hi , i want a fairly used car, vw golf, as my first car. but I'm being advised not buy a golf because they are known to overheat an our hot naija climate. how true is this? what kind of car should one buy as a first car? pls help me out, i dont know anything about cars.

whoever must have told you about VW Golf overheating must be a slowpoke. Any car engine can overheat, if the cooling system is abused or faulty. There is nothing generally wrong with Golf cooling system.

However, since you know nothing of cars, you can try Toyota, since it has a resale value, incase you would want to resale it. Am not a fan of either Toyota or VW, but I would choose Golf to Toyota Corolla, if I was to choose. Why? Because Golf performs better. Is more of a ride than Corolla. Toyotas lack soul. You can only understand if you are a car enthusiast.

Ikenna.

thanks, IK. i really want a golf, and as I'm woman i dont want a car that will be stress to maintain.

Since you are woman, I will tell you what you need to know & not what "they" want you to know.

Toyota is also a reliable car. Cost of maintenance is low as well. Parts could be cheap, depending on the model. The fuel economy is good. It dosent consume much, when everything is still working at factory settings & specs.It wont be a stressful car to maintain, as long as you religiously service it as when due. Toyota automatic transmission doesnt fail as Honda's does. Though, that dosent mean is not prone to failure. Why? Because every automatic gear box/transmission hates heat. If you drive it frequently on hold up/traffic jams (go slow), it will kill it sooner than you expect, whether Honda or Toyota. But frequent change of auto transmission fluid/ATF with factory recommended viscosity will reduce the effect of heat on the automatic gearbox & could prolong it a little before it eventually dies. Most auto gearbox dont exceed 200,000km. They die before even the mileage get to 150,000km, depending on how lucky one is.

On the other hand, VW is a German product, thus, the German Machine! Golf is a very durable car & rugged as well. It pulls fine, better than Toyota counterpact. Its road handling is much much better than a Toyota Corola. It uses Bosch parts, which happens to be the most durable vehicle spare parts in the world,(if its original though). it has good fuel economy too. It has more driving pleasure than the Toyotas. But competent Golf auto mechanics might not be as numerous/many as Toyotas. The parts are affordable. But European cars cant tolerate the degree of abuse our mehanics meted on Vehicles on Nigerian road. Euro cars or German cars are designed to work at factory spec. Once the factory specs are tampered with (which our mechanics & rewires are very good at), the car will never be the same. A Corola can be abused, but will still manage to run, but will eventually die someday. But a Euro car, once the factory setting is tampered with, the car will become a nightmare to the owner. Thats why Euro cars owners like me diagnose & fix our cars by ourselves, not by any damn rewire or mechanic. I cant remember the last time a rewire touch my car, not even the bonnet.

So, the choice is yours. If you are sure of getting a good, honest & competent mechanic & rewire for Golf, then go for it. If ou decide to go for Toyota instead, it wont be a bad idea too. But you will soon get fed up/lose interest in the car, no matter how reliable it is. Dont get confused, decide what you want out of a car, go for one you settle with it.

Ikenna

I think what she really needs is a good man who can take care of things Holla

thanks all, golf 3 it is then!

can i get a golf 3 auto transmission with a budget of 500k?

Unfortunately, I dont have an answer to that question, since am not a car dealer/ I dont sell cars. But i believe it should get you a nice tok Golf 3.

Ikenna.

U can get a very Clean Golf3 naija used 4 500k in perfect condition 07065629473,08096568995

Pls, I believe the 500k should get her a tokunbo. It would be better for her to start with Tok, since she wants auto trans. But even if the 500k cant get her a tok, it should be able to get her Nigeria used one in top good/perfect condition, as clean as tok. She is a woman & may not know what to look out for when inspecting a Nigeria used car to purchase. It would be too bad to cheat a helpless person.

Woman, make sure everything in the car checks out ok before you make the purchase, if finally its only a Nigeria used Golf 3 that the 500k would get you.

Ikenna.

As a starter,buying a sound tokunbo would be her best bet,

I'll advice 2 go 4 corolla or Nissan Sunny 1.4LX 2 Doors.

@Poster,

It depends on what you want. Golf 3 is very reliable,economical and easy to maintain,likewise, Toyota cars.

If don't mind of going for a manual Golf, I have one that I want to sell. You can drop me your e-maill address so that i can forward you the pictures. It was used briefly by a woman. It is a clean car anyway. The price is also reasonable -N550K last.

