A VAG-heavy what car thread...

[JakeR]

Hi folks,

I am looking to replace my wife's aging Honda Civic in the not too distant.

I am thinking to treat her to brand new (she's never had a brand new car before) and the two cars I keep coming back to are:

- New Golf Plus, providing they release a 160bhp petrol with DSG (1.4TSI)
- Seat Leon FR 2.0T DSG


they seem to have the combo of

space: two kids and their associated gubbins
pace (this bit is for me really)
auto (a must unfortunately)
not too long or wide
quality


Any thoughts? have I missed anything obvious?

Much obliged

JakeR

[Mustard]

Forget the Golf Plus , waste of time,stick with the regular Golf, better car and it'll be worth more when you sell it.

Golf Plus = Golf thats had too many pues

[agent006]

Have you driven an FR? The one we tested had the most terribly rock hard suspension i've ever experienced. My track car rides softer. It's not even particulrly good at speed, very nervous and skittish and still too damn hard. I just don't understand why they've done it. Fantastic engine though.
It was on a weekend test drive and we managed 20 miles before we gave up (everything else we tested on a weekend loan had good few hundred miles put on it).

[JakeR]

bloody hell, first reply slams choice number 1, second reply choice number 2...

I had thought about a standard Golf, but the extra space of the plus really would come in handy... why is the plus crap? Apparently they shifted 500,000 of the original one... source below:

http://uk-mkivs.net/blogs/uk-mkivs_news/archive/20...

havent driven an FR (none available at dealer) but the salesman told me they were 'fantastic to drive'

the only other thing I can think of is a Focus C Max 2.0 Auto...

any bright ideas?

Edited by JakeR on Saturday 18th April 13:22

Edited by JakeR on Saturday 18th April 18:51

[Mustard]

JakeR said:

bloody hell, first reply slams choice number 1, second reply choice number 2...

I had thought about a standard Golf, but the extra space of the plus really would come in handy... why is the plus crap? Apparently they shifted 500,000 of the original one...

Edited by JakeR on Saturday 18th April 13:22

Well most of the ones shifted in the UK are/were heavily discounted 'pack cars' with £3-4k knocked of them!

If you want space buy a Golf Estate

If you want to carry people buy a Touran

but a regular Golf does most jobs

[va1o]

They sell sod all Golf Pluses, about 1 in 22 Golfs sold these days is a Plus. They are truely a complete waste of time. Its very unpopular and as a result the residuals are a laugh, just 35% or so after 3-years. VW Dealers have an impossible time trying to shift them. Compared a normal Golf they are slower, uglier in and out, less economical and only slightly more roomy. More Golf Minus IMO. They only really make sense as a used buy, but even then you stand to loose a lot of money compared to a normal Golf. Buying new last time I looked they cost more or less the same as the Touran.

The slightly facelifted version does with just 4 engines - 1.4 80 (shockingly underpowered), 1.4 TSI 122 (pretty sweet), 2.0 TDI 110 (pointless) and the 2.0 TDI 140 (quick-ish).

IMO a Seat Altea is a better buy, or just a normal Golf for that matter.

Edited by va1o on Saturday 18th April 17:22

[JakeR]

cheers for replies folks...

Ok, I cant believe I'm about to type this on Pistonheads. but....

according to the VW website, the plus has a 505 litre boot, rear seats up.

the Golf has 350 litres.

155 litres equates to a lot of shopping! (it is my wife's car)

Oh gods of petrol, forgive me for I have sinned.

[JakeR]

oh yeah, and the golf estate is out I'm afraid as my wife refuses to have an estate as they're 'too big'

The Touran is also out as 'it looks like an invalid carriage' (actually I cant argue with that)

Edited by JakeR on Saturday 18th April 18:49

[va1o]

The Golf Plus actually has a 395 litre boot. It is 505litres when you slide the rear seats forward, but in this position there is virtually no rear legroom (and this is from experience ). 4car mention those figures in the review - http://www.channel4.com/4car/di/volkswagen/golf/10...

There are currently 2 1.4 TSI 160 DSG Golf Pluses for sale in the country. Both are at £15,995 one is a pre-reg the other ex-demo. There may be some in stock elsewhere, but you certainly can't factory order as they are no longer offering that engine in the UK line up. Both these models I can see are pre-facelift.

