Newbie questions

Sofaboy · Post by **Sofaboy** » Tue May 20, 2008 9:22 pm

Hi guys,
first of all, sorry if this is in the wrong place.

Basically looking through all the options of a first car i ended up set on a polo GTi, Now i know nearly everyone will say forget it, get a 1.1 something or other and build up NCB. However i've saved and i'm more then willing to spend all my saved money on a GTi. Being what I would say is a petrolhead from a young age id rather bust my balls for a car i can enjoy for the next few years then buy a crap car now and a better car later.

However all the scare storied of gearbox, clutch and pedal box issues and its starting to worry me as a deaded gearbox seems to be serious Â£Â£Â£.

So I suppose the question is, is this a whole load of rubbish being over talked and scaring people, or are they genuinely very frail?

MaxZ · Post by **MaxZ** » Tue May 20, 2008 9:29 pm

You can't get a yes or no question, at the end of the day, it's all down to previous owners and the life that the car has had.

If it was owned by a granny, as was the case for a member of Section 5, it was still on it's original box at over 100k.

Although if it was owned by a bunch of boy-racers, then expect rough treatment.

Just as said in FAQ, easiest way to judge is by number of past owners on V5.

Sofaboy · Post by **Sofaboy** » Tue May 20, 2008 9:35 pm

Is that saying the more the merrier?

Id have thought this would point at a car that had issues with any gearbox given to it.

How much do replacements cost?

would it be better to have it rebuilt by someone who knows VAG gearboxes

CymruPolo · Post by **CymruPolo** » Tue May 20, 2008 10:08 pm

Sh*t gearboxes are just something we have to accept with the car I'm afraid. There's no solution to it, and VW haven't even acknowledged that it's a common fault. It's just hope for the best with them really. When you test drive one listen out for any whining noises.

For a new gearbox you're probably looking at around Â£900, or you can get a fully reconditioned one for about Â£300.

Sofaboy · Post by **Sofaboy** » Tue May 20, 2008 10:17 pm

thanks guys,
I suppose it's just a case of finding the right one.

It's either a polo or a 306 gti-6 and after hearing a polo with a group N exhaust on youtube i really really can cope with the standard costs of a polo, but can not cope with the cost of rebuilding gearboxes, getting new clutches etc.

VW deserve a slap for this.

CymruPolo · Post by **CymruPolo** » Tue May 20, 2008 10:22 pm

Yeh, I agree with you. But saying that, every car has it's common faults

Sofaboy · Post by **Sofaboy** » Tue May 20, 2008 10:26 pm

I so want one, but its scary when you can say the french car is more reliable.

However that lift off oversteer junk looks very scary

Sofaboy · Post by **Sofaboy** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:12 pm

I suppose i forgot to ask the main questions.

Is it that bad??

Is it going to drain me of money??

can i have the second in percentage of likeliness too?

Redline · Post by **Redline** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:20 pm

Its all relative to be honest. Those people who have suffered gearbox issues are more likely (and rightly so) to make noise and kick up a fuss about the problems they've faced. So on a forum like this you are going to hear a lot of horror stories, because people aren't going to start a thread and make posts about the fact their gearbox hasn't gone wrong.

I certainly wouldn't let it put me off buying a GTi. There are enough people out there who haven't had problems to justify that. Just take note of the information avaliable here, so when you view any GTi's you know what to look out for.

You mention that this will be your first car. Just out of interest, how old are you? And also I'm assuming you've got some insurance quotes already so you can budget for that.

Post by **alexperkins** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:37 pm

As redline says, I hope you have the budget to insure it. Anything less than 19 your looking at Â£1500 plus. Anything less than 18 your looking at over Â£2500!

I attempted to get one last year, but insurance was impossible back then so i waited instead.

Sofaboy · Post by **Sofaboy** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:38 pm

Redline wrote:Its all relative to be honest. Those people who have suffered gearbox issues are more likely (and rightly so) to make noise and kick up a fuss about the problems they've faced. So on a forum like this you are going to hear a lot of horror stories, because people aren't going to start a thread and make posts about the fact their gearbox hasn't gone wrong.

I certainly wouldn't let it put me off buying a GTi. There are enough people out there who haven't had problems to justify that. Just take note of the information avaliable here, so when you view any GTi's you know what to look out for.

You mention that this will be your first car. Just out of interest, how old are you? And also I'm assuming you've got some insurance quotes already so you can budget for that.

Will soon be 18, and yep looked around bell seem uber comptetitive even with me as the main driver, like i said id rather have a car i pay through my teeth for and enjoy then something i pay for and don't enjoy, just worried this gearbox lark will push me over the edge.

Post by **alexperkins** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:42 pm

Just be sure to balance practicality and cost - If its gonna cost like Â£2k to insure, and say Â£3500 to buy, thats alot to justify for insurance lol

Redline · Post by **Redline** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:48 pm

alexperkins wrote:Just be sure to balance practicality and cost - If its gonna cost like Â£2k to insure, and say Â£3500 to buy, thats alot to justify for insurance lol

Yeah I'd probably agree with that. I'm not sure I could justify such big amounts on insurance, but if you're willing to do that then fair enough.

There is also something to be said for running a smaller engined/slower car for a couple of years to build up your no-claims. Plus, as I'm sure Alex can back me up, when you drive a 1.0 with 50bhp you really do learn skills on how to extract the most from it which are very useful when you move on to quicker stuff.

Sofaboy · Post by **Sofaboy** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:51 pm

Totally aware of that, especially as I have to have one with leather, make sure it has the climate control etc

however justifying it is simple as, if i have a car, its easier to get to work, the easier it is to get to work the more i work, the more i work the easier it is to pay for the car this is the petrolhead circle of life.

however family intervention will do wonders for me, my brother works for BMW and is well off, my mum has a New Golf GT TDi which might slip onto autotrader one day, she wants to downsize to something like a fester anyway, maybe we can both have polo GTi's

.

Post by **alexperkins** » Wed May 21, 2008 7:36 am

Redline wrote:smaller engined/slower car for a couple of years to build up your no-claims. Plus, as I'm sure Alex can back me up, when you drive a 1.0 with 50bhp you really do learn skills on how to extract the most from it which are very useful when you move on to quicker stuff.

Oh yes

Just dont do anything you may later look back on and go damn I wish I hadnt forked all that money out!