thninking of buying a vw golf any advice welcome .

bk1991

hey guys
i will be heading to college in uk in sept and am looking in the next few mts at buying a vw golf 1.9 tdi in years 99-02 ethier 5 door car or golf van . what pricies should be right from looking on donedeal theres low an high ones . what is there to look for when buying apart from the usual ?


cheers
bk1991

Mr Benevolent

Don't buy over here unless you have you. Lower prices and better specs in the UK make more sense. Cars usually have an easier life too.

mondeo

I heard the gearbox's are crap

Mr Benevolent

mondeo wrote: »

I heard the gearbox's are crap

The TDI gearboxes are generally ok. There are better cars than Golfs out there OP, I'd suggest (I know, I know!) an Octavia.

D.R cowboy

Have a 10 GTI myself, the old man bought it for me last week there , serious car but I mi ght sell it and get a range rover over the summer

pm me if you any questions

Mr Benevolent

D.R cowboy wrote: »

Have a 10 GTI myself, the old man bought it for me last week there , serious car but I mi ght sell it and get a range rover over the summer

pm me if you any questions

Oh dear, oh dear... :rolleyes:

phelixoflaherty

Not a bad site if checking for future probs.

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/volkswagen/golf-iv-1998/

roosterman71

D.R cowboy wrote: »

Have a 10 GTI myself, the old man bought it for me last week there , serious car but I mi ght sell it and get a range rover over the summer

pm me if you any questions

This is the second thread I recall where your on about buying a Range Rover. Best of luck in the leaving too

T83

As said above, buy in the UK if you're going to college in the UK, you'll most likely find a decent highline over there, leather, cruise, all the extras. Look for the later PD engined TDI's, they're a lot smoother and have a little more power. Don't bother remapping it, theres plenty of go in the pd130 and 150 for driving in the real world, and remaps are where the "crap gearbox" rumours come from. Check the front wishbones and bushings, mine went twice in almost 3 years of ownership (gti not tdi). Check window regulators... listen for a slight cracking sound when using them, if buying from a dealer make sure they havent disabled the electrics or anything because thats a sure fire sign theyre on the way out and they know it. Central locking in the 5 door models is iffy, make sure the rear doors are actually closing. Coilpacks give trouble, feel for any shudder under light acceleration. MAFs are known to go, VW are well aware of it and have a refurb system in place. Any specific questions feel free to PM me. I had mine as I said almost three years and it gave me little trouble (until ironically the ECU went in it, but thats rare and could happen to any car)

bk1991

cheers for the advice guys . but i think the 130bhp is out of the question as i am only 19 and and last year when we bought the passat i coulnt even get a quote on a 130bhp named driver . my insurance on passat 1.9tdi is around the 800€ named driver if i buy in uk how does it be registered ? and for a 01-02 golf van or car what is the price range ? 2500-3000€ ?



bk1991

dunsandin

I had to change the gearbox on a 01 golf petrol(1.8) for a friend, and since then, I have gone right off them. I bought a new 1.9TD in 99, and while I had it, I loved it, but having had to work on one gone wrong, I am a bit leery of the "Golfs are great", it was a real p.i.t.a to work on. I didnt see the ledgendary quality that VW are always banging on about. I think a lot of the rep for quality is a triumph of marketing over reality. There is far better value out there.

T83

Agreed, it's just a car, same build quality as Ford, Fiat and Toyota (better interior build than a toyota though, yeeesh), stuff goes wrong. Thankfully mine was virtually trouble free (until it went wheels to jesus), but I will say that when things did go wrong you'd swear I was driving a Porsche with the parts prices VW charged.... but theres soooo many Golfs out there that you could close your eyes and point at a scrapyard and probably have pointed at the used part you needed. So if you like Golf's and you want a Golf... get a Golf, they're grand.

@OP: Well if your insuring it in the UK you might not have a problem, but insuring it over here, yeah I can see why it'd be so sky high the PD130's and 150's are Veyron beaters in this country sure, especially when they're in an A4 or Passat.. never mind the Golf :rolleyes:.

If it's for college in the UK though, I'd honestly buy, tax and insure over there. You'll be there for enough days in the year to be considered a UK resident and still drive it home for summer holidays (correct me if I'm wrong), keep it for the duration of college and after college if you want to keep it you wont have to pay the extortionate VRT on it as you'll have owned it at a uk address for years beforehand.

bazz26

T83 wrote: »

Agreed, it's just a car, same build quality as Ford, Fiat and Toyota (better interior build than a toyota though, yeeesh), stuff goes wrong. Thankfully mine was virtually trouble free (until it went wheels to jesus), but I will say that when things did go wrong you'd swear I was driving a Porsche with the parts prices VW charged.... but theres soooo many Golfs out there that you could close your eyes and point at a scrapyard and probably have pointed at the used part you needed. So if you like Golf's and you want a Golf... get a Golf, they're grand.

