Live Wired wrote:Definately. Got my heart set on getting 1, but not a 2.0, want a 1.9. reviews I've read suggest the 1.9 to be the better option, have read of too many expensive faults on the 2.0. Looking at paying 6-7k, how much discount could I realistically expect when paying cash? I'd seriously consider buying an ex-fleet car straight out of the auction mate or look at a VW specialist dealer. We have Bath Cars local to us and he's a good guy, I know he only made £400 out of the car he sold me. He sells on eBay Bath Cars

Live Wired wrote:Definately. Got my heart set on getting 1, but not a 2.0, want a 1.9. reviews I've read suggest the 1.9 to be the better option, have read of too many expensive faults on the 2.0. Looking at paying 6-7k, how much discount could I realistically expect when paying cash? I'd seriously consider buying an ex-fleet car straight out of the auction mate or look at a VW specialist dealer. We have Bath Cars local to us and he's a good guy, I know he only made £400 out of the car he sold me. He sells on eBay Bath Cars

I fitted discs and pads all round for a mate . IIRC he got the parts from a local (Leeds) company called German&Swedish . Mate is VERY pedantic about what goes on his car (eg £2500 for the tub of polish he uses on it ) . He will only have OEM or better quality fitted to anything he owns .

BTW . I still have the rear calipers that came off it . Nothing wrong with them . He just wanted to replace them while the discs and pads were being done because they looked grotty . It once had a noisy front wheel bearing , so I replaced it . Well .. actually I replaced both sides , and fitted new hub flanges because the old ones looked rusty . Oh ! And while the wheels were off he noticed that the coil springs were rusting . On went a full set of fancy springs and dampers that cost just shy of three grand . Told you he was fussy Next weekend I am replacing ALL the suspension arms because he read somewhere that they have problems with the balljoints and bushes wearing .

Had a Passat 1.9TDI Estate for four years and never had a a minutes bother with it. Only parted with it because of our firms company car policy of replacing after 120k miles. I now have a Golf 2.0 TDi Estate. Again very reliable, have done 65k miles in two years and only had to replace tyres, the odd bulb and windscreen wipers.

I'm lucky that I have a company car, but having had VW Passat and Golf I would have no hesitation in buying either should I ever have to.

cod'ead mentioned early on about having any potential purchase HPI checked . That is sound advice , and I must agree with him there . An
HPI check is an absolute must .
BUT ... For there is always a but ...
One of the things that a HPI check will not reveal is wether or not the car is on a 'log-book loan' . I know of three dealers who have taken cars in P/X only to have them removed from the sales forecourts by bailiffs . The dealers then have to try chase up the person who P/Xed the car to get payment , or retrieve the car they sold .
It is quite a good scam if you want to trade up your current car . Get yourself a log-book loan on it , then go trade it in and use the loan money to cover the balance . You have a shiny new car , and the dealer has a headache . Simples . If the dealer sells your car on before the loan compnay realises there is a problem (usually falling behind on payments) then the person who bought the P/Xed car loses out too .
I have even known people trade in their company cars just prior to handing in their notice to their employer

There are several nightmare scenarios possible when buying your next new car , but the advice given on this thread regarding dealership service history and HPI checks should keep you safe (ish) .

Good luck .

I thought the security of a log book loan was the borrower handed over the V5C to the lender until the loan was repaid?

I'm not certain how they work never having had one . But I do know that the place I work for has been victim at least twice . We are currently trying to recover the loss of a Freelander to such a scam . We also fell victim to somebody trading in a vehicle that was 'held in trust' to a minor . Something about the child being orphaned and her guardians were in control of a fund set up to support her . They traded in a newish RangeRover that actually belonged to the child . Cost us a fortune did that one . Such things don't appear on HPI checks though .

Mine's now booked into the local VW dealer on Thursday morning for a campaign change on the injectors. VW Customer Service were very nice, even enquired whether I'd incurred any costs that they could reimburse

You're welcome

Cheers mate. The campaign only covers very specific chassis numbers but mine was one of them

Just picked the car up after the campaign change. All four injector pumps were replaced (£600 each) and a new loom fitted. They even washed and valeted inside & out (it was like a skip this morning). Total cost, including labour & VAT = £0.00p

Returning home, a journey I regularly undertake, I noticed a marked improvement in performance, zero smoke even when booting it and fuel economy also seems to have improved slightly.