I am now a "people's car" owner!
01-08-11, 05:56 AM
#1
Lexus Champion
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Stuttgart
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I am now a "people's car" owner!
1998 Volkswagen Golf 1.6 Automatic 5-door
It has almost 106,000 km on the clock, two previous owners, makes an excellent winter beater and general city car along with my 118d and it was dirt cheap (2,000 Euros). I tested it last week, it drives nicely and feels well-made. For a car with such mileage it feels pretty new, actually. The automatic transmission is also quite excellent and responsive and makes the 101-horsepower car actually feel quite agile. The engine could be a little more refined, but considering the price and the overall condition of the car, I don't really mind. There's a large dent on the right-hand-side of the front fender but it doesn't bother me (and it helped keep the price down).
Previously, my wife and I got along well with one car. When she needed the BMW, I would take public transportation to work. But lately, she's been doing more and more on-location photography which means staying mobile and bringing her equipment along. I, to, need to stay mobile as I now often find myself visiting clients in and out of Stuttgart. An extra car was needed. Although my wife fancied a Mercedes C class estate (eventually even an E class estate), my 118d is actually large enough, if one folds down the rear seats, to accompany all her photographic equipment and even a small gasoline generator (for her lighting equipment). Therefore, we postponed the idea of buying a brand new car, for the moment. In effect, I'll be driving the Golf to work when my wife requires the cabin space of the BMW - or I'll simply be driving the Golf from now on. We'll see.
Here are some quick photos I took today when I picked her up. Yes, I bought the car from one of the main Porsche dealership in downtown Stuttgart. They don't only sell Porsche products there!
It has almost 106,000 km on the clock, two previous owners, makes an excellent winter beater and general city car along with my 118d and it was dirt cheap (2,000 Euros). I tested it last week, it drives nicely and feels well-made. For a car with such mileage it feels pretty new, actually. The automatic transmission is also quite excellent and responsive and makes the 101-horsepower car actually feel quite agile. The engine could be a little more refined, but considering the price and the overall condition of the car, I don't really mind. There's a large dent on the right-hand-side of the front fender but it doesn't bother me (and it helped keep the price down).
Previously, my wife and I got along well with one car. When she needed the BMW, I would take public transportation to work. But lately, she's been doing more and more on-location photography which means staying mobile and bringing her equipment along. I, to, need to stay mobile as I now often find myself visiting clients in and out of Stuttgart. An extra car was needed. Although my wife fancied a Mercedes C class estate (eventually even an E class estate), my 118d is actually large enough, if one folds down the rear seats, to accompany all her photographic equipment and even a small gasoline generator (for her lighting equipment). Therefore, we postponed the idea of buying a brand new car, for the moment. In effect, I'll be driving the Golf to work when my wife requires the cabin space of the BMW - or I'll simply be driving the Golf from now on. We'll see.
Here are some quick photos I took today when I picked her up. Yes, I bought the car from one of the main Porsche dealership in downtown Stuttgart. They don't only sell Porsche products there!
01-08-11, 01:16 PM
#4
Congrats.
On a side note, I love it when people say "the car feels amazing even with this high mileage". The car has what.... 106,000 km? That's like what? 60-65k miles? It would have to be a really crappy car to not feel new with that low of a miles, but than again, I'm probably spoiled by Toyota reliability and I can comfortably jump in my 150k+ mile SC and not have a shadow of a doubt that everything works perfectly!
On a side note, I love it when people say "the car feels amazing even with this high mileage". The car has what.... 106,000 km? That's like what? 60-65k miles? It would have to be a really crappy car to not feel new with that low of a miles, but than again, I'm probably spoiled by Toyota reliability and I can comfortably jump in my 150k+ mile SC and not have a shadow of a doubt that everything works perfectly!
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01-09-11, 08:45 AM
#8
congrats on the vw. a few of my buddies have been waiting for the golf r, with a few owning the same gen golf as you currently. it's definitely a beater car to handle all the daily stuff. looks like it was well kept for over a decade. good stuff! enjoy!
01-09-11, 05:55 PM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
great buy! 
enjoy.
enjoy.
01-09-11, 09:03 PM
#15
Lexus Test Driver
Nice buy! Those were solid and popular cars when first introduced. I had a 1999 Passat with a very similar interior and dashboard. Served me well. One way to see how well a car ages is how the interior holds up. Seat fabric worn, center armrest worn, and steering wheel and gear shift handle "shine." Looks like most things are in top shape. Maybe someone can pop up that front dent so you don't have to get the panel replaced.