Help a newbie Buy a GTI

[Scrubadub]

Ive found an edition 30 with Cat D damage at a very reasonable price but need advice.
This is the first time ive ever been able to afford a decent car, and dont want to get ripped off.
Car has covered 50k doesnt state service history, but owner said it was rear damage and has been repaired professionally.
What would be your honest opinion?
Ive got to travel from the Isle of Wight so have to take ferry costs into consideration just to come to mainland to view 

 

[ArildStavrum]

is it candy white and on the auto trader?

[mazza]

I bought a Cat D car once and it was a great car as it was stolen recovered so no damage but when it came to sell it nobody wanted to know.  Personally i wouldnt buy another Cat D car especially if its been in an accident unless i was going to use it as a track car.  Just my opinion though.

With the money you could always buy a standard gti and upgrade it gradually?

[Scrubadub]

Yes on auto trader

[ArildStavrum]

I'm sure there was a thread on a candy white cat D a couple of months ago - poss try the search as it may pop up!
personally I wouldnt buy a cat d as it would play on my mind all the time!

[garrardrj]

A Cat D car is difficult to insure and  difficult to sell .
To buy a Cat D car i would want to see the original damage to the car .
A Cat D car is also the most likely to be a "rung" stolen car , the thief will steal a similar car and copy the chassis number from the Cat D onto the stolen one. He but the cat d legally and be in possession of all paperwork , he wil then dispose of the cat d car in parts / scrap . The copied chassis number you will never notice the alteration if it is done well.

Avoid at all costs is my advice , i know 

[Tortaruga]

This is the first time ive ever been able to afford a decent car, and dont want to get ripped off

Then avoid a cat D unless you can see documented evidence of the damage and repair.

You also state that there is no service history. Would you buy any car without a service history?

[Scrubadub]

My friend at vw has done a hpi check.
Came back with all this aswell

Repair 14/07/2011 00651 31,880   
Warranty 28/05/2010 00771 26,570  Claim Number: 42031 /2| Rear Lower wishbone L/R |Loose (worn, slack) |No description available | Value: 114.85
Warranty 28/05/2010 00771 26,570  Claim Number: 42031 /4| Steering column wiring harness |Wiring node |I| Value: 99.57
Warranty 28/05/2010 00771 26,570  Claim Number: 42031 /1| EMS steering box |Noisy |I| Value: 721.94
Warranty 28/05/2010 00771 26,570  Claim Number: 42031 /3| Rear Lower wishbone L/R |Loose (worn, slack) |No description available | Value: 54.99
Warranty 07/05/2010 00771 25,904  Claim Number: 41593 /4| Track rod L/R |Noisy |No description available | Value: 17.07
Warranty 07/05/2010 00771 25,904  Claim Number: 41593 /2| Front Drive shaft L/R |Noisy |No description available | Value: 189.64
Warranty 07/05/2010 00771 25,904  Claim Number: 41593 /1| Front Wishbone mounting L/R |Noisy |No description available | Value: 90.64
Warranty 07/05/2010 00771 25,904  Claim Number: 41593 /3| Track rod L/R |Noisy |No description available | Value: 55.16
Warranty 07/05/2010 00771 25,904  Claim Number: 41593 /5| Flanged shaft oil seal L/R |Leaking |No description available | Value: 34.55
Warranty 07/05/2010 00771 25,904  Claim Number: 41593 /6| Front Outer C.V.joint boot L/R |Leaking |No description available | Value: 25.81
Disowned 06/05/2010 00771   
Disowned 16/02/2009 00156   
Warranty 11/11/2008 00829 11,581  Claim Number: 28414 /1| Fuel pressure sender |Electrical defects |I| Value: 158.40
Service 11/10/2008 00829 10,889  LongLife
Disowned 11/10/2008 00829   
Warranty 10/10/2008 00829 10,889  Claim Number: 27469 /7| Horn |Torn, broken, electrical open circuit |I| Value: 41.35
Warranty 10/10/2008 00829 10,889  Claim Number: 27469 /6| Fuel gauge sender |Electrical defects |I| Value: 111.91
Warranty 10/10/2008 00829 10,889  Claim Number: 27469 /5| Front Outer C.V.joint boot L/R |Torn, broken, electrical open circuit |No description available | Value: 70.79
Warranty 10/10/2008 00829 10,889  Claim Number: 27469 /4| Front Hub with bearing L/R |Noisy |No description available | Value: 99.97
Warranty 10/10/2008 00829 10,889  Claim Number: 27469 /3| Rear Wheel hub with bearing L/R |Noisy |No description available | Value: 65.75
Warranty 10/10/2008 00829 10,889  Claim Number: 27469 /2| Rear Wheel hub with bearing L/R |Noisy |No description available | Value: 133.58
Warranty 10/10/2008 00829 10,889  Claim Number: 27469 /1| Combi instrument |Electrical defects |I| Value: 309.44
Warranty 20/08/2008 00835 8,358  Claim Number: 39724 /1| Radio |Electrical defects |I| Value: 40.60
Repair 30/07/2008 00835 7,473   
Warranty 24/09/2007 00799 2,000  Claim Number: 60177 /1| Tinted windscreen |Optical defects (chrome defects) |I| Value: 201.35

