* This isn't a do you prefer Polo's to Escort's question. I prefer the Escort (in both looks & it's more spacious) but a Polo could well be a better choice. Here's the info...

My Escort's ('99 [V] 1.8 TDDI) MOT runs at the end of Sept. The mechanic we see told my dad at the time it may need a bit of work doing to get it through next time round. It had a good size of welding done on the passenger sill & i'm told both sills aren't in the best of condition. Although i saw him yesterday & the way he talked made it sound like get it through the next one alright enough & then get rid. Other than no heater & rusty sills, the car is alright. It *touch wood* has no other issues. Bought for £1100 last May, i'd probably get £700 - £1000 for it

Just seen a Polo today. It's a late '97 [R] 1.4 L at £995 awaiting preperation. Has done 110k. Seems in good nick - no real rust points from what i saw. Haven't test driven it. Needs a hoover out inside. Has had 2 owners all told, both of which kept it 5 years. Has them sport alloys on, but i'm not really interested in all that shebang.

Mainly drive 6 mile to work & back on a 50-60 zone. Bit of town driving in a 30 of the weekends & ocasionally up to Scotland every so many months <-- that's the use it'd be getting.

Tad offputting going to a slower car & 1 without power steering or A/C but if Polo's can last a lot longer than this mileage usually & is likely to be more reliable & easier to sell it could be a better option. Or maybe it's overpriced??

I was about to scrap this thread as it's to the individual ATEOTD, but i'm not typing all that for sod all. lol

What you think?

yes polo are good car and your not really going t notice the differnce in speed much apart from around town? also you might want to check if the millage is motorway or round town? but sound like a good switch and the polo should last long and wont loose anymore value really

I'd buy a Mk3 Golf TDI

I'd buy a Mk3 Golf TDI

been looking for one mate, but the question is about an R-plate Polo & not a Golf TDI :) Can't find one that's realistically priced locally & i'm not bothered to be travelling to the end of the country to pick up one for sub £1k :)

lol I know the feeling, I've been looking for a cheap one too.

I wouldn't go from a TDI escort to a 1.4 Mk4 Polo, that's all I'm saying. The turbo diesel escorts aren't the quickest things in the world, but 1.4 Mk4s are gutless.

They really aren't all that. Mk4 Polos are pretty prone to rusting as well.

But, if you do find a good one for that money, or if this one really is good, then go for it mate. Just don't be expecting a miracle in reliability and rust-proofing terms.

mk4s arnt THAT bad for rusting really, only badly looked after ones imo

Maybe it's just up here with our extra salty roads then... But EVERY mk4 I look at has rust on the arches, the scabby sills and around the window seals.

I'm yet to see a clean rust free Mk4 up here. I saw one in Aberdeen that looked like it had went for a swim. There was more rust than white paint. Just takes a litle bit of TLC every now and again and a powerhose under the car to get rid of the salt. But folk here are too lazy!

Don't get me wrong, i'm not obsessive on the MK4 Polo's AT ALL. The g/f has a MK4 1.4L '98 Polo herself.

As far as the rust goes on hers, it has a little on the arches, a tad on the bumper, but nothing major. Nowhere near as bad as mine. As far as performance goes, i know exactly how it compares to mine as i've driven hers & as said - it's quite gutless. Not making out like the TDI Escort is like greased lightning or anything because it's not, it's just a sight faster than the 1.4 Polo .................. but as said .............. i'm not in for all of that. If i wanted something quick i wouldn't be asking about a 1.4 Polo. I'm out for affordability - cheap insurance, cheap tax, cheap fuel, cheap running, reliability - cheap maintenance.

I want a 1.8Astra SRI actually, MK4, and i can afford a decent one, but my situation at the mo wont let me buy one

Anyway, on the way to town today i saw a 1.4 Golf for sale, so i'm going to look into that as it actually looked quite tidy

I too don't much care for mk4 Polo's Kev, but that said they ain't too bad overall. Yeah the 1.4 is shit slow but as good performance isn't that important to you, it won't be a problem.

