Which car to buy ?

property.advert

At some point in the near future I am going to need a car. However, as I am going to be only a weekend driver and the wife is going to be driving when needed through the week, I need something she is comfortable with. We have had pick ups (4 cabs like cars really) and cars in Asia but I think a small car would be better for shopping and ease of parking. We need 4/5 doors as we have a 3 year old.

The trouble is the eternal conundrum of a cheap second hand model, a 2 to 3 years old model to get 1 owner, service history, balance of warranty and some guarantees etc. or new. In Asia you cannot trust second hand unless you know who had the car new so you always buy new. Second hand prices are way too high and depreciation is very low there as well. now back in the UK, prices seem way too high and deals very poor. Cash purchase, no finance.

My head tells me to get a £3-4k Fiesta or Focus but go past the dross and in London, prices start creeping up to £5k. Then you think about just a little bit extra and getting the 2/3 year old model and before you know it you have half convinced yourself that really pushing it and buying a new model, with all the guarantees and stuff is worth it. However, you then see the options list you want and before you know it the £3k car you went out to buy is looking at £13k and you say "sod it" and go back to the beginning :rotfl:

Then you think about diesels. We won't be doing starship mileage but I know her and she can put hundreds of km on in no time ! Drop the kid off at school and I bet she'll be off out and about. But diesels cost more so do we do enough miles ? Then you think ultra frugal as some small Fiestas report shocking around town MPG around 30. Diesels weigh in the 50s but the new ones are really good and 60+ seems on the cards for mixed driving and up to 80 with the new Fiesta economy diesels. Great with fuel going up and at less than 100 on whatever scale it is, there is no road tax. That said, the road tax on the other ones is only £35/60 or something, not like £500.

Also, I have to think about how I buy it. I don't have a car so to go and look means hiring a car to go and look around. Do that a few times and £500 easily goes. Hardly required if buying a new one, just go to the garage and buy one. Effectively discounts the car by £500 and saves countless hours of looking.

But then pricing seems more complex than advanced calculus. Obviously I'd love a bargain but I don't think I can get one to be honest and with only 3 year and 60k warranties here in the UK, it seems easier to buy a lemon than a good one. My mechanical experience with cars is only from 25 years ago and not much even then.

A lot to think about but please chip in with some ideas and comments.

Kilty_2

Got £6k?

Fiat Panda - brand new, £5995 on the road. Can't think of a better "shopping car" and it obviously has the full manufacturer's warranty (albeit 3 years).

property.advert

Kilty wrote: »

Got £6k?

Fiat Panda - brand new, £5995 on the road. Can't think of a better "shopping car" and it obviously has the full manufacturer's warranty (albeit 3 years).

I see it at £7k for the most basic, no features version. Where do you see 6k ?

Just looked at the Fiat website. Very very basic.

vikingaero

Sounds like the usage and mileage doesn't suit a modern diesel with a DPF.

Kilty_2

property.advert wrote: »

I see it at £7k for the most basic, no features version. Where do you see 6k ?

Just looked at the Fiat website. Very very basic.

http://arnoldclark.com/used-cars/fiat/panda/1.1-active-eco-%28facelift-model%29/brand-new-10-plate/ref/blk_m9f1f4lcpdokt52l/

Yes it's basic, what do you expect for £6k brand new with 3 years warranty? :rotfl:

property.advert

Kilty wrote: »

http://arnoldclark.com/used-cars/fiat/panda/1.1-active-eco-%28facelift-model%29/brand-new-10-plate/ref/blk_m9f1f4lcpdokt52l/

Yes it's basic, what do you expect for £6k brand new with 3 years warranty? :rotfl:

Thanks for that. I didn't mean to infer that it was bad because it was basic, just that it is extremely basic :rotfl:

However, I would not have found it without your help so a big thanks.

property.advert

vikingaero wrote: »

Sounds like the usage and mileage doesn't suit a modern diesel with a DPF.

Thanks for that tip. I had no idea what a DPF was and still don't but google is my friend and the first site I'm looking at is filling in the gaps.

As a point of interest, what would you suggest for my circumstances ?

kayl

I had been going to post in a similar vein, so I thought that I'd piggy back on this thread!
I have a Y reg Renault Scenic which has only done 50,000 miles. I haven't had any major problems with it, but am just worried as to future reliability, particularly as the other person driving it is my 18 year old daughter. I obviously don't do major mileage. I don't need this size of car any more, and my only stipulation is 4/5 doors. I am looking for something realiable and cheap to run.
My problem is what, if anything my car is worth. I have a realiable local garage who I trust to find me a decent second hand car, but would then have the problem of getting rid of mine. Would I be better doing this, and accepting that mine isn't worth anything, or would I be better going to the likes of Arnold Clark and getting a guaranteed trade in, but paying more for the new one?
My tax and MOT will be up at the end of August, so ideally I would do this before then.
Any recommendations as to what kind of car I should ge for, as I admit to being clueless about this!

MX5huggy

I have a Y reg Renault Scenic which has only done 50,000 miles. I haven't had any major problems with it, but am just worried as to future reliability, particularly as the other person driving it is my 18 year old daughter.

I really think you should scrap the idea of changing cars, you know the Scenic is reliable, its worth not alot so why change to are newer car that is going to deprecate faster. No car can be guaranteed reliable for you daughter. Its not a huge car, and your not doing huge mileage so you are not going to save a fortune in fuel.

roysterer

Dont get a deisel with a DPF!!!!! nightmare.
Google Deisel Particulate Filter and that will definately put you off.
Dont buy a Vauxhall deisel under any circumstances especially the 1.3cdti.
I wish I hadnt brought a Meriva Deisel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

property.advert

roysterer wrote: »

Dont get a deisel with a DPF!!!!! nightmare.
Google Deisel Particulate Filter and that will definately put you off.
Dont buy a Vauxhall deisel under any circumstances especially the 1.3cdti.
I wish I hadnt brought a Meriva Deisel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have googled DPF and even got this from the AA http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/fuels-and-environment/diesel-particulate-filters.html

I don't think your statement to just avoid then pre se is valid but there does seem to be a problem unless you run the vehicle at some higher revs over some time to generate enough heat to burn off the deposits through heat generated by the exhaust.

What I don't have is information on whether you can tootle around town for a month and then just go give it a blast down the motorway which will clear it all out. If so, then that isn't a problem is it ? Everyone can give it a run out once a month.

What you give up is the supposed 60mpg in town and up to nearly 90 on a run with 76 combined. Move to a small petrol and judging by the reviews, you'll be lucky to get 40 and nearer 30 is more likely. Even knock the diesel down to 50 from over 60 and you could still be paying 50% extra or more on fuel. Not mega mileages for sure but if you can get rid of the DPF problem with a 10 minute run once a month or even more frequently then I think the car makes sense. What you need to know is whether you can overcome this problem.

If the diesel is only 50% more efficient fuel wise, then 100 miles costs £9.75 against £14.62. 200 miles a week is a saving of nearly £10. Throw in the saving from no car tax and even without looking at savings which would come when you do longer trips, you are hundreds of pounds a year better off. This is not make believe, it is fact.

I'm still sceptical don't get me wrong but the savings make an awful lot of sense if a couple of questions can be answered and one or two figures clarified.