Very low mileage Golf Mk4... worth anything?

Heofz

Heofz

Heofz

Soldato
Joined
20 Oct 2002
Posts
3,469
Location
London, UK
Hey guys,

Looks like it's time to reduce the car count back to 1!

Have a '53 plate Mk4 Golf Match 1.6 Petrol (5 door) in black with under 32k miles on it, had since new.

What's interesting is that I'm getting very wild differences in opinion from people regarding its value. Some reckon over £4k just cos of the mileage, others say I'd be lucky to get £1.5k, while still assuming everything is perfect.

Looked on Autotrader, and I can only find a few examples of the same car with much higher milage for around the £3k-4k mark.

Got a few things about the car which will detract from the value (some bodywork issues, probably needs new gearbox, one of the doors doesn't open), but in general was wondering what you guys think, and why such variances in people's perceptions...
 
Heofz said:
Got a few things about the car which will detract from the value (some bodywork issues, probably needs new gearbox, one of the doors doesn't open), but in general was wondering what you guys think, and why such variances in people's perceptions...
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That sounds as if it needs major work doing. You shouldn't need a new gearbox after only 32k miles. Has the car been in a major accident?
 
The fact it 'probably needs a new gearbox', which is a major component on a 12 year old Golf, has a significant effect on it's value. Infact frankly I suspect you'd struggle to get more than a grand for it - talk of £4000 for a base model Golf thats 12 years old, tatty and requires major repair work is fantasy land.
 
Quartz said:
That sounds as if it needs major work doing. You shouldn't need a new gearbox after only 32k miles. Has the car been in a major accident?
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It's got a particularly weak gearbox that is unfortunately known for issues at quite low mileage. Plus, it's 12 years old - mileage becomes increasingly irrelevant as a car reaches that sort of age. It seems a bit weird to suggest it might have an accident :confused:
 
Whoever thinks you'll get 4k for that when it needs a gearbox or a rebuild, has a broken door and bodywork issues is at the special smokes.

I paid about 2k for my 2001 1.8T GTI 4 years ago, if a knackered but low mileage 1.6 match is worth any more than a grand is be amazed
 
Quartz said:
That sounds as if it needs major work doing. You shouldn't need a new gearbox after only 32k miles. Has the car been in a major accident?
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The gearbox in my Bora lasted 22k. OP has done well! ;)

No way on earth it's worth 4k. Must be a valuation checker with a daft multiple for mileage adjustments. It'll cost a bit to get the gearbox replaced.
 
I sold a 2000 1.8T GTi with 75k for £2,000 3 years ago. Can't imagine yours will be worth more than about £1,500. Much less if the gearbox problem is obvious from a test drive.
 
Agreed with above. I can't imagine it being worth more than a grand. Low miles means nothing compare to bodywork issues, gearbox issues, door not working, and the least desirable engine in the range.
 
I am no expert, but our "station car" is an 04 golf 1.6fsi with nothing wrong, fsh and 24k miles. If it's worth £2k (on a forecourt) i'd be pleased!
 
I sold an X reg 1.4 MK4 Golf with under 30k miles on it about 4 years ago now. I can't remember exactly but im sure I got less than 2 grand for it
 
Keep and run into the ground IMO. I think you will find that the ads for £3-4k are posted by dreamers and dealers trying to pull a fast one. No one in a right mind will buy a 12 years old poverty spec golf for that much.
 
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Thanks for the input guys.

Regarding the bodywork, no accidents, just a couple of minor dings from people opening doors etc, except for one time someone (must have been a range rover or something high) reversed into its front while I left it parked several years ago, warped the bonnet ever so slightly and I needed to replace the grille which had cracked and number plate which just vanished (didn't realise the front had been hit until after taking it home that night then looking at it the next morning). It's been kind of sorted since though (but not 100%).

The door not opening is the lock module that's slowly failed over time. Seems to be a common fault from what I've read, especially for the rear doors.

Mechanically the car seems perfect, drives 100%, the gearbox just makes odd "chugga" noises when reversing. It's either the gearbox or the selector that might need looking at.

But with these issues aside, just to set a baseline, had the car been tip top with less than 1k/year average done on it, we're still saying we're not looking at much for it?
 
Yep. If you can find someone else who puts more value in 7 miles per day (pretty sure the car isn't 32 years old, so dunno where you get less than 1k/year), than condition of the motor, spec and engine, then your a lucky man.

I would say even in top condition, your looking at £2k absolute tops, from a trader. But it isn't top condition, and sounds like a few hundred quid to get it sorted minimum. Private sale you'll do well to break £1500 in current condition, but more likely £1k. Mk4's are old cars now, and there are loads for sale, and many of them will be in a nice condition with a better engine, albeit higher miles. When cars are this age, you buy on condition, not miles.
 
Heofz said:
But with these issues aside, just to set a baseline, had the car been tip top with less than 1k/year average done on it, we're still saying we're not looking at much for it?
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No. £1250 tops, unless you find the right mug who will overlook a dying gearbox as it's only done 2500 miles a year.
 
Yeah, like I said, was trying to establish a baseline for what an 11 year old golf in perfect condition would fetch, (i.e. flawless bodywork, no gearbox issues, 10k mileage for the sake of argument), as even that itself seems to be hard enough to do looking at autotrader etc.

From what I'm seeing above, somewhere around the £2k mark if I'm lucky?

I'm asking this because I'm evaluating whether its worth getting all this stuff fixed on the golf, got a few people who can swap out the gearbox if needed for relatively cheap, body panels can be replaced if I find the right paint codes etc... but if it costs me £500 just to add £100 to its value then there's no point obviously.
 
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