Volkswagen Golf Plus - Haggling

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Fri 30 Mar 2018 09:36
Volkswagen Golf Plus - Haggling - Horace123

Have been on here previously about a golf plus,we looked at some of the other models people recommended but the golf plus ticks the most boxes for us. Have seen one im interested in but havent bought a car for a while,is haggling still a thing?! Its a 2013 2.0 tdi se, 38k miles for 7995. Think its part of the das welt auto scheme (how good that is ive no idea) Also mot is due in june,should i ask for a year to be put on (again ive no idea,apologies if its a daft question) any help/advice most appreciated, thanks

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Fri 30 Mar 2018 10:12
Volkswagen Golf Plus - Haggling - daveyjp
The concern with a VW of that age is is may be an emissions scandal car. Plenty of info on this site and possible issues as a result.

7,500ish miles per year for diesel is also very low. This is not always a good thing.

Do you actually need a diesel?
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Fri 30 Mar 2018 10:29
Volkswagen Golf Plus - Haggling - Horace123

Girlfriend does motorway miles to work everyday and we often have trips to durham and liverpool,again motorway journeys. Dont NEED diesel but there are hardly any petrol ones about,been looking for ages

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Fri 30 Mar 2018 10:53
Volkswagen Golf Plus - Haggling - badbusdriver

Regarding haggling.

On the one hand, the golf plus was always consigered the runt of the litter in it's ungainly looks and the fact that the motoring press in general saw no reason to buy one over a golf. Also, the typical golf plus buyer would most likely be a bit older, or possibly someone with mobility issues who would appreciate the higher seating position and airy nature of the cabin. That type of person would most likely go for the 1.6 diesel, or possibly the 1.4tsi. This can be born out by the fact that there is only one 2013 2.0 diesel golf plus on autotrader and none at all on ebay. This could be a good thing or a bad thing from your point of view. Good because there is going to be a very small market looking for a golf plus coupled with the more powerful engine. But also bad, because the seller may well be thinking it of being a rare (i.e, desirable) combination, and not be willing to budge on price!.

TBH, i'm the last person to offer advice on haggling, as i'm rubbish at it, but it is definately worth trying if you feel confident enough. However, that one 2.0 diesel golf plus i mentioned on autotrader, it is nearly a grand dearer at £8852 (allbeit with slightly lower miles, 31.5k), so you may not have much success anyway.

Regarding the car itself, from what i have read on this forum amongst other places, the 2.0 diesel is a much better and stronger unit than the 1.6, so assuming it is a manual gearbox and not the DSG, i'm not sure there is much to worry about. As for the MOT, i'd definately be pushing to get a new one, we are now nearly in April, so that is only a couple of months away from it running out (maybe have the new MOT instead of any discount off the price?). Also, assuming you have the reg number, check the MOT history and look at previous fails and advisories, which could give an indication of what it may be needing soon.

Edited by badbusdriver on 30/03/2018 at 10:54

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Fri 30 Mar 2018 10:43
Volkswagen Golf Plus - Haggling - Leif
I went onto the Parkers site and got a valuation of about £7000 if in nice nick. What do you lose by haggling? But be prepared to walk away and stick to the price you want to pay. They may wish to shift it, or not. Also check other Das Welt and non VW dealer used cars to get an idea of price. You would think Das Welt would be a reasonable guarantee, but I have no experience.
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Fri 30 Mar 2018 10:50
Volkswagen Golf Plus - Haggling - Andrew-T

I'm not a frequent car buyer, but I assume from your data that the car is at a dealership. Basically the screen price is a fixed point from which to deduct a part-ex value. If you don't have a car to trade in, haggle for all you are worth, especially towards the end of the month if the dealer has a target to meet - a car's notional value dwindles all the time, and the screen price may have to drop soon anyway. When you reach the dealer's lower limit, ask for freebies like new car mats.

MoT - as a new one is only £50-ish, it's no big deal, unless you suspect the car may not pass one?