Trust me you will regret buying one over a normal Golf, and the residuals are shocking. The model you are looking at is the weakest in the range holding onto just 33% after 3-years. I would go and test drive both and if you really must have the Plus then it needs to be a lot cheaper than the normal Golf otherwise you will loose a lot of money.

HTH (sorry for been so ngeative)

[JakeR]

va1o said:

The Golf Plus actually has a 395 litre boot. It is 505litres when you slide the rear seats forward, but in this position there is virtually no rear legroom (and this is from experience ). 4car mention those figures in the review - http://www.channel4.com/4car/di/volkswagen/golf/10...

There are currently 2 1.4 TSI 160 DSG Golf Pluses for sale in the country. Both are at £15,995 one is a pre-reg the other ex-demo. There may be some in stock elsewhere, but you certainly can't factory order as they are no longer offering that engine in the UK line up. Both these models I can see are pre-facelift.

Trust me you will regret buying one over a normal Golf, and the residuals are shocking. The model you are looking at is the weakest in the range holding onto just 33% after 3-years. I would go and test drive both and if you really must have the Plus then it needs to be a lot cheaper than the normal Golf otherwise you will loose a lot of money.

HTH (sorry for been so ngeative)

Not at all, thanks for the good advice. tbh, I hadnt even considered residuals, beyond a vague feeling that 'VWs hold their money well, Seats less so...'

I think the standard Golf may well be the way to go.
I would love a mkvi GTI, but when I specced it the way I wanted it, it came to over £30k!!!! Must be the disaster area that is the £stg!

cheers

JakeR

[agent006]

JakeR said:

the salesman told me they were 'fantastic to drive'

I can envisage no situation in which the suspention does not entirely compromise the FR.

I would suggest an Octavia as a larger Golf, but i guess the badge rules it out.

[JakeR]

agent006 said:

I would suggest an Octavia as a larger Golf, but i guess the badge rules it out.

yep! that and the size!

(+ I did 6 years and 130,000 miles in an Octavia and I dont want another one on the drive!)

edited to sort out my lousy quoting

Edited by JakeR on Saturday 18th April 21:51

[VAG1]

Why not a MK5 GTI? More or less the same as a MK6 (I think) and you'll save a bit also.

[parakitaMol.]

Hello Jake... I can't help you at all on the car front....

Just wanted to say thanks for recommending Bob - we've got lots of work lined up for him once he's finished your garage.

[JakeR]

Nice one Parakitamol!

Hope it goes well, he is a good bloke...

[missing the VR6]

I can only really comment on the C-Max and would assume the Golf Plus is the same, but all they really add is ceiling height and not legroom or boot space. If you have a particularly tall family then I could see the benefit if not as someone else pointed out once you start sliding the seats then you loose the leg room for the sake of a bigger boot.
Have a look at the Focus as I believe it still has the biggest boot in it's class and a drive that you'd not expect from a family hatch. I had a couple of them as demonstrators when I was at Ford and the deeply impressed me, and I'm a die'd in the wool German car fan!

[wils777]

If your interested in the Leon & Golf Plus..why not try the Seat Altea FR! its much better looking than the plus, cheaper, just as well made/roomy & will have more equipment yet based on the golf, its also alot sporty than it too! You can get either a 2.0TDi 170 or the (rarer) 2.0TFSi 200. I used an TDi version and they are quick and handling is good..just a suggestion! oh and also available with DSG auto

Edited by wils777 on Monday 20th April 09:47

[JakeR]

wils777 said:

If your interested in the Leon & Golf Plus..why not try the Seat Altea FR! its much better looking than the plus, cheaper, just as well made/roomy & will have more equipment yet based on the golf, its also alot sporty than it too! You can get either a 2.0TDi 170 or the (rarer) 2.0TFSi 200. I used an TDi version and they are quick and handling is good..just a suggestion! oh and also available with DSG auto

Edited by wils777 on Monday 20th April 09:47

Yeah, was looking at Altea too as it goes... there are some comments above about SEAT FR handling/ride being iffy... does that apply to Altea?

I need a test drive, dont I?

[wils777]

The handling is good IMHO, but the steering is quite light as with most newer cars these days, prob best to try it out.
Ride is much, much better than Leon, but FR's do ride hard so again best to see for yourself! Driving it you dont notice but being a passenger more-so.

Edited by wils777 on Monday 20th April 12:13

[va1o]

What did you go for in the end?