Considering selling the Insignia VXR. What to replace it with?

[no_1_dave]

As title, tempted to sell my Insignia VXR.
I've enjoyed it for 6 months but now summer is approaching i'm tempted to landscape my garden, maybe build a small porch, redo the front room and redo the bathroom. This will involve money, all of which it tied up in the car. Looking at the Trader I should still get approx what I paid for it so £20k (ish). I've been offered £17k trade in at various dealers.

IF I sell it in the next couple of weeks what should I get?

Would be looking for a saloon/hatch with long wheelbase for comfort.
Petrol/diesel, not fussed
Modern functions like blue tooth & xenon's etc
Not slow, obviously I wont get the same speed I have now but 0-60 in 10 secs is too slow.
Not a Mondeo
Not old
Average running costs, not a shed.
Space for family but not a people carrier

Budget of up to £6k. can stretch to £7k if it really gets me something better.


So what do you suggest?

 

[no_1_dave]

What do you class as "old" and "average running costs"?

This side of 2005 would be nice
Average cost is comparable to what it would cost to run the average Astra, Mondeo, Vectra etc

Above 20 mpg real life figures for fuel. 30+ preferred.

 

[no_1_dave]

Isn't this the guy who asked for our advice last time, completely ignored it and then insisted that spending £20,000 of one-off-payout he admitted he'd never get again on a Vauxhall was good because he was going to keep it for at least 5 years and could totally afford to run it?



Ah yes, so it is.

Forgive if I'm not falling over myself to offer advice again given how this one turned out.

Personally I'd get over the Mondeo prejudice and drive one. It offers you everything you get now pretty much but for less than your budget. Ah theres me doing what I said I wouldnt, ah well good job I'm nice eh

My little girl is starting to grow up so my priority has changed a little. Seeing her play in a nice garden is now what I want. Funny how we change our priorities in life... My get another one in a year or so though. Save up some bonuses instead of wasting them on nothing.

 

[no_1_dave]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2782442.htm

Thats ugly

And I forgot to mention, 4/5 door

 

[no_1_dave]

This is pretty much what some of us were trying to tell you when you posted about buying it in the first place.

But it sounds like you are making a great decision in the end Do test drive the Mondeo though, as it does tick every box you have bar the not a Mondeo one.

I've had 6 months of fun, depreciation free motoring

 

[no_1_dave]

2006 ST 220?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif.../page/1/postcode/co94ex/radius/1501?logcode=p

Can't think of anything that really comes close to this.

How is that worse fuel consumption then mine when it is slower & lighter?

 

[no_1_dave]

It's not depreciation free until you've sold it - and cars like this don't sell easily with petrol at 135p a litre. I suspect you'll end up trading it in.

It needs super stuff... £139.9p a litre

 

[no_1_dave]

Cadillac

Hadn't even looked at these & know nothing about them.
Why are they so cheap? What are peoples general opinion on them?
How is this one for example? http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201108380292542

Vectra VXR?

Out of budget as far as i'm aware?

Octavia VRS?

A mk2 2.0T falls within that budget (just about).

Edit - Won't be low mileage really but they're very reliable nowadays.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2468134.htm

Far too high mileage and looks quote bad for the money looking at the spec compared to other cars..?

 

[no_1_dave]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...eywords/vectra vxr/postcode/ne312xb?logcode=p

£6900 veccy vxr, dunno if you'd be happy with 86k on the clock

Hmm, "Gatwick used cars"?
Are they likely to sell then go out of business after I drive away in a shed?
It's happened to me before

What's with all the "police spec" Vec's, are they worth a look?

Is this a good deal?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201107380049261

 

[no_1_dave]

How about this:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201119386705786

??

 

[no_1_dave]

An old 5 Series with a nodykit, some chav aftermarket wheels, no mileage mentioned and one of those cheap irish private plates. Oh, and it's SMG as well

Sounds like a great buy, dont see how you can go wrong there.

I do like the look of the 5 series. It's been a couple of years since I've had a go in 1 so will be testing one in a couple of days. I see your point on the one mentioned so what would you recommend?

 

[no_1_dave]

Looks like things have lost track a little.
I can afford to run the VXR and I dont regret buying it at all, that isn't a problem. I just no longer want all my money tied up in one. If I saved my bonuses up for 12 months I could get another one which I may still do because after owning it for 6 months I can honestly say it is the best car i've ever owned and the only car I have ever just felt like going for a drive in. The problem is I tend to pi55 my bonuses up the wall on things I dont need rather then stick them in the bank.

Back on topic if possible please. I'm opening myself up to suggestions instead of staying in my comfort zone so ok, i'll test drive a ST220 again & see how it is. The reason for my hesitation is because I have driven one before & it seemed very sluggish for what it is supposed to be and every time myself or anyone in my family has owned a Ford it has been very problematic.

