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bonesX
Original Poster
430 posts
49 months
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70% short journey's, with the rest of use being longish A/B-road spirited runs (~100 miles). Total annual miles 10K. Car is to replace a heavy drinking Impreza. I have another Scooby for weekending so am not too bothered about performance, but would like a bit of a driver's car
Was all set to get a GT TDi as a balanced, frugal performer, but with all the talk of DMF, DPF and injector issues, I've been put off.
Question is should I be put off or just go for it, or look for something else... it's taken a long time already to decided on the TDi
Thanks
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Contigo
1,802 posts
78 months
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Look at the RenaultSport Megane DCi 175, it will perform as well if not better than the 140 GT TDi and is much rarer. Really good spec on them too, have a look you won't be disappointed. You could buy my old one? http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3724172.htm
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okie592
1,503 posts
36 months
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graphene
876 posts
24 months
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If you like the Golf, and you mainly do short journeys - will the petrol 2.0 GT be suitable? Having recently looked at these, I recall they were cheaper second-hand than the equivalent age, specification and mileage of diesel, which will offset extra fuel and tax costs somewhat.
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bonesX
Original Poster
430 posts
49 months
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Not wanting to start up a diesel/petrol debate but should I forget diesel completely though? I mean, 10K per year?
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VR46
289 posts
12 months
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10k per year and short journeys is petrols strongpoint. An R32 or golf gti would be perfect. Seal leon cupra r and s3 all excellent choices.
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cheadle hulme
1,688 posts
51 months
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^^that, plus Skoda Octavia vRS petrol.
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okie592
1,503 posts
36 months
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Focus ST3 then, dirt cheap, not great on fuel but ALOT more fun than the VAG stablemates and more kit
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bonesX
Original Poster
430 posts
49 months
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yeah, I suppose petrol is the sensible way to go
I hadn't thought of such of a strong performer though as the GTi, however...
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rallycross
4,660 posts
106 months
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10,000 miles in the Impreza at 25 mpg (if you are lucky) is 400 gallons, £2,400.
10,000 miles in the oil burner at 35 mpg is 285 gallons, around £1850.
If you must change car buy a Golf 2.0 T Gti 200 bhp petrol, great all rounder, will just about give 40 mpg on the motorway, average 32+ mpg, 25+ when driven hard.
The mk5 Golf diesels are horrible noisy things, rolly-polly suspension, limited rev range, noisy. even the the Gt170 is horrible to live with compared to the petrol Gti - and if you drive them hard the mpg drops down way below the published figures.
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bonesX
Original Poster
430 posts
49 months
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rallycross said: 10,000 miles in the Impreza at 25 mpg (if you are lucky) is 400 gallons, £2,400.
10,000 miles in the oil burner at 35 mpg is 285 gallons, around £1850.
If you must change car buy a Golf 2.0 T Gti 200 bhp petrol, great all rounder, will just about give 40 mpg on the motorway, average 32+ mpg, 25+ when driven hard.
The mk5 Golf diesels are horrible noisy things, rolly-polly suspension, limited rev range, noisy. even the the Gt170 is horrible to live with compared to the petrol Gti - and if you drive them hard the mpg drops down way below the published figures. So, really you're saying there's not alot of savings to be made, with either an oil burner, or a petrol GTi?
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bonesX
Original Poster
430 posts
49 months
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VR46 said: 10k per year and short journeys is petrols strongpoint. An R32 or golf gti would be perfect. Seal leon cupra r and s3 all excellent choices. I remember looking at the R32 a couple of years back, and if I recall thought it to have a liking for a drink, as well as being quite a heavy, although very nice place to be car What about a Clio 182 Trophy? Only downside I've come across is the need to thrash it to get it going
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bonesX
Original Poster
430 posts
49 months
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okie592 said: Focus ST3 then, dirt cheap, not great on fuel but ALOT more fun than the VAG stablemates and more kit Aah, the ST's... brilliant chassis, but as you say not great on fuel, in fact on an Impreza par, and I'm 6'3" and my head is on the roof of one lol
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toddler
1,073 posts
105 months
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Intereting article on Telegraph Motoring recently comparing petrol v diesel: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/green-motoring...FWIW I have a Mk5 Golf GTI and a Renault Scenic 1.9dCi. Average mpg on the Scenic is currently 29. Average on the Golf is 25. Both used for predominantly short runs / town driving with the odd longer run. I know which one I prefer driving.
