Which car for £5-6k

Megalomaniac

MX5huggy wrote: »

Sorry forgot the link hhttp://www.bmw.co.uk/bmwuk/auc/car_details/0,,1260_159980106__,00.html?currentCh=WBABM320X0EE92146

I found it - it's under 'other matches' :beer: Automatic and 400 miles away... *shudder*. I'll certainly keep an eye out to see if any bargains crop up there though.

AdrianHi

Megalomaniac wrote: »

Cheapest I can find is £7.3k... bit more than we can really afford.

How about buying privately and buying a warranty for 12 months for £300 instead? Is that a good idea or would the warranty company expect me to use specific (non-BMW specialist) garages?

Warranty Direct generally thought best, they will want the policy running for 3 months before they pay out unless it's going on just as another warranty expires. They actually charge extra if you want to use main dealers due to higher labour rates. Routine dealer servicing not unreasonable so long as you avoid London.

Megalomaniac

Yeah the car won't be anywhere near London so will avoid the added expense. It's something to think about I guess, I do like the £300 for piece of mind though and any niggling problems that crop up in that first year will be covered. Probably would pay the extra to use the main dealers through the warranty, and equally for the servicing as and when necessary. Maybe, when I buy the car, I would put it in for a service and then wouldn't need the warranty. Lots to think about!

AdrianHi

You could do services before their time, but servicing is condition based on a BMW, lights on the dash board indicate approximate time to next service, so people tend to stick with the schedule. Not a substitute for a warranty anyway.
I've paid £350 with £100 excess on mine, but I have a diesel and I have less confidence in diesels in general, petrol not as much of a risk. Also BMW 320d diesels of the 2002-2004 had turbo reliability issues.

£300 seems a good quote, wait a week for them to come back with a better offer when it comes to it.

edde

Personaly I wouldn't bother with many of the premium makes for that sort of money you'd get more cr fr your money with more mainstream ie ford renault etc than BMW/audi

what about the Megan most have the £35 road tax same goes for a clio

Have a look at what were historically small cars ie clio corsa fiesta cars have got bigger and people forget it no need getting a big car for the twice a month your mates etc sit in and on holiday its more than likly only you two anyway so back seats can have stuff on them

edde

As for your selection the civic has a price associated and not a quality which deserves the extra money there not all that reliable

The leon is a nice car its VAG car so parts are common. Needs IMO a diesl or the turbo engine though as its not that light so can be expensive to run

Kia is a good choice try one but limited at the price your looking at as they are holding there value due to there warently and its a good car the pro ceed is the sportier 3 door version but that £9k really but it does have the full warently for 7 and 100k from when you buy it if its a kia sold car under 18 months and 15k from memory so if you keep it its going to be very cheap to run

AdrianHi

edde wrote: »

Personaly I wouldn't bother with many of the premium makes for that sort of money you'd get more cr fr your money with more mainstream ie ford renault etc than BMW/audi

what about the Megan most have the £35 road tax same goes for a clio

Have a look at what were historically small cars ie clio corsa fiesta cars have got bigger and people forget it no need getting a big car for the twice a month your mates etc sit in and on holiday its more than likly only you two anyway so back seats can have stuff on them

I think it depends on what you want from your car. If it is just a tool to do a job to you, then buy Skoda/Ford/Nissan whatever because for that role they are better value.
If you want better refinement and the more interesting driving characteristics that come with a well balanced RWD car like a BMW 3 series and your willing to pay a bit more to get it, there really is no comparison with Ford/Renault.

edde

Each to there own but the BMW /RWD being the better car arguments just don't hold true for me I don't rate RWD being the sign of a true drivers or enthusiasts and owning a BMW the same

Ford/Nissan/Skoda/Renault all do better cars than BMW do a sports cars for the real people of the world the cars below are all better drivers cars than there BMW equivalents IMO

Ford Focus RS/ST
Nissan 350Z and arguable the Micra
Skoda VRS
Renault 197/r26/megan 225/twingo rs

All of the above would be called enthusiast drivers cars and all bar one is FWD

If you want refinement and the premium badge then Audi /Merc

DCodd

When people say that BMW are the drivers choice they usually mean the full 3 series. The 3 series compact is a bit of a disapointment and will not compare favourably with the Focus, Megane or Astra etc even though these are FWD. RWD cars turn in quicker and generally feel lighter and more agile at the front, however they are more prone to oversteer than a FWD car is prone to understeer.

RWD cars are more fun if you have the power and the skills to exploit the more balanced setup. But in real world everyday driving for the vast majority of us there is very little difference in enjoyment of driving a RWD as opposed to FWD.