@OP: Well if your insuring it in the UK you might not have a problem, but insuring it over here, yeah I can see why it'd be so sky high the PD130's and 150's are Veyron beaters in this country sure, especially when they're in an A4 or Passat.. never mind the Golf :rolleyes:.

If it's for college in the UK though, I'd honestly buy, tax and insure over there. You'll be there for enough days in the year to be considered a UK resident and still drive it home for summer holidays (correct me if I'm wrong), keep it for the duration of college and after college if you want to keep it you wont have to pay the extortionate VRT on it as you'll have owned it at a uk address for years beforehand.

Afaik full time students don't qualify for VRT exemption.

evanSpiddal

I don't think they sell the Golf in van form in the UK, i could never find one when I was searching for one anyways...

bk1991

T83 wrote: »

Agreed, it's just a car, same build quality as Ford, Fiat and Toyota (better interior build than a toyota though, yeeesh), stuff goes wrong. Thankfully mine was virtually trouble free (until it went wheels to jesus), but I will say that when things did go wrong you'd swear I was driving a Porsche with the parts prices VW charged.... but theres soooo many Golfs out there that you could close your eyes and point at a scrapyard and probably have pointed at the used part you needed. So if you like Golf's and you want a Golf... get a Golf, they're grand.

@OP: Well if your insuring it in the UK you might not have a problem, but insuring it over here, yeah I can see why it'd be so sky high the PD130's and 150's are Veyron beaters in this country sure, especially when they're in an A4 or Passat.. never mind the Golf :rolleyes:.

If it's for college in the UK though, I'd honestly buy, tax and insure over there. You'll be there for enough days in the year to be considered a UK resident and still drive it home for summer holidays (correct me if I'm wrong), keep it for the duration of college and after college if you want to keep it you wont have to pay the extortionate VRT on it as you'll have owned it at a uk address for years beforehand.

il get my mother as policy holder .and me named driver as will be cheeper and then when i am 21 i get my own policy . i dont think they do the golf van in uk .mabey i am wrong .


bk1991

bk1991

bk1991 wrote: »

il get my mother as policy holder .and me named driver as will be cheeper and then when i am 21 i get my own policy . i dont think they do the golf van in uk .mabey i am wrong .


bk1991

cant use edit dono why ...
willl a 130 bhp golf van be cheeper insure than a 130bhp golf car ? n wuld i be right in sayen a 130 would be more ecconomicle ?

bk1991

Ali Babba

Don't slam the doors with the window open, the whole winder mechanism disintegrates, personal experience.............;)

Mc Love

Why are people recommending Skoda's the whole time? Mods should probably set up a new subforum for Skoda owners.

:mad:

bk1991

Mc Love wrote: »

Why are people recommending Skoda's the whole time? Mods should probably set up a new subforum for Skoda owners.

:mad:

when we were buying last summer . we looked at scodas and passats passat has way more room everywhere . octavia too cramped up .

bazz26

bk1991 wrote: »

when we were buying last summer . we looked at scodas and passats passat has way more room everywhere . octavia too cramped up .

That's because the Octavia is a competitor to the Golf not the Passat. The Passat is from a class above the Octavia/Golf.

bk1991

bazz26 wrote: »

That's because the Octavia is a competitor to the Golf not the Passat. The Passat is from a class above the Octavia/Golf.

and prob the bora too ? am i right .what scoda is same as passat ?

bk1991

what is orught price on a 01-02 130 bhp golf van ?

GTE

This is the only topic I really KNOW so you should go through my other stupid posts and find all the other ones where I talk about it and deliver my nuggets of subjective gold.

I have a 2000 Golf TDI Estate.

The engines in the 1998 to 2000's are very bulletproof over all. Some tiny niggly problems though.
The oil used should be fully synthetic and meets the VW 505.00 or 505.01 standard.
Insurance on a 90hp 1.9 TDI is 3300 on my own policy.
The coolant temp sensor may need to be changed (cheap easy fix)
The rear window washer pipes will have to be bodge jobbed, even if you dont see a problem (free and easy fix)
Brake light switch at the pedal can go (cheap and easy fix)

Great car, Ive had it nearly a year now and bloody hell, if all thats wrong with a 10 year old car was a sensor, a brake switch and a little pipe work in the back I think I got a great car.

