I was looking for a 5 door golf GTI but fed up of looking need something suggestions please!!

Focus for my money, I've had one for ten years and its the most reliable car I have ever had….EVER!!!

Mondeo better value than Focus second hand, and better to drive.

I'll sell you my 5dr golf gti for £3000

Pics please jambo, if you're serious of course!
Oh and assuming it's a Mk4 didn't state that did I
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Ta

Alfa every time. Unreliable rustbucket but fun and cool.

skoda vrs ?

My 53 plate mondeo 2l tdci estate 130bhp

Clio172/182 French tin, but go-kart fun

Beware there are two types of Alfa Romeo pundits, those who've owned them and those who haven't.

I've had two, both miles more reliable than my Golf GTI which broke down expensively every three months or so.

Having said that if I had my time again it would be a Focus.

That is true pjm1974. I've had two alfas and three or four golfs and it was the vw's gave me the most trouble. You do hear some horror stories about the alfa though.

And for £3k you'd prob get a newer better spec'd car with alfa than vw.

I've had 5 Golfs, 4 MK2's and 1 MK4. The MK2's never let me down, just saw a fancier looking one and thought 'sod it, at that price, I'll have it'. The MK4 never really gave me much bother, and a couple of friends have got them and love em. TBH there's not a massive amount in it with modern cars. My old man had a Toyota Avensis which was trouble, and Toyotas never break down. They're machines, they go wrong. Golfs are overpriced though. I'd get a Focus.

Focus, my experience with a similar aged Passat would make me very wary of buying another VW of that era and the Volkswagen Audi specialist garage I enquired at told me the electrical problems mine had were quite common and an absolute can of worms. If you do go vag get an Octavia VRS as you get newer and more powerful for less.

I assume you're looking at MK4 Golf GTIs? It would definately be my choice out of that line up. Go pretty well, but the key thing is that they hang onto their money like nothing else. Keep it nice and serviced and it'll never be worth less than a grand. I feel like Quentin Wilson now I've written that sentence.

On the other hand, the Focus just doesn't appeal to me – don't like the inside of them and don't like the way they rust. I always feel like I'm sat really high up in them, and hate it.

Alfa 147. No. I'd simply not have one as a daily driver. Alfa's own specs state it's acceptable for their engines to use silly amounts of oil, which means there are plenty that die or are damaged by low oil pressure. I really wouldn't want the bother of having to check my oil often.

I'd also look at 3 series BMWs (similar job to the Golf – they don't lose money if they're kept tidy). But, if you're a single bloke, get an MX5. They're ace.

Reading this thread makes me want a Mk2 GTI again… Fast enough, great fun to drive and when was the last time you saw a rusty one?

Talk me out of it please.

You and me both PJM. Every now and again I go through "Buy an old GTI or XR2 or 147". Then I get home and the wife tells me not to be silly.

if you want a golf but can find a 5 door gti have you considered a v5??

i had a y plate5 door v5 with the 170bhp engine and it was a fantastic bit of kit.

mine had the sport pack etc so was dressed as a gti basically but without the gti badge.

seriously quick, lovely engine noise and fairly good on fuel.(i got 38mpg on a run)

PJM1974 i agree with you about the mark2 as well!!

really miss my 89 gti 16v!!

best car ive had.

Last time I saw a rusty one? The last time I stripped a MK2 Golf…

They go in areas you can't easily see – under the rubber surround of the petrol filler, and where the A pillars are hidden by the wings. A lot rust through to the point where holes are visible at either end of the scuttle panel. And there are a lot around with rusty door bottoms and tailgates.

They are streets ahead of anything else built at the time, and a lot of later stuff.

The MK IV Golf GTi is OK, but a bit lardy, underpowered and soft for a GTi (unless you can find a 25th Anniversary one), so should be reasonable value.

Otherwise, the Focus is a stonking drive and you will be able to get newer than a Golf.

Don't pay any attention to the unreliability stuff. I'm on my 4th Golf GTi having had 2 MK II's, a MK IV, and currently a MK V. Never had a problem, and they always score high on reliability

I had a J plate 16 valve Mk2, great handling and went like snot off a stick when stoked above 3,500rpm. 40mpg on a long run was entirely feasible, and no matter how hard I caned it, it never dipped below 31mpg.

If I could find another in good nick, I'd go for it – My Alfa 147 is blunt, uncommunicative and slothful in comparison. However, it's got a lovely cabin, heated seats, air conditioning, is more economical and that 2 litre Alfa engine is sewing machine smooth.

Cheers chaps, Had a 1.8T and loved it just want a 5 door for nipper installation. Think I just keep looking for a golf or maybe a focus

Have had 5 alfas now, 75,155,164,166 and my present 156. Bang for buck theres not a car on the road to touch them and in the well over 150,000 miles of driving them I've never once had one quit on me. Electrics can be dodgy thats a given and as for the comment about them using oil, yeah they do but that just means you always have fairly new oil in the engine 😉

Alfa 147. No. I'd simply not have one as a daily driver. Alfa's own specs state it's acceptable for their engines to use silly amounts of oil, which means there are plenty that die or are damaged by low oil pressure. I really wouldn't want the bother of having to check my oil often.

Alfa state that anything up to 1 litre of oil every 1000Km (i.e. 600 miles) is "acceptable" oil consumption.
The cars dont kill themselves: it's idiot owners who don't bother regularly checking the levels as you should do with ANY car.