Advice on Buying a Golf Please

[dr_gn]

All,

Looks like my 2002 BMW E46 might be finally dead after 170k miles (electronics NLA). Finding a replacement daily driver is a nightmare because I'm not at all up to speed with newer cars.

Anyway, I've got to start somewhere, and was looking at VW Golfs. Requirements are:

- Used
- Petrol
- 5 Doors (hatchback)
- Automatic
- Good for motorway drives (often 300 mile trips)
- Accommodate 4 people and luggage
- Decent acceleration (0-60 c. 8 seconds maybe)
- RELIABLE!
- Mileage - up to about £40k.
- Budget - ideally around £12k - £15k

I'd want to buy from a car supermarket type place to get at least some kind of warranty (assuming it's worth it these days).

Any advice?

Thanks very much.

[Yons]

Mark 7 Golfs are generally reckoned to be the best built. The 7.5s (2018 - early 2020) would be within your price range. They came with digital dashboards and improved infotainment screens. You could probably get a good condition R-Line in your price range. I might be slightly out on the prices because it's over 6 months since I last looked.
The Mark 8 is the latest and has some marmite tech features and lower build quality. The 8.5s are due out this year so that might drop the 8's into your price range but steer clear of the earlier ones because they frequently had faults.

[acme]

Have a look at the 1.4 petrol ACT (active cylinder technology) which was only available in the GT spec ones.

I had one between 2014-19 as a company car covering 86k at a true 46mpg. Only a few issues in that time including water in the spare wheel well.

I’m considering another as a daily/winter tool.

Whilst not terribly exciting I enjoyed pedalling it and with 150bhp (up from 140bhp in late ‘14 I think) it was plenty quick enough in reality.

Light at 1280kg it handled well IMO.

Most of all it functioned really well as simply a car, arguably so much better than its three replacements.

[MisanoPayments]

Bought a Jan 2018 (67) Golf 1.5T R-Line (but manual) last month within your budget with 39,200 miles.

It's a decent car, all you need really. Haven't used it too much though as I've still got and using the TT 3.2 that the Golf was supposed to replace!

[dr_gn]

Thanks all. For the Mk.7, can you comfortably get 4 adults and luggage inside for a holiday trip?

What's the best variant for decent motorway cruising as well as round town? 1.5?

Still undecided about the manual vs auto tbh, mainly on the reliability issue/cost if it all goes wrong.

Thanks.

[P-Jay]

dr_gn said:

Thanks all. For the Mk.7, can you comfortably get 4 adults and luggage inside for a holiday trip?

What's the best variant for decent motorway cruising as well as round town? 1.5?

Still undecided about the manual vs auto tbh, mainly on the reliability issue/cost if it all goes wrong.

Thanks.

You might be better off with an Estate, they've a slightly longer wheel base and more rear leg room. I wouldn't want to drive for hours on end in the back of a hatch.

1.5 is a good combination of power/economy, but they can be a little jerky off the line, it's a common fault VW don't like to talk about and can't really fix.

TBH, apart from your desire for petrol, an Estate GTD DSG would be perfect for you. GTEs seem good, but I've never driven one. I've got an R estate, great car but it's thirsty around town (20ish mpg).

[acme]

dr_gn said:

Thanks all. For the Mk.7, can you comfortably get 4 adults and luggage inside for a holiday trip?

What's the best variant for decent motorway cruising as well as round town? 1.5?

Still undecided about the manual vs auto tbh, mainly on the reliability issue/cost if it all goes wrong.

Thanks.

Depends on height, I’m 6ft + and there’s not much room behind me. Boots ok and it does lower.

1.5 is a slightly updated version, I could be wrong but I think they had a few issues that haven’t been noted on the 1.4. Plus cambelt changes are more expensive as they need a specialist tool which is costly to buy. That said VAG have altered their stance on that of late.

[zedx19]

I have a mk7 GTi, I'm 6ft 2 and I've had 3 mates in it with me + weekend luggage, been fine. 1 mate is 6ft 5, other 6ft 4 then a shorter lad, all fitted in, traveled 3 hour ish. If you're after a Golf with more leg room, look at Octavia or Superb from Skoda.

[dr_gn]

Thanks all.

Looking at the TSI engines - how come there are so many (1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5 etc)? Surely there can’t be much performance difference between 1.4 and 1.5?

[Dr G]

There isn't, really; 1.5 replaces the 1.4 (with some crossover depending on age/model).

