Help! Which used cars should I test drive?

Daisycoo

Hello all,

I am trying to come up with a shortlist of cars that would be worth test driving. I have stumbled upon this forum and hope some of you nice people may be able to help.

I currently have a 2002 VW Polo which I have owned since it was 6 months old and it has been great. I'd like to spend about £9,000 (plus PX on the Polo) replacing it with something a bit bigger as I now have two children under 3 (and thus not much time to test drive a whole host of options!!).

I will be buying used, not new and need 4/5 doors. I would like it to be fuel efficient / not too expensive to run and repair. I do about 13,000 miles a year and would probably plan to keep it for about 6 years. I don't really want a 'cheap' badge - I already look like the poor relation compared to most of my staff who seem to drive around in Audis and BMWs but I am too mean to keep up with them! I don't want a MPV or 4x4 but would not consider a rear wheel drive as I live in the country and their inability to cope with snow and ice would irritate me.

I can't decide whether to go for a cheaper newer model with few miles on the clock or an older, more prestigious model with higher mileage.

I am thinking about the following:

VW Golf
Ford Focus
Audi A4
Audi A3
Saab 9-3

What do you think?

Thanks in advance.

Jakg

Why a 9-3, but not a Mondeo?

Do you want a small A3 hatch, or a larger A4 size Saloon?

Daisycoo

I don't want anything too big. I actually throught a Mondeo seemed much bigger than a 9-3? I would probably prefer a hatchback but am not averse to buying a saloon if I liked it - I thought an A4 looked quite similar sized to an A3 but with a bigger boot - I'm probably completely wrong, just working out where to start just now!

emmell

Audi A4 and Saab 9-3 jump up a level from golf sized cars. Honda Civic is a nice car and the same size as the Golf/Focus group also the Seat Leon is worth a look.
Have a browse on Autotrader website to get an idea on the age and mileage of each model,
when you have narrowed it down, then go for test drives.
ML.

the182guy

IMO the A4 is considerably bigger than the 5 door A3. You'll also get alot more for your money with an A3 than the A4 in terms of lower mileage and younger car. Depends how much the Polo is worth for px.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Don't over look BMW 320 Diesels, fast frugal good to drive and if you can find a good indy remarkably economical long term prospects with a couple of jobs that need doing for peace of mind that will cost £200 and make the car pretty bomb proof.

As for RWD and winter time traction, my own RWD Benz sails past stuck FWD cars as i put proper tyres on it, for the few days of winter disruption worries you might be overlooking a highly competent car.
An overlooked benefit of RWD is that they usually have decent turning circles unlike many FWD's that have the truning circle of a container ship.

cardinalbiggles

the182guy wrote: »

IMO the A4 is considerably bigger than the 5 door A3. You'll also get alot more for your money with an A3 than the A4 in terms of lower mileage and younger car. Depends how much the Polo is worth for px.

As long as you wont have any adults in the back cos there aint much room in the back of an A4, both in terms of leggie room and headroom.

I am only 180cm and had to sit with a squint neck in my friends A4 to stop it hitting the roof.

I would suspect that the A3 isnt any smaller than the A4 in terms of actual room in the car, the A4 does have a bigger boot though.

LandyAndy

Daisycoo wrote: »

I don't really want a 'cheap' badge -

I am thinking about the following:

VW Golf
Ford Focus
Audi A4
Audi A3
Saab 9-3

What do you think?

Thanks in advance.

I think badge snobbery rules out VW and Ford.

I think common sense rules out Audi (VW with gold teeth).

I think [STRIKE]Vauxhall[/STRIKE]Saab rules itself out.

No one will be surprised if I say I would have recommended a certain Japanese maker if I'd dared.:o

Kilty_2

Daisycoo wrote: »

I'd like to spend about £9,000 (plus PX on the Polo) replacing it with something a bit bigger as I now have two children under 3 (and thus not much time to test drive a whole host of options!!).

I will be buying used, not new and need 4/5 doors. I would like it to be fuel efficient / not too expensive to run and repair. I do about 13,000 miles a year and would probably plan to keep it for about 6 years. I don't really want a 'cheap' badge -.

:rotfl::rotfl:.

Oh well, someone's got to buy ex-fleet A3s after they've been wrecked by junior managers I guess. Good luck with the repair bills though.

kataddey

We were looking at similar cars last year (golf, A3) but ended up buying a 14mth old Mazda 3 which was much much cheaper but equally spacious (more so than A3) and nice inside. Its basically a focus underneath....

LandyAndy

LandyAndy wrote: »

No one will be surprised if I say I would have recommended a certain Japanese maker if I'd dared.:o

kataddey wrote: »

We were looking at similar cars last year (golf, A3) but ended up buying a 14mth old Mazda 3 which was much much cheaper but equally spacious (more so than A3) and nice inside. Its basically a focus underneath....

Saved me the hassle:beer:.:rotfl: