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Car help needed

Conanius

Conanius

Conanius

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
12,990
Right,

Got the news that I've got the new job I went for in work (woohoo) which will involve relocation and a bit of traveling as part of the role. For the first 3 months I'll be jaunting up the motorway network every monday and friday for 220 odd miles in each direction

I'm tempted to make use of a 5k interest free loan I'm elligable for and get a different car. Criteria would need to be

Ideally >40MPG on a motorway run
Something which can still be rewarding to drive
Good boot space, ideally an estate (needs to fit my fiancee's mobility scooter/wheelchair in... and we plan to get a dog soon!)
Not a barge like car. Volvo V50 size as the sort of maximum size I'm considering

Price.... Interested what I could get for 5K + the value of my Focus which I'd guess is maybe a 1500 area to the right buyer (2001 51 plate, 104k miles, 3 door black Zetec with Climate Pack, Reflex Pack) or, if it was worth it to spend a bit more as we might be in a 'no mans land' for budget. Lets say 10k tops ish?

Thoughts?
 
So. An update.

We've been to look at loads of cars, at all sorts of prices. Some cars which I'd never even consider buying just to make sure we had considered all sorts.

We have now found a real contender, a Fabia VRS Estate.

Now, this isn't the fire breathing Mk1 Diesel which would be my first choice if I wanted to 'race for slips'/'decimate all'/own NickXX's M3, but a Mk 2, with the 1.4 TSI engine in 180PS form with a 7 speed DSG Gearbox.

We have taken out a hatch, and I was really, really rather impressed. I know i've been de-sensitised having 12 months in a mk1 Focus 1.8, but the performance was really, well, acceptable. Sure, it wasn't like maximum attack mode in an m3, nor did it corner as hard as my s2000 going through that incredible up hill right hander after the bottom start finish straight at cadwell at 90, but it seemed really rather decent.

Internal storage space is just incredible, with a boot floor measuring nearly a metre square which is ideal for our needs. Seats seemed supporting through corners and comfortable enough to not be compared to crucifiction. It wasn't a BMW when it comes to plastic qualities or road noise, but I genuinely thought it was a decent little car.

Fuel economy on the test drive was good (42mpg, including me hooning), and the DSG box made near seemless changes. I'd risk (gulp) saying they felt as smooth as the SMG M3 and M5's I've been in with SMG.

As some of you may know, orders for new cars have been hit with issues over the last 6-9 months. Skoda have really struggled to get cars out in time, and we had been quoted 14-26 weeks for a new car order. This had put us off a little as we wanted to do the change a little sooner to save the costs of a service + mot + anything that comes up in either on the focus.

We have then, by a stroke of luck, found a second hand one available already.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...red-listing/dealer/13917/usedcars?logcode=flp

The car has nearly all of the options we would have ordered (missing sunroof and we would have probably gone for blue).

From what I've been told the car was recieved by the owner who previously had a diesel golf. His wife wasn't so pleased he'd bought the car, and couldnt get used to the DSG gearbox, so after 1000 miles it was bought back by the dealer.

Briskoda posts didnt find the previous owner, but it did find several positive posts for the dealer. I'm pretty happy after several long conversations on the phone with their salesman and sales manager.

Based on their words, they are looking to do a deal to move the car on. I've been offered £500 for my 106k focus, and £300 off the Fabia before we have even got there, so I'd be looking to see what else (tank of fuel and tax?) I could get thrown in. They have also offered to give me any reassurance I want to prove the car isn't a friday lemon thats been rejected due to problems.

I'm thinking that considering we probably would have ordered a new one if the waiting lists were shorter, that saving nearly 2k on a new car order can't be a bad situation. We're likely to keep the car for a long while, so I'd imagine the 2 owner situation shouldn't be much of a problem.

I accept I'll probably get flamed to hell for seriously considering spending FIFTEEN THOUSAND POUNDS on a Skoda, but hey, I wouldn't be posting here if I didnt want feedback. And yep, this isn't the 996/997/NSX I'd have hoped to be buying about now, but times change and well I'm just not in that position anymore, so lets hold off linking to those posts just yet ;)

So please, post away, and tell me your thoughts.
 
All I'd say is... try and get an extended test drive in one. Olly and I drove a vRS hatch for 30 minutes and really liked it for what it was, and were very tempted to get one as a second car. We twisted the salesman's arm into letting us come back and borrow their demo car for a whole day. They must regret agreeing as we went from being very close to buying one, to deciding it just wasn't refined enough for longer journeys.

Great around town and for blasting down little country roads, but at speed it just needed a little more sound proofing and the wind noise was particularly annoying. Perhaps the Polo GTI might be a little better in this regard? If you're going to put a lot of miles on it and it's not just going to be a "nipping to the shops and an occasional journey" type of car, I'd say you're better off sinking 5k into a Mondeo or something of that ilk.
 
Cheers for the reply pete, Olly has already said the same.

