Small Old Hatch Advice 2007 Golf or Should I Fork out More for a Corolla

juki on 05/06/2019 - 14:12

I'm quite new to australia and am looking for a small car to get to work with. I currently drive about 70kms per day.
I only have a small budget.
Among the cars that were under 100k km I noticed

  • VW Golf TDi (usually 2006-8)
  • Toyota Corollas (usually 2003-7) in petrol

occasionally there is a prius around 2008-7 with slightly more kms.

Any suggestions or should i look elsewhere?

As for the golf, the price was decent but it seems suspicious to have many hovering around that price point (maybe people just dont like diesels), I see a few on the road closer to the city.
As for the toyota, its much older but i still see a lot of them all over the place (cheaper parts ?), the prius would just to try and get low gas mileage and playing with something new

other brands like hyundai, kia or honda seem to be much dearer or gas hogs - the market seems different here, cars cost overall more as well as maintenance. I've mostly had motorbikes and my current car is an old mercedes which is an endless money pit (so much as i want to set it on fire - i bought it for practicality and apparently they are reliable)

I dont care about speed and have no social life to show off in, any suggestions where to look or what i might want to choose in your opinion.

I'm in victoria if that matters

Automotive

Comments

  • bdl on 05/06/2019 - 14:23

    Do you want diesel, petrol or hybrid? And what's your actual budget? - difficult for us to recommend without knowing how much cash monies we've got to advise on…

    • juki on 05/06/2019 - 14:28

      just something cheapish to run I'm looking around $7-8000

      type of fuel doesnt matter to me. I was curious as to why golfs all seem to be on sale are they expensive to maintain or a bit of a lemon car?

      • Levathian on 05/06/2019 - 14:39
        +13

        Who wants to own an 11 year old golf? Probably full of mechanical problems.

        • juki on 05/06/2019 - 14:49

          someone on a tight budget :/

        • brendanm on 05/06/2019 - 15:49
          +1

          Tdis are quite reliable and excellent on fuel.

          • RockyRaccoon on 06/06/2019 - 10:00

            @brendanm: if you are sure its been maintained properly!, which the OP may not have the expertise to do this.

            • brendanm on 06/06/2019 - 10:28

              @RockyRaccoon: To look at service books? This is the same for all cars by the way.

  • tryagain on 05/06/2019 - 14:43
    +12

    If you are going for an older car, never go for a euro. Toyota Corolla from those two choices and daylight second.

    • juki on 05/06/2019 - 14:51

      i guess we are pretty far from europe -thanks for your suggestion ( i dont understand "daylight")

      • tryagain on 05/06/2019 - 14:55
        +5

        It means that someone or something is a clear winner, with the gap to the next place getter being so large that all you can see is daylight.

  • Bid Sniper on 05/06/2019 - 14:44
    +2

    Used Kia or hyundies. I would not touch a old VW

    • juki on 05/06/2019 - 14:50

      they dont seem very well looked after in this price range

      • Bid Sniper on 05/06/2019 - 14:52

        Look ex-fleet

        Seen manual i20 1 year old $5K

        • juki on 05/06/2019 - 14:53

          wife only has auto licence

          • xuqi on 05/06/2019 - 15:25
            +11

            @juki: Upgrade wife..

            • juki on 05/06/2019 - 17:03
              +7

              @xuqi: Poor advice on Ozbargain, I want to keep costs low

              • xuqi on 05/06/2019 - 18:51
                +2

                @juki: Replacing is expensive, upgrading should be ok. :)

  • juki on 05/06/2019 - 15:06

    just for any new comments, it seems toyota is a no brainer as well as staying away from anything european despite their reputation abroad -thanks for clearing it up

    • Spam Service on 05/06/2019 - 15:11

      Euros are fine, but parts and servicing is far more expensive than the Japanese/Korean equivalents. Corollas in particular are a very simple, rock solid platform. They're easy to work on, parts are cheap and plentiful, and there's a very large market for any second hand parts (like body panels) too.

