18 plate polo with no problems to date!

[mike sel]

It's the options that make it so expensive for what it is, that's no options/red paint GTI+ money. Half those options are standard on the GTI+ and the GTI+ has plenty of other standard spec that equals out the other options Mike bought.

Depreciation as a % of RRP will be hideous due to that spec being mainly options that don't hold their value. A fully loaded edition would be far better value as the kit then depreciated with the car.

But Mike's said a few times, he runs his cars into the ground doing 25k miles a year, so he already knows it's not going to be worth a lot at 4 years old with 100k miles on it. It's certainly cheaper per mile than the other car's he has had (depreciation and fuel). Personally I'd have bought a facelift MK7.5 GTD for doing 25k miles a year in, with tons of standard spec 184ps and 60mpg all day with a heavy right foot, doing that many miles. The Polo needs a decent diesel, but people have been scared out of diesels.

If the Polo GTI wasn't available, the Polo would not be on the radar for me, I'd have kept the Golf R very long term (4 years old in May - by far the longest I have kept a new car).

New cars are a complete rip-off at sticker price. I blame the 2008/2009 scrappage scheme. All the new cars shot up by at least £2k, making buyers with a banger no better off, but the VAT reduction to 15% softened the blow. 2 ways to pay less for the car and the car companies instead saw a opportunity to increase their margins without the consumer noticing much at the time.

At that time the newly released MK6 Golf (which was little more than an uglification facelift with only a tiny bit more standard spec and a lot of manufacturing cost savings) went up a staggering 24% vs the last MK5 prices. They've been going up by inflation busting amounts ever since.

Compared to the Golf, the Polo looks a bargain and my Golf R doesn't feel as well built (rattles and the panels feel thinner on the Golf but probably the same newer thinner (supposedly stiffer) gauge steel.

I get all the point you guys are making but there is one overriding fact of my life and that is I have very limited parking, a golf wont fit length wise, simple as. I have a maximum space to park out side of my property and that is 4 mts before the car overhangs a narrow pavement, the golf I had just been loaned was 4258mm long, some 200mm longer than the Polo. I parked the golf where I would the Polo, it blocks literally half the pavement, it just does not work for me.

Now I am not short of a bob or two, so if I want a car no larger than the Polo, fiesta type thing, Its not about money for me its about practicality. I want heated seats in my car, keyless entry, Digital dash, park assist, rear camera, driver mode select, rear collision prep, heated seats, satnav, auto climate control, blind spot warning, rear reversing collision warning, Adaptive Cruise control, etc etc etc, essentially I want the options on my small car that I had on my larger cars. simple as. This new Polo for the first time in a reasonable quality small car VW gave me the opportunity to have all that for less than 21k.

Because a GTI 2.0l 200hp polo suits you does not mean everyone wants one, which is why VW in their wisdom made several other engines and levels of Kit. for me the optimum would be the SEL with the 1.5 evo, but alas they don't do one. So for me the next best thing is the SEL 115. Also I just don't want the extra internal tyre noise created by the wider GTI tyres, I don't want the louder engine note of the GTI. I don't want the harder ride caused by dropping the suspension by 15mm. I like a nice quiet comfortable large car drive and the SEL is far better at delivering that then the GTI, in my opinion.

Enough of justifying my purchase.

What I would have really liked on my Polo is. Better door cards front and rear. a ratcheted arm rest giving a variable height. a larger fuel tank say 50l. and Evo 1.5l engine. built in dash and rear cams, rear centre arm rest . and I would have liked to have a choice of tyres from new. LOL Andy would tern cartwheels if that little lot added another £1k to the price. For me it would be worth it though.

[monkeyhanger]

' Better door cars front and back would have added £100 retail cost max, to incorporate rubbery plastic card tops, flock lined door pockets, having the door opener mouldings on the back of the doors (to give a little colour). With that in place, there'd be no interior "quality" gap with the Golf to justify the extra money.

There seems to be no manufacturer out there fitting their own dashcams to their cars (probably to reduce battery burden and mpg effects - negligible that they are). Or maybe it's because usability and footage quality are so variable between the range out there.