[dr_gn]

According to the specs on Auto Trader, there seems to be quite a variation in 0-60 times between the 1.4 and 1.5 TSI engines, even between the same models.

e.g power outputs for different cars, all with the 1.5 TSI EVO, range from 128 - 150 bhp depending on which advert I look at.

What's the difference between EVO and non-EVO models?

Thanks.

Edited by dr_gn on Thursday 7th March 12:44

[the-photographer]

dr_gn said:

According to the specs on Auto Trader, there seems to be quite a variation in 0-60 times between the 1.4 and 1.5 TSI engines, even between the same models.

e.g power outputs for different cars, all with the 1.5 TSI EVO, range from 128 - 150 bhp depending on which advert I look at.

What's the difference between EVO and non-EVO models?

Thanks.

Edited by dr_gn on Thursday 7th March 12:44

EVO is a very mild 48v (I think) hybrid

Edited by the-photographer on Thursday 7th March 13:12

[acme]

In the MK7 there were two 1.4’s, one with 122bhp I think which appeared in the S/SE models, and the ACT 140bhp then updated to 150 in late 2014 which were only available in the GT models.

Do not get them confused. I had the 150 ACT between 2014 & 19, & for three weeks/1k miles had the non ACT one, the former was much smoother & far nicer IMO. Whether the cost differential can now be justified only you know.

[dr_gn]

Thanks all.

I’m now half considering a Seat Leon FR hatchback (Mk 3).

I assume the engine and gearboxes are the same as equivalent Golfs?

I’ve been in an FR estate (1.4) and it seems quite brisk.

[acme]

Think the FR has the same engine as the ACT Golf GT so 140/150. Golf only weighed 1280kg so 0-60 8.3 I think, sure the Leon would be the same.

Edited by acme on Thursday 7th March 22:22

[Glosphil]

I've owned a July 2018 Leon 1.4Ti (150hp) FR since May 2019. 0-60 in 8s & has averaged 45mpg. Today a 42 mile journey on 30, 40 & 50 limit roads returned 52.2mpg.

Only mechanical difference to the equivalent Golf, I think is Golf has independant rear suspension & Leon has beam.

General spec very similar but both have items the other doesn't.

Leon is cheaper though. & I prefer the styling.

[dr_gn]

Glosphil said:

I've owned a July 2018 Leon 1.4Ti (150hp) FR since May 2019. 0-60 in 8s & has averaged 45mpg. Today a 42 mile journey on 30, 40 & 50 limit roads returned 52.2mpg.

Only mechanical difference to the equivalent Golf, I think is Golf has independant rear suspension & Leon has beam.

General spec very similar but both have items the other doesn't.

Leon is cheaper though. & I prefer the styling.

Sounds good. On Autotrader there are lots of prefixes to “FR”. I assumed FR defined one engine (1.4 TSI, 150 bhp) and a trim level. Is this not the case?

Thanks.

ETA, with the 1.5 engine, I've read (on this thread even) about issues with being jerky off the line, and kangarooing issues which haven't been resolved. Does this apply to - presumably - the same engine in the Leon?

How about the DSG issues in Seats? TBF I'm now erring towards a manual box anyway, but it would be good to know just in case.

Edited by dr_gn on Friday 8th March 08:57

[austina35]

I have the 1.5tsi T Roc with DSG. It has never done any "jurking" which people speak of.

[dr_gn]

austina35 said:

I have the 1.5tsi T Roc with DSG. It has never done any "jurking" which people speak of.

OK thanks.

I notice there's a 1.5 TSI EVO version of the FR. Is "EVO" more fuel efficient but less power? According to the A/T advert it's 130 ps instead of 150 ps for the non-EVO version.

There's even an 1.4 Eco TSI FR version listed, which is still 150 ps, and has a quicker 0-60 time than the non-Eco version...

It's all pretty confusing.

These are all Mk3 Leons.

[Whataguy]

I owned a golf exactly like you are looking for , for a couple of years. Was sold by a supermarket within your price range too.

It was a runout mk7.5 1.5 automatic match edition. The 150hp engine. I’d avoid the 130hp model as it shuts the engine off completely when coasting and you can’t stop it doing this. The 150hp one goes to idle when coasting in drive mode, but you can stop it doing it by switching the driving mode to sport.

The jerky engine issues were mostly with the manuals, as the automatic tends to smooth things out a bit. It only really affected the early models within the first few miles from cold.