On the hunt for a Scirocco

[liam_hird]

Hello all

Firstly, thank you to the admin(s) for accepting me to the page.

I currently drive a 2003 Citroen Saxo 1.1l and have been since I passed nearly 4 years ago, it's served me very well and I couldn't have asked for anything better for the price (paid £750 with 31k on clock, now done 56k). Last week, my father somehow managed to reverse into it and made a huge mess of the door, which is not worth fixing, so have decided to look for a new car. My original choice was an Audi A3, until I saw a Scirocco at a local garage and it grabbed me, which has made me want to make the transition to VW instead of Audi. Reasons being are the looks, interior, which I feel you get more car for the money, and the fact that you don't seem to see anywhere as many Scirocco's on the road.

The model that I really wouldn't mind owning is the 2.0TSI DSG in blue. I went to look at one today that was listed at £8,990 with 53k miles and full VW service history, HOWEVER, I got there and it just wasn't worth buying. Looks wise, it was spot on and it had everything I wanted in one; black leather seats, DSG, newer steering wheel (2011) and it was blue. I came across rust bubbles on EVERY wheel arch, which I thought was strange considering it'd only done 53k and was only 6 years old. Is this a common problem in Sciroccos around the 2010/2011 era? The interior had panels and interior door handles wrapped in carbon, but was evidently starting to come away, which wasn't too much of a problem as it probably would've been a cheap replacement. It had dints in some places in the leather on the door. All this, to me, shows that the previous owner didn't look after it to a high standard, so I walked away.

The model and features I am specifically looking for are:

- 2010 onwards
- 2.0TSI DSG
- Low mileage, ideally <70k
- Blue
- Leather seats
- Interlago alloys (R alloys are a bonus, but not expected)

I have a budget of £9K. I'm 22 but insurance is not a problem whatsoever, somehow get quoted around £800, which is a lot less than what I get quoted for a BlueMotion 140/170.
- Is this car alright for me, in regards to running costs etc? I commute 8 miles daily, so I barely touch 6k miles per year, although that would probably change on a car like this.
- Does anybody have any advice regarding this specific model and what should I look for when buying one, or what should I expect when owning one?
- Are the engines reliable?
- Lastly, can somebody give me a short review with this specific model?

Thank you for reading!

I look forward to being a regular member on this website and hope it will be an enjoyable experience!

Liam

[Billc]

Hi Liam and welcome,

This year I sold exactly your spec after 6 years ownership and have to say it had been the best all-round car I've ever owned (and I've had lots!). Rock solid reliable, brilliant to drive, as quick as you'd want it after your Saxo (it'll seem VERY quick at first) and considering the performance the economy isn't bad. I've got a spreadsheet of every penny I spent on it which I'll dig out later to give you the headlines.

Make sure it has a full VW history so you can put a VW extended warranty on the DSG. DSG is extremely reliable BUT can be hugely expensive if it does go wrong. You were right to walk away from the one you saw, rust bubbles are definitely NOT normal!

[liam_hird]

Just an update. I have managed to find a Scirocco that fits just the bill. The only downside is that it's not blue, but green with black alloys, which is also a good thing in another sense. IMO, the green is very nice and doesn't seem to be common at all. The car is a 2.0L TSI 2011, covered 44k miles with full VW service history and has had recent brake and DSG oil change. Leather interior too with the RNS315 system and piano black trims. Paying £9,800, which I feel is a very good price, and am picking it up on Thursday.

Looking forward to becoming a Scirocco owner!