« Reply #27 on: 20 January 2012, 16:21 »
I'd have to agree with the sentiments that there is no ideal way to purchase a car. It all depends on personal circumstances. Golfs do tend to be bought by people with their own money more than other similar cars and VW are always careful to keep it that way, so there will be a good mix of owners on these boards.
I'm another that owns the car 100%, privately financed and no company car allowance or other aids. Just sheer hard saving and careful negotiating over many years to build up to where I am. If I didn't have the money to buy a nearly new car I doubt I'd PCP or whatever, I'd just buy an older VAG car and be content with that.
Different generations and financial circumstances (and spending habits) suit different people and we're 'lucky' that there are many more options of owning new or newish cars now than a few years ago. Let's just say it's much easier to 'own' a new car nowadays.
Back on topic: As to value, constant rumours of the next generation Golf will always affect depreciation, and I think as mk6 owners we all knew this would be the case in buying a facelifted mk5. I think the mk6 is good enough not to be disgraced alongside the next generation car so we don't have too much to worry about if we decide we can't afford or don't want to afford the next generation car. Personally I've now got the spec I'm happy with so if I have to keep the car 20 years so be it, I'm not going to play silly buggers with the market any more!! These things are just getting far too expensive for average private buyers when new.
Having said that, part of the fun of ownership of my cars has been the chasing deals when changing car and buying and selling the modifications I've bolted on it (I've only ever modified my cars enough to be able to unbolt stuff quickly in the event of a sale). My GTIs (and Cupras and TDIs) over the years have been my hobby as well as my transport so I guess it makes more sense for me to buy outright (if and when I can afford to) so I don't upset lease or financiers by changing the spec from factory standard.
I bought my first mk6 around Sept 09 after many months of getting my finances in shape and phoning around for deals. After around 12 months I started getting a price for it as there were rumours of a company car scheme at work, it had dropped only about £1800 at book value from what I paid at that point. Though dealers were very reluctant to pay book.
A year later when I had decided I wanted a car with significantly better spec the book price had dropped away a lot, lot more. With a lot of persistance I got a good price for it but I know fully well the car I bought, having much higher spec, will drop like a stone in value. Que sera.
(Both cars ex-demos)
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‘25 8.5R, ‘23 8R, ‘20 8CS, ‘19 135iX, ‘19 TCR, ‘17 Ed40, ‘17 GTD, ‘15 7R, ‘13 GTI PP, ‘11 GTI, ‘09 GTI, ‘98 Ibiza Cupra, ‘05 GTI, ‘06 Polo GTI, ‘04 GT TDI, ‘05 Fabia vRS, ‘02 GTI T, ‘03 Ibiza TDI 130, ‘01 Leon 180, ‘89 mk2 16v, ‘99 Ibiza TDI, ‘96 VR6, ‘98 Ibiza TDI, ‘92 VR6, ‘88 mk2 8v, ‘92 Polo G40, ‘91 mk2 8v, ‘89 mk2 8v, 205 GTI 1.9, ‘83 mk1 GTI, ‘80 Scirocco GTI, plus some others I’ve forgotten