8 owners from new

[MC71]

^^^^ F**king hell. 

That Candy Eddy has been kicking about for a while. Pretty sure someone said it had 10 owners IIRC. Wouldn't give you the steam from my pi*s for that one, avoid it!

If that's your budget, get yourself a lovely early example of a Mk5 GTI, prettying sure there's a few in the For Sale section on here. Benefit from buying from a fellow forumite is (generally) it will have been looked after with all the maintenance and servicing done, usually above and beyond the required.

 

[Scrubadub]

I'm not fussed on age but it MUST be white lol budget of 9k max

[scottm72]

yeah that one has been kicking about for ages, makes you think as to why its still there,
would think only a good mechanic would buy that, for your first decent car prob to risky, as said before just keep scouting the web every day and one will come up.
I had to scout every day for a month, paid a deposit on one with Arnold clark and 2 days before pick up a better one came up so went for that, I searched the whole of Britain and was going to have to travel from north of Scotland to south of England then one popped up 40 miles away lol, just shows you

[Jay_bcfc]

I cant see you picking up a candy white for under 9k. On the off chance you do see one, ring up as soon as you see the advert or it will be gone.
The was a candy white for sale about 3 weeks ago, it had 85k on the clock 07 plate if I remember correctly, and it sold for around 10k

[Baz300]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201244490848056/sort/default/usedcars/maximum-age/up_to_7_years_old/colour/white/model/golf/make/volkswagen/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/keywords/gti/postcode/ab515gb/page/1/radius/1501?logcode=p

[scottm72]

I cant see you picking up a candy white for under 9k. On the off chance you do see one, ring up as soon as you see the advert or it will be gone.
The was a candy white for sale about 3 weeks ago, it had 85k on the clock 07 plate if I remember correctly, and it sold for around 10k

that was my problem when I was searching, the high mileages, 85k is quite a lot and 10k is still a lot of money, I nearly paid £10688 for an 07, 46k miles, normal spec but with multi media unit, black solid paint, no arm rest but very good condition although needed new wheels, I ended up paying prob a bit over market value for 08 plate, 5 dr, 38k miles, but with new wheels, full leather, winter pack, lux pack, oem xenons and very good paintwork,,,, glad I paid the bit extra and because it is only 38k miles it drives like new and my mechanic says it is just like new,,, I paid £12750 but immaculate throughout
as I said I think I paid a bit more than the market price but it was from a dealer and I just could not find one out there with the xenons which I really wanted,,, so glad I didn't go for a high mileage car as after I have had my use of it which will be for a few years at least I want it to have some kind of decent sell on value and my thinking was that it would be well over 100k by then so not very appealing.
I have spent 2k on upgrades already but that's prob my nearly done with the big jobs,,, I wouldn't have fealt it was as worthwhile on a car with say 85k on the clock
good luck dude

[Scrubadub]

Thanks guys your being a great help. Problem I have I'd be travelling from the Isle of Wight, I've got to factor in £70 ferry costs to go there and comeback not including fuel and that 1 posted is 300miles away from me