I understand you are looking at an L spec car, but if PAS is your preference then the CL models have it as standard with the same engine. They are far more common than the L models too, so finding one shouldn't be difficult. Price wise they are pretty much the same as well.

My biggest bugbear with them is their poxy gearboxes. They are fucking shit, no really they are! Far, far too many eat their gearboxes, even very low mileage ones. How VW got away without doing a recall I don't know. Disgraceful IMO.

Though rust is an issue with them, its mainly cosmetic rather than the structural stuff you have on your Escort.

Like all cars, get a good one (and hold your breath with the gearbox!) and you should be ok.

Edited 13 January, 200818 yr by breadman

i've heard the gearboxes go but i ragged the shit out of my old mk4 for 20k and sold it with 86k and the gearbox was fine

(i'd managed to rip the rubber material the gearnob was made off so it was about to come off i'd changed gear so hard lol)

The polo you mentioned in the first post isn't worth £1000 with 110k on the clock.

Hello mate. I'd say the polo you mentioned in the first post isn't worth £1000 with 110k on the clock.

I sort of went off the Polo (as i felt it wasn't worth that price anyhow) yesterday when i saw an SE 1.4 '96 Golf for sale which is actually in quite good condition tbh. 91k 12month MOT, Oct tax - just no asking price on the window note.

The g/f's Polo pretty much identical to the one i mentioned, had 15-20k less miles & no alloys - was £100 cheaper & i got them down to £800 with her Fiat Cinquento as a £500 p/x - so only £300 paid IIRC

Unsure about whether to go for the Golf, as ATEOTD i still want a MK4 Astra SRI, but being signed off work means shelling out £3k at the moment isn't the best of choices. BUT, it could still be a better choice than sticking with the Escort. That said, the engine may be a bag of sh!te & die on me the day after buying it - you never know.

lol I know the feeling, I've been looking for a cheap one too.

I wouldn't go from a TDI escort to a 1.4 Mk4 Polo, that's all I'm saying. The turbo diesel escorts aren't the quickest things in the world, but 1.4 Mk4s are gutless.

They really aren't all that. Mk4 Polos are pretty prone to rusting as well.

But, if you do find a good one for that money, or if this one really is good, then go for it mate. Just don't be expecting a miracle in reliability and rust-proofing terms.

So you own a mk4 polo?

Bodywork on mine isn't the greatest but that's how I bought the car, mustn't have been treated as well as it should be the previous owners. at 110k a few spots under the arches isn't bad at all, looked at sooo many polos over the years of polo ownership but nothing has managed to prize me away from the one I own now

Reliability-wise - incredible. Maybe I just got lucky with the one I got. I change the oil and filters regularly and give it a general checkover when I get back from uni but it starts first time everytime. This can be any length of time from one week to a month!

What its cost me in two years of ownership..

2 rear wheel bearings

Timing belt, tensioners, water pump for piece of mind

Brake lines replaced.

Only problem I have had is carbon build up in the throttle body. That cost nothing to fix though.

Not bad at all for a 10 year old car with 102k on the clock, very simlar to yours!

I wouldn't expect much engine performance wise because obviously you are coming from a bigger car. The gear ratios are nice though so you can hang around in third most of the time when you need to do a lot of changing speed!

Can't see me getting rid of mine for a long time

So you own a mk4 polo?

Obviously not but I have enough experience of being in, driving, and working on them to know most of their faults, and they are also a very common car to see on the streets.

Also, to the original poster, I personally wouldn't go for a 1.4 Mk3 Golf because they really do struggle. The smaller engine doesn't offer the best economy either.

Obviously it's up to you. If you find a clean, tidy and well maintained older VW you generally won't go wrong. Just don't buy in to the cheaper end of the market.