Andy Porter

Some very interesting opinions on this thread, I will give you my honest opinion on the PD150.
I looked quite hard for a good one in July this year. Same budget roughly as you. I was horrified at the state of some of these 3 year old 50-80k cars. Ruined interiors, tatty exteriors, mis-matched tyres, badly repaired panels, brake pads worn out completely, the list was endless. Main dealers were a joke, way over priced. I put this poor condition down to the cars being bought by people who wanted a cheap car to ragg the nuts off on a lease for 3 years.
I finally found a 3 door, 51k miles, just serviced, for £9400 asking price. I get there and first impressions were good, bodywork looked original and other than a fews chips in very good nick. Tyres were mis-matched but good, interior was very good. It had climate and a s/r which was nice. A very common fault on these cars is the fans for the climate and the engine. They were indeed knackered, and I knew they were 400-500 to fix. I also moaned about the big 60k service, bottom line is I drove away after giving him £8400 ( dealer dealing from home )
I agree the handling isnt scoob like but it's not as bad as the above people make out. I have embarrased a few 'sports cars' in it.
The seats are ace in it, the wooden interior trim is foul. The car in the pic above has had a complete R32 interior put in minus seats. All the alu dash and door handles are R32, as are redals and gear ****. I did exactly the same, it isn't cheap but looks 100 times better than the wood. I bought a nice bluetooth sony head unit which sounds good on stanard speakers with my Ipod.
After fitting 4 new Michelin pilots handling is better. I plan to replace the shocks with koni's and fit Eibach ARB's next year, and maybe a revo and 312mm brake kit.
I average 47mpg, mainley m'way driving. Fuel bill down from £250 a month to £100. No richer though
My opinion is keep lloking for a good one. Drive as many as you can, back to back with a 130 if possible, BIG difference all round. Dont be put off by people saying their ****e, they are not, they just arent a scoob

Torpid

Likewise don't be 'put on' by biased current owners claiming they aren't ****e to drive.

I defy any current owner to tell me (and justify), hand on heart, that the chassis isn't truly appalling. I'm not comparing to an Impreza (which in any case isn't the best handling car in the world), I'm assessing it from an objective viewpoint.

As I see it these are the primary handling characteristics of a diesel engined MKIV.

Nose heavy as you would expect.
Monumental chassis flex-rigidity is not it's strong suite
Poor compliance yet rock hard ride (the worst of both worlds) as a result the car skips over imperfections in the road and is not stable.
Masses of grip in the dry from 225 width tyres
Severe axle tramp when accelerating hard from rest
Poor traction in the wet- the torque overwhelms the car

That isn't to say the car itself is '****e', I still think when remapped the 150 engine can cut it with the best modern day stuff in everything but refinement and it's still one of the most effecient units out there.

My expericences are based on owning a PD150 which the previous owner had spent 1000's of pound on making it upto 'Anniversary' spec including suspension and brakes so it was as good as these cars get.

As I said earlier the MKIV is 'white goods' not something to be enjoyed.

Andy Porter

Drive them and make your own mind up m8, I was in a 96 Audi A6 estate with 140k on the clock earlier this week, that had an appaling chassis ect ect, my Golf is like an F1 car compared to that, its horses for courses, sounds like Mr Torpid got bent over on a PX for his one of has been run over by a Mk1V at some point

Torpid

It's better than a 96 A6 140K miles up? I mean what planet are you on, it's bound to be isn't it?
As for PX I sold mine for less than a thouand pounds less than I paid for it 20K and 18 months of driving later. One of the cheapest cars I ever owned.
It was still crap to drive though.

Frankly you're biased and I'm afraid to say show your ignorance and bias by defending the MKIV without justifying it anyway. Don't take my word for this, do some reading around and you'll see what the truth is.

Also edit to add: the car has a significant security flaw as well, if you do buy one then get it delocked ASAP, to open a MKIV golf and deactivate alarm all you have to do is insert something like a screwdriver into the lock and turn. Windows then drop and alarm is deactivated. A great piece of design eh?

scoobynutta555

I agree that finding a 150 golf in good condition is a bit of a quest. I looked at several and gave up in the end. Dealers, weven non franchise dealers, like to mark up massively on these cars. The bodywork on each car I looked at was terrible, something I didn't expect for 3-4 year old cars.

