Buying a new car - advice if possible

celticsprite

Hi Folks,

I posted a while ago about the service I'd received from my fiat dealership. This is not related in anyway - but your advice would still be helpful :beer:

We've got a panda at the moment & the general advice was that the "automated manual" gearbox should be avoided like the plague.

Having thought we'd originally go for a car of a similar size, or even smaller (like a smartcar) we've reconsidered and are looking at the Nissan Cube, Renault Modus & Peugeot Bipper. Anything else within this basic set of parameters would be good. The main dealers we've spoken to are telling us that the car/s are automatics, but I'm thinking they are just the automated manuals that I am now wise enough to avoid;)

Most of them do not have a demo model, so it's difficult to check.

Our rethink has made us decide that we'll need a reasonable amount of bootspace, (and preferably not need a ladder or grappling hook to get into the vehicle). Other things we'd like, if possible, would be a reasonable mpg & space for passenger/s if we need it. (OH drives in a semi prone position, so any seat behind him is virtually unusable).

The reason we're looking for an automatic is that I am disabled and unable to change gears. Also, we've not set a budget yet, so are thinking of going for a new car. This is as we've never bought a second hand car & don't know where to start :eek:

I've looked on honestjohn's and had pretty much a root around but am not sure if it's a mini suv we want or what else it would be called?

I'm hoping you lovely people (who are wise on such things) can advise me - as you have done so well in the past.:j

Thanks for any help/advice you can offer,

cs x

gilbert_and_sullivan

Hah good sense here, avoid idiotic gearboxes like the plague.

I like new Nissan Cube too, but it has a CVT gearbox which is different again, how good a bet long term nobody knows.

Roomy car not too big with some headroom, sounds like a dream but there are one or two about that you don't have to limbo under an almost horizontal screen pillar to clamber aboard that seems to be the new must have.

Kia Carens and Soul (funky like Cube) 7 year warranties to boot if new.

Daihatsu Materia, 99% certain it's a proper torque converter auto but you'll need to double check with dealer, and imports were suspended back end of 09 due to GB plc's ridiculously worthless pound..thanks politicians i dare say you have done alright mind...grrr.

Virtually everything else in this class apart from and don't overlook Zafira (nice to drive with 150hp Diesel and proper auto box but short warranty compared to the Koreans) now has some sort of automated manual box.

emmell

Skoda Roomster? Vauxhall have a new Meriva coming out with doors that open like old cars used to (rear door opens out towards the back). Don't know about the gearboxes though.
ML.

celticsprite

hi,

thanks for the advice so far gilbert and sullivan & ML.

Good to know there are people on this site who know what will be coming out soon.

Our present car is too young for scrappage, so I'm wondering if it'll be best to wait till the scheme ends? The scrappage scheme gives you a good discount if you've got an old car to trade in. Do you think the incentives will be better for those without scrappage in the next month or so, when it dies out?

gilbert_and_sullivan

Crystal ball time, i doubt we'll see cars as cheap as they were 18 months ago ever.

factor in that scrappage took some of the best older cars out of the running whilst real rust buckets are still being driven.
many hundreds of good quality cars being exported to other countries, you only have to pass through some of the export compounds on various docks to see them lined up...good stuff too not garbage, many going to African countries, no fools them fellers they don't buy tat, Eastern Eurpoeans buying cars too and taking them home to sell.
It all adds up to shortages of good quality used being in short supply, therefore higher priced therefore new cars will be bought instead.
tat will still be tat mind you so always will be cheap cos it won't last 5 minutes, that'll still be available.
Thats my own view of course and i'm often wrong, but i think the bargains that could be had 18 months 2 years ago we'll never see repeated.
Ever dwindling pound will only see car prices rise, but people will have to pay them as there's no other choice.

Will you get a better bargain later in the year or next year, to be honest i don't think so, maybe the seasonal lull in November December might see a good time to bite, anyone's guess.
All you can do is be preared to make that purchase when the right deal crops up whenever it happens.

sheslookinhot

Car prices rose to save the manufacturer contributing their 50% to the scrappage allowance, and in some cases to increase margin hidden by the vat discount offered by the government.

