[trickydee]

Hi All,

I have found an imaculate 99 reg GT TDI, all the right dealer stamps,cam belt swapped, spot on in/out and engine. The catch is it has 120k on the clock - which is higher than the 94 VR6 i'm selling. But it does come with a 6mth warranty.

Should I go for it ? - What sort of milage do you other TDI's have ?

My other option is a standard TDI with 60k on the clock - but I must admit I like the GT look.

Any advice is apreciated.

Rich

 

[RJH]

In my opinion, although VW's are exceptionally good cars even with high miles, i'd definitely be trying to get one with as little mileage as possible. I'd never even consider buying ANY car with 120k on the clock no matter how immaculate it was! []

 

[W36 EJO]

Disagree. Ultimately it depends on the price and what your going to be using it for. If your going to be doing 30k a year, I'd say no, dont bother, if your doing 8k a year, I don't see any problem with buying a TDI with 120k on the clock. I've seen a GT TDI 115 with 213,000 on the clock and it sold for just over ?5000 about 6 months back.

All depends on price and what your looking to use it for. Mileage isn't everything as some people seem to think, especially on a TDI which has probably been in 6th gear on the motorway 3 quaters of its life!

I'd much rather but the TDI with 120k on the clock that's been sitting on the motorway than a TDI with say 50k on the clock thats never left the city.

 

[PaulGT]

u wanna make sure the bushes have been replaced! Especially the ream beam mounts as they are probably shagged by now! Worn bushes generally are the cause of the clonking and banking noises in the golf over bumps!

 

[nrgizerbunny]

I'd have some serious concerns about buying a car with over 100k on the
clock. Even if it has been maintained religously some bits such as
hydraulic seals, abs pumps etc aren't going to have been replaced and
as it ages its gonna get nackered. not to mention the amount of metal
thats probably sat at the bottom of the gearbox or sump. If it was me
I'd be reluctant

 

[ct.p]

You shouldn't have any worries at all providing the price is right.

High milage is not that important, you can afterall quite easily change the mechanical bits and pieces quite easily and if you've been runnig and older car, I'd assume your hands on and able to take care of that.

Much more important is the condition of the body and interior, these cannot easily be fixed on a DIY basis.

Have a look on tdi club forums and you'll see some cars with silly milages on them, still going strong, think there is one with in excess of 350k on it with all the original parts!

The car your looking at should have the old 110hp rotary pump engine which is bullet proof.

There are two schools of thought with milage and mine, being always to take the high miler means that you know the car is good, has been good and has been looked after. I'd be weary of an older low milage car as it has not been excercised properly and in all honesty interally, the engine would probably be in worse condition than the regularly excerised high miler. The best bit is you save yourself ???'s going for a high miler.

Since giving up having a company car, all my own vehicles were purchased just out of lease with quite high miles BUT with dealer stamps all the way through, they have all gone on to do in excess of 150k with no real problems at all. Gone are the days when engines expire at or before 100k, your Grandfather or Father may have told you stories about their old marinas blowing up at 70k and you may believe them, but times have moved on.

In fact, these days most cars go to the breakers because they are falling apart not because the engines have failed. If a car gets to that age where it does start falling apart without being smashed up it's quite lucky. As for falling apart, VW's generally don't do they ?

Have a look on the roads, you still see plenty of MK2 Golfs from the mid to late 80's, how many old Astra's or Escorts do you see from the same era, virtually none.

Like I say, providing the price is right, go for it.

P.S. The old Mans '99 Passat with the same 110hp lump is still going strong at 148k....

 

[W36 EJO]

Well said Ct! My thoughts exaclty! I really can't understand why people are still scared of anything over 80k! I've known many people go for the lower mileage cars thinking they are better, whereas in fact they have been used for short trips everywhere and have aged while doing nothing. My Y reg with over 101,000 on the clock (ex lease) is right on the button! The ex lease cars are an extremely good buy. 3 years old, ALWAYS looked after no matter what, mine had over 6 pages of A4 documentation and a good price. Mine also came with a years unlimited mileage warranty which I have still got 5 months of and got my air mass meter sorted through it no problems.

Do not be scared of higher mileages, unless they have been used as a taxi, which is different altogether. The best thing to do is get in the car your looking at buying and hit the radio station memory buttons. Bet you have a range of local radio stations, I always do this, meaning the driver before you was all over the country = motorway miles.