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bencollins4
302 posts
75 months
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bonesX said: VR46 said: 10k per year and short journeys is petrols strongpoint. An R32 or golf gti would be perfect. Seal leon cupra r and s3 all excellent choices. I remember looking at the R32 a couple of years back, and if I recall thought it to have a liking for a drink, as well as being quite a heavy, although very nice place to be car What about a Clio 182 Trophy? Only downside I've come across is the need to thrash it to get it going You won't need to thrash a 182 to get it going - plenty of torque really considering it only weighs just over a ton. Ours does 40 mpg pretty easily and manages 35 even when driven fairly hard.
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bonesX
Original Poster
430 posts
49 months
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bencollins4 said: You won't need to thrash a 182 to get it going - plenty of torque really considering it only weighs just over a ton. Ours does 40 mpg pretty easily and manages 35 even when driven fairly hard. The nearest to the 182 I owned was a 206 GTi and that was super throttle controllable, weighing just over a ton. I really liked it. Light and nimble, but after 3 weeks of ownership it started dropping apart - central locking, air con leaking etc, but do you know i wish I had kept that car as it could swap from under steer to over steer on the throtlle like no other car I've owned
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HBFS
667 posts
60 months
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Whats the budget and realistic trade/ private sale price of the Impreza?
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bonesX
Original Poster
430 posts
49 months
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HBFS said: Whats the budget and realistic trade/ private sale price of the Impreza? It's quite a rare low miles bug eyed STi wagon with a few tasteful mods... probably looking around £6.5K
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r129sl
2,380 posts
72 months
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I own a 2008 Mk5 GT TDI 140.
It's a good car. A thousand times better than a Focus or a Megane, especially inside. It seems to me that the alternative would be a different Mk 5 Golf, whether diesel or petrol.
We get 47mpg out of the Golf. It is used predominantly by my wife for a 25mile each way commute. She does not have a very economical driving style and it spends a fair bit of time in traffic. I tend to get over 50mpg out of it driving around the countryside, 64.4mpg being the best I have had. I have noticed that fuel consumption is not great until it warms up, but that only takes a mile or two. We do about 18,000 to 20,000 miles a year in it and we bought it because our existing Golf Mk 3 TDI is approaching the end of its life.
The suspension is rock hard, frankly. This is the only real downside about the car (that and the hideous standard fit "privacy" glass). I wish we had bought a different specification Golf, maybe a Match or something like that. I found it hard to find any other than the GT with a decent level of kit.
The boot is a bit small.
2008 and up GTs come with heated leather upholstery as standard, which is very nice.
If I were you, I would get a diesel Golf. The advantage to you may not be so great as it is to me, but I still reckon you'll come out way ahead of petrol. I would urge you to consider a non-GT model. I wouldn't waste your time looking at any other car: they're not as good, no matter what anyone says. I hate diesels, by the way.
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StevieB
624 posts
17 months
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I drove most of the TDIs on sale in 2006 and my favourite all rounder was the Focus. Lovely ride/handling and steering. Strange comments from the previous poster, who recommends his Golf and then says he hates diesels?!!!
Honda Civic 2.2s are quite cheap and the diesel engine is revvy for a diesel, sounds ok and is not as off/on as the TDI 2.0, which frankly is really brutal and not that nice( I tried both 140 an 170 in a Seat Leon). The Honda, when I drove, it managed 105 MPH in 4th gear, which was quite surprising as the others ran out of gas long before that speed in 4th.
For 10K miles a year, you dont really need a diesel, how about something left field like a Mazda 3 2 litre sport? I nearly bought one 4 years ago and it was a really sweet steer. Great handling (as good as Focus IMO), sweet Jap engine which needs revving and quite cheap....I also know they are quite economical and get close to the advertised 35MPG easily enough or 40MPG if driven on a run.
Just a thought.
Otherwise get yourself a VRS. Much cheaper than the Golf, same performance, more space and cheaper to insure.
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