I couldn't justify the extra spends over a 130 in the end and got rid of both and got another Impreza. As mentioned above the ride in a Golf is truely awful and quite possibly the worst car I have ever driven. Comfy but boaty. The car is best suited to long runs and motorway miles. The 130 used to even bottom out on uneven surfaces, annoyed me no end.

logiclee

Compare the drive to a similar priced Focus or Mondeo and then you will believe how poor the Golf is.
As stated above the handling is soggy yet hard, the car struggles with traction and the nose pushes wide whenever you push on. The handling is only part of the problem though, there is hardly any communication from the car through the steering or the chassis. The MkIV TDi Golf feels dead, other manufactures make their cars feel alive.
The MkV Golf is much much better and drives nearly as well as the current Focus and Astra.

The MkIV Golf has it's good points but if you enjoy driving avoid it.

Cheers
Lee

Andy Porter

I'm going to have to unsubscribe from this thread its doing my head in. A Mondeo feels alive compared to a Golf ? I had a 55 plate TDCI the other week that handled very poorly, it scared me, Weird.

Adios chaps I'm off, if you want any advice RB pm me

logiclee

There was 100% something wrong with it then.
Even at the very end of it's life the current Mondeo still sits at the top of the sector for driving and handling although more modern rivals are better packaged with more refinement.
Certainly the steering feel and response is in a different league to the MkIV Golfs.

Cheers
Lee

Volks

OK, I`m an ex 150PD owner. The chassis wasn`t truly appalling.

It did exactly what I expected it to do. If I wanted a sweet handling small diesel car I`d have probably opted for a Focus. I know the Mk4 isn`t the finest car on the planet but to call it`s chassis appalling is just sensationalism on your part.

For most people, most of the time, they are good cars.

I only sold mine because it was a 3 door and I needed a 5 door. I got a very good deal on an Audi A3 Sportback, which, incidently, wasn`t as good to drive as the Golf. Go figure.

RB5201

Oh dear god what have I started!!??

May just make things worse by saying I am now feeling old and boring (Im 31!)

Reason for this is Ive just driven 2 150s, not bad, then looked at an audi a4 se but didnt have time to drive it, going back at the weekend. Do need something which will soon be a family car, after just sitting in the audi it felt like a mans car, the golf felt like the cars I had when I was 19/20, a boys car dont mean this to offend anyone who has a golf just my opinion.

The tiny boot has put me off, even for a small car its tiny, no width.

So, any thoughts on the audi, A4 or maybe A3????

Timo.

Never said the 4motion was standard.

When I first got it, it was pretty bad, but I soon sorted that.

I haven't really got used to the scooby yet, still building on the confidence. Its in dire need of an uprated rear ARB as it understeers badly in the wet.

T.

Volks

You`re not really comparing like with like to be honest.

The A4 will be more refined than the Golf or the A3. If you need a big boot go and find a Bora 150PD Sport. They`re cheaper than a Golf and have a pretty large boot.

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

People forget how bad the chassis on a classic Impreza is, and the only saving grace is the AWD system.

If the Impreza handled well, it would not need aftermarket springs and dampers, along with uprated drop links, strut braces, uprated anti roll bars and carefully selected geometery settings to make it handle well!!!

Anyway, I guess I was lucky, I saw two TDI 150 Golfs, one was a shed that looked like it had been clocked and the other was modified which put people off. Mine had 70k on the clock, three owners, tinted windows, 18" RS4 replica wheels, backbox and was chipped. All the panels were straight, the interior in excellent condition and paperwork for every bit of work carried out (including warrenty work) It only cost £8.5k at 3 years old.

Something needs to be done to the chassis as it understeers horribily when pushed hard into a bend. I guess it either needs the VW "sports" suspension changed, or Powerflex'ing the whole car with strut braces and better geometery settings!

I love the low down torque, which puts a moderately tuned Impreza to shame, but there will always be people who will never except that diesel cars *may* better in some respects, compared to an Impreza!

I looked at a DC2 Integra, a Civic Type R, Audi S3, Seat Leon Cupra R, Skoda Octavia vRS and the Golf TDI 150.

I needed a commuter car with reasonable fuel economy and reasonable on fast A and B roads. Some of the other cars handled better, but the Golf made up for it on the straights!

Enjoy whichever car you choose.

bob r

iTrader: (46)

golf tdi 150, any thoughts please


taxi.

Torpid

I'm in agreement with 'logiclee' here and if you check out my previous posting history you'll see there has rarely been reason for me to agree with his statements.

The Mondeo has a great chassis, great steering and is in a totally different league to the MKIV, the only fault with the Mondeo is that they don't make one with enough power- the ST is too heavy up front.

