Need a Daily Driver - Golf MkIV or Leon Mk1?

[Dogzyboy 0]

Any chance of a Poll please Mods? :)

 

Looking to get a daily driver as my Raddo isn't enjoying being using daily, nor is my bank balance with the repair costs!! With a bit of luck, I'll be able to get half of what I need as an interest free loan from my folks to add to the money I have put aside.

 

Due to the cost of Petrol these days (V Power especially) I'm going for a diesel, but it's got to be fairly quick & has last a good few years. The current options are:

 

1) Leon Tdi FR 150 - Seen an 04 Plate with 60k miles for £8kish.

 

2) Mk4 Golf Tdi 150 Anniversary - Seen a 52 Plate with 74k miles for £8ish.

 

3) MK4 Golf GT Tdi 130 / 150 - Can get an 03 Plate for around £7k with about 70k miles.

 

4) MK4 Golf Tdi 110/130 - Seen 2000 Platers with 110k + miles for around £4k - £5k.

 

So, what would you go for out of these? Or is there something else you'd choose instead? Personally I really fancy the Anniversary (but I'm a sucker for Special Editions!) or the Leon FR.

 

Any comments greatly appreciated..

 

Cheers,

Doug

:)

[Walesy 0]

I have inserted a poll :eek:

 

I'd go for a MK4 personaly - I think they're great cars and i'm considering a TDI MK4 as a replacement for my rado

[Dogzyboy 0]

I have inserted a poll :eek:

 

I'd go for a MK4 personaly - I think they're great cars and i'm considering a TDI MK4 as a replacement for my rado

 

:lol:

Cheers Walesy.

 

I like the MK4 also, but believe the Leon is a better drive?

[Walesy 0]

I haven't driven a Leon mate so can't compare sorry! I have sat in one though and I could instantly feel a difference in quality.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

The Leon should be the MK5 platform car, so will drive miles better than the MK4.

 

The MK4, as sold, is disastrous as a driver's car (imo).....but it does have potential to be good if you know where to throw the money.

 

And last time I looked at my local Shell, diesel was MORE than V power by 2p.

 

And you have to do a shed load of miles to make it worthwhile.

 

And consider also, that my missus's 1.8T Polo returns a confirmed 36.2mpg....and the MK5 150 Tdi won't give much more than that if you cane it.

[Dogzyboy 0]

Diesel is More than V Power these days!?! I have to admit to not actually reading the prices too often these days. The last time I looked the prices were the same, bleedin schiesters.

 

I do about 150 miles a week at the moment, but end up putting a lot of "weekend miles" on the missus car at the moment, including trips all over the country.

 

I end up filling the Raddo twice a month at £60ish a time & figured I could just about half that cost with a diesel by getting around 550 miles to a tank, rather than to 300 I get in the Raddo.

 

Any ideas what petrol car would end up costing similar? A 1.8T VAG engined car (Golf/Leon) would surely only return low 30s?

[Goldie 2]

Im quite a fan of the first Leons,i had a diesel for 2 years from 6 months old and it was great, she was a 110 with all the toys. Ok so not the driving enjoyment of a Corrado but great for what it was and ive another straight away..

[bcstudent 0]

The Leon should be the MK5 platform car, so will drive miles better than the MK4.

All the cars in that poll are based on the A4 platform, are they not?

 

For me, this is a no-brainer. I can't fault my Leon for build quality or reliability. Considering it shares more than the odd component with the Mk4 Golf and Audi A3 you get a much newer/lower mileage car for your money, compared to VW or Audi eqivalents.

 

That said, if you read through the seatcupra.net forum you'll find that most major faults with Mk1 Leons seem to occur in the FR diesel models.

 

Have you considered a Skoda Fabia vRS?

[Dogzyboy 0]

you get a much newer/lower mileage car for your money, compared to VW or Audi eqivalents.

Yeah, I've noticed that you get something a couple of years younger for the same money which is tempting.

 

Have you considered a Skoda Fabia vRS?

