No I am looking at both markets, I would in fact prefer second hand as you get more for your money I think. As an Architect ( well assitant really) I can't say I see the joys of owning a Saab, I also work for a brewery if that counts...
Definitely stick to the second hand market. Also if you know what you're doing, or if you can take along somebody who does, and if you can borrow a garage, then it's well worth your time to buy private instead of from a dealer. Just be careful and do a lot of test driving and manoeuvring (the number of people that have bought cars from me and not done their slow reverse manoeuvring is amazing - luckily i'm an honest guy and actually help people out). I've made a profit on the last 3 cars I bought private after putting an additional 10-20,000 miles and a year of age on each My trick is to choose a few car models I'd be happy with, and then buy whichever comes up at the best price in the best condition. You can get a much better deal if your patient and don't have your heart set on any one thing. Simple but very effective, there aren't many people that are up on the deal when selling there car on. I'm currently driving a nice little '09 Fabia BlueLine (20,000miles), bought for only £4,000 about 6 months ago and I've added 10k to it. I enquired about a nice VRS from a dealer the other day and he offered me £4,600 in part-ex for my car (so easily £5,000 privately)...but love her and there's little else I'd get for the same money, so she's staying until either a VRS or a LEON or a FIESTA Titanium comes along at the right price, no rush, easy money.
Most German cars aren't as reliable as their reputation would make you believe these days - the newer french cars have genuinely come on a long way in the last 10 years. It's all about how you drive it - if you can resist the temptation to boot it everywhere the little turbo hatches do get very reasonable economy, especially if you drive it in a diesel fashion. I manage 35mpg out of an ancient N/A 1.6, which is pretty good, but a mate has the newish Polo GTI - same performance, but 50mpg at the pumps on a motorway run driven with a bit of care. law99: Not sure you read my sentiment correctly. Fuzzy: I've come to that feeling through experience with a range of 2001-2010 VAG and a couple of BMW's that I've ridden in/driven. Their idea of a sporty diesel seems to be putting hugely stiff suspension set up for smashing down the Nurburgring onto a normal road car, combined with HUGE wheels providing far too much grip. In the end you get a car which is pretty uncomfortable for broken British (and German) roads when you just want to potter about, yet have far too much grip from the tyres to feel a chassis come alive when pressing on at sensible speeds on the road. Good for a drag race off roundabouts, but not very rewarding driven swiftly down a nice stretch of twisty. I can cope with a comfy setup, as long as the foundations are solid you can have quite a lot of fun with them. On the other hand a car with huge grip is nice at times, but you have to be going really, really fast to push them and feel that inner character come out, which just isn't practical on a road car. Trying to combine something that works every day with something that works well on your favourite stretch of twisty is a difficult combo, and to my mind they haven't yet got it right. The only car I've come across which gets this Jekyl and Hyde nature working in a livable package that I've experienced is my Dad's new XF Diesel S - it's pretty comfy (especially after an A3 S-line, which was shockingly poor), but doesn't quite waft like a Jag should. That's counteracted by its huge diesel torque has enough to make the chassis come alive (and the rear tyres turn to vapour) very easily, but that's another class of car from the Golf-sized cars I'm talking about, so a different ballgame. Don't take this as a personal attack, but why does everyone get hung up on tax for their car? I can see it on a cheap car (I pay over 10% of my purchase price per year). On a £10k budget you're talking about spending, at most, 6% per year for two cars, when depreciation will rob you of far more than that, and a set of tyres for a big-wheeled Golf will be similar again. I'm still sticking to my guns on the 2-car suggestion. How about this and this. One will ferry you backwards and forwards in excellent economy, tax is cheap etc. The other (especially with some Nankangs on the rear) will give you more smiles per mile than just about anything else. Insurance on something like an MX-5 is cheap, especially on a limited miles policy/classic policy. That said, I wouldn't look at a Leon or anything Golfish for a mile muncher, I'd want a proper saloon. They're that bit more spacious and quieter thanks to the lack of a hatchback. Given my current love of French motors, I'd give serious thought to one of these. Love it. Btw, I think my ideal two-car combo of a comfy daily and a fun blaster would be this and this or this, just so you know where I'm coming from.
I do like the idea of two cars however it may be a near future investment if I did do it I have always wanted to fix up an older car so might be a chance to do that. In other news I have a test drive for skoda fabia tommorow so shall see how it goes.
