Any advice or tips?

[deeferduck]

I'm thinking about changing the car in the next few months, but am in no rush to go out and throw my money away. I am thinking about getting a '97 corolla or the like, but I know that these cars are often used for taxis and /or hackneys. Are there any obvious tell-tale signs that would give this away? I would be paying the AA/Rac to do a complete check on the car (when found) but would like to avoid having to pay for this several times over if they are all dodgy.

Also, I got an insurance quote for a 1.4 litre Golf (approx €3000 worth... the car, not the insurance!) which was surprisingly low so am now thinking about looking for a Golf. Most of the models in the buy-and-sell are around this price range but are mainly '94 models with 110K+ miles on them. How long does a Golf engine last and are they as reliable as the Toyotas'? To be honest, I would prefer a Golf but reliability is a priority as I will be doing alot of travelling between Dublin and Cork.

Any advice, or even better, anyone selling a pristine new model Golf at an unbelievable price would be greatly appreciated! :rolleyes:

[WhipLash]

IHMO:

Reliability = Corolla, Corolla, Corolla!

If, like you say, reliability is a priority then there's only one choice, the Toyota. If its image, then the Golf.

VW's are renowned for their build quality. This refers to the actual materials used to build the car, how its put together and the quality of the actual finish. However, this does not automatically mean that they are reliable (a common mistake).

Toyota's (and essentially most Japanese cars) are favoured for their reliability. I remember reading somewhere a few years back that an average 3-year-old Corolla was more reliable than a new Megane!

If you are thinking about a 97 Corolla then consider a 98 - as far as I can remember around March 98 the car received a minor facelift, and more importantly received the great VVTi 1.4 engine. This is far better than the older 1.3 model. Its got about 95BHP and as it’s a 16v engine the fuel economy should be better. The newer 1.4 model will have a ‘VVTi’ badge on the back. Later this was moved to the side of the car. Also, the older model has bug-eye shaped front lights, where as the VVTi model has more ‘normal’ looking ones. If your money can stretch, really do try and get the VVTi version. I think that the liftback is the most versatile version. The saloon's rear seats do not fold, and the hatch has a smaller boot.

Also 98’s will be due their NCT again (am I right?) this year so it would be possible to pick one up with a 2 years NCT cert.

Look for a car that has an average mileage of perhaps 11,000 miles per year. So say 98 should have around 66,000 miles or so. Also if the service history book is stamped by a main Toyota dealer then this should match up with the clock.

If you consider any other makes/models then post up here and we’ll try and give you what else we know!

[deeferduck]

Thanks for the info.

I was also considering a Nissan Almera/Primera or such like. Would there be much of a difference between that and the corolla, even price wise?

To be honest, image is not an issue. I was even considering an old Hilux (did anyone see the episode of Top Gear where they thrashed one and it just kept going? :D ) but I'm a little less sure about the cost of insurance. Does anyone know if it would be much more expensive, if at all..?

What should I expect to pay (roughly) for a decent '98 corolla with an 1.4 engine wot like Whiplash said... I've seen a good few '96/'97's for about €2000 so would I be right by limiting myself to about €3000?

I appreciate all the help (and the rapid responces!!) :dizzy: