I'm currently looking at a VW, however a few people have told me to stay clear - due to them being wellknown for being 'unrealiable'. I've always owned Jap cars and they've all been great. Any comments on this! I'm after something under $3grand.
robotnik,
Oct 13, 3:53am
Any car under $3000 is not likely to be that reliable. It will be old and worn out most likely, so parts will break. However, your chances of getting a reliable car for that price will be higher with Toyota or similar than a VW.
motorboy2011,
Oct 13, 4:17am
They aren't any more unreliable than a jap car, it's more the availability of parts and knowledge to fix that's a prob. If I lived in Europe I'd own euro in a heartbeat.
intrade,
Oct 13, 4:19am
just depends what you want the more electronic crap there is the more it will brake it wont matter if its a vw or a japanese car. I owned plenty of both The problem is european cars never did like it to be neglected on servicing Newer japanes stuff will hit you in the face now also if it was not serviced. If your good at fixing stuff then you can buy any car you like and you would know how to pick a good one to start off with. i got a bora tdi vw and paid 8000$ i have all the service history right back to uk where it had its sill damaged and replaced last owner spend over 6 grand in the 2 years he had it . new mags chiptuning-and new clutch. I dont intend to sell it as it is a rocket louncher i will have to do the clutch again sooner then later to upgrade due to the massive poweroutput it produces now. Now to your 3 grand as above you wont find anything like i got as the car i paid 8 grand would have also sold for 12 grand . for a 3 grand car you can expect loads of work in the years to come and it dont matters if its a vw or a toyota . reliable cars off the shelf start from 8 grand upwards.
disco_super_fly,
Oct 13, 4:29am
Thanks folks. Are VW's any less reliable than say a Toyota! The price of parts certainly puts me off, but If i have full insurance I should be okay. I've never caused an accident, and don't intend to. I've owned cars worth between $1600 - $4500, and to be honest they've all been fairly reliable - and all Japanese. My sister owns a VW Golf and she's had consistent problems with it. Not sure whether it's VWs in general or whether she just got a lemon.
intrade,
Oct 13, 4:38am
umm your sister probably has a lemon that was not serviced as about 80% of cars are not serviced with people thinking a wof is a service no wonder. also automatic need servicing every last one of em but vw have a lifetime fluid on some of there trans with no dipstick so they just dont service that till it craps it self or causes problems by then its usually to late as it should have had 2 or more services that it never had done on. Also it seems that some parts supply think everyone wh owns a european car is a millionair and charges for parts meny times more. You also have to take a european car to good places , like never to continetal carsakl.to name a example where to never go
intrade,
Oct 13, 4:44am
i read on your other thread you wanted a convertable golf 3 , now the bad thing on that its likely not galvanised and i dont know if the mk4 convertable is you cant get convertable mk4 in europe but the mk4 normal golf is factory galvanised with 12 year warranty to not rust now that is a far superior warranty then any japanese where the likes of toyota never ever had a rust protection factory warranty like this.
chebry,
Oct 13, 4:47am
I run a turbo diesel Citroen it hasnt missed a beat since I bought it some of the jap stuff is ok but for driving pleasure yer need a euro
thejazzpianoma,
Oct 13, 4:48am
MK3 Golf is partly galvanised I think, there are some rust free examples in NZ but you have to check them.
thejazzpianoma,
Oct 13, 4:51am
OP,
You are buying a cheap old car, the badge on the front has very little to do with the reliability, especially at that age.
Whether you get a good run or not will have a lot more to do with how the car has been used and maintained and how you continue to treat it.
This "magical badge" nonsense is mostly made up rubbish used by car dealers to sell used Japanese imports.
VW Parts are exceptionally well priced, if you are paying too much for them you are buying from the wrong place.
Oh and MK3 Golfs do have some known problems, I am yet to come accross a car that doesn't. However, the known problems are not generally catastrophic, it things like ABS units and window winder mechanisms. These things can be checked and repaired fairly cost effectively if you go about it right.
Automatics, like all auto's of that age are the other tricky point. I would buy a manual if at all possible as the auto's need to be serviced to be reliable (like all auto's) and while possible its not easy to get one with transmission service history or super low km's at that age.
disco_super_fly,
Oct 13, 4:52am
Obviously part costs DOES come into it - as I said, i'm slightly afraid to get a VW gold cos of my sisters experience with them. Plus I know a few people who have advised against them.
disco_super_fly,
Oct 13, 4:55am
Thanksso much :) Yeah tbh I know I've been ripped off a fair few times with parts/mechanical work etc being female and all, and knowing very little about cars. Thank goodness for the handy boys on the TMMB :)
thejazzpianoma,
Oct 13, 4:56am
If someone advises against a VW they are going to advise against everything that is not Japanese. VW is about as good as you get in terms of parts prices and they are very well built.
