Finaly ready to buy my first car!

Tommy B · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:25

I'm 19, 20 in September, 0 NCB been driving for 2 years 2 months.
An insurance quote on an 02 VW Golf GTI 1.8T is £1,004 with parents. £1,500 without them as second and third drivers.

(Models I'm looking at range from £4,500 to £5,500 with max 65k miles)
Fuel Delivery Turbo injection
Transmission Manual
Gears 5 Speed
Performance
Engine Size 1781 cc
Cylinders 4
0-60 mph 8.2 s
Power Output 150 bhp
Valves 20
Torque 210 Nm 155 lb-ft
Top Speed 134 mph
Costs
MPG 35
Insurance Group 14
Euro Emissions Standard IV
CO2 Emissions 192 g/km
Road Tax Band F

Now to me that performance looks great for someone without much experience such as myself. I could try and go for the 1.8T Anniversary edition which is quicker, but insurance goes up by £400. Alternatively I could save up some more money and get an induction kit fitted or even chip it (in the future that is)

The big question... is this a good choice of car? Have any of you every owned it? Will it cost much to run?

There are plenty of other choices out there but my parents are massive VW fans and have provided me with some of the money towards it providing I don't buy something which is too chavvy/unreliable. I'd welcome other suggestions but it seems there are some damn good examples of this car going around and I'm stunned that the insurance company are being so reasonable.

Cheers for any advice,

Muffin` · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:33

How does your insurance change if your quote SEAT Leon or Skoda Octavia?

paradigm · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:37

Muffin` said:
How does your insurance change if your quote SEAT Leon or Skoda Octavia?

The Leon Cupra was definately more expensive to insure for me than the Golf GTi. Probably due to the 150BHP > 180BHP increase.

Tommy B · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:40

Muffin` said:
How does your insurance change if your quote SEAT Leon or Skoda Octavia?

I did it a while back in another 'what car should I get' thread and it was about £1,500.

I don't know how my quotes are so cheap for my age, especially given my dad made a claim for £1000 last year for malicious damage which I would have expected to put a dent in my cheap insurance plans.

Scottland · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:43

If you're looking at Golf's - have you had a look into the V5?

Janesy B · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:44

Focus ST170? very nice cars and 5k will get you a nice one, plus they dont look chavvy at all.

Scuzi · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:48

Scottland said:
If you're looking at Golf's - have you had a look into the V5?

The 1.8T is better. Approximately +10mpg on average, more flexibility with tuning and easier to work on.

The V5 is smoother and sounds better but it comes at a price. However, if you were to look at say, a Seat Toledo V5, the initial purchase price is so ridiculously cheap that the increased running costs can easily be offset.

Also have a look at the Seat Toledo 20vT if you can stand the looks. They are generally cheaper to insure than the Leon 20vT / Cupra and also a good bit cheaper. You can pick up a mint '03 Toledo 20vT for about £4k.

Tommy B · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:50

Janesy B said:
Focus ST170? very nice cars and 5k will get you a nice one, plus they dont look chavvy at all.

My mate has a 2.0 litre version of that shape Focus which is completely modded and it looks stunning, but I don't want to get the same car. This is the only pic I have:

Janesy B · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:52

if they had the RS or ST170 wheels on that it would look the dogs nuts! BTW that car park looks familiar, whereabouts do you live?

Tommy B · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:55

Scuzi said:
The 1.8T is better. Approximately +10mpg on average, more flexibility with tuning and easier to work on.

The V5 is smoother and sounds better but it comes at a price. However, if you were to look at say, a Seat Toledo V5, the initial purchase price is so ridiculously cheap that the increased running costs can easily be offset.

Also have a look at the Seat Toledo 20vT if you can stand the looks. They are generally cheaper to insure than the Leon 20vT / Cupra and also a good bit cheaper. You can pick up a mint '03 Toledo 20vT for about £4k.

That's what I thought. The V5 is only slightly more powerful and the MPG was a fair bit worse.

