Almost there in a deal for a new mkv golf sport--3 door,as 3 door does look more sportier in appreance than 5 door.
However when I come to sell the 3 door would I have problems or low part ex --does a 5 door hold more value than a 3 door?
I.E for families.
Comments appreciated before I finally decide--thanks
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Peronally I would never have a three door car. The doors are far too long and heavy even if the car is used with a single occupant most of the time. Makes the car hard to get out of and into in car parks.
Also, I suspect that whilst most people are not bothered about a car being three or five door, there are more people who would NOT have a three door than those who would NOT have a five door.
Don't think that sport has anything to do with it and there will be no difference in the driving experience between the two.
Having said that, it's your money, your choice and do you buy a car as an investment or to drive it. Whatever you go for - enjoy!
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Me as well. I have a 3 door VW and a 5 door Renault. I have rapidly come to the conclusion that 5 doors are much easier to live with.
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Just my opinion, but I would never consider a 3 door car. The doors on a 3 door car are bigger, meaning that you can't open them as wide when parked between other cars. Access to the rear of the car becomes difficult, and strapping kids into a seat becomes a nightmare.
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3-doors don't bother me, but I'd think from a reselling point-of-view and the fact the Golf sits in the "Family hatchback" market, then 5-doors will make it easier to sell on, and therefore probably retain a little more value...if it's actually a proper bigger-engined sports-model (e.g. GT/GTi) then I'd have thought 3-doors would actually hold more value - to a lower-sized engine however, it's more likely 5-doors would be the better option...
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I always find in most cases that 3 doors makes the car look more bare on the side and a bit boring.
Notable exceptions;
1) The Focus
2) The Mark 2,3 and 4 Golf. (Not paid too much attention to the latest one)
3) The Clio.
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Adam
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yes correct in that a GT/GTI is only a GTI in the 3 door model,as a recent magazine stated.
I will have to consider,there is only 2 of us and 90% is single use,hence why I have the 5 doors.
It is only now in finding out the trade in value of the 3 door civic that I considered this--more thinking on this matter.
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Remember that the 3dr Civic is a different body to the 5dr. Like the Astra and C4. The Golf has the same basic body shape. That will make a difference to the decision.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Just to provide some balance... I would avoid a five door car. Most cars just look better in a 3dr version and, unless you want a wife, two kids and a labrador (yawn!), you don't need five doors.
I'd dispute the golf being a family car too - it's a single person/person who has a company car but doesn't want to pay enormous amounts of tax car.
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I would personally go for a 3 door Golf. I think 3 doors look better than 5 doors on most models.
When it comes to resale, there are plenty of younger drivers that don't have kids who want looks and not practicality that will go for the 3 door (if sold privately). However, if you traded it in, you will probably get less than the 5 door equivalent. However, you probably paid less for the 3 door in the first place.
If you like the look of the 3 door, then go for it. It will make you happier and at the end of the day and that's what matters.
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In my opinion realistically there will be little difference in value come PX time, if anything possibly even a little more in the 3dr's favour as buyers of sports models usually prefer 3dr's
In the past we have found it difficult to sell used Corolla T-Sport 5dr's - the target market prefer the sportier look that the 3 door gives and toyota have since dropped the 5dr T-Sport from the new car line-up
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Agree with PG. The getting-out in a tight squeeze is very marginal - if it's difficult with two doors, it'll be nearly as difficult with four. In normal circumstances it's better to have two decent-sized doors which will be used by the driver and front passenger the majority of the time, than four small doors, two of which will be rarely used.
p.s. I'm biased, as have just taken delivery of 3-door Golf!
p.p.s. DSG is brilliant - put the extra 600 GBP (sorry, my keyboard does funny things with pound signs) for a 5-door towards DSG.
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thank you for comments colinh,for interest what model Golf did you opt for--did you get a discount and are you happy with it.
this would be my first ever VW.
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Well I have just got a 5dr GT TDI & I would highly recommend it. Plenty of room, brilliant handling & the 2.0 tdi has a nice crisp 6 speed box which makes for rapid progress!
You can get discounts on them (see the recent ads on this site)but mine is a company car.
MM
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Hi Steve
Mine is a 2.0 TDI DSG Highline (the Spanish equivalent of the UK GT spec., approx). I added a 6CD changer (still haven't made up my mind about the central armrest; could get in the way for a manual box - take a testdrive); also a sun-roof - like to have the a/c off as much as possible.
Difficult to comment on discounts, as I had a part-ex; also we have a buoyant market here, and don't have the distortions of the twice-yearly numberplate nonsense. As noted above see right-hand column, and there is obviously plenty of room for negotiation.
