Which car to buy?

[GDB2222]

I am trying to work out what car to buy for my wife, to replace the one she has just written off, so any advice gratefully received. the criteria are as follows:

I am looking to buy secondhand, say 5 years old.

The car she has just written off is a Saab 9-5. Secondhand, these are not expensive, but I am getting upset at the thought of spending £400 a year on road tax and this is bound to knock the secondhand values still further next year.

She has had 4 crashes in the last 6 years, so safety is the prime consideration.

Two of the crashes were other people's fault, and she has a protected NCD, so insurance is not a huge issue.

A car that seats five would be useful.

Automatic is a must-have.

Mileage is 5k a year, so fuel consumption is not too serious an issue.

So, what should I buy her next?

By the way, do you think she might benefit from a defensive driving course, and who runs those?

[hewhoisnotintheknow]

a motorbike, teach her how to use the road!

What about a honda jazz

[ArsenalFC]

A Bmw 318i saloon or coupe version. A solidly made german car with an Ncap rating of 4 stars. I've had 2 bmw coupes to date and they drive very well and also feels very safe inside.

Accidents happens and to have 2 faults accidents in 6 years isn't a really bad record.

[Inactive]

By the way, do you think she might benefit from a defensive driving course, and who runs those?

In a word..yes.

The I.A.M. would be a good start.

http://www.iam.org.uk/

[Inactive]

Accidents happens and to have 2 faults accidents in 6 years isn't a really bad record.


Accidents dont usually " happen " they are usually caused.

[pinkshoes]

She has had 4 crashes in the last 6 years, so safety is the prime consideration.


Safety for her or safety for other road users??

I was crashed into by a VW Polo, which meant 5 months of physio thanks to bad whiplash. I was very grateful that the dozy driver hadn't been driving a bigger car, which could have left me with much worse injuries!!!

I'd say she'd definitely benefit from an advanced driving course if she's caused 2 crashes, and perhaps get her a small but safe car, so that it causes minimum injuries to other drivers should she hit them!!

[moneysaver]

She has had 4 crashes in the last 6 years, so safety is the prime consideration.

What about a tank?:rolleyes:



Moneysaver

[GDB2222]

Safety for her or safety for other road users??

I was crashed into by a VW Polo, which meant 5 months of physio thanks to bad whiplash. I was very grateful that the dozy driver hadn't been driving a bigger car, which could have left me with much worse injuries!!!

I'd say she'd definitely benefit from an advanced driving course if she's caused 2 crashes, and perhaps get her a small but safe car, so that it causes minimum injuries to other drivers should she hit them!!

To be fair to my wife, she was not responsible for your injuries. I'm pleased you are better.

I will encourage her to try IAM.

Any other suggestions for cars, not armoured military vehicles, please?

[goldspanners]

What about a tank?:rolleyes:



Moneysaver

i wouldnt like her next accident to be into me driving this. :eek:

[goldspanners]

To be fair to my wife, she was not responsible for your injuries. I'm pleased you are better.

I will encourage her to try IAM.

Any other suggestions for cars, not armoured military vehicles, please?

if you have to buy the car then i would be forcing her to take an advanced course.
or as someone else pointed out a motorbike course would make her much more aware of other road users.

i would buy her a smaller car,something like a fiesta or similar.this will be easier to judge rather than a saab.

[sarahg1969]

A Volvo?

Or pay a chauffeur? Could be cheaper (and safer) in the long run.

[AdrianHi]

Try a Mazda 6, go for petrol and not diesel at this age. The diesels don't make financial sense, too expensive to buy, don't save much on fuel costs and these earlier (pre-facelift) diesels weren't that realiable and the 72000 mile / 6 year (approx.) servicing costs a staggering £750 (petrol around £250).
5 year old car is yours for around £3500-£4000
4* crash safety.

[lincroft1710]

Skoda Octavia, 5 seats, auto option, choice of several petrol/diesel engines, reasonably priced, on same floorpan as Golf, probably cheaper to insure than Saab.

