Finaly ready to buy my first car!
- Thread starter Tommy B
- Start date
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
People seem to say Golf Turbo as if they expect some sort of tarmac eater. What you really get is a dull sounding 4 pot with a low pressure turbo and a whole 150bhp, powering a lardy car with uncommunicative steering and a crap chassis.
They do look nice when properly modified (not penski style) though.
They do look nice when properly modified (not penski style) though.
[TW]Fox;11851110 said:
Agreed but as a first car it's more than adequate. You do pay a premium for that prestige badge though
Is a Leon/Toledo definitely out then? The Toledo is almost identical in size to the Golf apart from the boot sticking out at the back. It's actually a small enough car. Just to give you some idea, I recently sold my fully specced, '53 plate Toledo 20vT Sport with 36k miles, FSH, spotless etc. for £3900. That's quite a difference in price for a faster (180bhp) and higher specced car with a better interior (pulled straight out of the audi A3).
[TW]Fox;11851216 said:
For some reason I got consistently cheaper insurance quotes on a Bora compared to a Golf when I was looking some time ago. The differences were significant too, around 30-40% cheaper if I remember correctly.
the 150bhp golf is group 14 and the 150bhp polo is group 13...even though it weighs about half a tonne less so would smoke the golf. Strange.
you could always get the 150bhp golf and remap it to 200bhp+ for a couple of hundred quid
you could always get the 150bhp golf and remap it to 200bhp+ for a couple of hundred quid
Good god i didnt know you didnt even own a car yet! That explains your insane view of the GTR. The 2.0 focus is not rapid or stunning 
, That looks like the metro center car park?. But i could be wrong
The mk4 golf GTI is not a good choice of car and fitting an induction kit aint going to help it become one.
, That looks like the metro center car park?. But i could be wrongThe mk4 golf GTI is not a good choice of car and fitting an induction kit aint going to help it become one.
No it isn't, its the same size!
The only MK4 worth looking at is the R32 IMO.
The toledo is a bit longer but has the same wheelbase.
Toledo:
Wheelbase 2520 mm (99.2 in)
Length 4440 mm (174.8 in)
Width 1740 mm (68.5 in)
Height 1440 mm (56.7 in)
MK4 Golf:
Wheelbase 2512 mm (98.9 in)
R32: 2517 mm (99.1 in)
Length 1999-2002 GTI/Golf: 4148 mm (163.3 in)
2003-06 GTI/Golf: 4188 mm (164.9 in)
R32: 4176 mm (164.4 in)
Width GTI/R32/Golf: 1735 mm (68.3 in)
Height GTI/Golf: 1440 mm (56.7 in)
R32: 1425 mm (56.1 in)
2008-Present City Golf: 56.9 in (1445 mm)
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Soldato
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[TW]Fox;11851110 said:
You forgot to mention the power to weight which is truly awful as well!
Agreed but as a first car it's more than adequate. You do pay a premium for that prestige badge though
Is a Leon/Toledo definitely out then? The Toledo is almost identical in size to the Golf apart from the boot sticking out at the back. It's actually a small enough car. Just to give you some idea, I recently sold my fully specced, '53 plate Toledo 20vT Sport with 36k miles, FSH, spotless etc. for £3900. That's quite a difference in price for a faster (180bhp) and higher specced car with a better interior (pulled straight out of the audi A3).
Leon Cupra T insurance is £2000
Toledo V5 insruance is only £1,100 so I'll have a look.
What about the Toledo 20vT? It's a better car than the V5 although not quite as cheap.
Poor boys R32, innit.
This thread explains a lot
Yes a 19 year old with up to £9,000/year university debts is 'poor' because they can't afford to drive and insure an R32
If I wasn't at university and had a full time job believe me I would do everything in my power to be able to purchase an R32 come my 21st birthday.
Also £2000, if I were paying that much for insurance I'd rather have the Leon Cupra T Sport. I guess it's possible if I got a damn good bargain in the first place buying the car.
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I have to admit they are tempting, probably the fastest car I could get insured on.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/512056.htm
But that would mean £7400 in total including insurance when my budget is £6000. Unless I wait a few months and earn some more cash.
They look very nice, but I'm sure Fox is about to step in and tell me how crap they are
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/512056.htm
But that would mean £7400 in total including insurance when my budget is £6000. Unless I wait a few months and earn some more cash.
They look very nice, but I'm sure Fox is about to step in and tell me how crap they are
I can't find any on pistonheads.
Solid as a rock as far as reliability is concerned. I had my Toledo for 3 years and ~35k miles and the only money I spent on it was for tyres and servicing. The MAF sensor and coil packs are common failures on these engines but at this age they should have been replaced. I had a MAF failure but it was replaced under warranty.
The engine is a love/hate thing. The delivery is classic for a turbocharged engine. They're quite sluggish until you hit about 2k RPM when the turbo gets to full boost after which they pull strongly until about 4.5-5k RPM. Some describe is as a "diesel like" powerband but it's not quite as restrictive as that.
Handling isn't bad. It's typical of a VAG car. They hold the road quite well however the chassis/steering is very uncommunicative. The steering feels very numb and there is almost zero feedback. However despite this they are quite a good drive. They're more suited to cruising than their lighter weight and more nimble competitors but they're a decent comprimise.
I loved the 6 speed gearbox. It was very direct, the throw was quite short and you were never in any doubt about which gear you were shifting into. It was a pleasure to use.
They're better than the Golf in every way. More power (150bhp vs 180bhp), cheaper to buy, better interior (straight out of the previous generation A3) and depending on your circumstances, cheaper to insure.