The Toledo is too big for what I'm looking at and the V5 doesn't seem that good for what it is.

paradigm · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:57

Tommy B said:
My mate has a 2.0 litre version of that shape Focus which is completely modded and it looks stunning, but I don't want to get the same car. This is the only pic I have:

[DISGHUSTING FOCUS PIC]

That doesn't look stunning, it looks godawful.

Tommy B · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:58

Janesy B said:
if they had the RS or ST170 wheels on that it would look the dogs nuts! BTW that car park looks familiar, whereabouts do you live?

He might be selling it. Somehow he has managed to get insured on a Lotus Elise which he's sharing with his dad, but part of the deal was he sold the Focus to fund part of the car. Would it be worth grabbing it off him, he reckons he'll get around £4500 for it. It has done about 60,000 miles. The noise that thing makes is absolutely incredible, and I know he doesn't abuse it as he rarely revs it silly.

paradigm said:
That doesn't look stunning, it looks godawful.

What don't you like about it? I think it actually has taste as opposed to majority of modifications chavs make.

Toker · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:58

if you could stretch to the 180bhp 6 speed golf that is a far sight better, the 150bhp struggles with the epic weight of mk4 golfs

paradigm · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:59

Tommy B said:
he reckons he'll get around £4500 for it.

He won't.

Tommy B said:
What don't you like about it? I think it actually has taste as opposed to majority of modifications chavs make.

It has horrid looking lights, horrid looking wheels, and an exhaust that looks stupid. It looks EXACTLY like the mods that "chavs" make.

Tommy B · 9 Jun 2008 at 10:59

Toker said:
if you could stretch to the 180bhp 6 speed golf that is a far sight better, the 150bhp struggles with the epic weight of mk4 golfs

I'd have to see what I could get for my budget. If you think they are bad you should see the MK5 Golfs. I drive a 1.4 version and it's, lol, slow.

Janesy B · 9 Jun 2008 at 11:00

Tommy B said:
He might be selling it. Somehow he has managed to get insured on a Lotus Elise which he's sharing with his dad, but part of the deal was he sold the Focus to fund part of the car. Would it be worth grabbing it off him, he reckons he'll get around £4500 for it. It has done about 60,000 miles. The noise that thing makes is absolutely incredible, and I know he doesn't abuse it as he rarely revs it silly.

What don't you like about it? I think it actually has taste as opposed to majority of modifications chavs make.

what engine does it have? my dad has a focus 1.6 and it is great fun to drive, pulls really well for a 1.6 and the rear independant suspension makes the thing stick to the road. Price is a bit high for what it is though

Tommy B · 9 Jun 2008 at 11:02

Janesy B said:
what engine does it have? my dad has a focus 1.6 and it is great fun to drive, pulls really well for a 1.6 and the rear independant suspension makes the thing stick to the road. The only think i dont like are the wheels, the rest looks mint

I agree, I've always said to him the GT2 alloys are naff and he should get the RS ones. It's a 2.0 but has a Raid HP induction kit, other engine mods and an exhaust. It is fairly rapid but makes the most ridiculously bassy roar I've ever heard in a car modded by someone my age. To be honest I think I'll pass, as I'd rather buy something different and it could be awkward if something were to go wrong after I bought it.

Mr_White · 9 Jun 2008 at 11:04

You think that Focus looks stunning, yet you call the GT-R chav, right.

paradigm · 9 Jun 2008 at 11:07

Tommy B said:
It is fairly rapid

No, its not. Its pretty decent compared to other little hatches aimed at going shopping in, but its not "rapid".

Tommy B · 9 Jun 2008 at 11:27

Mr_White said:
You think that Focus looks stunning, yet you call the GT-R chav, right.

The GT-R is a chav's wet dream, just like the R34 skyline used to be. It's one of the few super cars you could get away in by having drum 'n' bass on full volume driving down the highstreet.

Can we please keep this thread on topic and insult free please.