Golf GTI Skoda CitiGo. Wise move?

Golf GTI Skoda CitiGo. Wise move?

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BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Friday 16th November 2018
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Afternoon all

Probably a hundred threads or similar but thought I’d post up.

I currently own a Mk5 Golf GTI as my daily car but thinking about selling to something smaller, cheaper and a bit more of ‘I’m not so fussed about car’.

I’m about to move into my first place and could probably do with saving where I can. The Golf isn’t particularly expensive to run, £30pm for tax, can get c35/38mpg but I’m always doing short journeys, the car barely heats up. Parking will be tighter (no drive) once I have moved which makes me a bit paranoid.

Appreciate it isn’t a fancy car but it’s a good one with lowish mileage (40k) 3 door, grey, manual and standard. This would free up some money and I would look to most likely buy private rather than PCP etc.

Only thing is I keep going in-between and wondering if it’s really worth it. I’d probably look at something like a Skoda CitiGo or similar….so any thoughts welcome.

Appreciate it’s only a decision I can make but any thoughts or similar scenarios would be great.

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Monday 21st January 2019
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Sorry to resurrect but the Golf is sadly gone. I am actually rather gutted but I wasn't using it for the right reasons. It will re appear for sale soon I believe....

Back to my original post struggling with what to now aim for, budget around £4/5k. Preferably the lower end, cheap to run, cheap road tax. Keep going in between the Citi-go/Up then seeing other things like a Megane DCi and the occasional 1 series or something similar. Damn AT app!

Any thoughts on what I maybe missing?

I am very surprised with the amount of Category D/C Citi-go's for sale!

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
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All great shouts, definite curve ball now with the Twingo RS, I'm a big RS fan and Alfa would be lovely to own. Not sure if that is deviating slightly from my plan. I.e. something cheap to run and not really need to care about.

Room for thought, I'm on the hunt!

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
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All great shouts. Liking the red Suzuki.

Not sure why but a 1.6 puts me off. My Dad had a Focus (Mk1) and that was terrible on petrol. What would the costs savings be (roughly) between say something like Twingo/Suzuki compared to the wee CitiGo?

Feirny said:
I'm picking a 133 up on Saturday, so that would be my choice! That's after 2 R26's, and 5 1*2 inc 2 Trophys.
Didn't even think about the Twingo RS, would do nicely with the Clio V6 smile

Enjoy when it comes.

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
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Jimi.K. said:
I believe there's a saying along the lines of "the cheapest car to run is the one you've already got"

People love justifying a new car purchase because a new one will do 5mpg more or cost them £100 a year less to tax, but unless your current car is unreliable or horrendously uneconomical (neither of which seem to apply here) you'll almost certainly be financially better off keeping it. I suspect a citigo will feel like a bit of a step down in comfort and refinement compared to your golf as well.
Perhaps correct but the Golf is gone and felt it was slightly wasted on me. Was doing c.250 miles a week on a low mileage car in not very enjoyable traffic parking in a car park then coming out and finding a new ding or mark which was pis$ing me off. Gutted as it is a cracking low mileage Mk5, 3 door, manual. Few issues but nothing major. Was needing brakes all round pretty soon but was putting £30 fuel in and getting 150 miles.

I am pleased with what I got for it being a private sale, I was top end of the market in the price range. Anyway HOPING to get a lot more MPG's, not see money going out on road tax every month and not be fussed with small marks, condition and for it to be worthwhile.... I thought buying your first place/flat was supposed to be fun!


BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
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What are the thoughts on a Volvo C30? The DRIVEe in particular?

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
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More great shouts, Fiat Panda 100hp seems good but seem scarce with low miles.

Keep looking at the Volvo C30 one at the moment one up at £4,200 1.6 eDRIVE, 52k miles, private sale in R Design spec. 2010. Seems a lot of car for the money, would like to think I could possibly get a few hundred off. Seems timing belt done recently too. Not sure if going off piste slightly and if a diesel is a good idea however....

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
quotequote all
BREMBOV6 said:
More great shouts, Fiat Panda 100hp seems good but seem scarce with low miles.

Keep looking at the Volvo C30 one at the moment one up at £4,200 1.6 eDRIVE, 52k miles, private sale in R Design spec. 2010. Seems a lot of car for the money, would like to think I could possibly get a few hundred off. Seems timing belt done recently too. Not sure if going off piste slightly and if a diesel is a good idea however....

Checking MOT above Volvo has done almost 16k miles in a year not a turn off I don't think

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Friday 25th January 2019
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Should have kept hold of the Golf perhaps if for depreciation.

Couple more cars that I have come across and welcome thoughts!

Ford Puma 1.7 imagine rust may well be an issue and road tax £100+ but its up for £500! 65k miles, 8 months MOT.

VW Passat 2010 2.0 TDI in R Line spec with 70k miles good service history up at £4,200

VW Polo 1.2 TSI (105PS) 50k miles up at £4,000

All private sales but all fall outside £30 road tax but think seems good car for the money....

