'05 Golf GTi or 08' polo GTi - what to buy?

[cjeff]

Hi all,

I've been looking at cars for/with my girlfriend, and to cut a long story short, this is what we're down to....

Last weekend we came across a 2008 Polo GTi with Leather, Sunroof, and iPOD connector, with only 25,000kms on the clock. It has 12 months NSW rego, just been serviced, and also new tyres. The price - $23950 (hopefully we can get it for $23K. My girlfriend quite liked this car, but the next day we found this...

An add on Carsales for an '06 GTi with optioned VW multispoke 17" alloys, Manual, Leather, and 46,000kms at a dealer in Brisbane for $27,800 driveaway (stamp duties included). Initially this sounded like a good deal as we are going to lease the car, we can get the GST back (the polo we can't). So the asking price without QLD rego was $26600 GST inc. which works out to be about $24200 ex GST. So we thought if we could negotiate a little bit off the price we could get a nice Golf GTi for about the same price as the Polo.

I got my girlfriend to ring the dealer and see if we could negotiate the price - he didn't want to budge a cent (although he said he'd include the freight to Sydney for free). So still thinking it would be a good buy, my girlfriend rang him to say we'd take it subject to a mechanical inspection and offered a deposit - he said it'd be complicated if he had to refund it, so not to worry. So he send's through the contract of sale, and on it, it clearly shows that said Golf GTi is actually an '05 Golf but complied Jan '06 (still an 05 though). He also 'arranged' the inspection for my girlfriend via RACQ (that we paid for), but didn't give her an option on what inspection she wanted and we ended up with an RACQ vehicle appraisal which whilst it was looked over is hardly thorough. The vehicle has a full service history, but now that we know it's an '05, the timing belt is either due now or will be due shortly (depending on which service centre you're talking to). The car has had 4 services and is due currently for it's 5th. The dealer is only offering an Oil and Filter service. So the original appeal of a good deal on a GTi is now starting to wear off a little.

Now add another point. The guy we have been talking to at the dealership, has been extremely pushy, and keeps telling us how many people have been beating down the door today to look at it etc etc, and keeps bending the truth about things (ie told us over the phone it was an '06, but clearly is an '05, telling us that it won't need a timing belt for ages, and a few other things that have really ticked me off) and just not being really helpful at all which has kind of tainted our feeling about it. The car itself seems quite okay, but after now knowing that we'll have to spend some money on it very soon (will probably need tyres in a few thousand km's too) we're not sure whether to take this or not. Also, as it's an '05 and the new model GTi has come out, what is this going to be worth in 6 months time when the '10 GTi's start hitting the 2nd hand car market?

Is a $26600 (GST inc) car that we'll have to change the timing belt on, rego in NSW, and possibly spend other money on (maybe tyres this year) worth it, or is the Polo with 12 months rego, new tyres and nothing to spend on it the better buy?

Whether we take the Golf or not, I plan to talk the manager at the dealer of the salesmans behaviour (if he isn't the manager). I'll happily post who the dealer is and the salesmans name is, but not sure if that contravenes any forum regulations.

So what do you think?

[SoVeReIgN]

I'd go the Golf, but keep looking around. More and more are starting to hit the market so don't feel pressured to go for this one.

[Buller_Scott]

this might sound biased seeing as i own a polo [tdi], but in this particular instance, i would say go the polo, reasons being:

a) polo has fewer kms
b) polo has 12 month rego and ~$1000 worth of new tyres
c) the dealer has withheld information re the details of the golf
d) he's ''organised'' an inspection for you [i'd personally be taking it to someone like j-mac in qld, or another specialist to give it a proper look over rather than have your average racq guy... sorry, but its not a magna, camry, falcon, or mirage coupe aka 2 door lancer]
e) he's been pushy- i effing hate pushy salesmen. if people are banging down the walls to get at this car, let THEM deal with the misinformation and blatant door to door salesman 101 technique pushiness.
f) only oil and filter change? not an intermediate service, not even a proper light/ general service which retails for only ~$300? pfft. if he doesnt want to play ball, dont feel pressured into buying the car.

so yeah, i'd stick with the car that's least painful to buy [not that it SHOULD be painful to buy a car- they're supposed to be a joy!], and in this case, that'd appear to be the polo.

BUT!!! like sovereign said, if you can abstain for a few months, you'll surely find many mk5 golf gti's with lowish km's for a similar price, at vendors that WONT try to mislead you or taint the experience.

my 2c. good luck with it mate

[peedman]

Yeah ive never bought interstate but if i did i would want to inspect the car first. With the saving that u are going to make then add the timing belt service, blue slip and rego and then does it seem like its such good value?

Unless ur in a rush to get a car i would shop around first and buy something u are comfortable with and are happy with.