Used Cars for Sale: Find Your Perfect Car

Hello;
I would like to hear some opinions regarding a used car.
1.9 TDI, 115 hp, VW Golf, manufactured in 2001, white color, 5-door, price between €5000 and €6000, but with mileage between 250,000 and 300,000 km. The car was a company vehicle used by a sales representative.

According to the mechanic, all worn-out parts on the car will be replaced, including the suspension and shock absorbers, etc. However, no work will be done on the engine or transmission.

I'd like to know if a car with that many kilometers is still worth buying, or if it's better to avoid it. I don't want to end up with a major engine problem or other issues (repairs) after purchasing it.

"Please share your opinions; I'm interested in hearing from you experienced professionals (since you all know so much about this)."

Best regards, Sputnic.

You can't be that specific. The engine would have to be an AJM. I assume they also did some maintenance on the engine (e.g., timing belt, fuel filter). It's important to test drive this vehicle. Ulf has a very well-written article about buying a TDI -> Technical article. Pay attention to a smooth and clean idle, check the timing belt, and ask the seller about the maintenance intervals that have been followed. Also, look for any oil leaks on the engine.
"That reminds me of a lot of things. Driving 300000 km, or soon to be 400000 km, is quite a distance. For a car designed for long distances, one would generally expect the engine to be in good condition..."

hmmmmm....

representative car. despite the long distances driven, the following wear and tear possibilities come to mind:
- Not as careful handling (since it's a company car).
- also triggered even in a cold state.
- possibly different drivers with varying driving habits.
- 250,000 km is also not a small amount, and there aren't many long-term experiences available with PD engines that have such high mileage.
- Based on the mileage, I think the PDE (pre-delivery examination) components, which are also wear items, should be replaced (approximately 600 tux per PDE).

I would stay away from it. If it had 100,000 kilometers less on the odometer, there wouldn't be any discussion. But like this? Everyone has to decide for themselves!

Sputnic wrote:

19, TDI, 115 horsepower... but with 250,000 to 300,000 km. The car is a company car

.
What kind of offer is this: a vehicle with an estimated mileage that has an uncertainty of 50,000 km?
Do they not yet know how far they want to have the odometer reset ?

EDIT:
In addition, the 115 hp models are generally quite prone to problems as the initial series of the PD range.
I cannot determine to what extent a 2001 model might still fall under that category, or whether it was already improved from the factory.

It sounds to me like there are multiple items of that kind available for sale.

But I would also stay away from those... I wouldn't even dare to buy an AJM with low mileage.

Hello,

"IMHO, it's still too expensive. A Golf isn't a Lexus; the driver's seat is worn out, the body has softened with age, and you have a relatively high risk of failure in the auxiliary components and the fuel injection system. With the first major repair, you'll be paying the price of a 2001 model with 80,000 km on the clock. Normally, I would assume that cars like this end up with shady dealers who have tampered with the mileage in the East. If even they find it uninteresting, I would stay away from it."

Best regards,
Christian.

Well then, it seems that there are more opinions against the car.
The company has a Passat TDI PD 96KW (not mine) that reached 275,000 km last week. Surprisingly, there were no issues at that point. It also seems that the PD injectors are not yet considered wear items. It runs very smoothly at idle and drives like my company car (which is properly warmed up ( ) ), and mine has significantly fewer kilometers. Of course, you don't know how a car was treated, but I assume that a representative diesel of this caliber is not necessarily a worse choice compared to a TDI that's mainly used for short trips. Whether this is a good thing for an AJM engine, I'll leave open for discussion.

PS: I don't know anyone who drives a LEXUS, let alone one with 275,000 km. I can only say that there are no noises in this Passat that would indicate a "shaken" body. The driver's seat is no longer in top condition, that's clear. However, I think that's also due to the colleague's weight (he's quite heavy), and whether a LEXUS seat would be able to withstand his weight needs to be tested.
Perhaps I'll eventually get a chance to log the Passat before it goes into private ownership.

Hello,

The issue with the soft body panels doesn't specifically apply to the Golf, but rather to any car made from sheet steel. The torsional stiffness decreases over time under stress. This is less of a problem for vehicles that are inherently stiff, compared to those with a softer cell structure. The stiffness can be measured, but comparisons between new and old vehicles are only available to the car manufacturers.

Best regards,
Christian.

@chriss11

"I'm aware of that. It's clear that nothing will remain brand new. But as I said, with 275,000 km on the odometer, there are no more noises than you would expect from a vehicle with less than half that mileage, of the same year and registration date."

Hello,

Even with good workmanship, there shouldn't be any rattling. However, the body flex is higher under load, which negatively affects the handling. In sporty vehicles, even when new, people often try to stiffen the chassis with strut braces, roll cages, etc.

"This Golf has 300,000 km on the odometer. If well-maintained, it could probably last another 100,000 km. However, considering the potential for breakdowns, even if you do all the maintenance yourself to keep repair costs down, I think it's too expensive. Just for comparison, I bought a Ford Focus from 2002 for my parents a month ago. It has only 10,000 km on the clock, is in excellent condition (with a good list of features), and cost €10,500. It was a gasoline engine, but given their low annual mileage of less than 8,000 km, it was the more economical choice."

Best regards,
Christian.

Hello,

First of all, thank you for your opinions.
Unfortunately, I don't know which engine is installed in the Golf. I'm sure the engine has been regularly maintained. According to the mechanic, the interior of the car is in good condition, although I haven't had a chance to look at it myself.
Regarding the engine codes, I would just need to ask the mechanic, who is my girlfriend's brother.
If any further information is needed, he can certainly provide it.

Also, there are 2 of these vehicles for sale that, I believe, were used for long-distance travel.