Convince me not to buy a new car

m4rkw7

m4rkw7

m4rkw7

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Joined
19 Jul 2010
Posts
678
I have had my current car a 2007 Fiat Grande Punto 5dr 1.2 Dynamic for about 11 months, I got it serviced when I purchased it and it hasn't needed anything else doing on it since (covered about 10,000 miles). It's getting MOTed on Saturday so we will see how it does.

I've been looking at buying an Audi A4 but for the price I would get for my current car (£2,000 - £3,000) I'm looking at a 2002 / 2003 with around 120,000 miles if not more. I've been looking at the 1.9 TDI (128 bhp) models.

Insurance next year if I purchased one would be roughly £1,000 more than my Fiat, Tax is more and it may need servicing where as I know my Fiat is alright for now. But why am I not being put off the idea?? :(
 
Don't buy a new car. Running an ancient A4 will cost far more than it's worth.
Insurance of £1000 more than your Fiat is total madness on a car worth less than double that!

Save your money and get something infinitely better at a later date.
What's your annual mileage anyway?
 
I'd normally say just do what you feel like - I had loads of different cars when I was younger, some good, some bad, some totally innapropriate for mynneeds etc and don't regret it at all really.

However, for it to be a £1k increase in insurance I'm guessing you're already paying stupid money to insure the current car? Just seems a complete rip off. Hold out till something actually worth paying more money for becomes a realistic target
 
You want to chop in a reliable 2007 grand punto for a leggy 12 year old diesel A4?

Is this simply a badge thing? The A4 would be dated, clattery, slow and less reliable than what you've got.
 
mjt said:
What's your annual mileage anyway?
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I'm coming up to around 9 - 10,000 this past year (Aug - Aug 14) but it may be less from this year (Aug - Aug 15) as I've got a job closer.


Minstadave said:
You want to chop in a reliable 2007 grand punto for a leggy 12 year old diesel A4?

Is this simply a badge thing? The A4 would be dated, clattery, slow and less reliable than what you've got.
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Yeah .. and I don't really have a good argument for why! A 2002 A4 won't do much for badge snobs. I agree it would be dated I just like the look of the A4s preferably I wanted a 2008 A4 but that's not in the budget.. If there's nothing major on this MOT I guess I can give the Punto another year in service.
 
rodenal said:
I'd normally say just do what you feel like - I had loads of different cars when I was younger, some good, some bad, some totally innapropriate for mynneeds etc and don't regret it at all really.

However, for it to be a £1k increase in insurance I'm guessing you're already paying stupid money to insure the current car? Just seems a complete rip off. Hold out till something actually worth paying more money for becomes a realistic target
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Agreed. If you want a new car you should go for it, although i wouldn't buy the a4. For a 1k jump in insurance i would want something much more fun. I wouldn't bother looking at diesels either. Some one mentioned an e36, that's an idea, or even an mx5?
 
m4rkw7 said:
Yeah .. and I don't really have a good argument for why! A 2002 A4 won't do much for badge snobs. I agree it would be dated I just like the look of the A4s preferably I wanted a 2008 A4 but that's not in the budget.. If there's nothing major on this MOT I guess I can give the Punto another year in service.
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You know that is the right answer. If you were considering buying something exciting to drive then you could maybe justify the extra expenditure but an old A4 TDi is a bland old barge. It's a bit quicker than your Punto, but it's still not a fast car by any stretch of the imagination and they don't handle particularly well. Old high mileage diesels also open the door to a range of expensive faults.
 
m4rkw7 said:
But why am I not being put off the idea?? :(
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Because once you've got an idea that you think is good, it's almost impossible to eradicate, despite offered advice :D

The satisfaction of buying the A4 will quickly be the demise of your desire for it. Get something at least a little interesting.

How old are you?
 
wingman said:
it's almost impossible to eradicate, despite offered advice :D

Get something at least a little interesting.

How old are you?
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I knew in the back of my head it would be a mistake! I just kind of want a change from my Punto but can't help feeling I can't really get anything better for £2-3k?

I'm 20.
 
m4rkw7 said:
I knew in the back of my head it would be a mistake! I just kind of want a change from my Punto but can't help feeling I can't really get anything better for £2-3k?
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You can get better than a 12 year old diesel saloon provided you aren't fixated on having an Audi badge.
 
IMO keep what you have, at least at the moment. It's a known quantity, is cheap to run and is reliable. If you are set on a new car, I wouldn't, under any circumstances, buy a 11-12 year old Audi Diesel. From your mileage you don't do anywhere like enough miles to make a diesel even remotely viable.
 
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