This silver saver wants to downsize to small car.

seven-day-weekend

We have always had large cars since I passed my driving test in 1991 (a late starter) and at the moment have a Seat Alhambra (same as a VW Sharan or Ford Galaxy). It is Spanish registered so the road tax is only 79 euros a year but I believe it would be about £200 a year were it in the UK.

We will have to change it in the next couple of years but will probably just have the smaller Seat MPV, the Altea, or maybe a Skoda Octavia estate (certainly something with a ton of room within the VW group). It's not that we need an MPV for the number of seats, but we really like the space in it to carry things when the seats are out. We'll have to put up with paying more road tax.

I don't think I would feel safe driving a small car after years of driving large ones. I like being high up as well.

Each to their own, and I hope the OP manages to find a car they like.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEAT_Alhambra

Errata

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

We have always had large cars since I passed my driving test in 1991 (a late starter) and at the moment have a Seat Alhambra (same as a VW Sharan or Ford Galaxy). It is Spanish registered so the road tax is only 79 euros a year but I believe it would be about £200 a year were it in the UK.

We will have to change it in the next couple of years but will probably just have the smaller Seat MPV, the Altea, or maybe a Skoda Octavia estate (certainly something with a ton of room within the VW group). It's not that we need an MPV for the number of seats, but we really like the space in it to carry things when the seats are out. We'll have to put up with paying more road tax.

I don't think I would feel safe driving a small car after years of driving large ones. I like being high up as well.

Each to their own, and I hope the OP manages to find a car they like.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEAT_Alhambra

I drove Land Rovers for years and although they were beggars to drive and drank diesel like it was a Friday night down the pub, I was happy to downsize to a smaller saloon and now an even smaller saloon. Horses for courses I guess. Depends on whether a load carrying vehicle is needed, or a convenient one for popping around in.

getmore4less

Errata wrote: »

A four door car is useful if you regularly have to have passengers in the back. If carrying more than one passenger happens only occasionallly, the doors on a two door are much longer making it easier for the driver and any front seat passenger to get in and out.
I guess choosing between 2 and 4 doors depends on whose benefit a car is bought for: the person buying it, or the occasional backseat passenger.

There are down sides to longer doors.

They are harder to close and open often needing a bigger stretch than a short door.

You need wider parking spaces
Might need a wider garage.

Savvy_Sue

Yup, it's very much a case of 'you pays your money and you takes your choice' in this area, isn't it! :rotfl:

no1catman

I'm in a slightly similar position, I have a Rover 220 SD 2.0 ltr T reg., which costs £200 p.a. in road fund tax. It's still fun to drive - with the turbo, I feel safe occaisionally doing '80' on the motorway (M4), though it's usually more like 65 - 75 mph.
Though as a diesel it wears tyres out - its reliable to start, and fuel consumption is very good.

I'm schizophrenic about it - whether to go for a Citroen C3 1.4 Hdi or something like a Peugeot 307 2.0 Hdi. The C3 gives me the economy I want (tax & fuel), the 307 more style, comfort & performance but not much of a difference in tax/fuel - would a 307 1.6 Hdi be better?

Any other thoughts recommendations please.

missile

no1catman wrote: »

Any other thoughts recommendations please.

If you are a sensible driver, correct tyre pressure and the steering geometry is correctly adjusted? I would suggest tyres should last circa 25,000 miles.
FYI see here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/516663

Your cheapest option is to keep your Rover until it breaks down.

Most diesels are more expensive than petrol equivalent. For example the list price for Citroen C3 1.4i 9 is from £11890 and Citroen C3 1.4HDi is from £12990.

Many silver savers do far less than average mileage. You might like to estimate how long before you break even by virtue of better fuel ecconomy given your own circumstances:A.

ennyjames

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

The Toyota Yaris comes in an automatic version, don't know about a two door version. We get on well with ours.

However, before you commit to two doors, please think a bit about the practicalities. If you EVER take a fellow Silver Saver in the back, life can get interesting. I'm by no means immobile, but I am quite tall: my friend has a little two door car and getting me in and out of the back is fairly entertaining!

If you don't ever take passengers or much luggage, a friend had to get an automatic after a badly broken arm: I'm not sure what it is but it's small, and the roof can be folded down into the boot in fine weather! :rotfl:

The yaris is a good vehicle. Thankgod that it replaced the Toyota Echo. Toyota is a reliable company. I'm not trying to diss but don't buy american made cars because they're not simply as good as imports.

Mayflower10cat

I've got a Peugeot 107 which I've had for two years from new - I love it. Four/five door petrol model. £20 a year road tax. I get at least 45 miles to the gallon, sometimes more. Visibility is good, no blind spots, easy to park. For a little car it feels 'big' and the seats are comfortable. I must confess when I chose it, I hadn't realised the Aygo/107/C1 are the same car. Top Gear did a comparison of the three, they liked them all but as the C1 is the cheapest, that's the one they recommended. Husband has a Honda Civic diesel (does it count as a small car?) ex-demonstrator model, four months old when he bought it. He thought it was going to be sensible and boring, a real practical workhorse - not so. The 2.2L turbo diesel is superfast! He got a great deal on it too, without haggling, including 5 years free servicing. He really does love his Honda!

Jorell00

Another vote for Toyota Yaris. My dad has an automatic and it's a cracking little car. I'm 6 foot 2 and the yaris gives me more legroom in the front than my focus.

fitzroy

I'm the OP on this thread and have been looking at the various recommendations - thank you.

Recommendations for Toyota - I do worry that there have been some recalls of other models.

Mayflower10cat wrote: »

I've got a Peugeot 107 which I've had for two years from new - I love it. Four/five door petrol model. £20 a year road tax. I get at least 45 miles to the gallon, sometimes more.

Since changing from gallons to litres I've never managed to work out how to calculate how many miles I get to the litre/gallon! For e.g I recently did a round trip of 340 miles having filled my car from (almost) empty at £47.00.