Help needed urgently!

johnc86

Right, my mum needs a new car sharpish and we ain't got a clue about the car market. Need some advice. Also need advice about rip off main dealers :mad:

She has a lovely 2.0 Passat on a Y plate owned since new. I am unsure of the specific trim level but it has leather seats and CD changer and digi air con etc. It was a company car which she got the opportunity to buy after a couple of years.

Problem is that a while back it started to loose power and a light came on the dash. It would not totally loose power but allow you to pull over, this I assume is a safety feature. It has been back and forth to VW since with various problems due to computers or sensors....Im not exactly sure. All I know is that the car appears to be fine but every time they get it back from VW its costing hundreds of pounds just for them to hook it up to a computer. The most recent problem was last week when the 'engine light' came on. Apparently this was because they had not reconnected a pipe properly! This time the 'computer' also says an exhaust sensor is telling them my mum needs to spend between £600 and £1000 pounds. Good eh?

Anyway, my mum no longer 'trusts' the cars reliability so she is looking for a new car. She knows sod all about buying cars so I have said Il look into for her. VW dealership offered £1000 trade in for the passat, not a great price but but to be fair not a long way off the book price either.

We would rather keep it than sell it for that, It is too young to qualify for the scrappage deals.

So. She is now looking for a newish car for around £7000ish. Iv been given the task of finding one.

She likes Vw polo's (which is the one Id go for), and the new fiesta.

I don't know where to start. I understand that brand new cars loose value really quickly so where looking for something newish like I say with some warranty left on. I watch used car roadshow but I have forgotten all it has taught me :rolleyes:.

What should we be looking at? Age wise, and where to look???

Ex fleet cars? Auctions? Private sales? I really don't know.

Help!

oxster

Sadly this is the tale of many modern garages they never look beyond what the computer is telling them. 'oh the lamda sensor is given an incorrect output we better replace it' so its changed out, 'oh the faults still there' that's because the engine was misfiring at higher revs, 'but the computer never told us to check the plugs. They simple change out parts at your cost till is fixed.

If I were you I would take it to a diesel specialist (check your yellow pages) and let them have a look at it. Passats are well made and you should be able to have faith in them

johnc86

oxster wrote: »

Sadly this is the tale of many modern garages they never look beyond what the computer is telling them. 'oh the lamda sensor is given an incorrect output we better replace it' so its changed out, 'oh the faults still there' that's because the engine was misfiring at higher revs, 'but the computer never told us to check the plugs. They simple change out parts at your cost till is fixed.

If I were you I would take it to a diesel specialist (check your yellow pages) and let them have a look at it. Passats are well made and you should be able to have faith in them

It aint a diesel matey. 2.0 petrol.

I think my dad is gonna ask for all the print outs and details and consult an independent specialist. In the mean time though we just need some advice on getting a new one. Like i say she likes polo's but if there if there are models by other manufactures which are well known to be excellent second hand buys then any advice is much appreciated. Perhaps a well spec'd Astra would be a better bet. I know Vw's hold there value better...that could work in our favour though in a years time if they still have the gov scrappage trade in incentive deal going on and they decide to trade in the passat for a brand new car, if the car they get now wont depreciate to much that could work out better in the long run.

Its a nightmare!!!

mrtobs

Seems a shame to lose a car that she really likes - would it be worth taking it to another garage or dealership? I've found that dealerships do vary tremendously - the one she's used doesn't sound great, to say the least! Could anyone she knows recommend a garage?
If she does decide to change though, we had a Polo for a number of years and it was great - basic but solid and very reliable. Similar size-wise; Suzuki Swift's seem to have a reasonable write up and look good, the Micra's a good little car (though not the most exciting to drive) & heard good things about the Skoda Fabia (wouldn't get a new one for 7K, would be second hand). These would feel very different to drive though as the Passat is a much bigger car. I would narrow it down to maybe a couple of models and then go out for a test drive (can really help to decide). Personally, I don't know much about cars and would be nervous about buying one privately, especially if I was spending 7K, but I know plenty of people that do. I tend to go for (reputable) dealerships or independents that are recommended to me, you do have to pay more, but then you have scope for some comeback if things go wrong at all. I would avoid that particular VW dealership though!

johnc86

Its defo a second hand one she wants. The step down in size isnt a problem. Cheers for the adivce so far.

Keep it coming!

oxster

"It aint a diesel matey. 2.0 petrol." doh that’s me assuming.

On the same idea though look for an independent diagnostics place
I had a problem with a Vauxhall I used to have, phoned the dealer and the guy told me on the phone without even looking at it that the ECU was knackered according to his computer based solely on my reg! They wanted £350 + vat for the ECU then fitting on top.

Luckily I ignored this and took it to an independent diagnostics place, where they connected it up their computer, read and actually interpreted the data, worked out the ECU was fine and told me to change the coil pack which I think was only about £40. If I’d listened to Vauxhall I would have shelled out a ton of cash and the car would still be faulty!

crittertog

Well, is it worth trying to fix the Passat? That'd be my first choice.

johnc86 wrote: »

So. She is now looking for a newish car for around £7000ish. Iv been given the task of finding one. She likes Vw polo's (which is the one Id go for), and the new fiesta.

How about the Skoda Fabia? You could easily get a late Mk I (2005ish) "Elegance" trim with a few extras in great condition for about £6-7k - it might even have the same body shell. You might also be able to get a near-new (2007-8, <20k miles) Mk II (which doesn't look as nice, IMHO), middle trim, 1.9TDI for about the same, from a Skoda garage with a warranty - have a look on Skoda's web site:

http://www.skoda.net.r66.co.uk/results.aspx

Personally, I found the Mark I Fabia I drove a little nicer than the (new) Fiesta, although that's quite nice too (very light pedals, though).