MK5 2.0 GT FSI Golf / Yaris T3 1.3 - info on either?

JustAnotherSaver

My wife is needing to replace her 2002 plated 1.2 Corsa. Not because she wants to but there's too much going on with it.

She has about a £2k budget but that doesn't mean she wants to spend as close to it as possible. She'd rather not but that's what she can go to.


At a garage this week i noticed a Mk5 2.0 GT FSI Golf, silver, 3 door for £1,895. Rear windows tinted (although they'd be getting removed).
Only thing is that's as much as i know. No idea on mileage or anything.

It sounds suspiciously low price to me. Is it?

Are these engines - the 2.0 GT FSI fairly reliable? She doesn't want a money pit.




She's also been considering Yaris'. She'd prefer the sport but anything is ok at the moment. Saw one on a 53 plate. I think it's from a garage but where it's parked i'm not sure. It has one of them price boards in 2 windows.
This has done about 60k-70k miles i think & the MOT certificate (from 16th Feb 2015) listed the advisories which were nothing apart from one said "rear chassis rusty".
This is £1,795.


She'll be doing about 6k miles per year so not a great deal. she's not majorly bothered about speed but would prefer something quicker than the Corsa. It isn't a necessity though. Reliability is more important.


What is there to know about these cars & while it's a bit of an open question - what would you go for (why)?

forgotmyname

If you get a Golf on a budget then get a one owner older model with the 1.9 diesel engine.

I wouldnt get the FSI model.

Spend £2000 on the Corsa and it will be like a new car.

JustAnotherSaver

A diesel for such short mileage? She currently travels 8miles to work & when we move it'll be even less. Perhaps 4 miles.

Also the Corsa has many of the known faults.
The speedometer just dies when it feels like it ... Very very frequently. Have done all the suggestions to rectify this. They don't solve it.
Drivers footwell is sopping. Apparently the master cylinder seal is the culprit here which is dash out job to do it right from what I've read ... Not cheap.
The rattling like a tractor due to the chain. Renewed the chain & everything with it & 2 weeks later it's doing it again. Common issue.

So she's looking at something other than a Corsa C.

OddballJamie

Are they the only two choices of car that you have?

If there's others and reliability is important consider an old shape Micra 03 onwards, SiL has had a 1.2 SX for the past five years and it will not die, only cost her wear and tear so far.

You should get a cracking one for under £2000, SiL paid £3000 for hers five years ago from a Nissan dealer with FSH and 40k on the clock.

forgotmyname

I have a diesel and do lots and lots of very short trips. As long as it doesnt have a DPF then there is nothing to worry about over a petrol car.

The 1.9 VW diesel lasts a long time if serviced properly.

When you see the threads that dont get a diesel unless you do 12000 or 15000 a year its usually a new or fairly new car with DPF's and where the diesel may cost more to buy in the first place.

At your price range of £2000, There will be petrol and diesel cars in your budget. So the price issue wont matter. And avoid any with a DPF.

If she does a low mileage than something with slightly more miles but a perfect service history would be my choice.

I started buying cars in the £2000 ish range a while back and its worked for me each time. I usually look for cars around 120,000 miles. The dealers value them fairly low and buyers are wary, But if the service history is right there is no reason why it wont last a minimum of 5 years with minimal service costs.

Just sold my last car i bought in 2009 and it cost under £3500 to buy it and run it for just over 5 years. Thats inc. buying, MOTs, servicing, tyres, brakes and an exhaust.

Sold for £800

The_Biff

Get the Yaris, but get the chassis checked out. There are loads of old Yarises about & they all look pretty good. The old diesel Yaris I had always did 62mpg. It was 53 plate. Someone got a bargain for £1300.

Cuilean

Hubby has the 1.6 Golf FSI, 04 reg. Bought it second hand for about £2500, as its second owner, with about 60,000 on the clock. First owner had been a doctor, who'd had every available extra fitted to it.


Our FSI has a chain belt instead of a rubber one, which (In theory!) means it should last longer, as long as it's been well maintained. You might want to ask if the one you're considering has a chain belt, and if it does, if/when it was maintained.


We've had no real trouble with it since we got it. It's been a solid runner with loads of space, but is obviously starting to make a few clanky noises now it's past its tenth birthday. It's done a good few UK holidays, loaded with luggage, and copes well with the rural conditions we have around our home. We're hoping to get a couple more years out of it before replacing it.


Forgotmyname is right to say that the diesel is the one which has the better reputation.


This was the most informative review we read before we purchased:
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/volkswagen/golf/first-drives/vw-golf-2.0-fsi