  • navyskies on 05/06/2019 - 15:36
    +2

    If you can squeeze another 1-2k on your budget you can start looking at 2008-2011 Honda Accord Euro Luxurys.

    Fantastic cars IMO and my mrs has one. Honda reliability, relatively recent build, heated seats, leather seats, sunroof, good on petrol.

    Can't go wrong.

  • Shark on 05/06/2019 - 15:43
    -1

    OP, I'd go the Toyota Corolla myself.
    Here's an example in Victoria around the $8K mark:
    https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/Toyota-Corolla-2010…

    Does manual or auto matter?

    • juki on 05/06/2019 - 17:00

      thanks, yeah it needs to be auto, my wife just has an auto licence

  • Innately Incognito on 05/06/2019 - 16:06

    It might be worth checking out the ex-rental market if you're on a budget and looking for a small hatch.

    Grabbed one a few years ago which has now gone to the parents and it's running fine. Worked opposite the Hertz repairers and knew the guys there so they said they'd double-check the logbooks of the cars and tell me which ones I wanted to take (or avoid). However, they did mention in general that rental cars tend to be serviced more meticulously than most - because any breakdowns for them are $$

    Can't remember the price but I don't think it was much more than you're looking at?

    • juki on 05/06/2019 - 17:01
      +2

      really ?! but everyone always beats the crap out of the rental car

      your case might be an exception, i've always heard to avoid rental cars

      • ItsMeAgro on 05/06/2019 - 18:19
        +1

        Yeah but as long as an ex-rental is something reliable like a Toyota and is priced low enough to reflect that it's an ex rental, you actually do OK. Never had any issues with my ex-rental 2011 Corolla.

        (The truth is only petrol heads look after their own cars super well and thrash their rentals. Most people do neither.)

  • [Deactivated] on 05/06/2019 - 17:57
    +1

    As for the golf, the price was decent but it seems suspicious to have many hovering around that price point (maybe people just dont like diesels)

    Endless repair bills. That's it,stay away from the Euro junks.

  • DBBROS on 05/06/2019 - 18:30

    You are better off getting the Toyota and buy a near new golf outright after saving some money. Do get a sedan if it's the only car in your household

    • juki on 05/06/2019 - 18:44

      i have no special feelings about golfs, its just if i were to answer name a reliable car I would have said mercedes and vw diesels and camrys (i've been proven wrong for the first one)

      • DBBROS on 05/06/2019 - 19:06

        You should test drive them both. Golf is excellent to drive but the corrolla is boring but fares on reliability. I have a Skoda BTW

        • juki on 05/06/2019 - 19:15

          i just care about reliability and maintenance costs

  • [Deactivated] on 05/06/2019 - 18:51
    +1

    Don't get a Golf. The diesels can be finnicky and it will cost big dollars to fix.

    Corolla will be fine but a bit boring. I'd suggest a Honda Jazz personally. Extremely reliable, very simple, heaps of storage space, good on fuel, more engaging to drive than a Corolla.

    • brendanm on 05/06/2019 - 19:18

      The diesels are not finnicky.

      • [Deactivated] on 05/06/2019 - 20:56
        +1

        Okay, well I have known three people who had VW diesels and all of them had major issues that cost a lot of money and time to sort. Especially in the time period that OP is looking to buy - around 10 years old.

        • brendanm on 05/06/2019 - 20:59

          Okay, well I have worked on a crap tonne of the diesels, and owned a 1.9 and 2.0 personally, and they are normally quite good, especially the 1.9 which is nigh on bulletproof. Seen a fair few with very high KMs.

    • juki on 05/06/2019 - 19:37

      i read there were issues with the TSI model but nothing with the diesels,

      • brendanm on 05/06/2019 - 22:22
        +1

        I'm not even saying to get one 100%, and there is nothing at all wrong with a corolla, but the golf is much nicer to drive and be in, better on fuel, and more torquey. Servicing items can be more expensive though, depending on where you go.

