MERC a200 vs golf 7 tsi

[Splinter]

As opposed to what? An Opel?

HA HA HA HA HA HA.

Well, lets put it this way. I bought my OPC+ new in Oct 2006 for R278 000 all in. I sold it to N1 City dealership in Oct last year for R100 000 on the dot. I knew they were raping me, but I didn't know how much until I found out that they sold it a week or two later for R159 000. Still, after 8 years I got 36% back. If I sold it privately for say R150k it would be 54% after 8 years.

Basically all dealers will do this once a car is out of motorplan/service plan. CPA they claim.

I plan to do exactly that.

Well probably not 15 years, but definitely 10 years at least.

I bought it for R199 000 as it was just over 3 years old (2008 model at the end of 2011) and it's worth about R160 000 now.

Will probably still fetch R100k in 2018 when it's 10 years old which means a 50% loss in total or 5% per year which isn't really all that bad.
.

Having a quick look online for your 2008 gti, the max is R155 000 (retail) and I don't think they are selling. If you tried to sell to a dealer i would be surprised if you got R100k. So I think you are being a bit optimistic in your assessment.

 

[Brenden_E]

Oh dear dear, VW have certainly achieved their goal, from a basic run around car to making most believe it could be any where near a Mercedes. Is this not why VW actually bought Audi? To have a real premium vehicle?

OP if you into speed, the A250 Sport will do just fine (your choice is the A200 tho, which I assume you not into speed that much), if you need a VAG, get an Audi.

Mercedes also comes with a 6 (yes SIX) years maintenance plan, which not even its competitors are able to match. The price difference gives you a lot more than a GTI. Only benefit of the GTI at this point is speed!


Forgive my disbelief at the Q, it would be like asking between a BMW 3/4 series and some sport version of a Toyota Auris for me.

VW have come a long way sure, but it is no Mercedes, just the thought alone makes my skin crawl.

Mercedes has premium marketing image. Often though it's anything but. I remember they got outed 2 years ago for using the same diesel engine in a "premium car" as the Renault Sandero.

Just because it's pretty, doesn't mean it's good. Do your research. The OP certainly has a valid question.

 

[Brenden_E]

Well, lets put it this way. I bought my OPC+ new in Oct 2006 for R278 000 all in. I sold it to N1 City dealership in Oct last year for R100 000 on the dot. I knew they were raping me, but I didn't know how much until I found out that they sold it a week or two later for R159 000. Still, after 8 years I got 36% back. If I sold it privately for say R150k it would be 54% after 8 years.

Basically all dealers will do this once a car is out of motorplan/service plan. CPA they claim.



Having a quick look online for your 2008 gti, the max is R155 000 (retail) and I don't think they are selling. If you tried to sell to a dealer i would be surprised if you got R100k. So I think you are being a bit optimistic in your assessment.

"If". If only. The elaborate justification here compels me to pull out the world's smallest violin and compose a song.

 

[T3ro]

Mercedes has premium marketing image. Often though it's anything but. I remember they got outed 2 years ago for using the same diesel engine in a "premium car" as the Renault Sandero.

Yip Mercedes are currently using the Renault 1.5 Dci in some of their vehicles, not to mention that the Merc bakkie will be partly built by Nissan/Renault.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Well, lets put it this way. I bought my OPC+ new in Oct 2006 for R278 000 all in. I sold it to N1 City dealership in Oct last year for R100 000 on the dot. I knew they were raping me, but I didn't know how much until I found out that they sold it a week or two later for R159 000. Still, after 8 years I got 36% back. If I sold it privately for say R150k it would be 54% after 8 years.





Basically all dealers will do this once a car is out of motorplan/service plan. CPA they claim.











Having a quick look online for your 2008 gti, the max is R155 000 (retail) and I don't think they are selling. If you tried to sell to a dealer i would be surprised if you got R100k. So I think you are being a bit optimistic in your assessment.

That was the price I was offered just the other day...your price not the insurance one.



Granted not a formal price on paper but from a serious enough source that it wouldn't change much and probably bargain down to 150k.

GTI's sell very easily. Especially DSG's which is why Roux is jumping up and down in a tutu all the time.



Either way I think we are both a little unfair judging the entire brand on GTI's and OPC's.



I do however think across the entire range VW trumps Opel with resale value.



My own Opel was in a shocking state having rusted a bit and slept outside the last few years. I recall paying 54k for it in 2001 and I got 17k for it in the condition it was in 13 years later which isn't bad at all.



Scary thought though is that similarly aged Citigolfs which are much ****ter cars in general fetch way more.