[hewhoisnotintheknow]

everyone should be made to ride a moped for 1 year before getting a full licence, great to teach people to consider others and also great for natural selection

[Ukuser]

Buy her a Lexus LS430

You can pick up a 2001 model for less than 5K and it will have every concievable option as standard
Leather
Sat Nav
Heated Seats
Fridge
Parking Sensors - makes the car a doddle to drive

Bullet proof reliability and silky smooth silent performance

You drive one i will guarantee you will want it!!

have a look on lexus owners club uk for more info

[hewhoisnotintheknow]

dont put people who have 4 crashes in 30k in a huge great thing!

[tomstickland]

She has had 4 crashes in the last 6 years, so safety is the prime consideration.
I'm sorry to appear judgemental, and sometimes the laws of probability can work against people. However, there is a state of mind that assumes that accidents are just fate, and could not be avoided. I'd argue that better observation and planning might well lead to a better ability to avoid being on the receiving end of other people's mistakes. I've avoided several accidents via a "6th sense" which is actually just observing and running a load of "what ifs" through my mind.

So yes, go and do a course.

[Lemoncurd]

An alternative to the IAM is the Rospa advanced driving scheme, I know someone who has done both and trained to become a driving instructor, he thought the Rospa scheme was much better. I went to IAM meetings for a year or so but never actually managed to get on the course as they didn't have enough people to supervise. Not sure if it has changed since then but I was only 20 at the time and everyone else there was over 50 so it was a bit of a strange experience!

[GDB2222]

I'm very torn. The Lexus sounds great, but road tax and insurance are going to be a lot. We do maybe 5k miles a year, and paying standing charges of say £1500 is quite a bit.

I am vaguely thinking about a Mercedes A150.

[Ukuser]

hi

road tax is £210 for a year

Insurance is £500 fully comp for me ( age 30, 1 years NCB)

Not too sure about mercedes - personally i think they are not as good as they used to be

why not have alook on the lexus owners club

[anewman]

Buy her one of these and show her this video posted by someone else on here recently. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=M3FdnWU5ecg She won't want to crash in one of those :D

How about getting the roadcraft book?

[hewhoisnotintheknow]

buy her a moped

[Locoblade]

buy her a moped

How many times are you going to say basically the same (unhelpful) thing in one thread? :rolleyes:

Personally I'd look at something like an early Mk2 Ford Focus or 2/3 year old Mondeo. Big old cars like the Lexus are nice, but they're going to cost a lot more to insure, run and keep maintained than a run of the mill family hatch, and if something big goes wrong then you're looking at really big bills.

A few examples of what you could get for £5k:
with a bit of haggling
http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/FORD+FOCUS/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-20-63-112-143-240-4294967193-4294967194/advert.action?R=200844321996070&distance=195&postcode=gu35+0rn&channel=CARS&make=FORD&model=FOCUS&min_pr=&max_pr=6000&max_mileage=
This would still be under Ford warranty for about a year!
http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/FORD+MONDEO/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-19-63-112-143-240-4294967084-4294967194/advert.action?R=200844322271654&distance=39&postcode=gu35+0rn&channel=CARS&make=FORD&model=MONDEO&min_pr=&max_pr=5000&max_mileage=

[GDB2222]

I think road tax will be okay for lexus cars registered pre-2001, but for later cars the road tax is going to be a major expense.

[Locoblade]

Yup, but pre 2001 is getting on for 8 years old, and at the end of the day its an ageing £30-40k car which is never going to be as cheap to maintain as a more modern mainstream car with less miles etc, especially if you need to pay a garage to do the work.

[GDB2222]

That saxo film is shocking.

[GDB2222]

hi

road tax is £210 for a year

Insurance is £500 fully comp for me ( age 30, 1 years NCB)

Not too sure about mercedes - personally i think they are not as good as they used to be

why not have alook on the lexus owners club

Road tax on the Lexus is going to be £430 next year, £455 in 2010.

[AdrianHi]

Road tax on the Lexus is going to be £430 next year, £455 in 2010.
Oh no it isn't!!! A bit of a U-turn on this one:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/3429019/Labour-U-turn-on-car-tax-rises.html

[GDB2222]

Oh no it isn't!!! A bit of a U-turn on this one:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/3429019/Labour-U-turn-on-car-tax-rises.html

Thanks for that. It's d*mn hard to keep up to date on this stuff!

[lauren_1]

An agila? or failing that make her use a taxi.

2 accidents in 6 years is not a good record despite what you say.

[MrsE]

Buy her one of these and show her this video posted by someone else on here recently. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=M3FdnWU5ecg She won't want to crash in one of those :D

How about getting the roadcraft book?