Tyre choices are offered to the lowly Transit van Not sure why VW won't offer the same. I'd opt for some excellent Michelin rubber like PS4 if it added £100 rather than spending £400 and up to replace the rubber supplied, that's going to help greatly in preventing tramping (Bridgestones! Although to be fair, apart from tramping, the rolling grip isn't that bad once the tyres are warm).

The GTI+ is as much about standard equipment as the engine - it's a bargain next to the sparsely equipped standard GTI. A higher level of trim (like Lux or Elegance thag the othe VAGs have) would suit you, or at least some combined "packs" like Audi do to save a bit of money over individual prices.

[mike sel]

Now the GTI+ is back on the build your Polo, I just build MY sel 115 DSG with all my options then the GTI+. Monkeyhanger keeps banging on about the GTI+ has most of my required options as standard. NO IT DONT. I just specked it and I still have to add sat nav, winter pack, blind spot, park assist, rear camera, rear collision protection. then it has some things I don't want, lower suspension, 2.0l engine, wider wheels 17" wheels.

[Andy Beats]

I think my car has the rear collision warning thing.
Something keeps going off when people get too close anyway.
It's a real pain, it just keeps disturbing your drive.
Happily listening away to a podcast/radio, only to have it BEEEEEEEEEP away because someone is too close behind.
What am I supposed to do about someone being too close behind me anyway???
There's literally nothing you can do about tailgaters, so why disturb my drive?

[mike sel]

just did my monthly 400 mile round trip. this time in my own polo that I now have back. Yippy. I did 60mph as there was plenty of snow on the ground, took 3hrs 40 mins to do the drive, I stopped on the M1 just for a quick restroom break. I got 56.3 MPG out of it on average for the drive up. On the way back I did not stop again 60MPH and got 57.2 MPG.

Not once in the snow (summer tyres) did the car loose grip or play up. Temperatures on the way up -2.5 on the way back +3 degrees. heated seats were great, came into their own on this drive. Really happy with the car. V pleased to have it back.

[Adam_013]

just did my monthly 400 mile round trip. this time in my own polo that I now have back. Yippy. I did 60mph as there was plenty of snow on the ground, took 3hrs 40 mins to do the drive, I stopped on the M1 just for a quick restroom break. I got 56.3 MPG out of it on average for the drive up. On the way back I did not stop again 60MPH and got 57.2 MPG.

Not once in the snow (summer tyres) did the car loose grip or play up. Temperatures on the way up -2.5 on the way back +3 degrees. heated seats were great, came into their own on this drive. Really happy with the car. V pleased to have it back.

Just out of curiosity, what tyres is your polo fitted with?

And it good to hear you've got it back... Whereas mines just gone. [emoji107]

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[mike sel]

just did my monthly 400 mile round trip. this time in my own polo that I now have back. Yippy. I did 60mph as there was plenty of snow on the ground, took 3hrs 40 mins to do the drive, I stopped on the M1 just for a quick restroom break. I got 56.3 MPG out of it on average for the drive up. On the way back I did not stop again 60MPH and got 57.2 MPG.

Not once in the snow (summer tyres) did the car loose grip or play up. Temperatures on the way up -2.5 on the way back +3 degrees. heated seats were great, came into their own on this drive. Really happy with the car. V pleased to have it back.

Just out of curiosity, what tyres is your polo fitted with?

And it good to hear you've got it back... Whereas mines just gone. [emoji107]

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Why is your in?

Yes thanks for that, really pleased to have my own car back, as you indicated I paid enough for it, mostly because of the options I put on it.

From new it has had Falcons on it. I really was not happy about it I wanted Michelins. The falcons are pressured to the correct levels, While my car was in they did the oil change and 1st service checks, Tyres after 8300 miles.....
front R outer 5.5 middle 4.5 inner 5.
FL outer 5.5 middle 4.5 inner 5.
rears L outer 5.5 middle 5.5 inner 6
rear R outer 6 middle 5.5 inner 6.
The full size spare unused 7 across.

I have found the Falcons fairly quiet and rock solid on the road. I think the wear indicates the tyres may have been a little soft at the front before the service. So this has prompted me to purchase an at home tyre inflator, I fully intend to ensure I check my tyres once a week. I have to admit I did not check them once from new.

