New car time

[mank!]

An imminent change in finances means I'm able to replace my car at long last. I've got a budget of around £5k but there is a little room for flexibility, depending on insurance costs etc. Second hand only obviously and hatchbacks preferable.

I've been looking (over and over and over) at a Golf GT TDi, seen an X reg for just under £5k in good condition, not being an expert it sounds like a good deal but not 100% sure. Parkers guide says it's worth more though...

Any other recommendations? I'd like something solid but nippy, I've been driving this Clio for 2 years and I can chuck it around the roads with no problems so don't fancy driving a piece of plastic which'll fly away in the wind.

Insurance is a bit of a stumbling block as well, but I've got 2 years NCB and can get further discounts with Direct Line due to my parents car being insured with them.

Anyway, recommendations, thoughts and so on and so forth please.

 

[old.user4556]

A Golf GT TDI would be a great buy, as long as you buy the right one.

The 130 bhp or the 150 bhp would be the ones to go for, they feel a lot quicker than they are because of the mass of torque but that said they are certainly not slouches (the 150 bhp model is ~8.5 secs to 60). They also have very good economy. I haven't owned or driven one, so I can't comment on those.

£5k does seem a bit cheap, does it have starship miles? Things to look for are:

- Main dealer or specialist servicing, have they been done at the right intervals?

- Is there a belt change coming up? Was it done at the right time?

- If the mileage is high, is the turbo noisy or making a "dentist drill" noise (bear in mind a whistle is acceptable)? Turbo wear or a turbo on the way out can be very expensive.

- Is there normal diesel light soot under acceleration, no blue (oil) or white smoke (dying/dead turbo)?

- Has it been chipped in the past? (thus increasing turbo wear).

- Has the MAF sensor been replaced? (a good £300 for a new one and very prone to going on turbo diesels)

- How does the car drive? There should be no flat spots, the turbo should spool up and start to shove at ~1800 rpm. If there is a sudden flat spot ~2500 rpm then it could indicate a dead MAF sensor.

These would be my main areas of focus on a car this age and spec; other things such as gearbox/clutch/suspension should be ok unless it's been abused, but you should check them all out thoroughly.

 

[Tom]

Ignore Parkers, its a load of shite. For real world values, just look at the car's peers.

That budget will get you an old shape A3 1.8T, an E39 5-series of some description, Ford Focus (superb handling), Puma (even better), Saab 9-3, you could even get a Volvo 850T5R

Don't forget a chipped car could also have a knackered cat due to high exhaust gas temperatures, but thats not an MOT issue for a diesel.

 

[old.user4556]

Can I just add to that to avoid a Saab 9-3 2.2 turbo diesel, my sister has one and the fuel pump has just died (apparently quite common with this particular Bosch pump fitted to older turbo diesels) and has been left with a £1500 bill.

You don't want to shell out £4k-£5k only to have a massive bill that was over a quarter what you paid for the car.

Googling has revealed quite a few peeved Saab owners with the same problem, the newer 1.9 TiD doesn't seem susceptible because it has a newer/revised fuel pump.

 

[Bodhi]

The Golf TDi is a good buy but it's not exactly chuckable it's more of a big soft cruiser, but it's put together better than most Mercs and will hold it's value. Other stuff I'd look at...

Focus 2.0 Zetec
Pug 106 GTI - great little cars unless you have big feet
BMW 3-series - solid and chuckable, something on a T or V plate should be within your budget.
Golf GTi non-turbo - should be insurable and cheaper to buy than the TDi. Not fast, but will still seem pokey compared to your Clio, and otherwise a very solid car. Just a shame the steering and pedals don;t feel like they're connected to anything, but this is a factor on the TDi too.
Any Euro shopping trolley would be an idea, like a Punto or Clio.
There's also the Fiat Coupé......


Don't know if I'd buy a diesel for private mileage tho, you need to do something ridiculous like 15k miles a year to save the extra money you've spent buying the car.

 

[Rubber Bullets]

Don't know if I'd buy a diesel for private mileage tho, you need to do something ridiculous like 15k miles a year to save the extra money you've spent buying the car.

This is true of buying new diesels over their petrol equivalents. If you have a 5k budget then you may have to get a slightly older or higher mileage car than the equivalent petrol but you'll definately save on fuel costs.

RB

 

[mank!]

cheers folks, definitely keen on the golf gti/tdi but it's a case of seeing what's out there.

been thinking of something along the lines of a focus or an a3, but it's probably a bit large for my needs, unless i decide to take up dogging.

the advice is much appreciated!