Pre-Owned Volkswagen Golf: How Much Should You Pay?
The love affair between Quebecers and the Volkswagen Golf will never be the same again. Since the German manufacturer has decided to offer the eighth generation only in GTI and R versions, those who want an affordable Golf - that is, for less than $30,000 - must turn to used models.
Is this your case? The good news is that there are plenty of them for sale across the province. You shouldn't have too much trouble finding one that meets your needs and budget. But how much should you expect to pay? Let's see...
First, there are a variety of used Golf models on the market. However, with the value of used vehicles skyrocketing since the end of 2020, bargains like the ones we used to see have become extremely rare.
A quick search on Otogo.ca will turn up a few hundred Golf models of all kinds covering the 2009 to 2021 model years. If you look closely, you'll see that they rarely sell for less than $10,000. A good number are priced between $12,000 and $15,000.
In this price bracket, the mileage is usually over 100,000 kilometres, but there are also newer examples (up to 2017) that have been driven less. In this case, it's the equipment list that makes the difference. By the way, when you see "Trendline", it means that it is an entry-level version. On the other hand, used and new 2021 models are also listed, with prices ranging from $24,000 to $30,000.
For EV lovers, this hovers around the same price bracket, if not a tad higher, than the 100% electric e-Golf, which Volkswagen commercialized from 2018 to 2020. The important thing here is to check the remaining capacity of the battery, which had a range of 201 km at the time.
For performance enthusiasts, Golf GTIs under $20,000 are rare (from 2015 or earlier), so be prepared to pay more. Also, make sure the car you're interested in hasn't been abused by its previous owner(s).
Finally, let's not forget the Golf wagon (otherwise known as the "Sportwagen") and its all-wheel drive, elevated chassis version (Alltrack). The latter inevitably costs more, over $20,000, but it is newer (launched in 2017) and the investment can be worth it, especially if you're looking for a nice alternative to an SUV.
Happy shopping!
