MK4 Buying questions

[walshydub]

I am thihinking of buying a Mk4 in the new year. I'll have a budget of around $15,000, but i will want to lower it and add some nice fat rims so i reckon $10,00 for the car.

Ideally i want a GTI or at least a 2.0 se or GLE. I've been looking at ebay and car sales but can't find a decent one for that sort of price. They are all either piss weak 1.6's or high millage beaters.

What i am asking really is why GTI's are so expensive and do you reckon they will drop in price when the MK6 lands or when the 'financial crisis' really bites.

(P.S if i can't find a good car i will have to go and buy a Falcon XR6, and we don't want that to happen. :frown:)

[h100vw]

Look at A3s instead is my advice.

Gavin

[D3bb4]

dont like your chances to get a nice one for 10k.

[Mr Messy]

My $0.02 is that I'd rather a GTI with 1.8T goodness etc anyday over a 2.0 with BBS, bodykit, coilovers or whatever. You can always mod up a GTI when you get more cash, but a GLE will always be a GLE.

MKIV GTIs might drop in price soon but maybe not. If you find a desperate dealer you could be onto a winner - I was offered one for $13k but it had been chipped, had three brands of tyre on it (???) and an extinguisher bracket was bolted into the footwell.
Another one, red, was $15k, with over 100,000kms which seemed fair.

My low kay one-owner example cost closer to $20k in September, and the owner was VERY wary letting the car go for that price. I think McDub got his, a very tidy reflex '03 GTI, for $17-$19k too. I guess that's what they're worth.

[EVN-88G]

I bought my 2001 GTI with 100,000 k's on the clock for $17,000, down from $22,000, so they hold their price pretty well even for a 7 year old car.

I also agree with the others, i dont think you would find a nice example of a GTI for $10,000, id be looking at spending the whole $15,000 on the car and then wait till cash flow comes around until you mod it, thats what im doing.

[DUB 20V]

there a lot on carsales, like 2003 model for 13k:eek:

[walshydub]

yeah there is one on ebay for $9,990 but it has 252,000 k's(!!!!)on it.

I know the sensible thing to do would be to spend all the money on the car but i am an idiot and i know i won't be able to drive a standard car for long.

So i would rather use the money for the car and the mods rather than spend extra on it and possibly devalue a good car.

As for A3's, sorry but i think they look awkward from some angles and if i was to get an audi, i would get an A4 (which is also on my consideration list).

I know that a high millage car is a risk but aren't VW's built well enough to handle big numbers?

[h100vw]

yeah there is one on ebay for $9,990 but it has 252,000 k's(!!!!)on it.

I know the sensible thing to do would be to spend all the money on the car but i am an idiot and i know i won't be able to drive a standard car for long.

So i would rather use the money for the car and the mods rather than spend extra on it and possibly devalue a good car.

As for A3's, sorry but i think they look awkward from some angles and if i was to get an audi, i would get an A4 (which is also on my consideration list).

I know that a high millage car is a risk but aren't VW's built well enough to handle big numbers?


The engine are good for big mileages. They just need servicing on time.

Gavin

[walshydub]

Are parts/services expensive?

[Mr Messy]

Timing belt/ tensioner/ water pump and oil service recently cost me $850. You gotta do that one every 60,000 kms or she goes bang and costs THOUSANDS. 1.8T head rebuild = $$$ x 20

My air con was on the blink and a new condenser unit for the beast was going to cost $2000 - luckily a $100 sensor and gas change sorted it.

IMO the servicing for these isn't tooooo bad, but the parts are hella pricey (yet another reason to get a tidy, low kay one).
If you can be patient it would probably pay to wait a couple of months until used car dealers are totally desperate to shift stock, then play them off each other. MK6 GTI next year won't make the MK4 any more expensive too. I didn't wait because my Commodore was about to implode, and wanted to get a reliable car for summer.

Good hunting!

[vwthunder]

I have been watching Carsales for a while and finding that a good low Km MK4 GTI will still cost you around 19 or 20K.
Lot of money seeing as a MK5 GTI, you can pick up for around 28K, which is a so much better car (a bit off topic lol)

If I get one I would want the lowest Km one there is, a few with 60k on the clock but expensive

[spj]

I have been watching Carsales for a while and finding that a good low Km MK4 GTI will still cost you around 19 or 20K.
Lot of money seeing as a MK5 GTI, you can pick up for around 28K, which is a so much better car (a bit off topic lol)

If I get one I would want the lowest Km one there is, a few with 60k on the clock but expensive

I have a great example advertised for $16.5k for vww members...

See here...http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newforum/upload/showthread.php?t=22375

[walshydub]

I reckon waiting a few months might be a wise move. I've seen some MK5's drop below the $20k mark which has got to push the prices lower, especially once the MK6 has landed.

[dubbed]

If anything these beasts have gone up or at least retained their value in the past 6-12 months. I bought mine for $15k requiring new tyres and rego coming up. Since then I've also had to spend $300 on a new MAF and $65 on a coolant sensor.

If I was hunting again I would be looking for a 2000.1+ model that has had the timing belt, water pump etc replaced recently and would be willing to pay a bit more for it.

[YellowDieselGolf]

If you're doing it at 60000km, you're doing it 60000 early. The service manual lists it as a 120,000 km item. Yours may have been changed due to age or condition.


Timing belt/ tensioner/ water pump and oil service recently cost me $850. You gotta do that one every 60,000 kms or she goes bang and costs THOUSANDS. 1.8T head rebuild = $$$ x 20

[Mr Messy]

The service book was drafted years ago, before 1.8Ts started snapping belts. Many 1.8T owners get it done early for piece of mind etc. When I had my water pump done (same time as belt) some impellor blades had already snapped off - I felt more than vindicated doing it early.

The original T belts were also made of a material now deemed inferior. I can't be bothered doing the research again but basically, you've got your head in the sand if you are certain a GTI will go to 120,000 kms on the original belt, water pump etc etc.

[YellowDieselGolf]

The service book was drafted years ago, before 1.8Ts started snapping belts. Many 1.8T owners get it done early for piece of mind etc. When I had my water pump done (same time as belt) some impellor blades had already snapped off - I felt more than vindicated doing it early.

The original T belts were also made of a material now deemed inferior. I can't be bothered doing the research again but basically, you've got your head in the sand if you are certain a GTI will go to 120,000 kms on the original belt, water pump etc etc.


ZOMG, you'd better go tell VW.com. They haven't updated their online service schedule either. (http://www.vw.com/dealer/MaintenanceSchedulesQuery.do?year=2002&engineCode=1.8T&carModel=GTI&TEMPLATENAME=maintenanceComplete&output=print) I'm not saying that changing the belts early isn't a good idea, but that's why it's listed as an item to check at the earlier services.

[sierra055]

Without trying to be a smartarse, that service schedule doesn't actually specify when the timing belt should be "replaced", but does indicate 60 and 120 for checking. It obviously does specify the V belt be changed at 120 though.