I'd try the Kia ProCeed too. I have the Kia Ceed 1.6 SW and it's a cracking little engine it has. Along with the 7 year warranty and the built quality (though not exactly Mercedes standards) it's a great little car.
here's my car.. photoshopped the license plate out xD in case someone wants to sneak up on my backside.. 2012 ford focus with the optional 6 speed transmission got some power for a compact- 4 seater with nice amount of trunk space.. kind of like a new mirca but you don't look like a flamer with the claps ^^ here's what nissan offers if you like to hide the boloney sandwich
The Skoda's are made up of much cheaper materials. Compare the interiors from the VW and the Skoda's and the VW's are much better quality. Before the inevitable cry of "mechanically they are the same!"is heard bare in mind the interior is where you spend your time interfacing with the car. VW's are not the most exciting cars to look at or drive but they are ergonomically brilliant and hold their values very well. I'm siding with Krikkit on this one, sporty is great for weekends but for the daily commute you just want something comfortable and economical. I have a new Polo GTi and it does sporty(ish) and economical when driven carefully but you compromise ride quality.
A second hand Fiat Bravo T-Jet. 110kw (150bhp) on tap, and more of a driver's car than any VW. Upsides: Like the fiat 500 (+1 for that as well), this thing LOVES being revved and "punished". It's MASSIVE fun to drive, and punishes mistakes (on the power too early in a corner, for example). At highway speeds (i.e. 150kph+), this IS more stable than any 5-series Golf. It's also softer than a Golf GTI, not to mention that with a 1.4L turbo petrol engine ic CAN be granny-footed to descent gas mileage. It looks a million times better than anything else in the price class. Cons: All-round visibility is a bit sh!t. It's a Fiat - that means expect a bit of Italian-ness, thoguh not too much. Your mates probably have no idea about what it can do. Also worth a look would be an Alfa MiTo, though I have no idea what they cost second hand... Bottom line: a FUN car is one that behaves like fun at city speeds, thus - small turbo engined with some flair. Honorable mentions SHOULD go to the Toyota MR2, the Mazda MX5 and some others - 2 seater rear-drive and good handling...
Would that be a polo that uses the engine from a Fabia...yes it would I'm afraid all the drivers surveys suggest that VW's are now horrendous build quality, the days of them beign great are long since dead, they now just take advantage of their customers.
BMW 3 series, or possibly even 1 series (only the 2 door coupe 1 series looks nice though). I know you've gotta put up with the stigma that goes along with owning a BMW, and servicing is highish, but there's loads of plus points. I've got a 52 plate 320d, and it's a great car, despite it's 100k miles. BMW make the best diesel engines, so if you're set on diesel, they're a good choice. My chipped 320d produces roughly 175bhp, which wipes the floor with the petrol equivalents. Still easily get over 50mpg and that's with mostly town driving and short blasts. High range gearing makes motorway driving a pleasure where you can top 60mpg. It's comfy, well equipped and hugely reliable. I do all of my own servicing which saves me money. The added bonus is rear wheel drive, so if you fancy a little fun just turn the esp off and give it a boot-full. I'd like a change with my next car, but I'm honestly struggling to think of an alternative practical, reliable, and fun car. Going back to driving the likes of Ford, Vauxhall or my parents Rover really isn't a nice experience, as everything rattles, the pedals feel a little horrible, understeer is horrible and they generally feel a little cheap. I'll probably end up getting a coupe 3 series, possibly a big petrol for the fun factor, so a 330ci, or if I need the practicality of diesel, a 330cd. I'd be half tempted by a cabriolet, just for the fun factor in the summer, but not sure I could live with chav factor it brings, although I don't think they look half bad with the hard-top option. Would be the ultimate all-rounder, especially the 330cd cabriolet. I Wouldn't mind a Golf, but only really like the looks of the R32.
You still didn't address the point I made. The interior of a VW is a much nicer place to be than the Scoda's I have been in.
Drove the Seat Leon today absolutely loved it but now in a predicament not a massive fan of current style but the new 2013 model looks great so might see if I can wait n push the clio through it s Mot.
BMW, the 3l diesels (330d, 530d). I started at 170k and recently hit 305k km with mine and all i had to invest was new tires, fuel and the regular inspections. Nothing broke, fell off or stopped to work (and thats after 13 years now). If you "flow" with the traffic it uses 6l/100km (thats 39mpg) and it offers serious amounts of grunt if you're used to a "common" clio
You can buy a fully specced interior which looks great, and you're still spending 1/3 less than on a polo. A good friend of mine got her new polo at the same time I got my blue-line, and she very much prefers my blue-line, the standard extras like AC, MP3, 2 clove boxes, chrome trim, etc you get put it miles ahead of the polo in the same price bracket. Not to mention mine has gone UP in value, so even the argument that Polo's hold value better is dead.