I spoke to the salesman up where this car is today, and we have provisionally agreed driving it tomorrow. I told him we needed a decent test drive to include motorway etc and he was totally happy to do this, he even went as far to say 'not much of a test drive if you dont go on the motorway' so he's obviously keen on giving us a fair shout at it. The test drive we did in the hatch was only about 20 minutes, with them refusing to do anything longer or go out to the m25 as it was 'too far'... I dont think 30 mile round trip on what would have been a near 17k purchase that unreasonable !

I guess its important in this regard to compare yours and my car history for what will be acceptable. I was regularly getting out of my s2000 half deaf from 200 miles at 5k rpm, and my Mk1 Focus sounds like a jet engine for wind noise and a tool box for refinement over bumps. Based on this I might not notice this as much as you did. Your M5 (e39 and e60) are like libraries at 100mph :p

All that said, appreciate your thoughts on this and I'll be sure to find some awful road surface to drive it over at speed, like that concrete section of the m6.

Polo GTI doesnt come in estate form, so theres not enough space. From Sept-Dec i'll be commuting a bit with work, but after then it will stop almost permanently it seems, so it will be just round town and the odd jaunt to Bristol/Stoke to see relatives
 
I know there is a wait but you can get a brand new one for £13951 through Carfile. Obviously that doesn't include options but having looked at the used one you linked to it only has about £1000 of options, so buying a used one for that sort of money seems stupid. Plus it has the horrible red interior.

I enjoyed the 30 minute drive we had originally but after borrowing one for a day totally changed my mind - after two hours the seat gave me back ache because they aren't supportive enough and the noise was REALLY annoying. Raised voices at 70 to try and have a conversation is just not good.
 
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And there in shows the comparison of cars I'm used to compared to you. I dont think I've ever (Fiesta, 306 D Turbo, Focus MK1.5 TDCi... well maybe this one..., Puma 1.7, S2000 and Focus Mk1 1.8) had a car that I havn't had to raise my voice to speak at 70... granted not shouting like we did in the s2k with the roof down... but thats not a 'fair' comparison.

The problem I have Olly is that work want main dealer proof of servicing to sign off mileage claims, with any advisories fixed and proof of this ! its totally mental, but has come in recently. This means I might need to spend say, £150 quid to service the car + fix any advisories that ford might decide it needs sorting + whatever it is to MOT a car now (due nov) + whatever might come up in that ..... on top of that new car price to give it a 'fair' comparison. Not to mention comparing fuel economy for the 'profit' I'd make on the mileage claims.

Options I see on that car are:
Metallic Paint
Cruise control
Arm Rest,
Telephone Prep
MFSW
Rear Electric Windows
Climate
Heated front seats
Black wheels (Granted, wouldnt have gone for this)
and the all important car mats

That puts a car in at £15791 + the costs I'd have on keeping the focus going till that car came in.

Cheers for the link to that though. I've been told this car is absolutely mint so if it isn't we obviously wouldnt go for it.
 
You've counted the paint twice I think, I make it £15439 ;)

What makes you think your Focus will cost a fortune to keep on the road all of a sudden?
 
OllyM said:
You've counted the paint twice I think, I make it £15439 ;)

What makes you think your Focus will cost a fortune to keep on the road all of a sudden?
Click to expand...

That was the price I got off the Carfile calculator, they have metallic paint and black paint seperately as options, random. Good spot !

Nothing has made me panic that its going to cost thousands to keep on the road all of a sudden. This new job brings with it a bit more cash, the option of a 0% loan for 2 years, and it just seems like a good time to change for something a bit nicer.

Based on the fact they have offered me the car for £14700 before i've even got there what number would you suggest I'd need to get to for it to be 'worth it' over a new order? Theres no way we'd order one without the options. we wanted, so whilst that base price at car file is awesome, its also a bit irrelevant!

I think saving £750 and a 4-6 month wait is pretty reasonable.....
 
I'm a huge Skoda fan boy but even I couldn't spend that on a new Fabia vRS Estate.

I do agree though that they make really practical little cars. I was very impressed with the boot space in the non vRS estate that I had. Everything else about it was alright, but you don't need to spend that much to get something that falls straight into the category of "adequate".

That said, if used isn't an option and you are happy to splash that much cash then it isn't such a bad shout.

You seem to be there with the options. It has to have Climate, without it you don't even get the bog standard "climatic" heater controls. Cruise is also essential (IMO) but is a fairly simple £400 retrofit inc. fitting. Oh, not sure if Maxi-dot is still an option, really needs that so it doesn't feel like something from a decade ago when you look at the clocks.
 
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Maxidot is standard on all fabia models IIRC.

The VRS seems to be a sensible 'warm hatch' practical car. Used isn't really an option as they have only been on sale a year, and waiting lists for new cars are rather long. I like the fact that as well as being practical it did feel like a decent car for taking down back roads.

