Help me decide!!
 

Right, my Astra will be three this April and as such, I am starting to think about new wheels. This time, I have decided I am not buying brand new (only bought Astra new as I got a deal with Vauxhall which saw me get a fair whack of money off) and I have two cars in mind that I REALLY like.

Choices are:

BMW 1 series 118d M Sport

or

Volkswagen Golf Mk5 2.0 GT TDI.

So I am going to put up a poll and then you lot can help me decide. Would be appreciated if you also gave me a reason for your decision!

Thank you please!!

Re: Help me decide!!
 

I'd get the golf without a second thought

Re: Help me decide!!
 

Golf.

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Golf! Golf! Golf!

You know it makes sense Nic. :smt023

Just a thought, how about the Seat Leon fr?

Re: Help me decide!!
 

Golf is faster

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Yep, not seeing many reasons so far guys!!

Treacle, I don't like the shape of the Leon. Never have. I had an Ibiza before and they are nice cars but although made by Volkswagen now, they don't have the same finish, quite cheapy inside I felt.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

Golf

Mainly because I dont like BMW's I especially dislike the 1 series as having driven a couple of them. I though they werent very nice to drive or sit in.

I dont know what they are like now, but I'd have thought, that the Golf will hold its value a little better than the BMW and also it'll cost less to service to.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

+1.
Ive got mk5 tdi and its a great car, its only the 115hp but goes pretty well so im sure the extra power would make it much better.
I average well over 40+mpg and i dont use mine for commuting so its all small town trips and ive got a heavy right foot.
Also, the golf will be better in the snow and ice cos beemers are notoriously bad in the snow.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

+1 on the Leon Call. They're ace and everythings is as standard, not an optional extra. But if you don't like them, then I'd go for the Golf.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

I'm certainly swinging towards the Golf because of the practicalities. The only reason I want a beemer is because I really like the look of the 1 series but that's not a reason to buy a car!

I am looking at my local Volkswagen dealership and they currently have a 55 plate Golf 2.0 GTi with all the extras, sat nav, cruise control, winter pack, protection pack, with only 26000 miles on the clock for £13k....not a bad price I'm thinking!

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The Golf's been around for years and is pretty well established from a good company with a solid rep for reliabiity, BMW ? I used to work for them years ago, decent enough car but not as good as they would have you beleive.

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How does a similarly spec'd 1 series compare price wise ? If you are spending that much money go get a test drive in both of them, have a sit in them etc etc.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

Are you married ? :smt060

Re: Help me decide!!
 

Biggest problem I am seeing whilst looking at the BMW's is that they all have upwards of 100k on the clock and they clearly don't hold their money as well as the Golf....

I've driven a 1series before, certainly didn't dislike it. Might go and see if I can get a test drive of the GTi, even though it's petrol and I wanted diesel.......will have to see what the consumption is like.

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LOL! No! An if I was, it'd still be MY car....!

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The cars yours, I just wanna get to know someone with 13k to blow :p

Re: Help me decide!!
 

Golf.

The BM is just a German ford hiked up by people who think owning one means something. Out of the two I would say Golf but have a quick look at an A class Merc. Not too expensive and much better than a BM.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

MBK, I'll give you my opinion as I have driven the BMW 118D M Sport since Feb this year, brand new. I only Golf I have driven is a 03 plate for about a week.

+'s

Handles beautifully, so well balanced!
Comfortable being ragged the nuts off or pooting about
Build - better than any car I have owned
Dry/Wet Grip - Did I mention it handles soooooooo lovely.
Engine is sweet as, but then again it is brand new.
Interioir is easily cleaned, materials are well made.

-'s

Runflats - cost a farking bomb and most places will not repair if you get a puncture anywhere in the tyre
Servicing - if you want to main dealer it, expect £180 for an oil service! Although BMW Independant Garages will see you paying half that
Small - If you plan on carrying more than 2 people a lot of the time, good luck. I carry 4 (2 adults, 2 kids in child seats) and its a real aqueeze
Stock system - A3 was better. I have the BMW Professional Head Unit and it's OK til you crank it up, then the sound quality dimishes. Its not even that loud.

+/-

MPG - Expect 45+ driving completely within legal limits and sedately, or upper 30's driving more spiritedly. I'm sitting on 42.8 over 18,000 miles.
Variable Servicing limit - supposedly instead of set limits, it will tell you which servicing bits need doing dependant on how you drive it. Good if you are a sedate driver.
Rear wheel drive - I much prefer RWD in the dry/wet, but as soon as it touches ice/snow, forget it. Really. I got stuck in places that I saw crappy old 20yr old FWD's get past me on with no trouble, lol.
Dual zone climate control - sounded great when I bought it, but in reality is never used and I wouldnt miss it.

All in all, I find it a great car when I use it for work, but when I have to use it for family trips it does annoy the hell out of me.

Hope this helps. Some of my review wont be relevant if you are buying 2nd hand as it would depend on the mileage/optional extras you get with it.

