A8 4.2 quattro vs. VW Golf G60 Limited

Anan1

I'm very tempted to change from the A8 to a 1990 VW Golf Limited. All thoughts welcome!

crosstownk

They are two completely different animals. So very hard to compare. The A8 is so more refined, I think you'd be sick of the Golf after a short while - especially if you're used to the 'feel' of the A8. The Golf will be busier to driver. But, on the other hand, if you are tired of the big car and want something smaller then maybe the Golf is the man - but it's an unrefined MkII.

Anan1

I'm kind of thinking the same thoughts myself. On the other hand I don't think the Limited will depreciate, and there is always that hand-built, one of 71 thing.:)

crosstownk

When the one of 71 becomes really appreciated, it will only be of real value to a collector so it could take some time to dispose of.

Additionally, as the years roll by it will become increasingly harder to get certain parts. Fixing it DIY should be easy.

If it's gonna be a daily runner then it probably isn't the sensible choice.

mike65

Interesting car to buy, it should be a no-brainer in terms of an investment provided you don't actually drive it! Can you afford to buy without selling the Audi?

Mike.

crosstownk

mike65 wrote:

Can you afford to buy without selling the Audi?

Option numero uno. Best of both worlds - and they are two different worlds.

Anan1

mike65 wrote:

Interesting car to buy, it should be a no-brainer in terms of an investment provided you don't actually drive it! Can you afford to buy without selling the Audi?

Mike.

No, it's one or the other. That said, my brother really wants the A8 back. I'd be using the Golf as a daily driver, although I only do perhaps 7,000 miles a year.

In a lot of ways, the Golf really doesn't make sense. On the other hand, running costs should be lower than with the Audi and it probably won't depreciate. Finally, it's been one of the cars I want to have owned for a while now, and I may not get too many more chances to buy one.

crosstownk

Anan1, I don't mean to be a dick, but it sounds like you want the Golf as a toy? (I would too ). These things do give trouble, not many mechanics know their way around a G60 - it could spell trouble. G60 parts can be hard to nail down (main dealer for sure, but big bucks) - and at that you'll need a partsman that knows his stuff.

Personally, if had a car already, I'd buy it - at the right price. I love those MkIIs (but a MkI would be my choice). But my preference, in a MkII, would be a 16V GTI.

peasant

I'm not so sure that the G bit in the G 60 lends itself to daily usage.

Anan1

crosstownk wrote:

Anan1, I don't mean to be a dick, but it sounds like you want the Golf as a toy? (I would too ).

Ish! I don't do many miles, so any car is essentially a toy for me compared to someone who drives for a living. That said, I justified buying the A8 in terms of passive safety, a notable shortcoming in a Mk2 Golf.

crosstownk wrote:

These things do give trouble, not many mechanics know their way around a G60 - it could spell trouble. G60 parts can be hard to nail down (main dealer for sure, but big bucks) - and at that you'll need a partsman that knows his stuff.

This is all true, although I can't see running costs as being as high as for the A8.

crosstownk wrote:

Personally, if had a car already, I'd buy it - at the right price. I love those MkIIs (but a MkI would be my choice). But my preference, in a MkII, would be a 16V GTI.

I had one of those in the mid 90s, to be honest that's part of the reason I want the Limited. Come on though, surely you'd prefer a Limited to a GTI16v?:)

Rowley Birkin QC

Anan1 wrote:

Finally, it's been one of the cars I want to have owned for a while now, and I may not get too many more chances to buy one.

Says it all really, go for it.

Anychance it's one of the 3-door ones? Why not buy something else for small money to use as a runaround and keep the Golf mint?

BostonB

http://www.futureclassiccars.com/stocklist/index.php

These guys always have a few mint MkII's sometimes a Mk1. Never seen a G60 though. Rallye's now and then.

galwaytt

bigkev49 wrote:

Why not buy something else for small money to use as a runaround and keep the Golf mint?

Best solution yet - buy the G, and a runabout for peanuts - there's a 121 'bubble' locally for sale that you could use as a runabout and keep the G for special days.............

crosstownk

Anan1 wrote:

I had one of those in the mid 90s, to be honest that's part of the reason I want the Limited. Come on though, surely you'd prefer a Limited to a GTI16v?:)

To be honest, if both were in front of me, the decision would be too hard - I'd end up buying both!