[Adam_013]

just did my monthly 400 mile round trip. this time in my own polo that I now have back. Yippy. I did 60mph as there was plenty of snow on the ground, took 3hrs 40 mins to do the drive, I stopped on the M1 just for a quick restroom break. I got 56.3 MPG out of it on average for the drive up. On the way back I did not stop again 60MPH and got 57.2 MPG.

Not once in the snow (summer tyres) did the car loose grip or play up. Temperatures on the way up -2.5 on the way back +3 degrees. heated seats were great, came into their own on this drive. Really happy with the car. V pleased to have it back.

Just out of curiosity, what tyres is your polo fitted with?

And it good to hear you've got it back... Whereas mines just gone. [emoji107]

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Why is your in?

Yes thanks for that, really pleased to have my own car back, as you indicated I paid enough for it, mostly because of the options I put on it.

From new it has had Falcons on it. I really was not happy about it I wanted Michelins. The falcons are pressured to the correct levels, While my car was in they did the oil change and 1st service checks, Tyres after 8300 miles.....
front R outer 5.5 middle 4.5 inner 5.
FL outer 5.5 middle 4.5 inner 5.
rears L outer 5.5 middle 5.5 inner 6
rear R outer 6 middle 5.5 inner 6.
The full size spare unused 7 across.

I have found the Falcons fairly quiet and rock solid on the road. I think the wear indicates the tyres may have been a little soft at the front before the service. So this has prompted me to purchase an at home tyre inflator, I fully intend to ensure I check my tyres once a week. I have to admit I did not check them once from new.

I hit some ice and had a nudge with a verge so it's being repaired, or so I'm told. VW insurance are yet to inform me of any updates.

I ask about tyres because I find the Falkens have very poor grip in the wet. The goodyear efficient grips I've used before on previous vehicles have been excellent. A few times I've had a couple of 'iffy' moments at places where I really shouldn't have. In dry weather though, I find them excellent.

When getting my car aligned the ATS bloke also commented saying it's odd for VW to use Falkens compared to the normal Bridgestone and continental tyres normally found on their cars

I found my tyres over inflated at 46psi when I received my car. And my recent service said tread was around 5.5-6mm all around, at 9500mi.

Bare in mind I'm not blaming them for my icy moment, but I don't think they exactly helped the situation.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Leif]

' Better door cars front and back would have added £100 retail cost max, to incorporate rubbery plastic card tops, flock lined door pockets, having the door opener mouldings on the back of the doors (to give a little colour). With that in place, there'd be no interior "quality" gap with the Golf to justify the extra money.

I'm not so keen on the silver dash panel, I thought the one on the Citroen C3 looked classier, if the Polo one was a dark black IMO that would look better. But that is highly subjective. I actually don't care about the door cards. The interior is not so different from a colleagues BMW Series 4, and several other 'Beemers' I've been in. The latter have had one or two bits of aluminium to make them look fancy.

I have Goodyear Efficient Grip tyres and they seem pretty good. They must be hard as I've done 20,000 miles and the fronts still have 4.5 mm left on them. Ride and noise are okay. Grip is okay. Yesterday while going around a tight bend to join a dual carriageway, I repeatedly lost the rear end. I was able to correct the skid as the back end went left then right then left.Very scary, but I was impressed with the way the car behaved in response to driver error. Although the roads had up till then all been fine, I hit a patch of black ice. I was only doing just over 20 mph, but on that bend 10-15 mph would have been advisable. It didn't help that Overkill by Motorhead was on the radio.

[Andy Beats]

If you're not happy with the tyres, change them!
If they've still got some life in them, get them back from the tyre dealer and sell them on ebay to recoup some cost.
I find it really strange that people on here will go on about specifying loads of extras on their Polo, then drive around on tyres they're not happy with and could be easily replaced for a couple of hundred pounds.
I ditched the front Falkens from new and switched to Michelin Cross climate.
Not because I expected the Falkens to be crap, just because I wanted snow grip on the front and Michelin were doing a deal.
The rear Falkens will stay on, all they do is keep the exhaust off the ground and there's no sign of the Michelins overpowering them, they stay stuck to the road fine so far.

[RUM4MO]

Why is your in?

Yes thanks for that, really pleased to have my own car back, as you indicated I paid enough for it, mostly because of the options I put on it.

