Volkwasgen Golf or Mini Cooper

Owen

whippet wrote:

A MINI dealer who has a 40sq foot showroom in dublin and a MINI dealer who has a 20sq foot showroom in Cavan have totally different overheads and therefore different margins

No they don't. The margins on the product are the same.

whippet wrote:

if both are selling at the same price it is because of some sort of anti competitive price arrangement between the dealers which is probably organised by BMW .. and in effect anti competitive!

You're getting pretty libelous now. Go sue Supervalue for selling milk at the same price in all their shops and see how you get on. There is, and let me put this in bold so you can understand it no price fixing, so it's not anti-compeditive. A Dealer is entitled to sell the car at whatever price they choose, just like any Ducati Dealership, or any Porsche Dealership. Because the retained margins are low, discounting doesn't happen often. It does happen the odd time though.

dodgyme

Well I have been in the mini and the golf and the golf has more room. The mini has none but that could be down to the fact that most owners are fat ugly people and hence take up more room.

alias no.9

I always laugh when someone calls one car a womans car and follows up with advice to buy golf instead. Most people I know who have golfs are women. They've bought them because they don't wan't to have a 'womans car', but they've unwittingly turned them into a womans car by buying them like sheep.

Owen

MarkN wrote:

Can't believe people are comparing a Mini Cooper to a MKV Golf GTI ! The GTI pisses all over it in every aspect bar possibly handling and you're talking on the limits where the Mini would have the advantage.

Actually, we had the Golf GTi on a disused RAF airfield in the UK, along with the Clio 197, and the new Cooper S. Guess which one won the drag race? Then guess which one won the slalom test, and then guess which one won the 0-60-0 test? Here's a hint. It wasn't the Golf.

MarkN wrote:

As for no discounts, that's rubbish. It's true that BMW don't have anything near the margins VAG dealers have but saying there's no discounts is just factually wrong.

We're not discussing BMW, and trust me when I say I have my facts right.

sesswhat

alias no.9 wrote:

They've bought them because they don't wan't to have a 'womans car', but they've unwittingly turned them into a womans car by buying them like sheep.

Wouldn't that make them a sheeps car?

Owen

I'm finished with this thread now, as it's gone completely off topic. OP, drive both cars, and buy the one you like. It's not about what I like, or any other poster on boards thinks, or what Clarkson writes in the times, all of these opinions are that. Opinions. Yours is just as valid, it's your money, and your life.

MarkN

ned78 wrote:

Actually, we had the Golf GTi on a disused RAF airfield in the UK, along with the Clio 197, and the new Cooper S. Guess which one won the drag race? Then guess which one won the slalom test, and then guess which one won the 0-60-0 test? Here's a hint. It wasn't the Golf.

So what?? They're not even in the same class, the Clio and Cooper weigh a lot less.

ned78 wrote:

We're not discussing BMW, and trust me when I say I have my facts right.

And it's just out of kindness that BMW let Mini set up shop in their showrooms is it??! :rolleyes:

endplate

MINI FTW all the way great fun to drive and fantastic economy 47mpg. I've been driving one since January. It's a bit girly inside with the mood lighting but other than that it's great.

Oh and buy it in Joe Duffy's from Elaine she's seriously hot

unkel

dodgyme wrote:

the fact that most owners are fat ugly people and hence take up more room.

Are you trolling or is that just a pathetic rant? Either way, less of that or you'll be gone from this forum for a bit...

Henry Ford III

MarkN wrote:

....GTI....won't depreciate like a rock......

Erm actually compared to the MINI it will. In fairness MINI's retained values are excellent.

MarkN

Minis do, Cooper S models don't seem to! A girl I work with has one and she can't sell it at the moment as she would lose so much on it - her own words.

On the other hand, I lost just the extras on a GTI in a year and sold it on for €3,000 less than I paid for it a year earlier.

JoeA3

I think the higher end models of any of these cars will depreciate quite a bit in the first year or two, people get scared off (legit or otherwise) by the fuel, insurance, tax bills! I have a 07 GTI myself, very happy with it, but I try not to think about how much cash I've lost in it!!! There's quite a lot of 05/06 GTI's on the used market now.
I love the Mini Cooper's too... I was trying to get the missus into one, but her first reaction was - where will the shopping fit?! The boot is tiny, make no mistake - still a cool car though IMO.

unkel

MarkN wrote:

Minis do, Cooper S models don't seem to! A girl I work with has one and she can't sell it at the moment as she would lose so much on it - her own words.

Minis have the lowest depreciation compared to any other car in the class. That's valid across the range, but obviously the normal rules apply. Optional extras depreciate seperately from the car. Especially expensive Chili / Silly packs etc

MarkN wrote:

on a GTI in a year and sold it on for €3,000 less than I paid for it a year earlier.

Perhaps the fact you traded it in for a high margin new car from the same manufacturer played a small role there too?

MarkN

Ah yeh, but Unkel point is, it can be done!

I have found GTIs to be fairly good on residuals though, I've owned 3 now in total and never lost a huge amount of them.

38psi

Go with the Mini. IMO the Golf is a boring car also judging by the thread on MSL service could be a hassle too.

dodgyme

Just saw an advert there for the new polo GTI. And infact when you think about it, it is probably the size wise more in line with the original golf GTI. You might go with the polo GTI?

.Longshanks.

endplate wrote:

Oh and buy it in Joe Duffy's from Elaine she's seriously hot

I'll second that......:D

SouperComputer

Golf is, well, a Golf IMO, it makes me yawn which is great if thats what you want.

Otherwise go for the Mini. Maybe go back a year or two and go for the cooper S? The diesel is a great option too.