Expert answer

Hi Margaret,

Yup, plenty strong enough. So much so that the first time I drove it I thought that I was driving the diesel. In fairness, it was late and I was tired but it's still a cracking engine, potentially Volkswagen's current best.

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Hi Sinrad,

I'd say you should be able to get about €12-13,500 as a trade-in, maybe €14,500 if you sell it yourself.

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Hi Andrew,

You're in an enviable position! I'll take your points one by one:

1) Mileage: you definitely do enough miles to see a benefit in having the GTD diesel model, assuming much of it is on the motorway. But the Golf R and GTI aren't really all that bad at a cruise either...

2) Gearbox: I personally would prefer the manual, though I accept that it's a very personal thing in a performance car and if you're used to automatics then stick with the DSG. For the record, it doesn't detract from the car one little bit.

3) GTD vs. GTI: if you read my review you'll see that I was pleasantly surprised by this car, but it took very hard driving to make it shine. At regular speeds (i.e. most of our driving) it felt quite ordinary, whereas the GTI always feels special.

I must admit that, if my budget stretched to the Golf R (and it's cheaper than ever now), I'd go for it. It's always going to be rare and exclusive (though perhaps hard to sell on) and as well as the extra performance it has a brilliant four-wheel drive system.

Nonetheless, I reckon the Golf GTI Performance is probably the best all-round choice, as you've identified for yourself. It's a sensational car, noticeably better to drive even than the regular GTI. You won't regret it one little bit.

Let us know which way you go in any case and here's some more reading for you:

Volkswagen reduces the price of the Golf R

Volkswagen Golf GTI five-door manual road test

Volkswagen Golf GTD road test

Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance (manual)

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Hi Paul,

By and large yes, but remember that this is a ten-year old car now, so you're going to have to find an immaculate one if you're looking for trouble-free motoring. The Engine Control Unit (ECU) has been known to give bother, so check and make sure that the engine runs smoothly and produces power properly. Mind you, the 1.4 petrol Golf was always woefully underpowered, so check also for signs that it has been ragged - floppy clutch, loose gearshift, smoky engine etc. Check the suspension too and if the tyres are unevenly worn, then the alignment is probably out. If it has electric windows and central locking (most Irish-spec 1.4 Golfs from that era won't) check to make sure they work properly too.

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Hi Joe,

We're awaiting an official answer from Volkswagen on this, though our feeling is that it's highly unlikely. The latest Golf is built on an all-new platform and it'd be very surprising if they maintained the tow bar mounting points in the redesign.

Nothing like trying it for yourself though! It would take two minutes under a ramp to line it all up and see if it fits...

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Hi Tara,

Golfs of that spec and age will generally go for around €15,000 to €17,000, but with the high mileage on yours, I'd say you'll have to aim a little lower. Stick it up for €14,000 and see how it goes.

Unless of course that's a typo, and you meant 17,000km, in which case go with €16,000.

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Hi Paddy,

That's a tricky one to assess from afar I'm afraid as it could be several different things. The clutch cable/pedal/actuator could be faulty or out of adjustment, the gear linkage could be out of position or the gearbox itself could have major internal problems. The good news is that the latter is the least likely scenario.

I'd urge you to bring the car to a good mechanic to have a look at it for you before quoting for the fix.

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Hi Simon,

OK, for that kind of budget you have a wealth of options, new and used. How about a new MINI Cooper S 2.0-litre? Massive fun to drive, affordable to run (it'll do 50mpg and costs just €290 a year to tax) and they're really well built. Better yet, a brand new one starts at €27k so you have plenty left over for insurance, extras and servicing.

Not practical enough? How about the best hot hatch around at the moment then? The Volkswagen Golf GTI? Your budget just about gets a new one, but it'll be pretty basic. Better to go for nearly-new; get one with a bit of spec and make sure it has the optional Performance Pack fitted - it turns a brilliant car into a gob-smacking one.

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Hi Tina,

Well, it all depends on what kind of car you want. Trading in your old Golf and adding €7,000 probably gives you a budget of between €8-9k and that, thankfully, means the world is your motorised oyster.

 If you want to be sensible, you could just stick with what you know - there are plenty of 2008 Golf 1.9 TDI models around in your price range and there are few cars that are better to be honest. Plenty of Focus, Astra, Auris and Kia cee'd options around too if you fancy a change. 

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Hi John,

Yes, by and large Golfs are well enough built to withstand years of abuse, but then this is an older car so there are some areas to check...

Make sure the cambelt has been changed, check that the water pump is working (quick warm up from cold, but no issues with holding the temperature at idle), listen for noises from both the front suspension and steering, check that the air conditioning (if fitted) is working OK and make sure that the gearbox (manual or auto) is shifting cleanly.

Oh and avoid the FSI petrol model - they don't like regular 95RON unleaded petrol.