Help Choose 2nd Car?

SquirrelMadness · 3 May 2015 at 16:43

Been driving for 7 months in a very cheap Focus. Looking to buy 2nd car at the 1 year mark so need to start making firm choices and going for test drives. So far I got these 4 on my list...

Audi A5 S-Line Diesel (either the 2L or 3L):

BMW 320D:

VW Scirocco:

Mercedes 220 CDI:

Probably least likely to go for the Merc because of its price relative to the other cars mentioned.
Budget is around 8k-15k.
Has to be a coupe unless 4dr looks like a 2dr (new Focus RS for example).
Not sure on whether to buy manual or auto.
Want good fuel economy but probably won't be doing more than 10k a year. Had my focus for 7 months and barely put 2k on it but planning to drive more in future.
Need good gadgets AKA nice stereo, GPS, climate, heated seats, reverse cam, park sensors, car to be well insulated etc...

Went VW garage last week, saw Sciroccos - look MUCH better in person than in pics... big cars, 14k price tags... 14k for a VW when the A5 is 12k? Always thought the Scirocco was the cheapest option since they are 8k on eBay but almost always high milage (100k).

Which one of the above is the best choice in your opinion? Also any different recomendations? Thanks.

rodenal · 3 May 2015 at 17:53

You're looking at some bang average engines when almost every car there has a reasonably powerful equivalent you could buy just by loosening your arbritary age requirement.

Jono8 · 3 May 2015 at 18:19

8k to 15k budget? lol.

"yeh so I can spend this much, or possibly double this much"

[TW]Fox · 3 May 2015 at 18:27

rodenal said:
You're looking at some bang average engines when almost every car there has a reasonably powerful equivalent you could buy just by loosening your arbritary age requirement.

I get the idea that it doesn't matter as long as it has the right badge and is white with black wheels

wingman · 3 May 2015 at 18:30

Jono8 said:
8k to 15k budget? lol.

"yeh so I can spend this much, or possibly double this much"

That's the best budget requirement I've seen in awhile!

SquirrelMadness · 3 May 2015 at 18:50

[TW]Fox;27991173 said:
I get the idea that it doesn't matter as long as it has the right badge and is white with black wheels

Or titanium colour wheels and the real reason for the Merc being "least likely" is not the cost but the wheels aren't black!

SquirrelMadness · 3 May 2015 at 18:54

rodenal said:
You're looking at some bang average engines when almost every car there has a reasonably powerful equivalent you could buy just by loosening your arbritary age requirement.

Didn't specify an age requirement but it would be around 2009+ not because of the engines but the gadgets on newer cars being cooler/better quality.

Jono8 said:
8k to 15k budget? lol.

"yeh so I can spend this much, or possibly double this much"

It's like saying 2k-4k, or 3k-6k, obviously gets crazier the higher you go but I'm looking at around 12k most probably and the A5s start at 8k.

[TW]Fox · 3 May 2015 at 18:55

SquirrelMadness said:
Didn't specify an age requirement but it would be around 2009+ not because of the engines but the gadgets on newer cars being cooler/better quality.

The gadgets are usually generational though and the A5 came out in 2007.

Evoss · 3 May 2015 at 18:57

SquirrelMadness said:
the real reason for the Merc being "least likely" is not the cost but the wheels aren't black!

Oh dear.... how old are you?

Make your mind up what you really want first, as getting any 1 year old German with your specification and at your budget isn't really realistic.

Why the requirement for it to look like 3 door, you do know 4 door is much more practical?

Jumper118 · 3 May 2015 at 18:59

does your budget include insurance? i can't see any of them being cheap to insure with 1 year no claims.

if your only doing 10k a year you might as well get a petrol. unless you are doing long trips, a diesel doesn't save you much because the fuel costs more. also they sound like a tractor, although being a newer diesel it will be a muted tractor.

Housey · 3 May 2015 at 19:01

Get a Vauxhall, they come in white with blick wheels I'm sure, that'll be fine and they have a great image....honest.

Evoss · 3 May 2015 at 19:03

Found your perfect car.

Cheap to insure
Mates will think it looks sick with stripes and decals
Parents will be happy in a safe car

Flukester said:

SquirrelMadness · 3 May 2015 at 19:22

Evoss said:

That's the kind of monster that makes lesser cars steer off the road when they see it!

SquirrelMadness · 3 May 2015 at 19:25

Housey said:
Get a Vauxhall, they come in white with blick wheels I'm sure, that'll be fine and they have a great image....honest.

I was thinking Astra VXR in Arden Blue but they too expensive to run and my insurance don't insure them.

[TW]Fox · 3 May 2015 at 19:26

SquirrelMadness said:
I was thinking Astra VXR in Arden Blue but they too expensive to run and my insurance don't insure them.

If a Vauxhall Astra is too much to run how are Audi and Mercedes in the picture?

SquirrelMadness · 3 May 2015 at 19:27

Jumper118 said:
does your budget include insurance? i can't see any of them being cheap to insure with 1 year no claims.

if your only doing 10k a year you might as well get a petrol. unless you are doing long trips, a diesel doesn't save you much because the fuel costs more. also they sound like a tractor, although being a newer diesel it will be a muted tractor.

My current car sound like a bumble bee on helium it's so high pitched don't really care for the sound so long it's low pitched and/or quieter.

Are diesels more expensive to maintain? Looking on autotrader the 2nd hand diesel and petrol are same cost pretty much.

SquirrelMadness · 3 May 2015 at 19:32

[TW]Fox;27991355 said:
If a Vauxhall Astra is too much to run how are Audi and Mercedes in the picture?

The VXRs are around 30MPG with high insurance costs due to theft rate. The non-VXR astras are so common everywhere I didn't even bother looking at them. Saw a nice VXR replica SRI once though but still would rather get a Scirocco as it would hold its value better.

Dis86 · 3 May 2015 at 19:39

I was going to offer advice...then I saw the OPs examples and requirements. Guy's a nut.

See what I did there? Seriously though...wtf?

Wants diesel, won't do more than 10k per year.

Must be douche spec (white with black trim).

Has to be coupe unless 4 door looks like 2 door, what the hell does that even mean?! Or is this just related to the douchey look again?

Can't run or insure an Astra VXR but looking at 3l german premiums.

Gadgets must be 'cool'.

SquirrelMadness · 3 May 2015 at 19:59

Dis86 said:
Wants diesel, won't do more than 10k per year.
Must be douche spec (white with black trim).

Has to be coupe unless 4 door looks like 2 door, what the hell does that even mean?! Or is this just related to the douchey look again?

Can't run or insure an Astra VXR but looking at 3l german premiums.

How is that douche spec? Just a sporty look. Douche spec would be Fiesta MK3 with a body kit or a VW Golf with a loud exhaust.

4dr like 2dr aka overall length of car...

Astra VXR insurance company limitation. and the 3L is 55MPG average, 10MPG less than the 2L, 25MPG more than the VXR.

The gadget requirements are based off what I don't have but need in my current car:

No climate control so have to tweak dials every few minutes.
No GPS so have to use phone... but phone is for music too.
No parking sensors so end up too far away from obstacles when parking cos think I'm gonna hit them.
No heated seats so rely on engine heat.
Bad quality gear shifters (reverse doesn't always click in properly - have to try 3 times)

etc...

[TW]Fox · 3 May 2015 at 20:02

55mpg average from a 3 litre diesel? Absolutely not, infact I doubt it will ever see 55 let alone as an average. It absolutely won't do 25mpg more than an Astra VXR.

My current model 530d is about 7-10mpg more economical than my old 530i which was probably similar to the Astra.