  • Orange182 on 06/06/2019 - 08:34
    +2

    As the owner of a 2007 Golf Diesel, I will never buy anything VW or VAG made again. I have had many problems, some to do with the diesel, some just the car in general. It's left me stranded 3 times, needing towing, and still has an issue no one can even tell me what it is, they say, maybe diesel pump, $4000 and it might fix it.

    Buy the Corolla.

    • brendanm on 06/06/2019 - 08:37

      Lol $4000 diesel pump? You have a pd engine, the "diesel pump" (tandem pump) is $600 and less than an hour to fit. What's the issue exactly? Sounds like you are taking it to someone who has no idea at all how pd diesel works.

      • Orange182 on 06/06/2019 - 09:02

        It's the high pressure pump, tandem pump has already been replaced. Your right though, I am taking it to people that have no idea, 2 different VW dealers. But also some VW specialists. High pressure pump might very well fix it, but I'm not spending $4000 to maybe fix it, when the car has many other problems anyways.

        • brendanm on 06/06/2019 - 09:18

          My point is that you don't have a high pressure pump. You have 4 injectors that each have a high pressure pump in them, which is why I think whoever is working on it has no idea. What is the issue you are having with it?

        • juki on 07/06/2019 - 10:55

          you wanna buy my merc?

        • brendanm on 07/06/2019 - 16:29
          +1

          Genuinely interested in helping you fix this mate, tried to pm you but seems you have them turned off.

          • juki on 12/06/2019 - 21:50

            @brendanm: oh ?! i havent touched anything i'll take a look
            edit, nope nothing turned off, everyone is allowed to PM me

    • juki on 07/06/2019 - 10:55

      thanks for this feedback, i was pretty close with going with the diesel golf

  • Speckled Jim on 06/06/2019 - 08:42

    1.5l Toyota Yaris if you need an auto, in preference to the Jazz. This is coming from a Honda enthusiast.
    Edit, apparently Yaris and Corolla have timing chains according to HonestJohn.

  • RockyRaccoon on 06/06/2019 - 09:54

    Keep in mind diesels need to be driven to keep things like particle filters working well, long drives are essential every now and again.

    Under 100k in 13 years is very low kms travelled per year (<8000)

    these filters can cost $3K or more to repair.

    A diesel needs to be driven on longer drives regularly to avoid this and many older ones wont have had owners who understood this.

    See this article for more insights

    http://www.masterautomobiles.com.au/services-view/diesel-par…

    • brendanm on 06/06/2019 - 16:27

      07 golf doesn't have a dpf, unless it's a gtd, which is unlikely

    • juki on 14/06/2019 - 22:26

      it seems to be some gearbox thing that is fairing poorly (at least in aus) on deisel vw golfs. The Tsi engines seem to have all sorts of issues

      • brendanm on 15/06/2019 - 11:40

        The gearboxes are wet clutch in the diesels, and completely fine. The low powered petrols with the 7 speed dry clutch box have issues.

  • HeWhoKnows on 06/06/2019 - 19:02

    Stay well away from VWs in Australia !

    Plenty of cheap cars around.
    Suggest you broaden your search criteria and pick the car in the best condition and lowest kms within your budget.

    • brendanm on 06/06/2019 - 21:11
      -1

      Yes, VW sent special cars to Australia that are different to the ones that are anywhere else /s. Dont you have someone to yell "theft!" at.

  • Kendigg on 07/06/2019 - 07:31

    From someone who bought a used 2011 TSI Golf - don’t. I had a Renault Clio lined up but bought the Golf. Bad mistake. New engine at 55,000km. Ongoing misfiring.

    • juki on 11/06/2019 - 00:30

      thanks i will be staying clear

  • dreamscene on 11/06/2019 - 11:07

    I had a Golf 7 2013 TFSI 1.4L. Amazing car. Did 20,000 km in 5 years, extremely reliable. I know I only drove 4000 km a year but very reliable, never changed or replaced anything apart from oil.

    • juki on 11/06/2019 - 15:46

      i do slightly more than that a year

    • brendanm on 11/06/2019 - 16:51

      With only 20k km you would sure hope it didn't have any problems

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