Good luck

Re: Help me decide!!
 

I HATE Mercs...but I'll have a look..

I'd say the golf, I've driven that exact car and It's lovely to drive, not the fastest car in the world but has some poke.

The BMW... when the snow comes all you can do is look at it really.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

Thanks Hongman, just the sort of thing I am looking for!

Re: Help me decide!!
 

See that's the biggest thing that bothers me about the BMW as I live on a really steep hill and I NEED to be able to get to work 27 miles away so if it doesn't do snow and we are gonna keep having winters with plenty snow....it might not be the best option for me.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

went in a mates golf GT TDI a few weeks ago 07 plate and was blown away with how good it was! id swap my BMW anyday for one!

Re: Help me decide!!
 

Have you thought about the VW Jetta MKV? Admittedly if you don't like saloons it's an instant no go. But it's basically a Golf MKV with a mahoosive boot.

I have the 2.0 TDI Sport DSG, 2007 on a 57 plate bought 2 years ago this January... and it cost a few thousand pounds less than the 55 plate Golf you're looking at.

edit: didn't realise the Golf was a GTI not a GT TDI

Re: Help me decide!!
 

Snow thing goes for all RWD's really. If you want to conquer snow, get a 4WD ;) Oh and I dont know if its just the shape of the BMW, but it seems like it gets dirty SO quickly! Especially the back.

I'm pointing out all the bad things but it really is a nice car. If I didnt have kids I wouldnt be moaning nearly as much about it.

In hindsight, for me, I should have either got the 3 series for more space or another (bigger) car completely, with less of a badge cost.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

No, not wanting a saloon!

I was originally looking at a GT TDI, and probably still will, just that the local dealers have a very nice GTI.

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Strike it off your list then. You need to be happy with the new shiney toy.

TBH I hate BM's. The drivers always want to try and bully other traffic. They never seem to indicate as I guess that everyone else should know where they are going. They don't use their lights in bad weather.............. because they don't have to........................... the list goes on. But just my opinion and a lifetime of riding and driving.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

mums got a new golf. its bloody fantastic! and its only a 1,6

Re: Help me decide!!
 

I would try and stay with the tdi instead of the fsi. My boss has had his mk5 gt tdi 140 for about 6 yrs now, its done about 110k and its still tight as a drum and has bags and bags of torque and has never let him down. But like all the vag tdi engines there all bomb proof. I havent really had that many dealings with the 2l tfsi engines but the one's that i have seem to be a bit troublesome. As Viney has mentioned before the bmw 1 series looks a bit like an orthopaedics shoe lol. And it doesnt help with a ride that is rock solid and the engine which isnt as good as the tdi's by a long way.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

To be fair, my Astra is a cracking car, 1.9tdi and it's cracking! Handles well and isn't slow (ask GG and Stretchie, they love it) but I just seem to have developed itchy feet, which normally happens a lot quicker with cars for me, and I'm just itching to drive something different.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

Set the light dial to "A", and let the car decide when they need to come on :D

Re: Help me decide!!
 

Ach, to hell with it, I'll just go an buy a Mk4 R32 (car I always wanted!) LOL!

Re: Help me decide!!
 

Mmm. Or a Focus RS. Mmm.

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Golf. Scoobs has one of those BMW Orthopedic shoe things and thats a good enough reason not to buy one.

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The Golf. Nuff said.

I drove a 1 series when they first came out and after having had a 3 series I was really disappointed by how remote it was and how cramped the interior was.

Buy a car, not a badge.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

My 2p.

The BMW has the badge Kudos, the Golf doesn't. Depends if that's important to you.

The BMW looks better and better to drive dynamically than the front wheel drive golf. The Golf is not a bad looker though and could be prettier than the BMW depending on your taste, and dynamically there is nothing particularly wrong with the Golf.

Golf is much better build quality and reliability, cheaper to buy and holds residual much better and can be driven in the snow that Scotland is now getting year on year.

Volkswagen dealers value your custom much more than BMW who only give a s**t if you own 5 series or above. When you have a long list of people waiting for delivery of their next BMW, why would they care if you decided never to buy another?

My experience of BMW is not good, to the point that I'd be very cautious about buying another. My stepfather has had VW or Audi his entire life apart from a few years with a Honda. His experience is almost untainted apart from a failed auto gearbox in a 10 yr old Audi 100 that had 220k miles on the clock.

I voted Golf.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

:rolleyes:

Cheers for that piece of advice!!!

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No way!!!

The BMW looks like a hearse. I always expect to see a coffin in back.

Get the Golf.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

I voted Golf. Eldest son has the Beemer 118d, and its a lovely car but it has been useless in the snow. Son number 3 got off the drive no bother in his Golf. Number 1 couldn't even budge his, typical rear wheel drive, and when he wasfinally pushed off the drive he hit the kerb 3 times just getting off the estate.

Lovely car but useless in bad weather.

Re: Help me decide!!
 

I love R32's but not as much as I love these.




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