recommend a 01 or 02 car for about 13,000?

L5 · 21-10-2005 12:49pm #1

looking for a car that will do me for 4 years,so I was hoping to get a 01 or 02 1.4 litre preferably for insurance purposes. I have about 13,000 to spend, can anyone recommend a good 01/02 car for that price. Was looking at Golfs, but they seem very expensive, 00 ones going for 11 & 12,000. Can anyone recommend a similiar type of car?
thanks

Jildy · 21-10-2005 1:29pm

The obvious choice that springs to mind is a Toyota Corolla.

Rock Solid reliability and good resale when it comes to a trade in.

1.4VVTI would be a good engine and the insurance would be quite reasonable.

PaulKK · 21-10-2005 1:45pm

L5 wrote:

looking for a car that will do me for 4 years,so I was hoping to get a 01 or 02 1.4 litre preferably for insurance purposes. I have about 13,000 to spend, can anyone recommend a good 01/02 car for that price. Was looking at Golfs, but they seem very expensive, 00 ones going for 11 & 12,000. Can anyone recommend a similiar type of car?
thanks

I'd say golf is the way to go, they are expensive, but they retain their value, they are very solid(if not a little slow in 1.4 form) and should last the course for you no problem. I have an old mk3, and she's still flying @ 13yrs old!

Of course, the corolla *yawn* is a decent enough car in hatchback form, but the feel of quality wouldn't be comparable with the golf.

Another option is a civic, the newer version in my opinion, is a bit manky looking, but some people like it. I'd spring for a 00 model, fine car.:)

L5 · 21-10-2005 1:55pm

what about a ford focus? They look quite nice and are a bit cheaper than Golfs. Are they any good?

Jildy · 21-10-2005 1:57pm

Also, if the Golf was too expensive you could also go for a high spec Skoda Fabia, as long as the bagde didn't turn you off.

Here is a 2003 model for under 10K.

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=288758

bazz26 · 21-10-2005 1:58pm

PaulKK · 21-10-2005 2:04pm

L5 wrote:

what about a ford focus? They look quite nice and are a bit cheaper than Golfs. Are they any good?

Modern fords tend to be more reliable and economical and the old Fixed Or Repaired Daily thing isn't around anymore.:D

Saying that, I've never liked them, they tend to be a lot lighter than their german rivals, granted less expensive.

There's somthing reassuring about that nice solid 'clunk' when you shut the door of a golf/equivalent than the 'click' of a focus.

bazz26 · 21-10-2005 2:04pm

PaulKK wrote:

Of course, the corolla *yawn* is a decent enough car in hatchback form, but the feel of quality wouldn't be comparable with the golf.

MkIV Golf *yawn* overpriced, underspeced and not as bomb proof as VW would like you to belive.

ballooba · 21-10-2005 2:33pm

Got a 02 PASSAT 1.6 Litre with 46K miles for 13.5K about a month ago. Main dealer. Perfect. No trade in though.

PaulKK · 21-10-2005 2:39pm

bazz26 wrote:

MkIV Golf *yawn* overpriced, underspeced and not as bomb proof as VW would like you to belive.

Come on bazz, whats with the constant VW bashing. Your replys in many threads are along the lines of 'don't get a VW, get a skoda or a seat'.

I know your a toyota man from other threads( and from my experiance, naturally hate most german marques, but hey, you might be different ), but come on, like it or not skoda are not in the same 'class' as VW, just like VW aren't in the same class as audi.

Would you recommend a passat to someone looking for an A4? Methinks not,
so why do it when someone is looking for a passat/golf etc.

But hey, your entitled to your opinion, and I don't want to get into an unpleasant argument, it is a discussion forum after all:)

bazz26 · 21-10-2005 3:20pm

Appologies to the OP for hijacking the thread.

Yes I am a VW basher as I don't like their marketing ploys. Why pay over the odds for a Golf when a Seat Leon or Skoda Octavia (all the same car) will do the same job but cost alot less. There is nothing in the Golf imo that warrants the extra premium over the others unless one classes the badge as utmost important.

And I would recommend a Seat or Skoda over a VW as imo they represent better value for money.

My 5 cent anyway.

PS the OP asked for alternatives to the Golf.

Eoin · 21-10-2005 5:09pm

bazz26 wrote:

MkIV Golf *yawn* overpriced, underspeced and not as bomb proof as VW would like you to belive.

Have to agree with you Bazz; I found my Mark IV quite dull to drive, and nowhere near as reliable as I was expecting (to further go against stereotypes, my Alfa has been more reliable over nearly 2 years than my golf was over 1).

