I need a car...Citi golf or not?

[HapticSimian]

The earlier 'current' 1.6s also had disc brakes all 'round. My advice would be to look for a decent 1.6 Trendline. Because most of them were ex-rentals, they tend to go on the cheap. Just make sure it has a factory-fitted aircon and a radio.

You'll get electric mirrors, electric windows in the front & more poke without much worse fuel consumption than on the 1.4. The Comfortline will add electric windows all in the back, factory alloys and at least a hight-adjustable driver's seat . If I recall, both were adjustable on the earlier face-lifted Comfortlines.

 

[Mike_De_Lange]

Thanks enigma243, that was it. When did they stop having disc brakes all around? 2006 or 2007?

 

[HapticSimian]

Thanks enigma243, that was it. When did they stop having disc brakes all around? 2006 or 2007?

I THINK it was beginning '07. Don't stress too much about it, though - remember that probably about 60-70% of braking is done by the front wheels. The only issue is that ABS would only be active on the front axle, but the car's brake balance is such that you're not likely to lock the rear wheels without using the handbrake.

 

[Claymore]

I THINK it was beginning '07. Don't stress too much about it, though - remember that probably about 60-70% of braking is done by the front wheels. The only issue is that ABS would only be active on the front axle, but the car's brake balance is such that you're not likely to lock the rear wheels without using the handbrake.

Dunno about the Golf, but there were cars with ABS on drum brakes.

 

[rurapente]

i have seen many cars, my sister has one, with ABS/EBD but drums on the back.

Im looking on the Net but comments are conflicting. So far the 2 prevalent are;

1. Cars with discs+drums have ABS all-round, since the ABS functions by changing hydraulic pressure regardless of the target braking system.
2. Car with discs+drums only have ABS governing the front, since the back does 40% or less braking power so it makes negligible different on the braking.

However, one guy claims if drums did not have ABS too, and you braked hard and ABS starts regulating only the front, the car would start to slide to one side.

So can our resident mechanics or someone who knows someone who knows someone find out for us?

 

[HapticSimian]

Mmmmm... You might be on to something - can't say I've ever really given it a helluva lot of thought. The giveaways would be either tracing the hydraulic lines from the ABS unit under the bonnet, or checking the rear hub assemblies for speed sensors... The rear-only ABS mentioned in terms of US 'trucks' is obviously moot as the Polo is FWD.

I can't imagine much of an issue with having it operational on the front axle only, as any car's brake balance is biased to the point where the fronts should always lock up first. You're highly unlikely to have a huge difference in traction between front and back - the left rear wheel hits the spot (relatively speaking) the left front occupied only a split second before.