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Friday 25th January 2019
quotequote all
Thanks.

Indeed all very different, basically sold the Golf with a very vague idea of what I was going too do next, now I seem to be looking at everything.... even came across an old MGB GT spin

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Monday 28th January 2019
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Blanchimont said:
What's with the £30 tax obsession?


You'll spend more in tax filling the car up once (maybe twice depending on the cars tank)

My rough maths indicate that:

57.95 pence per litre is tax
+ 20% vat on the total in fuel. Roughly £1.20 a litre.

1.20-20% = 96p - 57.95 = 38p.

1.20 x 45 (litres) = £54

38p x 45 = £17.10 in raw fuel costs.

£54 - £17.10 = £36.90.

2 tanks of fuel are more than a years tax, at £30.
Not sure I follow. Instead of paying £30 a month on road tax I will potentially pay £30 a year....appreciate tax on fuel but not much I can do about that.

White Fiat Panda 100HP I'm going to try and look at, in white, dealer and just below 60k miles.

Looked at a VW Up! at the weekend, up at £4,300 at main VW dealership, 44k miles. Was close to going for it but just not sure, more nippy than I thought.

Got messed about buy a guy on Gumtree, was a nice spec Yaris, 64 plate low mileage up at £4k mark asked the general questions HPI clear etc turned up and it had a replacement service book with what I believe to be his writing inside then on the V5 'salvaged vehicle' total time waster. Light on the dash which was the 'tyre pressure' full of cr@p

Keeping an eye out for a Twingo 133 too

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Monday 28th January 2019
quotequote all
Feirny said:
Got my 133 on Saturday, feels like a slower mini 182, absolute riot.
Enjoy! sounds good, is this the facelift?....let me know what its like on fuel!

I was possibly going to have a look at a Mini Cooper 2007, 1.6 but not sure running costs will be noticeable cheaper than that of the Golf. Looks a very clean car, with nice low mileage (30k mark)

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Tuesday 29th January 2019
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Trevor555 said:
I couldn't recommend the Mini, seen far too many large repair bills.
Anything in particular that you have seen issues from?

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Wednesday 6th February 2019
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Looks like I may be going full circle, VW Up from a VW garage. Its done 44k in silver, 12 plate great condition all checks done, full MOT, 12 months warranty inc. breakdown for £3,800.

Mileage perhaps a little higher than I would have liked but they all seem to be sitting around this price if not a little higher. Just need to say yes! first time I'm buying from a garage wobble

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Wednesday 6th February 2019
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Fair point, just comparing to others for sale but they are usually 19/60 plates and £800/£1k more.

Deposit placed this afternoon....hoping its a good move. Going from this to the Clio V6 in summer should put an even bigger smile on my face!

Change of subject, and rather than start a new thread but does anybody have any idea how easy it is to fit the sat nav/info system some come with. I have come across that they can be fitted even though the car I'm looking at has been blanked out....

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Wednesday 6th February 2019
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It does but lower models (like mine) have the unit sealed. I have come across that this can be worked around but requires some chopping I believe, not 100% but sure I have seen it being done.

Not so much for the Sat Nav but think it gives readings for the car and can be used for Bluetooth/music

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Thursday 7th February 2019
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Not ideal but not a deal breaker I guess. I think things changed more recently so that newer models no loner has the screen popping out the top and had Bluetooth etc built into the headunit. I'm hoping that as mine is an older model the HU will be set up for the Garmin or equivalent.

I think the info I found was that you would need everything so what you mention above but also the wiring to go from the screen into the back of the HU. If I find the original link/guide I will try and pop it up.

Collect the little VW tomorrow.

Edit - found link, only thing is this appears to be a left hand drive car. Not sure if this will affect things.

https://www.upownersclub.co.uk/forum/23-infotainme...

Edited by BREMBOV6 on Thursday 7th February 11:53

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Thursday 21st March 2019
quotequote all
Thought I'd give a quick update on proceedings. Had the wee Up! a little while now and have done around 1200 miles.

It very much does exactly what I need it to do. Pretty comfy (minus the big pot holes) amazing how much you can get in it and sits quite happy at 70mph and is ideal for parking and getting in/out of tight spaces.

Have filled up three times, £37/40 full tank. All fill ups I have got over 400 miles, first two around 420 but done a motorway trip of around 100 miles on each last one was just over 400 with more town driving and short trips.

Do miss the Golf for it feeling a bit more solid and very much the speed but overall I'm happy.

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Thursday 21st March 2019
quotequote all
GreatGranny said:
Sounds like an ideal car for your needs.

What mpg is that?
High 40's I think, 49MPG.

BREMBOV6

Original Poster:

499 posts

149 months

Thursday 21st March 2019
quotequote all
DaveTheRave87 said:
Good choice in my (biased) opinion.

What engine did you go for?
Ehhhh, good question think its the 75 just a 2012 Bluemotion