Yo guys, i'm soon gonna buy my first car and wondering whether I should buy an Altezza (9k) or a VW Polo GTI (8k).
I'm looking for a car with as much power as possible :P but it should be reliable for at least one year.
Whatcha guys think about that! ;) Thx a lot
craig04,
Sep 22, 3:01am
We had a 2001 Polo GTi. Not huge power but good fun. It was reliable for almost 1 year too.
vtecintegra,
Sep 22, 4:33am
Neither car is what you'd call a powerhouse.
How old is the GTI! The newer turbo ones are a hoot, but the older non-turbo doesn't go any better than a basic Corolla or Civic
trouser,
Sep 22, 5:37am
I have just been through the exact same decision. I ended up buying a 1998 VW Golf mk4 GTI. It is quite a nice car. I preferred the golf because I like midrange torque more than top end power.
The golf has less outright power than the altezza though.
I have had it for 2 weeks and over mainly 'city' driving have got 12ks per liter. Pretty good all things considered.
ninja_man,
Sep 22, 5:38am
thats too much to spend on a first car. and you dont need a fast car to learn in
franc123,
Sep 22, 5:42am
lol, get some insurance quotes before doing anything else.
mark.52,
Sep 22, 5:43am
I think I'm glad I live and drive far, far away from where you live.
ninja_man,
Sep 22, 5:43am
yeap, that is sure to change his mind.
whynot7,
Sep 22, 5:58am
1st car,want heaps of power,9k to spend = trouble thats why.
bean623,
Sep 22, 6:01am
but got lots of experience and not only NZ.
bean623,
Sep 22, 6:08am
i'm driving regularly since i'm 14 so i think i'm already out of the learning phase. ;)
ninja_man,
Sep 22, 6:11am
ok. i just assumed you were a learner since it was your first car. If you dont mind me asking. how old are you! because insurance will be rediculus if you are young.
richardmayes,
Sep 22, 7:28am
Really! I've been driving cars more than half of my life, and I feel like I'm learning more than ever before!
The options you are looking at at the moment seem very unfocussed. I would decide whether I needed a small hatchback or a mid-sized sports saloon BEFORE coming on here and asking us for our worldly views on what WE like!
For $9 - $10k you get into an older XR6 falcon or V8 Commodore and keep your fingers crossed for a year.!
trouser,
Sep 22, 7:32am
Hardly. A golf gti has 110kw. 10kw more than a corolla. WOW.
bean623,
Sep 22, 8:19am
Sorry didnt explain it very good. I'm driving for a while now but only driving school and some 'parents-car' experience.
phillip.weston,
Sep 22, 8:21am
out of those two I would go for an Altezza. More reliable, holds its value better, actually handles quite well and the performance from the Beams 4cyl 6 speed manual is sufficient but not over-whelming. It is actually somewhat pleasing to the eye as well. I would stay away from any Polo of the 90s and early 2000s era. Just total shitboxes.
whynot7,
Sep 22, 8:24am
face palm! u need a 1300 corrolla or a sentra dude
rocker_553,
Sep 22, 8:50am
That's not heaps of experience. Heaps would be driving nearly every day for 10 years, doing plenty of long haul trips, and maybe some overseas driving. THAT'S experience
phillip.weston,
Sep 22, 8:52am
Why! If he can afford an Altezza he may as well get one as they're quite safe and isn't any faster than some 1600cc Corollas etc.
bean623,
Sep 22, 8:55am
true that. 20 hours overseas and 20 hours nz (mostlymanual)
usdefault,
Sep 22, 9:03am
If you like VW get the Golf VR6.
For the 4k you save on the Lexus/Toyota you can make the golf alot faster than the Yota.
phillip.weston,
Sep 22, 9:09am
yeah the VR6 is a nice car (I've had one, a '96 MkIII SA import with leather) but I wouldn't call it a good first car. Fuel economy isn't its strong point, insurance will be costly being considered a 'performance car' with the 2.8L engine and they aren't the most reliable of vehicles either. I would definitely own another - perhaps not in Australia with their high prices though! haha.
usdefault,
Sep 22, 9:17am
Insurance.
Who insures their first car in NZ outside Remuera!
morrisman1,
Sep 22, 9:18am
wow 40 hours experience, you must be the best driver on the road.
Trust us buddy, most on here have been there done that and hindsight is telling us that you'd be better off with a normal economy car for a few years.
thejazzpianoma,
Sep 22, 10:54am
I say this as a big VW fan.
Don't buy the Polo but do buy a Golf. You can get a good Golf GTI for that money and they are a lovely car. Plenty of go, reasonable on gas (especially in manual) and very reliable.
The Polo is not just smaller I always found them quite second rate to the Golf.
If you decide on the Golf come back for some tips on buying a good one.
Personally for a fist car I would have bought something like the 98 Golf GTI that went on here tonight for about $2000. SO Much car for so little money.
Punto Abarth with the tasty 6 speed box is also a great bargain with 2000 and newer models starting around 5K. No shortage of power or fun there.
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