 

[trickydee]

All,

Thanks for all the replys. I guess that this is a bit contensious issue. I am looking to pay around 4700 which is a fair price I would say. I am gonna speak to VW today and check the history. And I will check out all the tips from you guys .

I'll let you know if I go/don't go for it !.

Rich

 

[Baker21]

I am going to agree with CT on this one and say that I wouldn't hesitate on buying a high miler as long as the condition of the car was immaculate inside and out.

I purchased my Bora with 85k on the clock, as an ex-lease car and I knew the owner and she was immaculate. I have now got 150k on the clock and I reckon she will go for another 150k no problems.

I am now looking to change cars in October and go possibly for a Skoda with 85k on the clock and again I don't anticipate having problems because these types of cars are 'Bullet Proof'.

The good thing about high milers are the amount of kit you get with your motor and in most cases it's all motorway miles.

I'd prefer a high miler having been 'opened up' on motorways than some low miler that has been driven around town never getting over 4,000 RPM!!

 

[W36 EJO]

Where are these TDI Forums? Wouldn't mind a look around to see if I can make my mind up between the TDI's and V5/6's? Should be some interesting reading.

 

[Saxovtrjamii]

what about the gearbox etc?

has that been replaced or do they last as long as the engines on these TDi models?

 

[W36 EJO]

The gearbox should be fine. You have to remember, gearbox get worn through useage. A gearbox gets more use over 40k in a city then 120k on the motorway. In fact, everything aprt from the tyres get more worn in the city including the interior.

A low mileage 4 year old car isn't always what it's cracked up to be. That's just MHO though.

 

[mixedgas1960]

Hi there I own a mkiv golf 1999 Tdi with 135K on the clock. I have Owned the car from new. It is mainly motorway mileage and has always been serviced absolutely according to the book including 2 cambelt changes. Apart from normal consumables (tyres pads etc) I have had no problems at all with the car although I think I will need a new clutch soon. The car is nearly as good now as the day I bought it and I'm expecting an easy 200k from it before passing it on to one of the kids. The point I am trying to make here is that a high mileage 'motorway' car correctly serviced is defintely worth looking at and not something to be frightened of.

Best wishes to all Mixedgas 1960

 

[BORA_TOM]

Got to agree high milers especially ex lease cars are great buys I'd always take a 3 year old car with 60k + miles than a 20k one, one the price and two as others have said it will have been to the dealer every 6 months and had no expense spared. Company/lease owners don't pick up the tab so if anything is recommended it is usually done unlike the private owner who might says can't afford it now I'll get it sorted later.

Both my previous and current cars have had an average 20k+ a years average and have had no problems except routine servicing

 

[ct.p]

Exact-o-loot-lee to all above.

Thing is, should we all be sharing our secret about ex-lease cars with everyone?

I think it's a good thing some people still believe a car will fall to bits at 100k, that way and the way the low milage obsessed market is driven means that there will always be some real bargains to be had. If everyone knew and was sensible about it, those bargains would all be snapped up everytime I wanted to buy a car.

Things are good the way they are, let people believe what their Grandads told them about their old Allegros etc....

 

[W36 EJO]

Yer good point. I bought an ex lease car and as I was going along the road, the rear panel fell off, then I went over a speedbump and because the gearbox was knackered after all its miles on the motorway, it fell to the floor.

I'd never buy a car with more than 20k on it again!

Phew.... []

 

[RickyD]

Rich,

I've sent you a PM regarding my car.

Cheers

RickyD

 

[Rivage]

I saw a 2001 Y plate Galaxy with 485,000 miles on it the other day. It belonged to Penzance airport cars, so I guess must have spent its 4 year like doing 3k miles a week between there and Gatwick/Heathrow.

People who are worried about high mileage cars these days are talking nonsense. As long as the cars have been well maintained they can easily take it.

My 99 Golf TDI has 120k on it and is superb.

 

[W36 EJO]

Having got a relatively high mileage myself, there is one tip for anyone thinking about buying one. Check your oil monthly. They do tend to start using more oil over the miles. Mine uses I would say 3-4 litres between a 10,000 mile service. However, I do tend to change it every 5k myself anyway.

Other than that, I have never had a problem with any of my high mileage cars ranging up to 150,000

 

[trickydee]

I checked the history this morning at the VW dealers listed in the log book, all checked out a ok. Did a bit of hagling and negotiated golf and 12mnth waranty for ?4800 - which I though was a fair price.

Pick up thurs .

Thanks to everyone for their comments and info.