As much as I'm shooting myself in the foot by not considering one, I just don't think I can bring myself to. Stupid I know, as it's only a badge.

[Walesy 0]

The MK4, as sold, is disastrous as a driver's car (imo).....but it does have potential to be good if you know where to throw the money.

 

I think they're really good, i've had RKE's courtesy MK4 GTi 1.8T quite a few times now and each time I have it I don't want to give it back :lol: - allthough having said that it really was far nicer when they first had it and is now suffering a bit due to being abused as a courtesy car for a year.

 

They're a breath of fresh air after the MK3's and feel to me as solidly built as the MK3 but with much better performance. The 150bhp 1.8t certainly feels alot quicker than a standard rado G60 let alone valver! :). Yes, admitedly they do feel a bit wollowy(sp) as standard but thats easily sorted

 

Like I said though, i've not driven a Leon to compare.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

All the cars in that poll are based on the A4 platform, are they not?

 

I dunno. You tell me? I said "should be" as it's an 04 plate, which is when the MK5 came out.

 

Diesel is More than V Power these days!?!

 

It was at my local shell, I nearly fell over when I saw that! Typical feckin government though, punishing people for using diesel instead of the more harmful petrol by taxing the hell out if it.

 

I do about 150 miles a week at the moment, but end up putting a lot of "weekend miles" on the missus car at the moment, including trips all over the country.

 

In that case, diesel is probably better for you. I just hope the narrow power band doesn't frustrate you half as much as it does me!

 

I think they're really good, i've had RKE's courtesy MK4 GTi 1.8T quite a few times now and each time I have it I don't want to give it back :lol:

 

I can understand that on initial sampling. It's got a punchy motor and much better build quality than the Corrado..... but live with one for more than a week and you'll soon realise how untalented the chassis is.

 

They're a breath of fresh air after the MK3's

 

Any car is :lol:

 

The 150bhp 1.8t certainly feels alot quicker than a standard rado G60 let alone valver! :)

 

"Feels", but isn't. Gutless past 4000rpm.

[vwdeviant 0]

Have you considered a Skoda Fabia vRS?

As much as I'm shooting myself in the foot by not considering one, I just don't think I can bring myself to. Stupid I know, as it's only a badge.

 

De-Badge it? :norty:

 

I sling at least £50 a week in my Valver!! :help:

[Dogzyboy 0]

Hmmmn. Thanks for all the replies guys, some great advice there.

 

I guess I'm just after something that doesn't feel awful (and slow) after driving the raddo each time, and as I'll be spending about 2 hours a day in the thing I want it to be a nice cockpit too. I think the Golf has a slightly nicer interior, but I guess I'll have to take both the 150bhp Golf & Leons out for a spin & see which I like the feel of best, only ever driven the 1.8T golf which I quite liked.

 

Problem with the Anniversary Golf is that I can see myself not wanting to put miles on it either!! :) The whole point of a new car is so that it can take all the mileage instead of the Raddo.

[bcstudent 0]

All the cars in that poll are based on the A4 platform, are they not?

 

I dunno. You tell me? I said "should be" as it's an 04 plate, which is when the MK5 came out.

The Mk1 Leon is definitely based on the same A4 chassis as the Mk4 Golf. The Mk2 Leon and Mk5 Golf share the same A5 platform.

 

I stand by my previous comment about the Fabia vRS though. It's the one diesel car I find tempting.

[Andy665 0]

The A4 and Golf platforms are totally different, longitudinally mounted engine in the A4, transverse in the Golf.

 

Mk1 Leon shares the MK4 Golf platform that also sits beneath the MK1 TT, A3, Octavia, Bora.

 

Out of the cars on your list I'd choose the Leon, not fantastic to drive but a bit tighter in all respects than the Mk4 Golf, IMHO looks a lot better too. Just watch the interior plastics of the Leon, a lot lower quality than in the Golf and they mark very easily

[bcstudent 0]

I meant VW A4 platform, not A4 as in the Audi model.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_A_platform