From new it has had Falcons on it. I really was not happy about it I wanted Michelins. The falcons are pressured to the correct levels, While my car was in they did the oil change and 1st service checks, Tyres after 8300 miles.....
front R outer 5.5 middle 4.5 inner 5.
FL outer 5.5 middle 4.5 inner 5.
rears L outer 5.5 middle 5.5 inner 6
rear R outer 6 middle 5.5 inner 6.
The full size spare unused 7 across.

I have found the Falcons fairly quiet and rock solid on the road. I think the wear indicates the tyres may have been a little soft at the front before the service. So this has prompted me to purchase an at home tyre inflator, I fully intend to ensure I check my tyres once a week. I have to admit I did not check them once from new.
[/quote]

If you are referring to the "5.5, 4.5, 5.0" then if anything that indicates slightly higher than needed tyre pressure, if the pressure was too low you would have had something like "4.5, 5.5 4.0".

Edited as I left the wrong "quoter" in this posting!

[RUM4MO]

I think my car has the rear collision warning thing.
Something keeps going off when people get too close anyway.
It's a real pain, it just keeps disturbing your drive.
Happily listening away to a podcast/radio, only to have it BEEEEEEEEEP away because someone is too close behind.
What am I supposed to do about someone being too close behind me anyway???
There's literally nothing you can do about tailgaters, so why disturb my drive?

Parking sensors also cause that annoying noise, someone once said that some car marques/models parking sensors can annoy your ones by transmitting at higher levels than others.

[Leif]

If you're not happy with the tyres, change them!
If they've still got some life in them, get them back from the tyre dealer and sell them on ebay to recoup some cost.
I find it really strange that people on here will go on about specifying loads of extras on their Polo, then drive around on tyres they're not happy with and could be easily replaced for a couple of hundred pounds.
I ditched the front Falkens from new and switched to Michelin Cross climate.
Not because I expected the Falkens to be crap, just because I wanted snow grip on the front and Michelin were doing a deal.
The rear Falkens will stay on, all they do is keep the exhaust off the ground and there's no sign of the Michelins overpowering them, they stay stuck to the road fine so far.

I think this is a really important point. Tyres are the most obvious safety feature of a car, and ~£100 extra can get you a car that is less likely to crash. As I'm sure I said elsewhere, I had some Kumho kh27 tyres on my VW Up. Within a few weeks of buying them, I skidded off a damp roundabout onto the grass verge, and a few weeks later I nearly did the same but by then I'd learnt how to correct a skid. I replaced them ASAP. I now only buy the well known names such as Goodyear and Michelin. Obviously no tyre will protect you from driver stupidity, but it's nice to know they will be safe when driving with due care and attention, and have a bit of leeway.

[Adam_013]

If you're not happy with the tyres, change them!
If they've still got some life in them, get them back from the tyre dealer and sell them on ebay to recoup some cost.
I find it really strange that people on here will go on about specifying loads of extras on their Polo, then drive around on tyres they're not happy with and could be easily replaced for a couple of hundred pounds.
I ditched the front Falkens from new and switched to Michelin Cross climate.
Not because I expected the Falkens to be crap, just because I wanted snow grip on the front and Michelin were doing a deal.
The rear Falkens will stay on, all they do is keep the exhaust off the ground and there's no sign of the Michelins overpowering them, they stay stuck to the road fine so far.

I think this is a really important point. Tyres are the most obvious safety feature of a car, and ~£100 extra can get you a car that is less likely to crash. As I'm sure I said elsewhere, I had some Kumho kh27 tyres on my VW Up. Within a few weeks of buying them, I skidded off a damp roundabout onto the grass verge, and a few weeks later I nearly did the same but by then I'd learnt how to correct a skid. I replaced them ASAP. I now only buy the well known names such as Goodyear and Michelin. Obviously no tyre will protect you from driver stupidity, but it's nice to know they will be safe when driving with due care and attention, and have a bit of leeway.

Very important!

At the end of the day, it's only the rubber what makes contact with the road, so the most important factor!

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[Andy Beats]

FWIW, for anyone interested in ditching their Falkens, I got £80 for the front pair on ebay.
They were as good as new, they'd only done 76 miles, so your price expectations will have to vary accordingly.
Two buyers were fighting over them and sold within 3 days, so there is demand for them.