This is mine

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=itHjjWJegpM

& comments are saying how good it is:eek:

What speed are those impacts?

[jeannieblue]

hi

road tax is £210 for a year

Insurance is £500 fully comp for me ( age 30, 1 years NCB)

Not too sure about mercedes - personally i think they are not as good as they used to be

why not have alook on the lexus owners club
You are a bit Lexus biased.... they are great cars, but can be large and a bit cumbersome for some who may lack a bit in judgement. They are great cars, but they also can cost a bit if something goes wrong, not often admittedly, but when they do, it can hurt. And you can't deny that! (Unless you get all your spares in the US).

[jeannieblue]

Get a car that has good all round visibility. Focus/Fabia size?

Most modern cars are quite safe. I wouldn't get anything huge that would scare her.

I am terrified most days going to work by women (and I am a woman so not being sexist) that are driving huge 4x4's and people carriers that they really struggle to drive and park. They tend to use them like battering rams - and as they are doing the school run, I find it quite scary - for me, them and the poor children. Some don't help matters by using their mobiles at the same time....... :eek:

[jeannieblue]

This is mine

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=itHjjWJegpM

& comments are saying how good it is:eek:

What speed are those impacts?
Blimey MrsE..........

You should sue your hairdresser! I'll google for a wig specialist for you :D

Seriously, can I add something...

Why do they do these tests showing head on crashes, when majority of accidents are not commonly straight head ons??

[LandyAndy]

Here's mine (or, more accurately, Mrs LA's).

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ycyEc1Na8so

Well its the JNCAP and its an offset crash especially for Jeannie.

[jeannieblue]

Here's mine (or, more accurately, Mrs LA's).

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ycyEc1Na8so

Well its the JNCAP and its an offset crash especially for Jeannie.

Thank you!

Very impressive.

I am sorry to see that Mrs LA has the same scalp problem as MrsE. I'm just off to google some wig specialists for you both. ;)

[Ukuser]

You are a bit Lexus biased.... they are great cars, but can be large and a bit cumbersome for some who may lack a bit in judgement. They are great cars, but they also can cost a bit if something goes wrong, not often admittedly, but when they do, it can hurt. And you can't deny that! (Unless you get all your spares in the US).

h
mines 12 years old and in 18 months havent had any problems yet (touch wood) apart from servicing

[anewman]

Mine's the second car in this http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4Utu4sA2qmI but that's from the day when they didn't do NCAP tests, and they just crashed it head on into a concrete wall - so it would probably be much worse off in an offset collision like the NCAP tests.

[Locoblade]

h
mines 12 years old and in 18 months havent had any problems yet (touch wood) apart from servicing

A sample of one over 18 months hardly gives an accurate impression though, I think you'd have to admit. :)

Not knocking the Lexus though as I think they're a good car by and large, but as the OP didn't say he was looking for an old luxo barge to waft around in, I agree with jeannie that for £5k, there are far more suitable cars out there than an old 430 that has the potential to almost write the car off if the wrong part fails.

[jeannieblue]

A sample of one over 18 months hardly gives an accurate impression though, I think you'd have to admit. :)

Not knocking the Lexus though as I think they're a good car by and large, but as the OP didn't say he was looking for an old luxo barge to waft around in, I agree with jeannie that for £5k, there are far more suitable cars out there than an old 430 that has the potential to almost write the car off if the wrong part fails.

I work for an independent Toyota & Lexus specialists. We get all ages in from new to 20+ years old! Granted I like the luxurity of the older Lexus - but I would definitely not recommend them, unless you are financially able to support it! If they go wrong and they do... it can really hurt big time.

We have some customers who travel to the States on business and bring parts back with them, as they are cheaper. Having said that, some parts will not suit UK vehicles. - usually the really expensive parts.... :o as in the law of sod.

[edde]

If safety is paramount and running costs reasonable imo look for 5 star ncap car which are small ie renault megan the new clioo etc sized cars

[GDB2222]

If safety is paramount and running costs reasonable imo look for 5 star ncap car which are small ie renault megan the new clioo etc sized cars

My understanding is that Euro NCAP rates cars according to their class. So, a 5 star small car wouldn't stand up as well in a collision as say a 3 star large car.