 

[Rouxenator]

Well, lets put it this way. I bought my OPC+ new in Oct 2006 for R278 000 all in. I sold it to N1 City dealership in Oct last year for R100 000 on the dot.

\
On the flip side, I paid R100k a 2007 Astra that sold for R207k new. I plan on keeping it as long as possible so the depreciation was actually in my favour.

 

[SauRoNZA]

That being said.

Merc all the way if you can afford it.

If it is all about the money and you prefer to save it, nothing wrong with the Golf.

 

[SauRoNZA]

\
On the flip side, I paid R100k a 2007 Astra that sold for R207k new. I plan on keeping it as long as possible so the depreciation was actually in my favour.

Agreed.

I simply cannot do new cars for this very reason.

Bikes yes, cars no.

 

[Sepeng]

Perhaps an odd/ silly question: if you purchase a car new and that new vehicle price subsequently increases quite a bit for whatever reason, does it stand to reason that your resale value increases as well?
So you buy the car for 200k, it goes up to 250k cos of rand/ dollar, could you in theory sell it for 200k again as it's 50k less than the price of a new vehicle?

 

[Brenden_E]

Perhaps an odd/ silly question: if you purchase a car new and that new vehicle price subsequently increases quite a bit for whatever reason, does it stand to reason that your resale value increases as well?
So you buy the car for 200k, it goes up to 250k cos of rand/ dollar, could you in theory sell it for 200k again as it's 50k less than the price of a new vehicle?

In theory, yes. In practice, highly unlikely. The rand would have to properly see it's arse, Zim dollar style.

 

[Drifter]

Our VW has held it's value far beyond what our Subaru has. Not hi-jacked yet either

Thats why. Subaru have really really crc@p trade in values.

 

[Brenden_E]

Thats why. Subaru have really really crc@p trade in values.

So does Merc.

 

[aomar296]

Are dsgs or turbo cars generally sluggish from 1st to 2nd gear? This question stems from me test driving one the other day

 

[Sinbad]

Are dsgs or turbo cars generally sluggish from 1st to 2nd gear? This question stems from me test driving one the other day

TDI DSGs have quite a bit of lag when you pull off.

Petrol DSGs not so much.

 

[aomar296]

Ok so its normal... Nothing to worry about. ..

Anything to look out for on a used dsg? Interested in one with 41000km on it. ... Is this considered high?

 

[I.am.Sam]

The biggest misconception here is that a VW has good resale value. That is complete and utter crap.

The dealer has offered (they phoned us to ask) to buy back my wife's GTI for more than we paid for it 6 months ago. It holds its value pretty well...

thats the only one that has a very good resale value

you can sell your golf 5 GTIs for like R150-R170k and new they were around 220k 10 years ago

 

[Charlie600]

That being said.

Merc all the way if you can afford it.

If it is all about the money and you prefer to save it, nothing wrong with the Golf.

I don't think you've actually driven them back to back, herewith another roadtest confirming that the "poor man's" G7 easily competes with (and beat) the A class etc. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTzdd_9fzQA

 

[Charlie600]

We test drove the A3, 1 series, Golf 7 as well as A class prior to making a final purchase decision: bang for buck + resale in 3 years from purchase + overall experience made it a no brainer. You should also be realistic in that neither of the 4 options are bad in any way shape or form - it's purely up to your preference of vehicle seeing that it's much of a muchness.

These Golf 7's are however such horrendous vehicles that we now have 2x G7 GTI's parked in the garage (my wife had a 1.4 TSI highline until a couple of weeks ago which was just as awesome) whilst my 1 year old GTI can be sold for more now than what I paid for it new 12 months ago.

 

[SauRoNZA]

I don't think you've actually driven them back to back, herewith another roadtest confirming that the "poor man's" G7 easily competes with (and beat) the A class etc. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTzdd_9fzQA

Not everything is in the performance and ratings numbers as we've discussed.



Brand perception and depreciation are big factors.



I haven't driven either to be honest, just sat inside them.

I like the look of the A class more and would trade my Golf (which I think still looks better than both the 6 & 7) for it happily.

Second hand of course, in a year or three.

 

[Charlie600]

Very valid point Sau.

What however ultimately swayed our vote against the A class (over and above the choppy ride) was the infotainment display that look like someone slapped an iPad to the centre of the dashboard as an afterthought - the perceived build and interior quality wasn't that great. Nonetheless a superb car whilst I also very nearly bought an A3 1.8T instead of my GTI - also a very underrated vehicle in my personal opinion