Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD

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Sat 24 Aug 2019 22:56
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - GSP94

Hi All,

First time poster here, in need of some advice.

I’m looking at purchasing a 2016 VW Golf GTD. This is my first ‘big purchase’ after the usual cheap runners of youth, due to the fact that I’m in a life situation now which sees me using the motorways a lot more.

I’ve found one, which looked perfect, barre the mileage (which I was a little uncomfortable with, but it was the only negative when I first looked) that sits around the 70K mark.

After hashing out a deal with a big-name dealer, I’m financing the car at £250 a month, which includes 2 year Warranty, Servicing, MOT and Paint/Cloth protection. Perfect for my budget.

After putting down a reservation deposit, the dealer rings to say there’s a couple things that need fixing on the car (a scratch on the bumper and new plates needed) and it’ll be with me. That’s fine – but I receive another call a couple days later to say that they can’t find the service book and after ringing VW, there isn’t any service history as it was done by a local dealer and they don’t have the paperwork. So my FSH has now gone to Part Service History. This made me slightly wary, but with servicing, MOT and warranty, should this be a problem?

Fast forward another day, I receive another call from the dealer informing me there is stone chips on the paintwork, but I can have this fixed by either themselves or another branch when I collect the vehicle – they’ll pay for it. Is this another problem?

The concerns I have here is, are they just being overly-cautious to give me a good product? Or am I being given a run around? Does the mileage cause an issue? Does the PSH cause concern? Where can I find out the service history? What should I do? Is this deal worth it?

Thanks for reading, I appreciate any help you can offer me.

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Sat 24 Aug 2019 23:27
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - daveyjp
Did VW only make a single GTD in 2016? If not move on, bearing in mind any used diesel is a potential lottery buy.
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Sat 24 Aug 2019 23:32
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - Vitesse6

walk away and find an honest dealer.

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Sat 24 Aug 2019 23:55
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - Andrew-T

walk away and find an honest dealer.

.... and lose the reservation deposit ?

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Sun 25 Aug 2019 00:38
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - Avant

£250 pm is far too much to pay for a 3-year-old Golf with 70,000 on the clock and without full service history.

You should be able to get your deposit back by saying that you understood it had full service history.

There's nothing necessarily wrong with a highish mileage car, but it best suits someone whose own mileage is low. Presumably yours is also high (or you shouldn't be looking for a diesel).

Bear in mind also that if you think you want a Golf, you'll get a newer Skoda Octavia or SEAT Leon, with similar mechanicals, for the same price.

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Sun 25 Aug 2019 01:04
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - SteveLee

If it's your first major car purchase, it would make more sense to go with a reliable manufacturer - say Japanese or Korean, VAG are a disgrace in every sense of the word - I wouldn't give them a penny I found.

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Sun 25 Aug 2019 08:41
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - paul 1963

I'm sure our resident car buying guru will be along soon ( SLO really does know what he's talking about, along with others ) but I would walk away, fairly sure you'll get your deposit back ok, cars clearly not as described.

I'm with Avant, that does seem awfully expensive.

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Sun 25 Aug 2019 08:49
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - FiestaOwner

Well there are a couple issues:

  • The car isn't as described as it doesn't have a full service history. This alone would cause me to walk away and get my deposit back. Of course you should check the service history when you view the car and don't accept excuses that it isn't available (such as it's in the safe or it's at a different dealer). If it's not there then there is no service history.
  • How did you not see the scratch on the bumper or the stone chips, when you viewed the car? I would expect stone chips on a car with 70,000 miles (mine has a few stone chips at 5,000 miles).

The way I'm reading your post, it sounds as if you didn't view the car (you bought it after seeing an advert online perhaps).

Always view a second hand car yourself in daylight, when dry. That way you'll see what condition the paintwork is in. Paintwork looks good in photos.

If you're viewing a car at the dealer then always get a test drive too.

I would get my deposit back on this car as it doesn't have the FSH it was advertised as having, when you paid your deposit. It will also be worth less without it. How do you know it's been serviced?

Not getting on at you, just don't like seeing people get caught out.

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Sun 25 Aug 2019 09:25
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - gordonbennet

I agree with all the others, you have a cast iron reason for cancelling and getting deposit refunded, service history missing, or maybe its been found but shows lack of servicing, who knows?

My old friend has one of these, just had 4 new tyres a cambelt kit and full service done, by his long known indy, he's expecting no change from £1200 as the 19" tyres alone are some £117+ VAT each, i've never driven it and wouldn't want to, it might as well not have any springs at all, one of the noisiest (road roar) and worse riding cars it's been my misfortune to be in, even going over a cats eye feels like a pot hole.

