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How many of those under £4000 are worth looking at?
Best Hatchback for £4000
- Thread starter BloodlessDawn
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How many of those under £4000 are worth looking at?
It's not a case of how many are worth looking at there as there are quite a few to chose from, it's a case of all at this budget have even100k+ miles and have a DMF/Turbo/injectors/EGR that will eventually go pop at some point.
Any of the above bar the EGR will cost you a grand, so all the fuel economy savings will instantly disappear eventually.
Any of the above bar the EGR will cost you a grand, so all the fuel economy savings will instantly disappear eventually.
Soldato
Had no idea Toyota released them over here!
Soldato
Yeah was a short run from late 93 to early 96
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There are far too many cars to choose from >_<
I just want a motorway cruising, practical car which does relatively nice mpg.
Big engine and a bit of power is always good.
I've heard so many horror stories about cars now... how many of them are actually true?... If all cars were this unreliable and costly, surely the human race would have decided that cars - in general - are simply not worth anyone's time or money???
VW Golf MkV... I thought they were supposed to be ultimately reliable?
Like... up with the greats?...
The 2.0 tdi when it was first released (which is what you'll be able to afford) was a bit of a problem for VW - now i'm not saying it will cause you issues but if you were to go for say a 1.9 pd tdi 105 (or whatever bhp they finished at) you'd be likely to have a far easier time of it.
Or just buy a petrol car, you'll get a newer one for budget and if you pick right it'll still do 40mpg motorway - which is all you really need unless doing big miles.
Or just buy a petrol car, you'll get a newer one for budget and if you pick right it'll still do 40mpg motorway - which is all you really need unless doing big miles.
I'm afraid not, in the 2.0TDI form it's pretty low on the reliability scale.
the old 1.9's are pretty reliable but a bit agricultural. that being said - you can get an Ibiza Sport/FR -the 1.9 130bhp engine. Comes with a 6 speed gearbox so will be great engine wise on motorways and will have great fuel consumption while being more reliable than a anything with 2.0 TDI engine.
You are right that any second hand car will come with risks, but a NA petrol engine will not come with DMF/Turbo/injector/EGR potential bills.
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How about the Petrol version?...
2.0 FSI or something? Still 6 gears, and comes fully equipped. Faster than the TDI, and potentially more reliable? But I sacrifice cheap insurance, tax, and mpg...
I've found one model which I would call "ultra spec"... It has everything. Sat-Nav, Rear Air-conditioning, Parking Sensors, the lot... And low mileage! It's £5k...
Bit far away from me... But I figure I can use it in bargaining with dealers. If someone can sell their "ultra spec" for £5k, that means I can get something not as "ultra" for much less, right? xD
2.0 FSI or something? Still 6 gears, and comes fully equipped. Faster than the TDI, and potentially more reliable? But I sacrifice cheap insurance, tax, and mpg...
I've found one model which I would call "ultra spec"... It has everything. Sat-Nav, Rear Air-conditioning, Parking Sensors, the lot... And low mileage! It's £5k...
Bit far away from me... But I figure I can use it in bargaining with dealers. If someone can sell their "ultra spec" for £5k, that means I can get something not as "ultra" for much less, right? xD
My mum and a friend have a mkv 2.0 tdi. Loads of issues with my mums and the other the turbo likes playing up. My crappy French hatch has more iles, older and more reliable.
Don't fall the "ultra spec" malarky, the 2.0FSI is a bit of an unloved engine on the second hand market so there are plenty to chose from at good prices.
Iirc they only like 98ron fuel, so keep that in mind.
It will hardly be any faster, but there is definitely less to go wrong, which will compensate for the more expensive tax/insurance.
On the fuel consumption bit it really is up to you, as the 2.0FSI isn't the most economical of engines. But the 2.0 TDI has quite a few things that can go wrong.
If I were in your shoes I'd get a 1.9 130bhp ibiza as they have 6 speed gearboxes and will happily cruise at motorway speeds while ticking the "sleeper" box much better than the golf.
Ropey ones start at £2k, that means you look around and get a good one for £3k and keep £1k in the bank for a potential clutch/turbo failure. (DMF's and injectors hardly ever go wrong on these if maintained correctly, this is less true for the 2.0TDI lump)
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Back to looking at the TDI.