As for volks, I put it to you that you are very strongly biased, as evidenced by your user name. I challenge you to explain how a chassis that flexes as much as the MKIV isn't 'appalling'. It deals poorly with transistions, bottoms out at speed, understeers even with the best factory 'sports' suspension and uprated bushes and is unpreditctable on the limit. We won't even start on the steering. It doesn't even compensate for all this by riding well on the motorway.

I suggest some of these people saying it's a great car to drive need to widen their experience a little.

matchmaker

If you want a big boot get an Octavia. They're cheaper than a Golf or Bora or A3 or A4 and have a huge boot

logiclee

Cheers I think




Lee

logiclee

Yep and for around Golf PD150 money you would get the new Octavia which is a decent drive.

Cheers
Lee

Volks

Strongly biased? Not really, I sold my 150PD remember and I even said it wasn`t the finest car on the planet and that if I`d wanted a sweet handling small diesel car I`d have bought a Focus. please try to read other people`s posts, it`ll save you a lot of time.

Now, in my previous post I said that, for most of the people, most of the time, a 150PD Golf will be all they need, I stand by this. To say they are unpredictable on the limit is, frankly, bollocks. They will, predictably, understeer on the limit but I`m guessing that 99.5% of owners will never get even close to the limit.

My car was fitted with the sport pack (Slightly stiffer suspension, 17 inch wheels) and was a reasonable steer. I liked it and I guess that Volkswagen got it about right considering the number they sold.

Now, here`s the economics bit. Volkswagen are in business to sell cars and make a profit. By making the Golf a neutral handler they are open to a wide audience. Not all people want to hoon around the countryside in a rapid diesel hatchback like a loon.

Oh, mine never bottomed out and was pretty rigid with respect to flex. I`m sure you`ll come up with some other cobblers based on magazine write-ups and a short test drive.

I owned my 150 PD for 18 months and 25,000 miles. I still miss it today.

I`d be intersted if you could supply the chassis torsional stiffness figures as well, they`d make interesting reading.............

matchmaker

I had a Mk 2 Golf GTI, followed by a Mk 2 Jetta GTI 16v. According to road test results at the time, the Jetta was the better handling car because it had a stiffer shell. On the public road, I never drove hard enough to find out.

I now have an Octavia vRS. It has additional bracing in the rear strut area to improve chassis rigidity over yer cooking Octavia. I've not noticed.

If I want to drive like a tool, I'll wait until I'm at a trackday

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Oh, bloody diesels, very good but I cant help thinking something is missing when I drive one, I always think a good diesel is like having a good artificial leg, fantastic but not quite the real thing. Torque, yadda, yadda yadda economy, grunt, yawn.

All the best engines, ever, have run on petrol.

matchmaker

Torque is good..........especially with a wide power curve



That's petrol

logiclee

The 2nd gen Ford/PSA 2.0litre twin turbo should be interesting.

Maximum torque of 300lbft at 1500rpm and 200bhp, power doesn't start dropping away untill 4500rpm. Boost on the 1st small turbo builds strongly from just over 1000rpm.
Combined economy expected to be in the region of 45mpg in the new 2007 Mondeo.
The current version just about matches the above powerband but with 170bhp and 277lbft. Currently found in the 407/607 etc.

Cheers
Lee

matchmaker

Nice - very gutsy!

DarkForce

My Mum's GT TDi 130 has the optional sports suspension and 16" Montreal IIs. Its a better car than the 150 in many people's books as the power difference is hardly noticable and the trade off in reliability isn't worth it.

The other benefit is as there are many more 130s out there, you can be much more fussy in finding the best one.

Chris

Dave uk blue mica

i've got a GT TDI 130 thats been remapped and is 197bhp and 292lbs/ft torque, mine has got the optional sports suspension and its got the 16" Montreals too, i bought this after selling my impreza last year, don't know what everyones on about with the handling cos i find my car fine and i've watched welsh road rallies in it and around the country lanes its been perfect and i've pushed it very hard

scoobynutta555

The sports suspension must make a massive difference then. My old gt tdi 130 was as boaty as hell, and it bottomed out a lot, especially on country roads. The 115 gt tdi I had before was the same.

logiclee

The sports suspension equipped Mk IVTDi Golfs I've driven have a hard ride but still suffered that floaty feeling over crests and too much compression on dips. Doesn't make any difference to the numb feeling of the car and the almost zero steering feel either.
In complete contrast drive a cooking model Zetec Focus and you get a complaint ride, tought chassis that feels planted, little roll or floating and superb chassis and steering feel.

Cheers
Lee

Volks

But my 150PD was totally reliable, so where exactly, is the trade off in reliability?

DarkForce

Then you're one of the lucky ones