Is this car a good deal/ idea?

[tackytriceratops]

We need a large run around but occasionally further. Needs to take being used for beach, boots and kids.

Dh seems to think golf estates are the way to go.

He's seen one for 3500, 93 thousand in the clock, 10 years old. It's affordable for us and we'd probably run it into the ground.

Any knowledgeable people have any thoughts?

Apologies if not the right area; I wasn't sure where to put it.

Golfs are decent cars, you will always get people with differing views tho. My DH is a mechanic and he would always recommend a golf.

I can't really answer your post tho without some more details. Does it have a full service history and a decent length MOT?

As a rule of thumb when I got to view a car how clean it is inside is a good indication of how well it's been cared for in general. If it's grubby inside chances are they won't have maintaned it very well.

I had an old Golf Driver (all GTI bells and whistles with a 1600 basic engine) as a a station car and it felt bullet proof, had no trouble with it and passed in on to a relative.

The 93k miles, although under the so called average, is getting a bit high, especially if for a petrol engine. IMO

Before pulling the trigger I would look around for better Seat (even Skoda) bargains, as made by the VW group, and they use most of the parts of the parent, albeit back then a year or so after appearing in the VW range.

If it's a diesel then 93k is nothing as long as it's been looked after. A well maintained diesel golf is more than capeable of doing 200k+

Yes it has all that, and is diesel.

I think we are undecided- dh didn't know that a lot of cars aren't on Autotrader but are at a car yard (as they can only put so many cars on at one time depending on their package.) so we might look again or look around.

Won't entertain a skoda! He has to use it for work sometimes apparently clients will judge him. I personally think they'd be a good option.

Skodas are awesome cars! (And made by VW)

Lol at clients judging him but he's ok to rock up in a 9 year old golf Estate

I second Skoda! They're amazingly reliable and I would probably judge a golf more than I would a Skoda!
Also look at Ford mondeos- we have one and it's been brilliant.

Another Skoda fan here. He'll do a lot worse than looking at an Octavia, brilliant cars. It's got to be at least 15 years since Skoda lost the joke image. Your DH and/or his clients need to get with the times.

If it's grubby inside chances are they won't have maintaned it very well

Bollocks. I never clean my cars, they are always filthy, the only time they get cleaned is when they are serviced, which is on the dot as required every time. Same for replacing tyres etc.

barbara I'm not saying it's a steadfast rule but for me it's a good indicator. I wouldn't buy a cosmetically grubby car - if an owner has taken the time to keep it clean then chances are they'll have maintained it mechanically as well. It's not a definitive system (as your case shows) but I think it's just common sense in general.

Looking 'around' 10-years old, whoever you bought it from, I would check out the price of an AA or other pre purchase check over, and with that security I would strongly consider private purchases that will not have a say 1 year guarantee - but cheaper up front, you can 'judge' the seller, and they'll know, that YOU will know, 'where they live'. lol

Based on your husbands 'street cred' or sorts, if I was you I'd check out a Seat Altea that came here around 2005, that in its basic form is already roomy (including upward inside the cabin if a personal requirement) - or if more estate sized space needed - the Altea XL, I believe the elongated version was called, that IMO didn't look as good, but 2nd hand meant it was cheaper.

FYI the same TDI VW engines, and Seat they did a few Sporty versions back then, I 'don't think they do now.