Had I known better at the time, I would definitely have gone for a Seat instead.

jayok · 21-10-2005 6:10pm

looking for a car that will do me for 4 years,so I was hoping to get a 01 or 02 1.4 litre preferably for insurance purposes. I have about 13,000 to spend, can anyone recommend a good 01/02 car for that price. Was looking at Golfs, but they seem very expensive, 00 ones going for 11 & 12,000. Can anyone recommend a similiar type of car?
thanks

Still on about this shameless plug I've a 03 Honda Civic that I'd sell for 13K if your interested! FSH, still under warranty, etc.

I feel like such a pimp!

Dcully · 21-10-2005 6:34pm

Gotta agree with Bazz,i had a VW passat in 00 and had nothing but trouble with it.
Bought it new and after 8k all went belly up.
Never again tbh.

Ivan E · 21-10-2005 9:11pm

I had a 00 Almera saloon and it was a nice drive and all that but boring as f**k. My mother has a 00 civic saloon which again is a nice car but boring as well. I know the Almera was updated that year. My wife drives a 03 Focus and its the same as 01 and 02 models. Its a nicer car. Just has a nicer look to it.

Pick out 2 or 3 cars that you like the look of and go and test drive them. Even if the dealer/garage is closed, try and see if you can get a look at it.

Golfs are nice enough from what I see but they are expensive for what you get. Good on resale obviously but when you're buying you may have to drop down a year or two to get the same as other cars.

It can be a bit bland inside with dark plastics but that will either appeal to you or not.

Test drive as many as you can and you'll soon find what you want. Sometimes you have to choose between style or reliability.

ds20prefecture · 21-10-2005 10:04pm

PaulKK wrote:

but come on, like it or not skoda are not in the same 'class' as VW, just like VW aren't in the same class as audi.

lol. not in the same "class", yet share about 85% of components.... Badge marketing at its best.

FWIW, my comparison the 1.6 Mk1 Leon, the Mk 1 Octavia, the Mk IV Golf and the Mk1 A3. I have driven a good few miles in all 4, and own an Octavia estate.

Leon - Arguably the best looking of the 4. Same dash as the A3. Interior is probably the best appointed of the 4 in terms of equipment. Slightly stiffer suspension gives a slightly more entertaining drive at the slight expense of comfort. Hit hardest by depreciation, but still very respectable. Faultless reliability, good value servicing.

Octavia - Handsome but over conservative looks. The interior is well equipped for the price but has one or two too many points with hard plastics to be a match for the other 3. Has easily the biggest boot. Ride and handling closer to the Leon than the Golf. Holds it value very well, almost as well as the Golf. Faultless reliability, servicing can be expensive but cheap if you go outside Dublin

Golf - Nice clean design, conservative but not too much so. Interior is easily the best of the lot (better than a lot of cars). Handling a bit ponderous and uncommunicative, probably a bit blunted by the extra sound deadening. A bit sparse on equipment for the price. Numerous complaints about reliability, but nothing too serious. Expensive to service.

Audi - Darling of the suburbs. Classic yet strangely dull design. Sensation of perceived quality is very high, yet equipment and comfort pretty poor by comparison to the other. Cramped, with a small boot. Ludicrously overpriced, and people still buy badges so young ones hold their value. Reliability reputation not great and servicing costs highest of all.

All 4 are cramped in the back.

Compare prices when new
A3 was most expensive, costing over 2500 more than the equivalent Skoda, and about €2200 more than the Seat
Golf is next, costing more than €1000 over the skoda or about €700 over the seat.

If I had to choose between the 4, I'd pick the Leon unless I needed an estate, in which case I'd pick the Octy.

If I had €13k to spend I'd buy an '02 Alfa 147 1.6 privately for €10k and put the 3k towards insurance. You'd probably get this '02 from a dealer for about €12k - http://tinyurl.com/9e3y6

BrianD3 · 21-10-2005 10:46pm

Well it depends on what you are looking for in a car. Are you image conscious? Is space and a big boot a priority? Are you in anyway a keen driver? What kind of mileage are you planning to do and on what kind of roads?

Are you just looking for a reliable runabout which will get you from a to b with minimal hassle?

For your budget you would get a 2004 Hyundai Accent. These have a 3 year (or is it 5?) manufacturers warranty so there would be a fair bit of it left if you got a 04. Bad point of these is they seem to depreciate very heavily and will be worth v. little in a few years. But then again if you throw down 13k on a 01 car from a more "well known" manufacturer it won't be worth much in a few years either.

recommend a 01 or 02 car for about 13,000?

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