Motoring New Car Ideas?

[Tom]

What's her annual mileage?

 

[Wij]

What's her annual mileage?

How far is heaven and back twice nightly ?

 

[Scouse]

About 12k Wij.

 

[DaGaffer]

Then get a Golf, or Golf analog (Seat Leon, Skoda Octavia). If you don't want anything interesting, a Golf is the default sweet spot for running costs and resale value.

 

[Scouse]

Really? I thought they weren't that reliable any more?

 

[DaGaffer]

Really? I thought they weren't that reliable any more?

Once you're into the 5K second-hand market, reliability is less a given than availability of parts and mechanics. Golfs are reliable enough, and certainly no less reliable than the equivalent Focus or Astra, but the individual car you buy will be way more affected by how its been looked after by its previous owners than its intrinsic quality.

 

[Tom]

About 12k Wij.

So diesel isn't an option then. As for reliability, I'd go with Japanese. Have a look here, and also at historical results for the era you're hoping to buy from:

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/jd-power-survey-2011/the-best-and-worst/257096

For instance:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3742578.htm

 

[TdC]

hmm siroccos are nice ofc, first decent 2.0tsi on the nl autotrader is > 20k euros

 

[Scouse]

So diesel isn't an option then

Why not? 60mph on the motorway is still 60mpg. I don't get why reducing your fuel bill by 30% isn't plausible - or do diesel cars cost that much more than the petrol equivalent?

Full explanation please

She'll stretch to about £6.5k I reckon.

 

[DaGaffer]

hmm siroccos are nice ofc, first decent 2.0tsi on the nl autotrader is > 20k euros

First thing I looked at. Won't get one for less than about 13K in the UK (yet). On the other hand, I wouldn't get a Scirocco if I was looking to buy that type of car new; the Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ look like most interesting "not-silly money", drivers cars for years.

 

[Tom]

Why not? 60mph on the motorway is still 60mpg. I don't get why reducing your fuel bill by 30% isn't plausible - or do diesel cars cost that much more than the petrol equivalent?

Full explanation please

She'll stretch to about £6.5k I reckon.

At 12,000 miles annually you'd take years to recoup the extra cost involved in buying a diesel.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/advice/buying/archive/Petrol-vs-Diesel-calculator/

 

[soze]

They are boring but there is a deal to be had on a Ford Focus. For 7k you can get a 2009 1.6 Zetec with sub 20k miles.

 

[Wij]

They are boring but there is a deal to be had on a Ford Focus. For 7k you can get a 2009 1.6 Zetec with sub 20k miles.

Ford's last gen petrol engines are slooooooow.

 

[Scouse]

At 12,000 miles annually you'd take years to recoup the extra cost involved in buying a diesel.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/advice/buying/archive/Petrol-vs-Diesel-calculator/

That's a comparison for the new car price. For a 5 year old auto the percentage difference should be much less.

The example with the golf is this:

VW Golf 1.4 TSI SE 5dr vs the 2.0 TDI SE 5dr, difference in purchase price is £970, new, requiring 61000 miles driven to recoup that 970.

For second hand, that should be severely less percentage wise. Maybe a couple of hundred quid, tops?

 

[DaGaffer]

In addition, the diesel will have slower depreciation. I just had a quick look at Parkers and picked a few years to compare the 1.6TSI and the 1.9TDI. The petrol car loses about £300 a year more, which offsets the fuel difference on its own to a great extent (Parkers reckon 10K a year = 300-500 more expensive for diesel depending on where you buy).

 

[old.user4556]

The Golf is awesome, had a mk6 GT TDI for a couple of months and loved it. It's a very safe, comfortable and solid car. Yes, it's maybe a bit soulless but it does the job very well.

 

[Scouse]

In addition, the diesel will have slower depreciation. I just had a quick look at Parkers and picked a few years to compare the 1.6TSI and the 1.9TDI. The petrol car loses about £300 a year more, which offsets the fuel difference on its own to a great extent (Parkers reckon 10K a year = 300-500 more expensive for diesel depending on where you buy).

So. Therefore:

A diesel golf will cost more, depreciate less, have lower running costs.

A petrol golf will cost less, depreciate more, have higher running costs.

But overall, the difference is probably a few hundred quid between the two over a few years?


As an aside - if you bought diesel and kept it for 10 years (the most environmentally responsible thing to do as the vast majority of carbon emissions occur during manufacture) then you'll probably save a fair bit and be better for the environment?