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Fri 30 Aug 2019 20:17
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - gordonbennet

he's expecting no change from £1200

No change is exactly what he got, in fact it was a little more to find.

Is the OP still a poster by the way :-)

Edited by gordonbennet on 30/08/2019 at 20:18

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Sun 25 Aug 2019 09:21
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - SLO76
I wouldn’t be paying money like this for a car with 70,000 miles up. What’s it going to be worth when you come to sell it on? It’ll be approaching or beyond 100k and it’s it’s value will plummet. I’d use the fact that the car was sold to you as having a full history but now only has a part history as reason to back out of the deal. If they refuse to refund your deposit threaten legal action.

Instead of taking costly dealer finance you could buy this on a 5yr low interest loan from any high street bank (usually 3% APR) at £241 a month. You have the flexibility then of selling it when you want and it’ll still be worth something when you part exchange. Look at the finance deal you’ve been quoted already and compare the interest you’ll be paying. With this you’ll repay £14,505, a typical PCP deal at 9% APR will cost over two grand more!

As for that two year warranty, well on a car approaching 100,000 miles it’ll be full of exclusions and limitations. Warranties don’t cover normal wear and tear and what can be defined as an actual failure and not just wear on a high mileage car? Don’t pay a fortune for a warranty that’s unlikely to cover much. Remove it and get a cheaper loan, spend more on the car itself instead of add-ons that the dealer makes a fortune on.

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190622928...7


Or how about a year old Honda Civic diesel? It’ll have two years manufacturer warranty remaining if it has been serviced at the main dealer too. A much wiser buy for around £250 a month than a 70,000 mile Golf.

I just found a great car on Auto Trader:

www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20190704970...7


Edited by SLO76 on 25/08/2019 at 09:32

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Sun 25 Aug 2019 09:42
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - FiestaOwner
I wouldn’t be paying money like this for a car with 70,000 miles up.

How do we know what the OP is paying?

The only figure I see is £250 a month. I can't see how many months the agreement lasts for. I don't see an initial deposit amount either.

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Sun 25 Aug 2019 09:50
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - SLO76
I wouldn’t be paying money like this for a car with 70,000 miles up.

How do we know what the OP is paying?

The only figure I see is £250 a month. I can't see how many months the agreement lasts for. I don't see an initial deposit amount either.

I’m hazarding a guess that it’s way way too much money for a big mile motor and I’ll bet that warranty is costing too much too. The fact that they’ve been mugged into taking a paint and trim protecting product tells me it’s unlikely to be a good well negotiated deal. Paint and trim protection packs cost the dealer peanuts plus a couple of hours minimum wage valet bay labour. It’s a big earner for them and nothing that you couldn’t do at home yourself. I’d love to see the full figures on this deal.

Edited by SLO76 on 25/08/2019 at 09:57

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Sun 25 Aug 2019 10:11
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - FiestaOwner
I wouldn’t be paying money like this for a car with 70,000 miles up.

How do we know what the OP is paying?

The only figure I see is £250 a month. I can't see how many months the agreement lasts for. I don't see an initial deposit amount either.

I’m hazarding a guess that it’s way way too much money for a big mile motor and I’ll bet that warranty is costing too much too. The fact that they’ve been mugged into taking a paint and trim protecting product tells me it’s unlikely to be a good well negotiated deal. Paint and trim protection packs cost the dealer peanuts plus a couple of hours minimum wage valet bay labour. It’s a big earner for them and nothing that you couldn’t do at home yourself. I’d love to see the full figures on this deal.

Thanks for your reply SLO. I suspect all your assumptions are correct.

Incidentally I was looking at prices for nearly new Civics yesterday (no I'm not buying!) and thought there were some good deals going.

Edited by FiestaOwner on 25/08/2019 at 10:14

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Sat 31 Aug 2019 12:38
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - barney100

Golden rule of car buying, if in doubt walk away. Buying a car you aren't sure of can give you sleepless nights!

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Sat 31 Aug 2019 16:55
Golf GTD - Buying a Golf GTD - pd

Plates and the odd bit of prep is normal but if you bought it as having full history, it is priced as having full service history but turns out it hasn't then the car has materially changed and so has the value. There is a clear get out on the contract.

As far as depreciation is concerned if you do big miles in anything it will hit the value. Mileage costs. On the upside it will almost certainly lose less money between 70k and 130k than it did between 0k and 70k.

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