Anan1

galwaytt wrote:

Best solution yet - buy the G, and a runabout for peanuts - there's a 121 'bubble' locally for sale that you could use as a runabout and keep the G for special days.............

See here's the thing - given that I can't keep the car indoors, wouldn't it be better for the car to use it?

Anan1

Here are two links: http://www.vw-racing.org/
http://www.faltdach.net/vwg60limited.htm

peasant

It being one of 70, it has to be absolutely original, it has to be kept absolutely original, no spurious spare parts etc and it has to be kept spotless and damage free.

If that's what you understand as "daily usage" ...fine ...if not and you're going to "improve" it with double lights and a whopping stereo and other sorts of accessories ...you should be crucified.

Personally I'd love to have one ...but I wouldn't dare use it daily.
Just the thought of parking it in a supermarket carpark gives me nightmares.

This car is worthy of a garage and a caring hand. Another 10 years down the line it will be an absolute rarety and worth quite a lot of money.

It should be bought as an "investment" more so than as a daily driver.

Anan1

peasant wrote:

It being one of 70, it has to be absolutely original, it has to be kept absolutely original, no spurious spare parts etc and it has to be kept spotless and damage free.

If that's what you understand as "daily usage" ...fine ...if not and you're going to "improve" it with double lights and a whopping stereo and other sorts of accessories ...you should be crucified.

Don't worry, i'm firmly in the first category.;)

peasant wrote:

Personally I'd love to have one ...but I wouldn't dare use it daily.
Just the thought of parking it in a supermarket carpark gives me nightmares.

This car is worthy of a garage and a caring hand. Another 10 years down the line it will be an absolute rarety and worth quite a lot of money.

It should be bought as an "investment" more so than as a daily driver.

I do know what you mean, but i'm also of the opinion that there's no real point in any car's existence if it's not being used. (There are certain exceptions, but you know what I mean). There is one in Germany with 220,000kms up.

Anan1

bigkev49 wrote:

Says it all really, go for it.

Anychance it's one of the 3-door ones?

Unfortunately not, apparently only two 3-door cars were built - one's in the VW factory museum and the other was written-off.

unkel

Anan1 wrote:

my brother really wants the A8 back

The same will happen to you if you buy the Golf

Anan1

unkel wrote:

The same will happen to you if you buy the Golf

I've been thinking long and hard about this all morning, and i've come to the conclusion that you're probably right. It's just one of those things where the idea of owning it is probably a lot better than the reality. Must be getting old...

peasant

Just a matter of curiosity ...

The one that you had your eye on ...how much is it and what's the mileage on it?

daedalus2097

Mmmm... There's a huge gulf between the two of them there... Personally I'd get the Limited and a runaround for the supermarkets etc. They're a lovely car but will cost you in upkeep and especially labour if you can't do a lot of the work yourself. They have a great "wolf in sheep's clothing" aspect to them too, not looking like anything special to the unsuspecting eye. Which one were you looking at buying? A friend of mine has one, and I've only heard of 3 or 4 in Ireland.

Anan1

The car would have cost me STG£12,000, and it appears to be a really good one. Mileage is just over 50,000 (miles).

peasant

That's a fair bit of money (already) and depending on the "cop on" of the boyhz in Rosslare VRT could be anything between 300 and 5000 Euro.

Just had another look at the official fuel consumption figures of the G60 ...12.5 liter/100 km in town ...that would rule it out for me as a daily driver (on top of all the other concerns) ...the A8 would be more economical

Anan1

peasant wrote:

Just had another look at the official fuel consumption figures of the G60 ...12.5 liter/100 km in town ...that would rule it out for me as a daily driver (on top of all the other concerns)

The normal G60 may well get by on 12.5l/100km around town, the combined cycle for the Limited is 15l/100km!

peasant wrote:

...the A8 would be more economical

I dunno about that, I get 17mpg urban, 28 on a run. (sorry for the mixed measures!)