If you can only afford cars from around the 2000 era the VAG TDI is the best engine of the bunch IMO, from research I did last year when looking to buy a car.

pie-man

dont waste your time buying in the uk. at the moment the prices are way to high because of lack of 2nd hand stuff. you'll find something locally for roughly the same sort of money if you look around. and as always try to stay away from imported stuff as there is a good chance its clocked. make sure the car has a good service history. aswell higher mileage versions of these cars that havent been properly serviced can start giving serious trouble e.g most indenpendent garages only put 10w/40 semi into these and we all know thats not a good idea for the pd engine. anything your interest in send me the reg and ill do a finance check for you

GTE

bk1991 wrote: »

and prob the bora too ? am i right .what scoda is same as passat ?

I didnt read into what context you are asking well enough but the Bora is a Golf with a saloon boot and different lights so its the same class as a Golf.

GTE

Mc Love wrote: »

Why are people recommending Skoda's the whole time? Mods should probably set up a new subforum for Skoda owners.

:mad:

They are being recommended a lot but here it makes perfect sense.

GTE

pie-man wrote: »

dont waste your time buying in the uk. at the moment the prices are way to high because of lack of 2nd hand stuff. you'll find something locally for roughly the same sort of money if you look around. and as always try to stay away from imported stuff as there is a good chance its clocked. make sure the car has a good service history. aswell higher mileage versions of these cars that havent been properly serviced can start giving serious trouble e.g most indenpendent garages only put 10w/40 semi into these and we all know thats not a good idea for the pd engine. anything your interest in send me the reg and ill do a finance check for you

Indeed, oil is the killer with these engines. The newer generation (PD engine) to the year 2000 ones (VE TDI) in particular.

If you are getting a car with 105, 115 horse power (not 90, 110, 130) call the garage up and ask them what oil they would use.

The 90, 110, 130 HP engines are the older generation (im pretty sure) anything else is newer.

Walk away if the wrong oil has been used in the newer generation.

There was a period of cross over from old to new generation, so in around 2002 you could be getting a mix so its well worth asking us to find out what one it is. Make sure you know the horse power for definite.


Oil for Older generation VE TDI: Fully synth and to the VW 505.00 spec
Oil for Newer generation PD TDI: Fully Sythn and to the VW 505.01 ONLY

steve french

bk1991 wrote: »

.what scoda is same as passat ?

the skoda superb would be the equivalent of a passat

dunsandin

steve french wrote: »

the skoda superb would be the equivalent of a passat

But better. Ahem.:D

It BeeMee

bk1991 wrote: »

hey guys
i will be heading to college in uk in sept and am looking in the next few mts at buying a vw golf 1.9 tdi in years 99-02 ethier 5 door car or golf van . what pricies should be right from looking on donedeal theres low an high ones . what is there to look for when buying apart from the usual ?


cheers
bk1991

Are you buying to drive it in the UK, or just for the summer until you go?

If it's to use in the UK, then you may be better off buying over there.
However I'm not sure how :

bk1991 wrote: »

il get my mother as policy holder .and me named driver as will be cheeper and then when i am 21 i get my own policy

would work out as your mother may not be able to insure the car long term in a different country?

judas101

roosterman71 wrote: »

This is the second thread I recall where your on about buying a Range Rover. Best of luck in the leaving too

lol

bk1991

It BeeMee wrote: »

Are you buying to drive it in the UK, or just for the summer until you go?

If it's to use in the UK, then you may be better off buying over there.
However I'm not sure how :

would work out as your mother may not be able to insure the car long term in a different country?

buying for summer n over there

bk1991

what

bk1991

what is the best one the 115bhp ? and what sort budget shoul i set for a clean 01-02 ?


bk1991

-Corkie-

bazz26 wrote: »

That's because the Octavia is a competitor to the Golf not the Passat. The Passat is from a class above the Octavia/Golf.

Thank god at last someone knows about cars and not talkin b.s;)

bk1991

is this not over priced ? http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1286007

David6330

IMO that car on donedeal is worth about €3500 at the very most. Try looking at Peugeot 306 HDI car/van. They are better value than a Golf.

I used to have a 00 Golf TDI. It gave me a lot of trouble - engine over heated, central locking and air flow meter problems. They are an easy car to sell because they are so over rated. Will not get one again.

bazz26

bk1991 wrote: »

is this not over priced ? http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1286007

Lol, €5k for an 11 year old one, it's beyond overpriced.

bk1991

bazz26 wrote: »

Lol, €5k for an 11 year old one, it's beyond overpriced.

wort around 2500-3000 ?