So far after reading this thread & others my choices & preferences are:

ST220 (if I find it ok this time round).
Vectra VXR
Vectra 2.8T V6 Elite (about the same as the VXR but cheaper)
2003 JAGUAR XJ 4.2 V8 XJR SUPERCHARGED (Haven't a clue about these, but looks like an ok choice comparing it to other suggestions)
BMW 530i 05/06 plate (Fox said no but with no explanation, i'm posting here to learn so an explanation would be nice as it does tick a lot of boxes and is only £500 more then the Vec VXR, surely it's better then a vec VXR right)?

 

[no_1_dave]

Chirst on a bike.

He's ignored my Saab suggestions and seems to be seriously considering one of the 'Joke' suggestions.

That's it. I give up. My blood pressure can't take this ****.

Surprised you didn't pick up on that Fox!

Saab's are ugly, even compared to an ugly vectra
I also mentioned, I know nothing of Jag's and said I am open to suggestions. It was a suggestion & compared to all the other suggestions it looks ok

 

[no_1_dave]

The BMW will break all the time and be a shabby moneypit, because this budget buys really crappy E90 330i's (Which 05 and 06 models are).

A decent 330i is, of course, much better than a Vectra VXR. But a decent 330i is 5 figures, not 6-7 grand.

What about 530i?
If they break all the time why are BMW's always suggested to people?

 

[no_1_dave]

Ot, how is the insignia vxr to own/drive? Did u get the 20" alloys? Yum

It's awesome and feels very very planted no matter what speed you drive. It is full spec with 20's because it was a demonstrator model. It is unrestricted & driving 176 mph (legally, not on the road) felt like driving any other 'normal' car at about 100 mph. It was still very sturdy & responsive. It also takes people by surprise because unless you know about cars you'd just think its another Insignia. I've only seen 1 other the whole time i've owned it.

People constantly pull up at the lights wanting to race and to be honest, you cant help pressing the VXR button & just gunning it. Only ever been beaten once and that was by a BMW M5. I know other cars can, its not the fastest car, but I live in Gloucester where it's rare to see something nice. It's all boy racers and scoobys.

Why dont you keep the VX? firstly of all it ticks most of the boxes, you havent owned the car that long.

Surely there is ample room in the back for your kids, large boot room for projects, its not the most practical car in terms of MPG, petrol and parts such as tires are expensive, as you went for the VXR! - but as you have already stated you can afford this, in your situation with hindsight I would stick with what you have. I trust that you bought the car outright.


I think if you sell it, your going to miss all the toys and spec of the car, I think you`ll be making a mistake.

Either this or settle for something like the mondeo, maybe a lower spec so you can afford a newer model, doesnt seem right to me to trade in a 1 year old top spec insigia for a 5-6 year old car. You could easily get a 2-3 year old focus for £6-7K, there cheap to run and insure.

I did something simailair to you becuase Id thought it would be cheaper to run in the long term, also I needed a diesa - l circumstances do change. When I look back now I kinda wish id kept the Astra, my astra was newer than the diesal I went to, plus I got stung for a few repairs on the car I bought.

With regards to your original post, why dont you stagger your projects, if you paid 20K outright for this car you cant be that bad off, it sounds a bit extreme to sell the car, to unlock cash to do projects.

It's an option.
I could get the garden sorted this summer then stagger the others over the next year. But that's the other purpose of this post. If there isn't really an viable options (imo) then that's what I will do. So far it's either this or get the Vectra 2.8T V6 Elite for approx £4k. Then go to Courtenay Sport & get it remapped to the same map as the Vectra VXR Stage 1. So roughly 300BHP making it about as quick as my car now, only uglier inside & out, with less gadgets... But £15k ish in my pocket

 

[no_1_dave]

I think you massively over estimate the value of your Insignia.

ish

 

[no_1_dave]

Its a slippery slope selling possessions to pay for other things, what you gonna do when you iron the 15k out?

Sell the 6k car and buy a bike, seriously keep that, get some value out of it, save up and do the garden.

I also doubt your going to see 20k for that car.

I wouldn't iron the £15k (or for Fox's sake, £12k) out right away. I can always save up again. I'm just impatient & want the garden done before the summer along with a few other things. I think I need to take a good long think about what is more important. Having the nice car & save for garden and bathroom etc or sort the garden & bathroom out & save for a nice car...

 

[no_1_dave]

well mate. if i had the money i would buy ur insignia. haha

is the road tax same as vectra vxr, £450 or something?

Yes, its the same engine, just with a bigger turbo as the car is heavier and is 4x4

 

[no_1_dave]

Its up to you what you do but you dont have to spend 4k on ya garden, get it tidied up for 500 quid.

Anyway all im saying is iv seen it a million times, selling things to pay for other things is not progress in life, its just not, you need to build on what you got.

Thank you.
You're one of the first to offer advise without some sort of trolling comment thrown in for good measure.

 

[no_1_dave]

Or dont stretch in the first place

Without a time machine that isn't helpful.
My outlook on life changed when I had my car accident. I decided from then that I would just do what I want to do at the time. careless in some respects yes, but you never know what will happen or when. I could have bought a shed 6 months ago, then died last week & not enjoyed the money at all. Instead I used the money on something I have enjoyed very much. Now the money would be useful for something else. It's not the end of the world & I can't see anything wrong with that...