When the scrappage deal ends new car buying will dramatically decrease, forcing manufacturers to reduce prices.

celticsprite

hi,

thanks for the replies.

sheslookinhot >>>> this is what I'm hoping will happen. I guess it's like everything else, you need to judge and jump at the opportune moment, too early or too late and you've missed the deal. I'm going to sit tight till the end of the month & take my chances. It will give me more time to do my research, and drive the OH crazy

gilbert and sullivan >>>>I guess that sums up the whole car buying thing. When we bought the panda just under five years ago, it was cheaper to buy new than buy their ex-demo model. Fair enough, we had to wait for her to be built, but she's been a godsend. Problem is, we really need a car and don't want to be without one again.

OK, so what I'll do is sit tight. I went to the Peugeot dealer in town yesterday & to be honest would have ordered the Bipper there and then - but thought I'd check out the "2 tronic" salespitch first.
We know that to get an automatic we'll probably have a wait of 2-3 months, so I'll keep reading the boards and become wiser before I jump :j

thanks for all the help

cs x

Lulu58

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Hah good sense here, avoid idiotic gearboxes like the plague.

Hi

I've been reading this thread with interest! I'm thinking of buying a Fiat 500 under the scrappage scheme and have posted under a separate thread. This thread is talking me out of it - from what you are all saying, prices could well drop once the scrappage scheme has finished and the car buying 'season' drops later in the year. I'm in no particular hurry to sell.

The other thing I've just picked up is Gilbert and Sullivan's comment re gearboxes above. The Fiat 500 offers a 'Dualogic Semi Automatic Transmission' option which we were thinking of getting. My husband likes automatics. I like geared cars.

Can you give me some more info re 'idiotic gearboxes' - it could be that I'm buying myself trouble in the future and should just stick to a manual?

Thanks.

Jay_Tee

Lulu58 wrote: »

Hi

I've been reading this thread with interest! I'm thinking of buying a Fiat 500 under the scrappage scheme and have posted under a separate thread. This thread is talking me out of it - from what you are all saying, prices could well drop once the scrappage scheme has finished and the car buying 'season' drops later in the year. I'm in no particular hurry to sell.

The other thing I've just picked up is Gilbert and Sullivan's comment re gearboxes above. The Fiat 500 offers a 'Dualogic Semi Automatic Transmission' option which we were thinking of getting. My husband likes automatics. I like geared cars.

Can you give me some more info re 'idiotic gearboxes' - it could be that I'm buying myself trouble in the future and should just stick to a manual?

Thanks.

I'm due to get a new car on Monday with one of those "idiotic gearboxes", but hold on my present car has got one as well!

After having a Toyota Yaris with a MMT gearbox for nearly 3 years, I really can't see what the problem is, they aren't as smooth as a torque converter auto, but then the semi-auto is a lot more frugal, and produces less CO2. I've had absolutely no problems with the car at all.

I can see that the semi autos are a bit like Marmite, either you like them or you don't, but I'm quite happy to buy another car with one. Just make sure you have a good test drive and are happy with the car before parting with your money.

cyclonebri1

emmell wrote: »

Skoda Roomster? Vauxhall have a new Meriva coming out with doors that open like old cars used to (rear door opens out towards the back). Don't know about the gearboxes though.
ML.

:eek:They were known as "suicide doors", for good reason :eek: :rotfl:

Todays versions as in the Mazda RX8 have some device to prent the doors opening when the car's in motion tho' :T

celticsprite

hi,

my initial problem with my fiat is described here>>>

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=29145435&posted=1#post29145435

Basically, my dualogic gearbox died and it was NOT my fault. However, the general opinion on them seem to be that they are a bit like Russian roulette & when they go wrong they're not cheap to replace/repair.

My Panda has cost me a small fortune over the past 2 months & I have spent over £1000 :eek: on getting the gearbox replaced with a "new, official" one from Fiat - had to wait for it to be shipped into the UK & then delivered to the dealer to be fitted. Only after paying my money have I found out that I have been sold a pup & the dealer has actually fitted a "reconditioned" gearbox - which I am assuming is the approved Fiat one. This does not even have a 2 yr warranty, (which is what I would have got had I purchsed elsewhere). Fiat are not interested as they have "closed the case."

Obviously these are just my experiences of the service to expect - I'm sure other experiences are available.


cs