GF Car Buying Advice Required

[Paul]

Mrs Paul's car was written off this week after a crash last weekend and we need a new car. Can you good GF petrol heads please hook us up with some advice re: what to do? Here are the criteria:

 

1. Something cheap to run - a supermini is the word these days, I believe. One with low or zero road tax.

2. Something we can run into the ground over five to ten years, so new or nearly new, I guess.

3. Five doors

4. We're not at all brand focused so the least cool marques would be fine if they fit the other criteria.

5. Air con, DAB and Bluetooth would be good.

6. We've got a decent deposit to put down and would prefer low monthly payments

 

Hook a brother up, yo!

[Section_31]

Honda Civic or Jazz mate, Honda do approved used cars with warrenty etc thrown in. The smaller Nissans are supposed to be pretty smart too, I've always gone Japanese ever since my local garage said they were putting him out of business and it was only Renault keeping him affloat.

[stringvest]

To back up what Section said, Honda are fantastically reliable and well engineered cars.  Small Skodas are excellent as well, and their servicing is top notch.  I'm not well up on the latest small cars these days, but if I was in the market for one, those - and the Fiesta - are the cars I'd be looking at.  

[Chairman Meow]

German or Japanese. German includes Seat and Skoda these days, ignore the badge. 

 

Personally wouldn't touch a new Ford with a bargepole. Horrible, badly built, unreliable and not even cheap these days. 

 

That said I'm the worst possible person to ask, as to be honest, most of them aren't that well built these days. Even the German and Japanese stuff isn't to the same quality that it was 10 to 15 years ago. 

[morgan]

Have a look at reputable discounters like Drive The Deal, and consider taking an ex-demo car. I got about 40% off the list price of my 3-series by taking a dealer's 9-month old car, and Drive The Deal typically offer 30% off the list price for selected new cars. At the moment they've got a special offer on Seat Ibizas, which might suit you. You're in a relatively strong position if you want a good car at a good price and aren't too fussy about specific make/model. I agree with the above though - VAG, German and Japanese are the only cars worth looking at. Don't get tempted by French - you'll regret it in the long run.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Take a look at the VW Up. A friend of mine got one last year for his wife. Almost 70mpg, no road tax, German.

[General Dryness]

Mazda 2. Or a 3 if you want something a little bit bigger.

 

Not sure what those are like, but they're popular here. Plus my last car was a 6 and I was impressed at how low maintenance it was.

[Trumo]

I'd say that the German cars are more expensive to buy and service but are generally better on fuel economy and road tax. With Japanese cars, it tends to be the other way around. There's probably not a great deal in it in truth though. I don't think Fords are anywhere near as bad as Chevettehs is suggesting, and I certainly prefer them to Vauxhalls even if, again, there's probably not a great deal of difference in reality. I would definitely avoid French and Italian cars though.

[magicrat]

Mazda 2. Or a 3 if you want something a little bit bigger.

 

Not sure what those are like, but they're popular here. Plus my last car was a 6 and I was impressed at how low maintenance it was.

Definitely

 

Underated and generally cheaper than Hondas or Nissans. Know a few people that run them and build quality and reliability spot on  

[Chairman Meow]

I'd say that the German cars are more expensive to buy and service but are generally better on fuel economy and road tax. With Japanese cars, it tends to be the other way around. There's probably not a great deal in it in truth though. I don't think Fords are anywhere near as bad as Chevettehs is suggesting, and I certainly prefer them to Vauxhalls even if, again, there's probably not a great deal of difference in reality. I would definitely avoid French and Italian cars though.

 

It's a trade thing. To be honest there isn't a make or model out there I couldn't rip to shit. Trouble is all I see when I look at a car is a list of the all the common problems,

 

Perception seems to be that everything is better built but it's definitely dropping off. There is a reason why I run a 15 year old A6 instead of a new one and it's not solely the fact it would break my heart paying for it as I can get a new VAG car with a discount most people can only dream off. 

 

Based on the taxis we used to look after a Mondeo costs around 3 times what an Octavia or Passat will in repair bills. Based on looking after around 600 taxis in total. 

 

That said the newer 2.0TDi engines in the VAG cars aren't going to prove popular in the second hand market in a few years, getting nowhere near the longevity of the old 1.9TDi. The 1.6CR diesels haven't been too bad so far apart from some emissions issues but there are ways to get around that quite easily. 

[The Golden Eel]

Yeah I've got a Jazz, sounds exactly like what you're looking for

[TheHowieLama]

Buy a 10 year old Toyota Avalon - huge interior cabin, huge trunk - will run forever. Better build than any new car available.

[VladimirIlyich]

People talking about VAGs and Jizz sounds about right for the GF.

[Lario]

Get a Prius dude.

[Nunavut Patrick]

I have to go car shopping next week. Dreading it.

 

Thinking of Mitsibushi Lancer or Nissan Sentra/Altima. I was thinking SUV but I have budgeted 10K CDN$ and I find more shite breaks on SUVs and is more expensive to fix.

 

I am actually dreading it so much I am thinking of fucking it off and coming over to England to see my sister for two weeks.

 

Car salespeople are right up there with estate agents, people with Ebola and Belgians.

[mars]

Skoda Fabia and Mazda 2 - both being replaced by new models so you might be able to get a good deal.

Skoda Citigo is the same as the Up but I think it's cheaper.

Hyundai i20 - new model just out - looks decent and reviews good but might be too expensive.

 

Fiat Panda - has a bit of soul. 

Suzuki Swift - great handling but boot small.

[Bellflower]

DAB is a waste of time in a car.

Avoid diesel as new punitive tax rates coming their way.

Try KIA, 7 year warranty, all you need ..............

[Phoenix]

Kia with their seven year warranty. That has to be where it is at.

 

The days when you could generalize German cars as being reliable and efficient are long gone.

[Liverpool lad]

Basically Paul, the GF have given about options and lots of conflicting advice

[Trumo]

I have to go car shopping next week. Dreading it.

 

Thinking of Mitsibushi Lancer or Nissan Sentra/Altima. I was thinking SUV but I have budgeted 10K CDN$ and I find more shite breaks on SUVs and is more expensive to fix.

 

I am actually dreading it so much I am thinking of fucking it off and coming over to England to see my sister for two weeks.

 

Car salespeople are right up there with estate agents, people with Ebola and Belgians.

 

Subaru Outback maybe?

[Nunavut Patrick]

Subaru Outback maybe?

Too pricey mate.

 

But I love Subaru's.

[Kevin D]

[Trumo]

I raise you

 

[Kevin D]

[Vincent Vega]

Take a look at the VW Up. A friend of mine got one last year for his wife. Almost 70mpg, no road tax, German.

My sister has a VW Up, it's ace and also pretty cool. Paul, you could save money by getting a Skoda Citigo or Seat Mii, which are identical to the Up but cheaper due to having less cool badges. They meet the supermini category you said you were looking for.

 

Incidentally, if you want a really good deal on a nearly new car it might be worth a trip to the Motorpoint car supermarket in Widnes, it's only been open a few weeks but they have some real bargains, over 4000 cars on site and access to others from their other branches around the country.

 

http://www.motorpoint.co.uk/contact/Motorpoint/Widnes