I'm open to other options, but I guess the criteria is

15k absolutely maximum, ideally less (definitely less if not new/nearly new/no warranty/having to buy private etc)

Boot space. The fabia boot floor was 96cm x 96cm. We don't want anything smaller than this (width as well as length)

Not a huge boat of a car. I know that I could probably get a 'better deal' buying some 100k mile 5 series touring, but I really, really don't want to be throwing money into a high mile car, and nor do I want some massive car. We don't want something thats big and cumbersome.

Toys like climate, cruise, etc are nice, so no base level trims.



Based on all this we are going to go and look at a Volvo V50 today, it appears to be a 'more' luxury focus estate, and I actually think they look ok. Going to see a 2008 R Design thats up for 11.5k with 45k on the clock from a dealer.
 
You have a £500 Focus that isn't throwing uber bills at you, and you want to take a 5 figure loan out to buy a new/nearly new Fabia that you plan to do >25k a year in?

The interest free loan is skewing your thinking. Interest on a 5k loan over 2 years shouldn't cost you more than £20 a month. The extra depreciation on a nearly new Fabia doing 25k pa will run to over 10 times that amount!

Imo, run the Focus until it dies. *save* the money you would have ****ed up the wall in depreciation and then use it to buy a top-spec Mk2.5 Focus/ Mk3/4 Mondeo TDCI Estate for ~half what you're spending on the Fabia.

This is credit-boom madness pure and simple, and these are not boom years. Look at the share price performance of the UK banks over the last quarter, it's telling you that recession is looming large again. Grasshoppers starve before Ants do... If you're going to play Grasshopper, at least do it right and get something properly decent...
 
I have a Focus that I bought as a stop gap car for a few years. I've got a new job at work which means I'll have some extra cash to spend, we have a 5 figure sum of cash in the bank, and a 0% loan is just so I can leave the cash in the bank to gain interest. No loan required for this purchase, just doing it as I'd be mad not to make use of the facility and leave us with less cash in the bank.

The new job role with more money is whats making me think 'change the focus to something nicer and more practical', the 0% loan is just a bonus.
 
i guess this all depends upon whether you would actually want anything else 2nd hand.

Its the old new / nearly new car debate. Yes it probably is a decent car, but you can buy so much more with your money on a proper 2nd hand car (i.e. at least 2 years old)

If you're not interested in the sort of stuff that this gets you

Like say this :

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3124765.htm

or this :

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3144674.htm

or heck even this :

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3123714.htm

Then theres not much point discussing it.
 
Another day, another set of test drives.

So, we decided not to head up to Doncaster to look at this car, and spend another day trying other things out to be certain.

We headed out to a Volvo specialist who had probably 8 V50's in his stock so we knew we stood a chance of not looking at a lemon.

We had a look at a 2008 '08' car which was ex lease, 1 owner, 61k miles, FSH, decent condition. It was a 2.0 D SE R Design, with a couple of extra options ticked. Overall, I was pleased with the build quality, the comfort of the seats, the centre console interface... but was disappointed slightly at the rear boot space. Sadly the load space wasn't as tall as I'd expected, but we took it out for a drive to get a feel for another car.

Drive wise I can see why people like them. Sure, the 2.0D wasn't setting the world on fire with straight line performance, but it was certainly respectable, and handling to me was a great balance between ability to get round corners and still have refinement.

In short, a great car, but not ideal for us.

We decided to head to a local Skoda garage which had a non VRS Fabia estate to get another look at the load space back to back with the Volvo. To our amazement, they had a VRS Estate in the showroom, so we had a good look round that also. After having a play round, we had a good look at the load area, and were able to take out a 1.2 TSI with DSG Fabia Estate (the one we'd seen online) just to get a general feel for the car. I'd compare the road noise on this longer drive at higher speeds to that of my focus, if not slightly less. Considering this was the non VRS it still to me felt very respectable performance wise, and the handling wasnt terrible (even if you did slide out of the seat before you ran out of grip).

On our return we noticed they had a few Octavia VRS estates on the forecourt, so we had a play round with those also. The load space on this was, unsurprisingly, even better than the Fabia, and the base spec was pretty much identical to the higher spec we would have to pay extra for on the Fabia.

Based on this, we are now going to investigate our options as to whats out there in the nearly new DSG estate form of the Octavia. Initial Autotrader searches pull back a few dotted around the country, so I'll report back when I know a bit more.

Thanks for the continued posts, but... Mr LOL, absolutely non of those cars have enough boot space for what we are looking for, thanks anyway !
 
I think I'd be much happier putting decent money into a "standard" Octavia Estate than a vRS Fabia Estate. Feels a much nicer car inside (IMO).

IF you can find a 1.8TSi with DSG you could be on to a winner. 40+mpg but not too much of a slouch either.
 
Why don't you buy the car after you've finished the 3 months of long commuting? Put all the miles on the current one - it isn't exactly going to make much difference to the price.
 
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