Ikenna is right i currently use golf 3 for a start. It is been good using it for 2 years now

not a Fiat Punto

KIA picanto

golf my sis golf

@poster, 500k is too much for a tokunbo golf 3 okay, see as the other person dey run call 550k thief lik u, for tokunbo golf 3? haba, if dem no gree $350k for you please dont buy okay, RUBBISH, You can confirm from a car dealer and you can get it clean new from cotonou at 500 or 450 not a stupid nigerian used card,

350000 dollars. What an expensive toks

i recommend that golf 3, If u r truely in b-city i can refer u to a friend who can help you better 4 a gud one, 500K will do perfectly,

@ Andrew,

Do you think everybody has a dubious mind like you? It is either you were not trained or you refused to take training. How on earth will you call someone you don't know a thief? Who is a thief between you and I? You that  suggested that someone should go to Cotonou with 350k to buy Golf 3. Anyway, your type is well known, maybe you just stole one that you want to sell.

The person that one to sell, has 3 personal cars, and this is the least of them. He is not an hungry person, and not deperate of selling, so as to suggest 350k. Go and check out u can get tokunbo less than 850k. It was bought 900k,and used less than 1 yr. so what rubbish advice are you giving? What do you even know about car?

someone should tell me something about buying Chevrolet. thanks

slyowokoya:

can i get a golf 3 auto transmission with a budget of 500k?

My dear sister, I beg you in the name of whatever you hold sacred, shine your eyes very well. I dont want to read your story.

Call 08037250290, I av an auto golf 3, tin can cleared, just arrived last wk.

I used a golf , When I mean used I mean real flogging! That car was something else! A beauty on wheels. All tru d 3 yrs I used it the only thing I touched in the engine was only the oil filter, plugs that were changed at all service periods! The shocks too I had to replace sooner than expected courtesy our naija roads. It was a manual tranny and had factory fitted ac wch I only regased as at when due. It was a start and go car at all times and coverd a lot of kilomtrs in naija cuz I no dey stay one place! I use am travel tire! May be d other reason it served me well was cuz I was nifty wit a spanner and some DIY ideas. Bottomline the Golf 3 is a good buy, especially if gotten as a toks and everytin checks out fine before purchase, same goes for a naija used too if it was used properly . I sold my golf3 after three years of use for 300k cuz it was still in very good shape!. Madam. If u are not techy please go with a reliable mechanic to scope out the ride with u before u purchase. 500-700k shud get u a toks dependin on the options available ie if auto,fabric or leather , one or two door etc. I used a manual gear cuz I am more of a manual person and of cuz they are less prone to problems unlike auto gear. #my personal choice# when u get choices to choose from u can post pics of the car and engine so Ogas like Siena can help with the specs cuz I believe I have seen one or two golfs with polo engines#wch I dnt like# gOod luck !!

I love golf/Jjetta. My first car was a mk2. That car served me well. If you buy a golf 3, Just make sure u get a bigger radiator fan and u are good to go.

Since you are woman, I will tell you what you need to know & not what "they" want you to know.

I think what she really needs is a good man who can take care of things

Ikenna351:

She is a woman & may not know what to look out for when inspecting a Nigeria used car to purchase. It would be too bad to cheat a helpless person.

Woman, make sure everything in the car checks out ok before you make the purchase, if finally its only a Nigeria used Golf 3 that the 500k would get you.

Ikenna.

Even I find this statesments uncomfortable

Depends on how long you're keeping your first car, I'd have recommended a Peugot 206

then again depends where in nigeria you are, crazily gridlocked lagos or laid back Kwara


Ps: your frist car as your own car or As a new driver?; _{who's recently passed a test if ever there was one}

"Ps: your frist car as your own car or As a new driver?"



thats a very good question, i am a new ower and new driver.

i will suggest you don't waste your money on golf3 because must mechanics are not qualified to work on it. i bought my car , camry 2000 v6 xle full option from nairaland. this car is a machine. since i bought it, i only changed the oil and oil filter. by December it will be 2 years. The fuel consumption is very low despite the fact that i use ac every moment. Before i bought this car, i was advised by a nairalander to ask for the VIN NUMBER (vehicle identification number).I gave this number to a nairalander that helped me to get the car report. The car report will enable you know if the car has been involved in an accident , if the odometer has been tampered with.The next step was a good and trustworthy mechanic that will do a routine check on the car, by driving it within.I can assist you with a good mechanic and rewire whom i employed to look into my car before i finally took a stand. The Vin will let you know if the car is a salvage car.People in the auto section will teach you more about salvage cars. Must toks in Nigeria are salvage.My number is 08029830016 in case you need my assistance.