to borrow.

Still reckon the GTi is my best bet so far. Weekend after next I'm going to go through carzone and test drive as many as have been mentioned in this thread and see what interests me most.

HashSlinging · 21-03-2007 2:33pm

im sure is well within budget.

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=588156

21-03-2007 2:46pm

HashSlinging wrote:

im sure is well within budget.

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=588156

The inside of it is vile. It looks like someone started designing it an quit and the replacment filled it with bits from other cars that don't go together.

Don't even get me started on the alloys they put on it.

quarryman · 21-03-2007 3:11pm

what does POA mean exactly? Also, Octavia is overkill for me, I'm trying to keep it to 3 doors.

Big Balls · 21-03-2007 4:35pm

Price on application or price on asking.. it varies.

quarryman · 21-03-2007 5:05pm

Looking at the prices for the GTis here, would be people steer clear of a 100k+ Golf?

Would it wear the miles well?

$Leon$ · 21-03-2007 5:33pm

There's 163k on mine

unkel · 22-03-2007 12:20am

Cyrus wrote:

have to say thats kind of annoyed me

That annoyed me too. @Futureman - get a grip...

bazz26 · 22-03-2007 1:17am

quarryman wrote:

Looking at the prices for the GTis here, would be people steer clear of a 100k+ Golf?

Would it wear the miles well?

Plenty of under 100k mile GTi models going for around €10k or less:

http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=636357
http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=531702
http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=598252
http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=629728
http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=607572

Andrewf20 · 22-03-2007 5:39am

For folks who are interested in a well handling car the E36 318is is a sweet motor with RWD and the rest. Not a big fan of those big rims in the original pic though. Id think id 318is it.

Quite like the look of this one with full BMW service history, looks clean, ok mileage, for under 8k: http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=601430

Cyrus · 22-03-2007 10:06am

i like the last two gtis, last posted was right there are a lot nicer 318is out there than ones posted previously, that one looks good.

i dont like ones with e46 rims, doesnt suit them

if you want to see some nice e36s ask at www.bmw-driver.net/forum

quarryman · 22-03-2007 1:07pm

Andrewf20 wrote:

For folks who are interested in a well handling car the E36 318is is a sweet motor with RWD and the rest. Not a big fan of those big rims in the original pic though. Id think id 318is it.

Quite like the look of this one with full BMW service history, looks clean, ok mileage, for under 8k: http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=601430

i don't think i'll ever buy a red car, just personal preference

I don't get why people don't pay the VRT themselves before advertising. I'm guessing its to allow the buyer to then register it to his/her own county.

Still leaning towards the GTi, I'd love to find a nice one from a dealer so I can trade in my 306 and not have to worry about selling it privately...

I think GTis are more commonly private sales though.

And still undecided about going to the UK or buying here. I bought my Focus in the UK and it was mint condition but since buying here I've seen the benefit of getting a warranty. Also I think you really need to drive a car before buying it, a luxury you often don't get when importing...

commited · 22-03-2007 10:51pm

kmick wrote:

GTI - resale is better and a 318 is a girls car even if it is a go faster. No man should be seen in anything less than a 320 if he is ever to call himself master of his universe.

Even if the 318is handles better and is quicker?

Go for the BMW - it's right wheel drive

BMW 318iS or VW Golf GTi?

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