Max Power1

bk1991 wrote: »

wort around 2500-3000 ?

at the highest id say 2k.

WilliamEgan

IMHO just don't buy a golf. Every third person has one and I think there is better value for money elsewhere.

studdlymurphy

I know a few people who had petrol golfs and had problems with gearboxes.
I have a 99 tdi never had a problem with it in the 7-8 years I have it. Recently the central locking has not been opening the 2 passenger side doors but other than that its 100% It has over 220k mile too and I take it over the tonne monthly to give the engine a good run.
No complaints here.

bk1991

studdlymurphy wrote: »

I know a few people who had petrol golfs and had problems with gearboxes.
I have a 99 tdi never had a problem with it in the 7-8 years I have it. Recently the central locking has not been opening the 2 passenger side doors but other than that its 100% It has over 220k mile too and I take it over the tonne monthly to give the engine a good run.
No complaints here.

what bhp is it ?

studdlymurphy

bk1991 wrote: »

what bhp is it ?

110

bk1991

studdlymurphy wrote: »

110

5 speed ? u have had no maigor problems so far ?

galwaytt

bk1991 wrote: »

hey guys
i will be heading to college in uk in sept and am looking in the next few mts at buying a vw golf 1.9 tdi in years 99-02 ethier 5 door car or golf van . what pricies should be right from looking on donedeal theres low an high ones . what is there to look for when buying apart from the usual ?


cheers
bk1991

Can you clarify: you're buying a car here, and bringing it over there ? That makes no sense.

If you're buying here, to use here in the future, fair enough, but given the student status, unless you're loaded, why are you buying a big-tax, low-power car ?

A good 1.4 petrol something-or-other would be, imho, a much better bet, more reliable (as they get older), cheaper to buy, cheaper to tax, cheaper to insure, and cheaper to fix. And if it's a VW, you will be fixing it. Older diesels, you need to watch for DMF's, and that'll cost you.

Just don't buy a 1.4 petrol Golf - the worst of both worlds.

Boring, maybe, but even a 1.4 Toyota/Honda/1.3 Mazda/Clio in the UK would be a cheap choice.

GTE

bk1991 wrote: »

5 speed ? u have had no maigor problems so far ?

I think I have the same 5 speed box as he does.

My car is a 2000 and there is no mention of any gearbox problems in the service history which was quite thorough. Its not a fantastically silky gear box some times, but I dont get any impression that its bad, nor has it thrown up any problems. Selecting 1st normally isnt smooth but every other gear is fine.

bk1991

galwaytt wrote: »

Can you clarify: you're buying a car here, and bringing it over there ? That makes no sense.

If you're buying here, to use here in the future, fair enough, but given the student status, unless you're loaded, why are you buying a big-tax, low-power car ?

A good 1.4 petrol something-or-other would be, imho, a much better bet, more reliable (as they get older), cheaper to buy, cheaper to tax, cheaper to insure, and cheaper to fix. And if it's a VW, you will be fixing it. Older diesels, you need to watch for DMF's, and that'll cost you.

Just don't buy a 1.4 petrol Golf - the worst of both worlds.

Boring, maybe, but even a 1.4 Toyota/Honda/1.3 Mazda/Clio in the UK would be a cheap choice.

i would never go for petrol car . my father always said that the tax price balances out over time as diesel is cheeper tha n petrol. puls a diesel is better for higher milage in my opinion.

bk1991

bk1991

bbk wrote: »

I think I have the same 5 speed box as he does.

My car is a 2000 and there is no mention of any gearbox problems in the service history which was quite thorough. Its not a fantastically silky gear box some times, but I dont get any impression that its bad, nor has it thrown up any problems. Selecting 1st normally isnt smooth but every other gear is fine.

is it only the 115-130 and the 150 that has the 6speed gear box .

studdlymurphy

bk1991 wrote: »

5 speed ? u have had no maigor problems so far ?

Yip 5 speed TDI red I (just thinking I hope it is 110bhp). No problems at all with just over 220k miles and no signs of any problems comming either I give it a very hard drive for a couple of days once every 2-3 months just to stretch its legs and would run it up over the tonne monthly to keep it right.

GTE

bk1991 wrote: »

is it only the 115-130 and the 150 that has the 6speed gear box .

Yes it is, however there is no 115 or 150 HP version of the engine that myself and studdlymurphy have.

And studdlymurphy's TDI is 110hp considering what year it is.

For a student car on student budgets Id go for the engines from 1998 to 2000ish. They are less prone to causing problems if the car wasn't maintained properly, oil and such.