Opinion needed on which car to get...

2ndAccount

Right, so I've got a new job starting Monday, and need to get a car this weekend. I'll be doing circa 65 miles a day, mainly motorway and fast flowing A roads.

I've narrowed it down to two cars, and am genuinely torn between the two and am looking for advice. I can't post links to the cars, one has just come in as part/x and isn't online yet, the other is being sold by a family friend.
The options are:

• Mk2 Focus Titanium spec, 1.6 diesel, top spec with all the bells, 46k miles on the clock, full ford SH and 3 months warranty, sold by Ford, or
• Mk6 Golf Bluemotion SE 1.6 diesel, but 80k miles on the clock. It's had a cambelt at 40k, don't know about the EGR.

The Ford is circa £5250, higher spec and less mileage, the VW is circa £4800, higher mileage, but a VW...

Money isn't the deciding factor, both are closely enough priced to not be a factor in my mind.

Help!!

wgl2014

I'd go with the one from a family friend ( so long as you trust them).

Higher miles isn't always a bad thing as car has been used rather than being sat around or just used for short trips.

In general but on condition rather than miles.

2ndAccount

Thanks WGL

My main concern was the mileage, I'll be doing circa 15k a year so figured the focus was a safer bet, but I hadn't thought of it the way you put it, better mileage can be better!

The EGR valve unknown is offputting... ARGH!

tacpot12

The Golf will be due another cambelt if the first one was done on time. I would probably go for the Ford given the warranty and the difference in mileage. Even a trustworthy family friend does know what will happen to their car in the first three months of your ownership...

2ndAccount

Is 40k miles normal for a cambelt?

SkeffComp

I thought cambelts were more like 80k+ or around 5 years.
Assuming it wasn't due another one I'd go for that over the Ford.

daveyjp

Whichever you choose have £1,000 squirelled away for a new DPF at some time in your ownership.

Strider590

2ndAccount wrote: »

The Ford is circa £5250, higher spec and less mileage, the VW is circa £4800, higher mileage, but a VW...

Please don't tell me you buy into that nonsense about VW being the most reliable cars........... They haven't lived up to that reputation for over 30 years, mid-80s they were brilliant (no question about it), but unfortunately there is still now a generation of people perpetuating this myth.

I'm not saying avoid VW, but i'm saying you shouldn't let the old myths sway your decision.

2ndAccount

Strider590 wrote: »

Please don't tell me you buy into that nonsense about VW being the most reliable cars........... They haven't lived up to that reputation for over 30 years, mid-80s they were brilliant (no question about it), but unfortunately there is still now a generation of people perpetuating this myth.

I'm not saying avoid VW, but i'm saying you shouldn't let the old myths sway your decision.

So would you go for the lower mileage model? Assuming Ford and VW are then equal?

Strider590

Treat them as equal and do the usual checks, has it been looked after?

I always check for cheap crappy tyres, a sure sign of penny pinching on maintenance.

gilbert_and_sullivan

1.6 diesel of doom or the 1.6 diesel of egr valves secured by wing nuts, so far.
your choice