Old and fully loaded or new and basic?

[Exonian]

Mine is an early 05 car and it has a nicer standard spec than some later cars I looked at when considering changing my car. The fog lights look much nicer and I'm a big fan of the blue glass (on certain colours at least). The rear screen ariel works fine in my experience.

One major expense to consider is that the cam-belt is done on 54/05/55 plate cars. I got mine done for £300 including water pump so make sure you use this as a negotiation point on a car that hasn't had this done, and also keep in mind that it will need doing soon on 2006 cars. I know there is a major debate going on as to whether you need this doing, but just consider the costs if the belt does break!

[No Golf Clubs at all]

^^^^^
Yep big year the 4th year and some may be put off by the costs, it may even drive peeps to sell on it's that bad. Circa £800-£1000 for main service, dsg service, cambelt, water pump, brake fluid, Ac recharge etc. So use it as a lever if you're buying, I have wrestled with myself time and time again about selling but I just can't see what on earth I would replace her with. I can't afford to pay more just for the sake of changing. Although I've had a lifelong dream for a 996 911 and a recent superb example is up for sale but sadly the seller wants too much money for it, and was even willing to take mine in p/x ..... We buy any car etc values both at the same but the seller wants more money to change, so that deal is a dead un. Besides his car had 85,000 on it.....50,000 less than mine! Heart ruling head again ......

[jaydubveedub]

I usually buy cars on condition. Tatty cars with low miles usually don't make sense. If the older one is in good nick i'd go for that, as I tend to get bored with pov spec cars.

[Gene Hunt.]

Old and fully loaded  you dont do any miles any way

+1

+3

The 05 and earlier one were better anyway.  Blue tinted glass, no visible radio aerial, silver ashtray cover, 10 speakers as standard, 3 reading lights in the front to name but a few.  All these things were dropped from about the 55 plate onwards as a cost cutting excercise  

.........mine is an 05 plate & has all the above.Plus no rattles or squeakes 

[neo66]

I prefer to go for new as poss, that way theyve ironed out any problems and you will have bit more piece of mind with some warranty!, and some things tend to look a bit better.

[No Golf Clubs at all]

I think the real answer Sambo is "It all depends...."

...on the car in question, if the car has been loved, looked after and serviced well and pampered then a few extra months on the car doesn't make much difference.

I would take a forum members car for example over some rep wagon that had been ragged and full of wethers wrappers, ginsters crumbs and snotters in the vents.... 

All of us on here tend to treat our cars with a healthy degree of respect and insist on the cars being serviced properly, even to the point of ensuring the twits dont wash it ffs.... I mean where else would you find dudes willing to part with £400 or so on a car wash (lol...I'm on a roll now eh?) ...and calling it a Detail...I may just sort that for myself soon lol... 

Good luck with your search mate, I looked for ages too and found the best example I could at the time.

[sambo]

Cheers for the replies 

Problem with forum's are most of the members are to hooked on there car's too sell them, hence the reason they spend ages chatting to strangers about things like what date VW decided to put an aerial on top! (no offense)    Most people wouldn't give 2 hoot's but not us lot (including me I might add) 

So rarely do they come up for sale!

Certainly a lot of GTI's for sale are rep mobile's normally the dodgy phone hold on the dash is a giveaway!!!

Just a matter of waiting for the right one to pop up, as sad as it sounds I pretty much sit next to the computer every evening looking for new arrivals in autotrader, pistonheads, ebay, and all the forum's just hoping to be the first to spot 'the car' but so far there so far away that before the weekend comes around, which is the onlty time I get to travel and view, there gone.... 

My requirements have changed a fair bit anyway, now i've seen the interlagos, i like it. Pictures make it look cheap like an old man's leg warmer, but in real life it looks nice. Also xenons, would settle with the winter pack now so the possibility to retro fit is there. Still must be 3 door though which is proving to be the most challenging yet!

It'll happen, just not sure when!


Sam

[DanoGTI]

Chin up mate
FWIW, took me 6 months to find mine. I had actually given up for a while, toyed with keeping the Audi a bit longer, then look at one later in the year once the mk6 had been out a while.

Took the kids to the "outlaws" (great 1/2 term that was!!LOL!), was driving back home and decided to stop at a vw dealership. Saw my car, and that was that....... right place at the right time..... etc etc.......

Mine's "old" (my05), but only has 22k on the clock with FVWSH - ensured that the belt had been done (if not, it was part of the deal), 4 new tyres, new brakes all round etc....
Car's good for the next 12 months/ 4 years! 

Dan

[No Golf Clubs at all]

I've got leather but actually do like interlagos! I am old enough to remember mk1 and 2 when new... Not a chavy Burberry thing at all LOL. We tend to be a bit anal here mate but I'm sure it will help you be a more informed buyer and thereby protecting your investment and having loads of fun hassle free motoring.....it's only later on in ownership, when you're hooked you'll start to notice others stubbies or bee stings, monza I or II, open or closed fog grills or a drop of 10mm were all sad eh wooo hoo ;-)

[dustybones]

Hey dude

I was a leather chap!! for sure, last few cars had to have it etc. However current gti has cloth, and I luv it, and to be honest I dont miss the leather at all. For me I would try for one that has Xenons if poss cos the standard lights are not too good. But whatever happens take yer time and dont panic buy, plenty of good motas out there just be a wee bit patient

cheers