Mk 4 Golf GTi or Bora 4Motion - Help me get into the VeeDub Club

[gareth_oau]

or to throw a spanner in the works, think about a nice Audi S3.

Get a good 8L for $25k and its the best of both GTI (turbo) and Bora (AWD) worlds - with more power (min 154KW), plus better brakes, wheels etc, and a better Recaro leather interior

http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/...rt=1678&Nne=15

and a lot rarer than both

[qsilverza]

Yes but you dont have the glorious sound of the VR and I would have to say I see about the same amount of GTI's/V6's/S3's on the road in Melbourne...

But I do agree, the S3 is the best of both if you can afford to have two doors and can afford the extra purchase price.

[anthony]

Go for the Bora V6.
Awesome car,and excellent value for money.

[blue_reality]

Go for the GTI. You can get them for around $15,000 - $17,000 easily and there are heaps of aftermarket options for them. (There are even a few 'ordinary' ones on carsales for $12,000.

If you do have a budget of $20,000 then you could easily get wheels, suspension upgrade and a chip AND the car within that budget.

With a REVO tune that takes the GTI up to 150kw.

This is my car with the basic mods underway. Suspension, chip and front mount is in the next video currently in production.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUnATHMft7o

[Gravey]

Well thanks for the advice guys.
Unfortuantly my need for a car and the Adelaide market has dictated the car I'm going to get more than anything else.
I test drove a stock Mk4 Gti and a V5 Bora and I liked the power and comfort of the Bora a lot more than what the golf had to offer. The clutch in the gti (the only one under 100,000kms for sale in Adelaide that I found) seemed like it wouldnt last a helluva lot longer with some hard driving either. Accelaration from 0-100 seemed very similar in both cars, but the Bora had a lot more power down low and I didnt have to rev its tits off to get some good acceleration.
If I could be bothered going to NSW or Vic then I'd hold out for the V6 Bora or possibly a nicer Golf with leather and sunroof, but I'm getting a good deal on the V5 and I'm sick of travelling 2 hours on public transport to get to work.

Just a couple of things about the V5 - the brakes are brand new and the car has done 77,000km, this seems a bit early to be replacing discs to me??
Is there any common issues with these cars that I should look out for?

[Manaz]

European cars run softer rotors and harder pads (as opposed to the Japanese/Australian standard of harder rotors and softer pads). It's all a tradeoff - softer rotors absorb heat better, but don't last as long. 77,000km doesn't sound too out of the ordinary to me for a rotor replacement, particularly on a heavyish FWD car with a V5 sitting under the bonnet.

On the power issue - The Bora V5 is 125kW IIRC, the Golf GTI is ~100kW, but is easily chippable to 150kW. The V5 (and V6) do have good low-down torque, but don't do as well at the top end as the GTI does after it's been chipped.

How urgently do you need to buy?

[Gravey]

thanks for the info.

I need to buy this week - 4 hour return trip to work & back isnt much fun, that's 20 hours of travelling to work each week! I think I'll be happy with the V5, the one I have my eye on is spotless and they are unique and quite rare. I was surprised at how many Golfs I see on the road now that I've been looking. Driving through Unley I think I saw about 20 on the weekend....which obviously is an indication of a great car, but it's good to be different too.

[sukebe]

I drive a Bora V6 with chip, exhaust, Haldex upgrade, suspension, CAI, dogbone inserts. It goes well, especially when up and running. Corners great (lots of fun in the wet), have surprised a few people with it.

My question to you is, why would you use either of the cars you are looking at as a commuter car that you sit in for 4 HOURS A DAY!! Get something nice and cheap. You dont want to be spending too much money on a car that will depreciate in value as much the dollars you pour into its fuel tank.


Personally, if I had 4hrs of commuting a day I would be looking for a job closer to home or a home closer to work

[qsilverza]

Sukebe, I think he means four hours commuting on public transport

I used to do this when I went from Coogee to north ryde and it was crap. I would have much rather paid the cost of fuel

[Mr Messy]

Commuting sucks. I had been driving from Killara to Campbelltown for work before moving literally across the road from the office when I got a new job.

The VR vs 1.8T debate is 50-50 for me. I love the GTI badge cache, my recaros and the sound of a DV barking off tunnel walls. But then the 4mo Boro is definitely a special thing, and nothing sounds quite like the VR, a very special engine.

For me my one owner, low mileage, GTI was too good a deal to refuse... but I could see why you'd go either way.