1.8T or V5? Plus, what to pay?

[pstruck]

Been toying with the idea of a Mk2 Toledo. Been to look at a Skoda Octavia vRS and a Leon Cupra and the Tolly just seems to be much the same car for much less £.

Thing is, I just don't know whether to go the 1.8T Sport route, or the V5 route. Which engine is likely to be the more reliable?

Also, I've seen an example of each advertised by dealers not too far from me. Both are 2003 '53' plates. The 1.8T is 2 owner and has 52k and is up at £3600, the V5 is 1 owner and has 72k and is £2800. Now I'm really not sure if these prices are realistic and which would make the better buy.

What do you think?

 

[m0rk]

Both are too expensive IMO, but the 1.8T is what is what you want

 

[Slimy]

I'd agree with the too expensive part, but my preference would be the V5 if you want reliable. There's just far less to go wrong, no turbo plumbing or mechanics, no cam belt, the only things you're left with is coilpacks and air flow meters. In terms of performance, I believe the 1.8T in the Toledo is the base 180 BHP version, so there is very little in it. Of course, the 1.8T can be improved far cheaper than the V5, but that depends on what you want to do.

And you get ALL the toys with the V5, so electric and leather everywhere! The V5's are also generally cheaper, because it's a large capacity, low fuel economy car that very few people want. Which is a shame, because they don't know what they're missing!

For a 53 plate V5, I'd be looking at around 2k. This is a good price;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330516153274

You can get even cheaper if you're brave enough to go for an auction one. I got my 51 plate for 1400, my mate got his v reg for 1150, but I think £600 is the cheapest one on here!

 

[pstruck]

I thought perhaps the prices were a bit optimistic. Having said that, they are the only two I'd spotted within reasonable distance from home and with 1 or 2 owners and good history. Traders are always more expensive than private sellers, but then you get some sort of come back/warranty.

Living in the westcountry there always seems to be less choice of any given model on the secondhand market. I reckon traders know this and price accordingly.

 

[Slimy]

I thought perhaps the prices were a bit optimistic. Having said that, they are the only two I'd spotted within reasonable distance from home and with 1 or 2 owners and good history. Traders are always more expensive than private sellers, but then you get some sort of come back/warranty.

To be honest, if you're reasonably competent and expect to have to fix a few 'issues' when you get it, a private sale would be so much better. Especially since a mark 2 Toledo will be at least six years old, and more likely closer to ten.

As for distance, my mate travelled from Nottingham to Oxford to get his, so adding on the price of a train ticket or a bit of petrol then gives you more purchasing options.

 

[SHADY-NINJA]

the toledo v5 and the 1.8t are both good cars.
they are both sleepers.
the power delivery are diffrernt.
its very hard for me to slate one and leave the other as it depends on what you are after.
by most means avoid the older v5 model with the 10 valve 150bhp engine and go for the 20 valve 170bhp engine.
the later v5 20 valve engine comes with loads of toys as standard like on satnav cruise control auto dimming rear view mirrors e.t.c.
the v5 is a very smooth silky cruiser motorway mile muncher with decent power curve along the rev range, 0-60 in 8 seconds and maxes out at 140 mph. your tuning potentials are limited unless you want to bolt a supercharger.

on the other hand the 1.8t has less toys than the v5 but what you get is a car with the same tuning potentials as the Audi TT (single exhaust model).
0-60 takes 8 seconds and the car will max out at 140 mph.
the 1.8 has infinite tuning potentials that would put tons of cars to shame.
a stage one remap will remove the maximum limit of 140 mph and give a standard Leon Cupra R a run for its money.(The Leon cupra R wlll be left behind).

both cars shear exatly the same brake disc and pad set up as the vw golf 4-motion 312mm ventilated disc in the front and 256mm ventilated disc on the rear. .

if i had a choice i would buy both and give the v5 to my wife while i keep the 1.8t

i have used the 1.8t for three years but i had to get rid of it because the police put a marker on it.

 

[SHADY-NINJA]

forgot to mention that the suspension on both cars are a bit too civilized for my likeing but once you get both cars decked with some good eibach springs and any decent gas shocks, you wil get better feedback.

 

[Slimy]

The early 10 valvers got most of the toys as well, I think the main thing they're missing is the sat nav. They still have cruise control, leather/alcantara seats, climate control etc.

However, with coilpacks being a common fault, and the 10 valve engines using a very expensive 'combined' coilpack along with HT leads, I would regard that as being enough of a reason to stick with the 20 valve engine. Anything past 51 plate should be fine.

I agree with the suspension, it was obviously designed for comfort rather than sport although I think age has a lot to do with it. Just going for new standard kit is enough to wake it back up again though, you don't necessarily need the full sports kit. And because it's the Mark 4 platform, you have so many options.

 

[SHADY-NINJA]

when i bought mine it only had 40k miles on itso i wouldnt say it was worn.

 

[Slimy]

Ah, fair enough! Mine had done three times that, so they just needed replacing. I wouldn't expect many Toledo's to have your kind of mileage though, so you did well there.

 

[Diz]

I have to agree with everyone, having been a owner of the V5 and now a proud owner of the 1.8T I have stuck with the latter, owned her for 4 years now and very reliable.

I look after her and treat her well and she in return give me miles of smiles and fun.

It is however up to you, horses for courses and all that.

Good luck in your search.

Diz

 

[dvance]

I got my 51 plate V5 for 1.8k at 70k miles. Should have been a bit more careful though as I very quickly spent about 600 quid on it getting the disks/pads sorted including the middle section of the exhaust (as well as the all too famous leaky doors). Other than that she's been great to me. All that's left now is the paintwork as there's some peeling lacquer and some arse scratched it in the parking lot overnight.