UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

Hi all,

I'm looking to buy myself a new car, something a bit quicker and better built than my current 1.2 Clio.
I was looking to get a mk5 Golf TSI Match 1.4 but they seem to be impossible to come across, this led me to looking at Polos. I came across the 1.6 Sport (105), 9n3? I was just wondering if any of you have any experince with it and what it's like, or maybe if I should look at a completely different engine (I've heard good things about the TDi's, but there doesn't seem to be any decent sports models around my area).

I have a budget of £7,000. Currently looking a 1.6 sport with 20k miles for £6500, hopefully will be able to get the price down a bit if I go for it.

Ive driven one of these. Was quite impressed with its performance

alexperkins wrote:Ive driven one of these. Was quite impressed with its performance

Good to hear! Decent engine then? This question is probably more suited to people who have owned them for a while, but what's the mpg like on them?
The styling on it is a bit tame but that can always be changed.

The TDi's are good, a bit rough running compared to petrol but you get used to it. Although I don't think I've seen a 9n3 Tdi with less than 50k miles on it, but I'm sure if you can find one with 20k you're onto a winner!

There are a few choices with Tdi 9n3s, the 1.4tdi is a super-economical 3 cylinder engine which comes in two flavours, 70 and 80 bhp.

The 1.9tdi is the four cylinder version that comes with 100bhp or 130bhp, the latter is quite rare and was only ever on an 06 plate. The 130 also has a 6 speed box.

I can't comment on the 1.6 petrol but I'm sure it's good, My friend had a 1.6 A3 and for a relatively small naturally aspirated engine it flew, and it was a few hundred kg's heavier than the Polo. I was impressed!

Hope this helps.

Ben90 wrote:The TDi's are good, a bit rough running compared to petrol but you get used to it. Although I don't think I've seen a 9n3 Tdi with less than 50k miles on it, but I'm sure if you can find one with 20k you're onto a winner!

There are a few choices with Tdi 9n3s, the 1.4tdi is a super-economical 3 cylinder engine which comes in two flavours, 70 and 80 bhp.

The 1.9tdi is the four cylinder version that comes with 100bhp or 130bhp, the latter is quite rare and was only ever on an 06 plate. The 130 also has a 6 speed box.

I can't comment on the 1.6 petrol but I'm sure it's good, My friend had a 1.6 A3 and for a relatively small naturally aspirated engine it flew, and it was a few hundred kg's heavier than the Polo. I was impressed!

Hope this helps.

That's great! Thanks for the info

I have one mate and It will nip at the heals of any hot hatch round the back roads with the right handling mods
and will always get respect for being quicker than it really should do, Ive had many comments many of "nice gti mate" and ive gone .. its only a 1.6, the look on their faces. every time.

Id say go for it ...

matt_123 wrote:I have one mate and It will nip at the heals of any hot hatch round the back roads with the right handling mods
and will always get respect for being quicker than it really should do, Ive had many comments many of "nice gti mate" and ive gone .. its only a 1.6, the look on their faces. every time.

Id say go for it ...

This is exactly what I wanted to be reading, cheers mate!
What's the mpg like on it for just driving round "normally"?

mpg normal driving no silly business is about 40mpg but then giving some beans can see as little as 20mpg.... but i do have a straight through exhaust

matt_123 wrote:mpg normal driving no silly business is about 40mpg but then giving some beans can see as little as 20mpg.... but i do have a straight through exhaust

Sounds good to me, got a test drive this afternoon so hopefully all will go well.
Cheers mate!

Saw it in person and took on a test drive, I fell in love with it. So you might be seeing a bit more of me round the forums now I actually own a polo!


(apologies for crappy phone camera quality)

Love the new car! Good colour, good engine, right number of doors I'm sure you'll be very happy with it!

Ben90 wrote:Love the new car! Good colour, good engine, right number of doors I'm sure you'll be very happy with it!

Cheers pal!
Got a few ideas for it. Definitely needs some new rims, probably going to go for 17's to fill the arches instead of lowering it, lowered my clio on coilies and it ruined the ride comfort (looked sweet though). Was going to change the grill to a debadged one, but when I saw the chromey one it had on in person I quite liked that.

Lucaio wrote:Cheers pal!
Got a few ideas for it. Definitely needs some new rims, probably going to go for 17's to fill the arches instead of lowering it, lowered my clio on coilies and it ruined the ride comfort (looked sweet though). Was going to change the grill to a debadged one, but when I saw the chromey one it had on in person I quite liked that.

You can drop it by 30mm or so on lowering springs which maintains the ride comfort, you will still see some wheel arch but not a lot. It will look a whole lot better whatever wheels you put under there. I still need to do the same!

Keep rocking the sport grille

Ben90 wrote: You can drop it by 30mm or so on lowering springs which maintains the ride comfort, you will still see some wheel arch but not a lot. It will look a whole lot better whatever wheels you put under there. I still need to do the same!

Keep rocking the sport grille

Ah cool, may have to get some new springs then. Any particular ones for the polo? Because over in the Clio forums everyone was raving about the Eibach Sportlines.

That sort of engine should have been fitted to the Polo 9N at launch, I reckon VW missed a trick by just adding it in at the last months of that model. I'd reckon the worst problem with a Polo with that engine will be finding one - I've always fancied getting one for my wife when her present 2003MY 1.4 SE (75PS) Polo runs out of life.