 

[soze]

I have just done an autotrader search for cars with in 20 miles of my work and this came up for 7k which seems like it would be fun.

2004 AUDI TT 3.2 V6 QUATTRO 2DR DSG ONE OWNER FULL HISTORY

• 2004 (04 reg)
• Coupe
• 72,000 miles
• Automatic
• 3.2L
• Petrol

 

[Tom]

That's a comparison for the new car price. For a 5 year old auto the percentage difference should be much less.

The example with the golf is this:

VW Golf 1.4 TSI SE 5dr vs the 2.0 TDI SE 5dr, difference in purchase price is £970, new, requiring 61000 miles driven to recoup that 970.

For second hand, that should be severely less percentage wise. Maybe a couple of hundred quid, tops?

So still two years to recoup the difference on fuel. And if you keep the car for five years, you're saving a few hundred quid at most. Then one of those high-pressure piezo-electric diesel injectors fails and in a day, wipes out your savings. I've had two diesel cars and between them have done about 150,000 miles, but they were the old turbo-diesel variety using injectors that can be fixed with a hammer. Frankly, I wouldn't touch a modern diesel with a barge pole - properly reconditioned piezo electric injectors can start from around £100 each - from Ford, brand new, you're looking at several times that. Each. It's why this time I went with a petrol car and converted it to LPG. Cheaper, cleaner, more environmentally friendly, plus it sees off any traffic-light-grand-prix challengers

Unless you do about 20,000 miles or more annually, it simply is not worth anyone buying a diesel-engined car. Not to mention that modern diesels with particulate filters have to be driven occasionally at high speed on the motorway to avoid oil dilution and engine damage.

If you go the automatic gearbox route, stay away from any with small engines. Auto gearboxes do not suit piddly little engines.

 

[TdC]

First thing I looked at. Won't get one for less than about 13K in the UK (yet). On the other hand, I wouldn't get a Scirocco if I was looking to buy that type of car new; the Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ look like most interesting "not-silly money", drivers cars for years.

the US Subaru site says the basic model will be some 25k Dollaholla, which equates to about 19k euros. Seeing as the second-hand Sirocco I was looking at (09 year, 70k km on the clock was already some 22k euros, and given the way it looks, I wager that the Subaru will be on sale for at least 45k euros. The Toyota NL website says to expect a "from" price on the GT86 to be at 40k euros. So.....meh, I don't do new cars.

 

[Bodhi]

If there is very little cost difference between petrol and diesel, go petrol every time. Much better to drive and less likely to go bang in an expensive way.

I miss my creamy smooth petrol. So much faster and so much nicer Not that the 330d is a bad car in any way shape or form....I just wish I'd bought the 330i and said bollocks to fuel costs.....

 

[Ch3tan]

Good timing from the mash: http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/mx5-drivers-convinced-they-look-cool-201204135122/

 

[Billargh]

Heh I'd quite like an MX-5, mainly cause it's the only roadster I'd be able to afford

 

[old.user4556]

Good timing from the mash: http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/mx5-drivers-convinced-they-look-cool-201204135122/

Hah I saw this on my Facebook feed and was going to post it

 

[Trem]

Well, I did it, I ignored sense and saving money and bought a...........................................










......Mazda 6 MPS.

What a fucking car, not much of a kick when you put your foot down, more of a smooth progression of power. It is the in-gear speed that is most impressive though, overtaking is a breeze. Great car....so far

 

[Punishment]

Excellent choice trem, i would be all over one but tax and fuel costs would kill me, might be going to have a look at this monday to see if i can haggle the dealer down to 11k cash

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volkswagen/Golf/2.0-GTI-/5913342400365150/advert?channel=CARS

 

[Tom]

Nice looking car Trem, well done. With 4WD though I'd recommend paying particular attention to tyre wear patterns and getting the geometry checked if necessary, else you'll be spending a lot on tyres

 

[Trem]

Cheers lads.

It has just had 4 new Pirelli's on it Tombacon, but yes I need to keep an eye on it.

 

[adams901]

good choice, now all you need is a cheap hypertech unit to give it a little extra.... see you on the mpsowners forum

 

[Trem]

good choice, now all you need is a cheap hypertech unit to give it a little extra.... see you on the mpsowners forum

Was that you Adambacon? Were you the one who asked if I was on FH over on the MPS forum?

I fear remapping since it b0rked my Volvo, well maybe it wasn't the remap but it scares me now