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I too have a 3 door metallic black mkV Golf. I got the 3 door for a few reasons:
1. To me 3 door cars always look better
2. £500 cheaper
3. No kids so someone is in the back once in a blue moon.
The longer doors is not an issue for me as I never park next to anyone in a car park. I'd rather walk than have some pink fluffy dice next to me giving me a nice big dent in my nice car :-(
A 5 door will perhaps be worth more at re-sale but I doubt it will be worth £500 more.
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Megane 3 and 5 door look interestingly different. Reckon a 5 door Golf would be more saleable.
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If you think you'd benefit from five doors, get them. If not, don't. On a poverty spec model I'd always get five doors for practicality (only utterly practical people buy poverty spec used cars) but on something even slightly sporty, there's no way the £500 extra cost will turn into £500 of extra resale value at any point in its life.
Of course if you would benefit from the back doors then it'd be futile to foresake them for a small cost saving, given how much a car costs anyway, but I can't see them working out cheaper.
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Hi Ken--question did you notice on the MKv that front wipers do not retract back upon onto the windscreen as there is no clearance from the bonnet.
Therfrore when you wash and dry your car you can not lift the wipers back!
The salesman had not noticed this problem!
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If its like the Audi A3 this has been thought of and I suggest you have a look at your manual. Turn off the car and push down the wiper stalk - the wipers move up and stop at about 45 degrees on the windscreen, they can then be pulled back. Manual suggests this is done before washing the car.
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3 door all the way. Looking back at the Mk1, Mk2, Mk3 & Mk4 the 3 door always looks sportier. 5 door versions tend to look a bit more 'family' rather than 'sporty'
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function rather than syle.
5 doors all the time.
Ever tried placing a large heavy package in the back of a 3 door car?
That's how people get slipped disks (and hernias trying to lift it out again:-)
madf
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Ever tried placing a large heavy package in the back of a 3 door car?
I tend to use the boot for carrying things :-)
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Yes. Reason for this is that to meet new pedestrian safety guidelines wipers should be hidden away so they cannot injure someone.
Now tell your dealer to read the manual! There is a "service" position which parks them high up on the screen so you can clean them or replace them.
Turn off the ignition, remove the key. Before opening the door press down on the wiper stalk. You can then lift them off the screen.
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My thanks to all for help/advise and comments all appreciated.
3 Door it is then --just waiting for next vw salesman to accept my offer-after they want to sell and I am the customer--a car sale at low margin is better than none at all-lets see.
Thanks again.
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Being in my mid twentys and not having any kids I would also go with the 3 door, it looks much better imo.
Let me know how the Golf feels after the Civic. I currently also have a 3 door Civic and I am very tempted my a mark V Golf - 3 door of course!
Cheers
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in response to adamj23 I had a good test drive of the golf 1.6fsi,the engine is very good and responsive,equally as good as my 3 door vtec 1.6.
What I did like was the 6 speed gears this is good and you can see the rpm drop at 70mph to below 3,000 ,on the civic at the same rpm you are doing 60-65--so good on fuel economy here.
The 3 door i agree does look sportier especially in black,and the Golf is well put together and solid.
I like my civic--we have 2 of the 3 door model--but oh the poor paintwork as discussed before and the 18 month model many problems.
The new civic looks good but after the poor paintwork --forget and also will not fir into my garage.
As it's in response to Adamj23, why start a new thread? Why not simply reply to his post? On that note - moved. DD
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I agree with you on the paint on the Civic - it is very poor. Myne has done 22000 miles but the front end looks like it's done about 100000 very poor. The Golf makes the Civic feel very flimsy and cheap.
The only thing putting me off the Golf is all the issues of reliablity I have been reading about and the dealers - but I guess that people only write about the bad things and not the good.
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- 5 (or 4)-door every time for me, whatever the car.
If you ever carry passengers (which after all is what the back seats of cars were made for..!) then it's a real pain in the derriere if you're the front passenger and you've got to get out to let them in/out.
Also, no-one looks the least bit cool trying to clamber in or out of the back seat of a 3-door! Kids need strapping in, the in-laws can't bend over that far, people trip over front safety belt,...
Anyone else also find the back seats of 3-door cars are a much more claustrophobic place to be - particularly since the rear windows rarely open?
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Sports or GTI's are not built or sold to family minded people.
Therefore if it looks better a 3 door sports or gti type car will always sell.
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Haven't been keeping count, but put me down as another who wouldn't want a 5 door hatch...especially one with sporting intentions.
5 door Golfs have absolutely flooded the market as I have been eyeing GT TDI Golfs as my next possible car and I have to wade through lots of 5 doors to find 3 door models.
I hope I never reach a stage where I choose my car based on what I think someone else would want to buy from me at a later date.
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