Need help choosing a new car

Amraam

Amraam

Amraam

Soldato
Joined
5 Jan 2009
Posts
4,771
EDIT: thread renamed. no longer looking at Audis, but instead concentrating on Skoda Octavia Elegance or vRS.

Hi all,I'm very fussy and trying to squeeze a lot into my budget. I need to be sensible, but at the same time I don't want a tank. Something that's 7-9s to 60, would prefer manual but this DSG lark does sound intriguing. A large boot space, around 400 litres or bigger is essential for hobbies which are large and delicate RC helicopters and planes. I got them into my Astra VXR with the seats down but it was always a struggle - that had a 315 litre boot. I love Vauxhall styling, but I dislike the company from my past experience - customer care isn't bad, it was none existent for me.

I do ~6'000 miles a year, so very few.

Requirements:
- Fun - 0-62 in 9s or less
- comfy, no more VXR suspension please.
- good ish economy, would like a realistic avg of 35mpg
- Cruise control, bluetooth handsfree and a nice stereo are my only real toy needs
- Large boot - 400 litres or more is essential for hobbies
- No plans for kids anytime this decade (I hope haha), but no smaller than average hatchback for the above reason and for trips with friends/family
- Would prefer dealer for warranty


Audi - no car for the money. Drove a 1.6 A3, nice to drive but ridiculously slow. Also drove a 1.4T FSI A3 and it was really nice to drive, but its only 'toy' was as a CD player. Boot was too small.

Mazda - Really like the look of the Mazda 3 and 6, but getting either with any sort of spec in my budget is tought. The 1.6 Takuya was plastic and horrible inside, again with very little to play with. I'd have to have the 2.0 Sport to have any fun in it. The takuya was very cheap and nasty inside.

Ford - Unless I go for an older style, the new Focus is low spec and slow in my budget. I drove a 2.0 Mondeo Sport and it was lovely to drive, and had shed loads of space and toys, but it just wasn't sporty at all. Issues with particular one stopped me buying it, but I haven't entirely ruled out the mondeo.

Thanks again, hope that's cleared things a little. Like I say, I'm being really awkard but it's just because I want to make the right choice and really hate car shopping.




What are peoples' thoughts on the 4-5year old Audi A3s?

Hoping to go look at these tomorrow:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...t/maximum-mileage/up_to_40000_miles?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...used,nearlynew,new/fuel-type/petrol?logcode=p

The specs look good, and they both have low mileage for their age, especially the 1.4. What are they like to run cost wise? Are parts very dear?
 
Last edited:
They are both absolutely terrible spec wise, they don't even have radio buttons on the steering wheel. In fact all they seem to have are wheels, some seats and an Audi badge. Is that really what you want for 10 grand?
 
Nah 1.4 turbo petrol is alright, won't set the world alight but won't struggle either.

Having said that how is a 5-6 year old car still worth £10k? Still worth >50% of original purchase price - that's crazy!
 
Are you sure? I don't remember that. I'm not a mechanic, just a previous owner, so could easily be wrong.

Edit: looks like you're right :)
 
Last edited:
86JR said:
Engines use timing chains so high mileage is no issue.
Click to expand...

What an odd statement. Firstly, timing chains are generally non-serviceable so if anything higher mileage is more concerning since they've had more wear whereas belts get changed every few years so you know they're alright. Secondly belt-driven engines are hardly going pop all the time (in fact less than a lot of VAG engines with chains which were apparently made out of cheese). And thirdly, unless you buy a Renault Clio it's hardly that expensive to change a cam belt - probably about 2% of the purchase cost of a car like these.
 
Do you specifically need an Audi badge on the front OP? If not, check out cheaper brands from the VW group. They can offer you the same gearbox / engines etc for a lower price. (VW , Seat, Skoda etc).

If you do need 4 rings on the front, then have a look further up the Audi range, because £10k is a lot to spend on those A3s, as has been mentioned already.
 
Yeah after seeing them in the flesh, the 1.4T is fun and very nice to drive, but it's very little car for £9500 (what I could get the price down to). Going to look at a couple of Honda Civic 2010/2011 Type S GTs tomorrow instead. 450litres boot space and flat folding seats - ideal for transporting my RC planes and helis etc, and not too shabby at 9s to 60 with 140 bhp.

mccarf said:
Do you specifically need an Audi badge on the front OP? If not, check out cheaper brands from the VW group. They can offer you the same gearbox / engines etc for a lower price. (VW , Seat, Skoda etc).

If you do need 4 rings on the front, then have a look further up the Audi range, because £10k is a lot to spend on those A3s, as has been mentioned already.
Click to expand...

Nope, I'm just (probably naively) thinking that Audi, being premium, will be more reliable.

I'll look into VWs too...
 
Last edited:
Try and get one with Nav and the glass roof (can't remember if that's available on the 3 door actually) as it really lifts the interior.

That one's also had those sensors installed by its owner at some point and it has the pre facelift grill on it - no excuse for black sensors like that and there's something fishy about the whole car imo, suspect it was actually built a couple of years before it was registered.

It also looks very expensive to me - my Type R is only a year older than that yet cost me £7.5k.

The likes of this, whilst still incredibly expensive (imo) is more what you're after with a 1.8 civic. Looks like honda relocated the nav in the later cars too which I wasn't aware of

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201406064806448
 
Last edited:
rodenal said:
Try and get one with Nav and the glass roof (can't remember if that's available on the 3 door actually) as it really lifts the interior.

That one's also had those sensors installed by its owner at some point and it has the pre facelift grill on it - no excuse for black sensors like that and there's something fishy about the whole car imo.

It also looks very expensive to me - my Type R is only a year older than that yet cost me £7.5k.
Click to expand...

Yeah its getting one with sub 25k miles though. Really trying to find one quite new ish as I want it to last. Really can't be arsed with picking up another pup...
 
25k is a bit of a random limit - it won't help guarantee you any sort of better car. Tbh I'd be very wary of a car that's only been driven 5-6k a year when it's just a shopping trolley like a civic or A3, in my experience it tends to be the type of owner who thinks the car only needs serviced when it hits 12/20k that owns them regardless of age.

Plus, to be perfectly honest it's age and not mileage that kills cars - especially something like the civic where the engine itself is absolutely bombproof and it's got no turbo etc bolted on.

I do pretty low miles, 9-10k but would still have obliterated your limit if I owned one of the cars you're after from new
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom