NRMA prefers Hyundai to 103TDI

[tdi guy]

In their comparison between the i30 and the 103TDI in the current edition of Open Road, the reviewer did not like the DSG (too jerky) and decided the price difference did not reflect the difference between the two cars.

Each to their own...

[anarchycamp]

my old man just bought a diesel i30 and i have to admit (it was hard at first) that they have made a damn good car there. for the price, amazing.

wouldnt stop a vw fan buying the golf but anyone whos comparing based on what you get for your money and not biased like us the hyundai would win hands down (ok shoot me now )

[Cam]

I had an i30 before I had my golf.
They're a lovely car, and for what you get they're exceptional value.

I was unlucky enough to get a lemon though, which ruined my whole experience with hyundai.

But I'm much happier with the golf, its a lot more powerful and much better built. As soon as you get into the vw you can instantly feel the difference in quality. Door trims, dash, gear stick, plastic panels, doors, boot and steering to name a few.

In my opinion, its a no brainer. The vw is more expensive purely because its a better built car. People will disagree that the i30 is just as well built as the golf but until you've owned both and driven each....its clear that the VW is a much better car.


VW for ever!

[chylld]

I thought the article was quite well-timed, I'm currently considering moving from an i30 diesel to a golf 118tsi.

The i30 is a fantastic car, the only reason why I'm getting rid of it is because it's a manual, and my fiancée only drives auto.

I test drove the 118tsi a few months back, and didn't find the DSG jerky at all. Overall the ride and comfort is better than the i30, but only very slightly.

[docjames]

The DSG is really the way to go if you want manual and the other half wants auto. I was an "only manual" person, had xr6T and XR8 in manual (much to mrsdoc's disgust!) but am so so happy with the DSG. Sure it's not a "real" manual, but it's a pretty good compromise, so much better than a standard auto.

Oh, mine isnt jerky either. Unlike some of my manual gearchanges in the T or 8.

[PassatB6]

I am betting the price difference is made up for by the safety and other features that are missing. Only 2 airbags in i30 base model.

[Zed!]

And also something that needs to be considered, is how well a car will age. My mate had a Kia Sorrento, which was a great car (to start with) and had decent reviews, but then literally fell apart after 12 months. Door knobs coming off, buttons not working, windows not winding up etc My Magna is the same. So to an extent you really get what you pay for and only time will tell whether the i30 is a good car or not. But 13K is pretty cheap, even if turns out to be a POS.

[chylld]

And also something that needs to be considered, is how well a car will age. My mate had a Kia Sorrento, which was a great car (to start with) and had decent reviews, but then literally fell apart after 12 months. Door knobs coming off, buttons not working, windows not winding up etc My Magna is the same. So to an extent you really get what you pay for and only time will tell whether the i30 is a good car or not. But 13K is pretty cheap, even if turns out to be a POS.

Only time will tell, for sure, but in my experience it's the other way around. A friend at work got a golf (mk5) around the same time as I got my i30 and it's just been problem after problem for her. On the other hand, my i30's been rock solid

I'm still considering 'upgrading' to a golf, but reliability is one of the main concerns for me. The i30 after 1.5 years has no rattles or anything, works the same as the day I bought it, and I'm worried of losing that reliability and sturdiness moving to a golf.

[Cam]

Resale value is a huge factor as well.
I bought my i30 in July 2008, didn't receive it until November 2008 (had to get built and shipped over). It had a September 2008 build date on it.

In January when I was wanting to get rid of it, the best deal I could get was 22k trade in on a 2005 + Golf. A few yards only wanted to offer 18k. Keep in mind this was for the SLX CRDi which isn't the base model, but the top of the range for the diesel.

I mean...I know hyundai's don't hold their value that well but I was shocked that a car I had paid $31k for (with extras) had depreciated nearly 10k in a matter of months. Very disheartening.

[PassatB6]

I'm still considering 'upgrading' to a golf, but reliability is one of the main concerns for me. The i30 after 1.5 years has no rattles or anything, works the same as the day I bought it, and I'm worried of losing that reliability and sturdiness moving to a golf.

i30 is a good car no doubt and very like the Mk IV Golf to me at least in the cabin. I have heard of a few problems with i30s even driveshafts snapping but that is probably rare. I'd keep the i30 since its only 18 months old unless depreciation is gonna kill you. You can get a basic Golf for 26,000 on the road.Golf are generally quite reliable and have longevity on their side.