I would be asking these people who are advising you not to buy one just how many they have owned.
If someone harps on about VW's having expensive parts they really have now clue at all.
kazbanz,
Oct 13, 4:57am
OP- a $3000 ragtop golf with damage to the roof and 225km is not what I'd call sensible buying.Every single one Ive had any dealings with has had mechanical issues. if you are bent on a ragrop I'd buy a mx5
disco_super_fly,
Oct 13, 4:57am
HAHAHAHAHA i would NEVER buy an automatic. Even if it was PERFECT in all other aspects. Getting a manual is top on the priorities list
thejazzpianoma,
Oct 13, 4:58am
You are most welcome. The great news is you live in Auckland, up there you are spoilt for choice for knowledgable places that can repair and supply parts cheaply.
I would suggest that whatever VW you are looking at you take to Qualitat for a pre-purchase check, they are also good for parts and service.
disco_super_fly,
Oct 13, 5:01am
Cheers :) I've recently started a new job at a company which has a private mechanic. So i'll probably pay him a bit of money to come check a car out with me :)
thejazzpianoma,
Oct 13, 5:01am
That is fantastic news.
The Auto is usually the deal breaker, if it goes the car is scrap. The engines in the Golf are really old school basic easy and cheap units to work on. So if you have problems they are not likely going to be end of the world ones. Do expect to have a few repairs, its an old car but gone about the right way they don't have to be end of the world nightmares.
You also still want to take your time and get a really good example and look after it but the odds of catastrophic failure are pretty good for a car of that age.
intrade,
Oct 13, 5:01am
not all parts are cheap but then again i also paid 210$ for 1 cooling hose 14 day ex japan for a nissan mistral diesel. with sensor in hose. european cars not to buy unless you can fix it your self and have time to order your own parts from europe are Renault.
thejazzpianoma,
Oct 13, 5:03am
That's a good start. It would be good to sound this mechanic out a bit though, you wan't someone who has a bit of VW experience so they know where the problem areas are. Also, some mechanics are just knuckle dragging red necks who will slag off everything that is not a Nissan or a Toyota, its a waste of time taking one of those with you because you won't know if it really is a lemon or not.
thejazzpianoma,
Oct 13, 5:05am
Yes, that's why I don't judge "European Cars" as a group. To try is just silly, you are talking about a multitude of different manufacturers from very different countries with many many models between them.
VW are pretty good in NZ because we have multiple third party importers, Volvo and the Frenchies to a varying degree are a different story.
I agree you will find some expensive parts, but I have found some expensive parts for most cars that I have dealt with. Toyota in particular like to charge eye watering amounts for some parts that are not regular service items or part oftheir most basic model.
thejazzpianoma,
Oct 13, 5:14am
BTW, if this is the car I think it is, its a U.K import so you want to get it up on a hoist and look very carefully underneath for rust. MK3's are a bit funny, some seem to rust bad and some don't even the U.K ones.
Above all, remember, you are looking at old cars. Old cars can be good fun economical transport, but its all about beinga bit pro-active, doing some learning and going about maintenance and repairs the right way.
If you are prepared to do that and not just take it to the nearest garage and say "fix it" you will likely have a shot at a lifetime of cost effective low stress motoring. That's what I have found personally anyway.
The best money I spend on my cars is on maintaining them "by the book" which I do by using quality parts ordered from third party importers or direct from overseas at low cost. Spend the money there without cutting corners and you will likely save yourself a lot of money and stress.
jason18,
Oct 13, 5:20am
What do they mean beach buggy! Has it been on the beach!
msigg,
Oct 13, 5:39am
Well at that price if it lasts a few years then thats cheap motoring, will probably last for a long time. $3000 is not alot of money nowdays. The rag top bit is fun in the right weather, but NZ mate with the wind and rain we get the top will leak and be stuffed in a few years. That sort of car theres not many buyers for soresale will be hard, just run it into the ground. Good luck.
disco_super_fly,
Oct 13, 5:42am
Cheers. Is there any cheapish vehicle you can recommend! Have owned a pulsar, telstar and corolla previously.
Since the public registrations are closed, you must have an invite from a current member to be able to register and post in this thread.
Have an account? Login here.