Bora newbie - is the bora any good?

[bobbo]

Posted this on whirlpool and someone pointed me to this forum.

So my mum's looking for a secondhand car to buy, but since she doesn't drive too much I'll be the main one driving and so I've been given the job of picking what car to get.

Now, I've never owned a car before and I don't know too much about them but I've been looking around and I saw the Bora and it seems to fit in with what I'm looking for in terms of size, performance, etc. And it's also a bit cheaper than the Golf.

So I was wondering if anyone had any past experiences (maintenence costs, reliabilty, etc) with the Bora cause most of the people I've asked don't seem to know much about it and I'd like to know a bit about the car before jumping in. So any opinion is welcome. Thanks.

Ah, and the car I'm looking at is a 2004 model and it's done 80k


But since you guys would know a bit more about the Bora, I've got a few more specific questions.

How much would I be looking at for maintenance costs?
How many k's should the car I'm looking at have done, and how much should I be paying?

Hmm, think thats about it for now. But what I really want know is how it compares to other VWs like the Golf or the Jetta.

Thanks.

[F1rabbit]

I have owned a V5 Bora for 9 months, it had done 140,000 Kms when I bought it, I have found it a very reliable and economical car to run.

[dubbed]

Mate, the Bora is basically a Golf with a boot and different lights.

The main question is - what drivetrain are you looking at? I.e. V5, V6, manual, AWD etc.

Most of the engines have common maintenance items that need to be looked at - timing belt and water pump. These era VWs are also prone to MAF, coilpack and coolant temp sensor failures. These can be costly but once replaced there aren't really a lot of issues that come up. They're a sturdy car with very good build quality.

For your information, the Mk4 Bora you are talking about is called the Jetta in the US/Canada and are very popular (more than the Golf) over there.

[maca]

The Bora is an amazing car! I learnt to drive in mine and it copped every little bit of abuse I threw at it (as a learner driver, of course). I still regret to this day giving it up even though it was plagued with mechanical problems..

[anthony]

Boras are generally bullet proof.
I had a 2.o in South Africa,and nowdrive a Jetta in Oz.

[abreut]

I have a V5 bora and its a good, safe, reliable car, nice to drive and generally just has the feel of a quality well-built car. I highly recommend them.

[dylan8]

I have a 2.0L Bora manual and i love it, sure its not fitted with a V6, leather, sunroof and what not, but it has more features and styling then most current falcons, commodores etc, is safer and so economical to run, the parts maybe more pricey then a jap or aussie car from time to time, but they very rarely need replacing, and when they do, you have normally saved so much money from fuel and what not that you come out on top anyways.

Thats what i find and feel either way.