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Fri 30 Mar 2018 14:55
Volkswagen Golf Plus - Haggling - SLO76
Not one I’d buy. If you must have one of these rather unpopular cars then (if you can) spend more and go for a post 2014 1.4 TSi petrol with the belt driven motor (earlier chain driven engines are prone to problems) or a post 2015 diesel, preferribly the 2.0. Cars affected by the emissions update are known for EGR and DPF problems. Remember that resale won’t be easy as both the trade and punters alike aren’t keen on the awkward styling.

As far as haggling is concerned, yes you can still get into them with an old school attitude and ask for a deal. I’d go in at £7,500 and expect a years warranty and Mot. Yes this is still over book price but if it’s a main dealer approved car it’ll be worth it.

Personally I’d rather have a Toyota Verso instead. They’re much more reliable, especially the petrol models and there’s always steady demand for them.
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Sat 31 Mar 2018 09:29
Volkswagen Golf Plus - Haggling - Horace123

They said that they have serviced it,replaced the cam belt and water pump,and will put a years tax and mot on. And it has a years warranty. Because of this they say theres no negotiation in price

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Sat 31 Mar 2018 19:54
Volkswagen Golf Plus - Haggling - Andrew-T

They said that they have serviced it,replaced the cam belt and water pump,and will put a years tax and mot on. And it has a years warranty. Because of this they say theres no negotiation in price

I'm surprised a car less than 5 years old and with only 38K needs a cambelt change, so that may be a fib. We still don't know if you are trading in - if not, they should negotiate. But at the end of the day, if that is a car you like, and you can't find a better one, you may have to bite the bullet.

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Sat 31 Mar 2018 09:48
Volkswagen Golf Plus - Haggling - Leif
Not one I’d buy. If you must have one of these rather unpopular cars then (if you can) spend more and go for a post 2014 1.4 TSi petrol with the belt driven motor (earlier chain driven engines are prone to problems) or a post 2015 diesel, preferribly the 2.0. Cars affected by the emissions update are known for EGR and DPF problems. Remember that resale won’t be easy as both the trade and punters alike aren’t keen on the awkward styling. As far as haggling is concerned, yes you can still get into them with an old school attitude and ask for a deal. I’d go in at £7,500 and expect a years warranty and Mot. Yes this is still over book price but if it’s a main dealer approved car it’ll be worth it. Personally I’d rather have a Toyota Verso instead. They’re much more reliable, especially the petrol models and there’s always steady demand for them.

It’s odd how tastes differ. I think the Golf Plus looks good, apart from the odd rear lights. The Verso is ugly. However, some reviews say the Golf looks odd. Each to their own.

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Sat 31 Mar 2018 12:44
Volkswagen Golf Plus - Haggling - Horace123

Not keen on the verso,its a bit too big as well,golf plus seems to offer about the most space with the smallest footprint. Looked at the venga as well but the multitude of buttons on the dash put me off

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Sat 31 Mar 2018 17:52
Volkswagen Golf Plus - Haggling - badbusdriver

It's horses for courses really, i have to say i think the equivalent aged golf to the golf plus (the MK5) looks better proportioned than the plus, but in the case of it's successor, the golf SV, i think they are level pegging in the looks department. Having said that, given the choice between a golf and a golf plus, i'd still take the golf plus any day because i place practicality ahead of image, and because my wife has mobility issues due to problems with her legs, so the raised seat height is much more desirable.

This is the same reason why we went for a ford fusion back in 2005 over a fiesta, and the reason why i would champion the fusion to this day for anyone looking for a roomy and practical small car on a tight budget.

Motoring magazines rarely ever consider real world practical issues car buyers may have. Hence why cars like the golf plus and fusion were slated by the press but, in most cases, loved by their owners!.

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Sun 1 Apr 2018 13:21
Volkswagen Golf Plus - Haggling - daveyK_UK
Offer them £6600 and be prepared to go up to £7000 but only if they put a new 12 MOT on it.

£7995 is very expensive for the car, especially when you consider it will have little re-sale value in 3 years time.

And don’t believe a word the salesman or woman tells you, stick to £7k max and be prepared to walk away
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