Haha, I know that you've told me to steer clear of the TDI, but since doing my own research, I've found that it only had the major hickups in the early 2004 model, and were sorted by the end of the first half of the year... Almost all of the problems were sorted by 2005, and 2006 was a perfect model?... I think I could cope with a 2005, but would aim for 2006.
Yes, I've got problems if the Turbo goes, etc. but this car can fulfill my fantasy of it being a sleeper.
"But it's only 140bhp!!" ???
I'm thinking of Bluefin chipping it... that 140 (which usually works out nearer 160 anyway) will zoom up to nearer 190, and maybe 200... the fuel economy will also get better...
As far as I'm aware, that's near on hot hatch territory... For a 2.0TDI? That'll be impressive xD
Haha, I know that you've told me to steer clear of the TDI, but since doing my own research, I've found that it only had the major hickups in the early 2004 model, and were sorted by the end of the first half of the year... Almost all of the problems were sorted by 2005, and 2006 was a perfect model?... I think I could cope with a 2005, but would aim for 2006.
Yes, I've got problems if the Turbo goes, etc. but this car can fulfill my fantasy of it being a sleeper.
"But it's only 140bhp!!" ???
I'm thinking of Bluefin chipping it... that 140 (which usually works out nearer 160 anyway) will zoom up to nearer 190, and maybe 200... the fuel economy will also get better...
As far as I'm aware, that's near on hot hatch territory... For a 2.0TDI? That'll be impressive xD
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Main Engine? Or electronics...
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Insurers might not be too keen on a remap, especially given your age. Your bhp figures are massively optimistic as well, Bluefin themselves say you get a 37bhp increase, giving you ~180bhp. I wouldn't call any 180bhp diesel slow, but I certainly wouldn't consider it a sleeper either.
Given the documented reliability issues with the 2.0tdi pd and the fact diesel isn't really necessary at 50 miles a day, I'd skip the idea entirely. Get yourself a petrol that revs nicely and doesn't shake the cabin when stuck at the lights.
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37bhp upon the quoted 140bhp would give me near on 180, yes... but the standard bhp usually up near 160+ anyway... For some reason in the official vw specs it's quoted it at majorly less than it actually is... Hence 37bhp added to 160 is more like 195
Still not fast... but certainly something that could be driven at speed I reckon.
Only problem I see on the 2.0 TDI is the Turbo... And that was only something that was a problem on the early models... Looking on many a VW forum, they all seem to agree that although the early models had issues, they were pretty much cleared up by then end of 2005...
Also, if I do spot a 2.0TDI that's had a brand new turbo put in? I'll be grabbing it almost straight away.
I understand a lot of people don't like diesels. I'm even getting stick for talking about it at work
I have taken all the advice on board. So:
1) I'll be test driving more than one make & model of car.
2) I'll take both the 2.0 TDI and FSI version of the golf for a test drive.
Might go test drive a couple this weekend. If I get plenty of time I might even be driving something new by Monday
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37bhp upon the quoted 140bhp would give me near on 180, yes... but the standard bhp usually up near 160+ anyway... For some reason in the official vw specs it's quoted it at majorly less than it actually is... Hence 37bhp added to 160 is more like 195
Remember that you're assuming people on car forums who claim their car put out xbhp on the dyno lottery must be doing so because the manufacturer under rated the car. It's far, far more likely to be the way that flywheel bhp has been calculated by the machine.
I do not understand why you actively want a 2.0tdi. Any car can give you expensive issues but a 2.0 vag diesel is far more likely to than the petrol yet gives you nothing of any real benefit in return as far as i can see. It's not a sleeper - you're kidding yourself if you think that. I have a quickish (180bhp) diesel, it's no sleeper and whilst yes it will see off your average clown in a tarted up corsa and is fun in its own way it would be destroyed by any model of its competitors (including the Type R civic) with sporting pretentions when doing anything other than accelerating from low revs.
Sounds like you need to accept the type of car you can realistically get for a couple of years tbh
Soldato
Probably will regret asking this, but why looking at Golfs (with big scene tax) when you have eliminated Focus sized cars?
If the insurance is right, an ST170 5DR Focus should be in play surely?
If the insurance is right, an ST170 5DR Focus should be in play surely?
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To be honest? I just kinda like the look of them...
I have convinced myself that I want one... haha.
It's not so much "Which car?" now, as "Which Golf Variant?"
I have convinced myself that I want one... haha.
It's not so much "Which car?" now, as "Which Golf Variant?"