Spec me a shortlist... £12k

monkey_boy

monkey_boy

monkey_boy

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Leicester UK
Hi All,

Looking into the possiblity of getting a new car and need to set about a shortlist. I've listed my preferences in some kind of order (most important towards the top). Any ideas would be useful.

*Family Car - Seats for 2 adults, 2 Children and luggage for holiday and ability to add roof rack for bikes

*Under 6 years old

*Under 60k miles

*Nice to look at

*Good residual value to keep TCO down

*Reliable again to keep TCO down

*Not ridiculous VED

*Car will be used once or twice a week, plus holidays, plus school holidays and will cover (probably a fair bit less than) 5k miles per year.

*Petrol or diesel - don't care which

*Not Skoda, Saab or VX.

If you suggest a car, it would be great if you'd have an estimate at what it'd be worth in 4 years time.

Thanks!
 
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Dis86 said:
I'll bite. Why under 6 years? Does a 6 year old car suddenly turn to crap at 7?
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There has to be a cut off point at which someone thinks a car is too old for their needs. Why does it matter that it's a number that seems arbitrary to you?
 
LiE said:
He's not looking for a hot hatch...

A Mondeo Titianum X.
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Well, if you want good residuals you need to pick the high end, performance models. A run-of-the-mill Mondeo rep mobile doesn't hold its value any where near as well as an ST. People also tend to look after them better as well.
 
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mulpsmebeauty said:
There has to be a cut off point at which someone thinks a car is too old for their needs. Why does it matter that it's a number that seems arbitrary to you?
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Is a 6 year old Mondeo different to a 7 year old one?

You say it yourself, it's completely arbitrary. It's the condition of the vehicle that should matter, not age or mileage. Both of those are poor indicators.
 
Dis86 said:
Is a 6 year old Mondeo different to a 7 year old one?

You say it yourself, it's completely arbitrary. It's the condition of the vehicle that should matter, not age or mileage. Both of those are poor indicators.
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Condition tends to deteriorate with age.

Go look at a load of 15 year old Mondeo's and almost none of them will be anything more than total sheds. Go look at a load of 1 year old Mondeos and almost none of them will be anything other than immaculate. Obviously these are extreme examples but the overlap must be somewhere in the market. Unless you want to waste your life looking at unsuitable cars you need a cutoff somewhere if you are looking at models for which there are many examples to be viewed.

You don't drive a 7 year old car. Why?
 
[TW]Fox;29349834 said:
You don't drive a 7 year old car. Why?
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Because my model of car was not available 7 years ago :p

However, when it comes to looking for a new one age would not be a consideration. I particularly wouldn't choose a massively arbitrary number like 6 years. You've said it yourself though condition tends to deteriorate with age. It doesn't mean it does. I bet you now that your 5 series is in better condition than some of the same model that are 6 months old.
Heck, some clown round the corner from me has manged to dent every panel on his new C class and scuff every wheel.
It's condition that is key, not age or mileage.
 
Dis86 said:
I'll bite. Why under 6 years? Does a 6 year old car suddenly turn to crap at 7?
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No but I plan on keeping it until it's 10 years old because I feel that is when repair bills are going to start coming up, and it will nearly be 2 models out of date pushing the price down further.

LiE said:
He's not looking for a hot hatch...

A Mondeo Titianum X.
Click to expand...
As already said, residuals are a concern on this, although I do like them and think they are good value.

Nasher said:
Well, if you want good residuals you need to pick the high end, performance models. A run-of-the-mill Mondeo rep mobile doesn't hold its value any where near as well as an ST. People also tend to look after them better as well.
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Agreed. The other way to keep good residuals is to go for something people want but isn't necesarily the sporty option. Does teh Kuga Titanium fit this bill?
 
Skoda Superb would have been the obvious choice here for sure. But no Skoda means my money would be going on a Mondeo Titanium X, preferably with Sport pack.

At them miles, the 2.0T estate is what I'd be looking at personally. Something like this:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...lt&postcode=AB51 7JG&price-to=13000&logcode=p

Although I'd be holding out for one with a bit more spec on it, like satnav (dunno if they are just projectors or xenons, so would be wanting xenons for sure anyway).

Residuals would be better on the diesel though, so if that is an ultimate concern, then whatever you buy would likely be a diesel. But at this budget, you'll be looking at a DPF fitted model, so not ideal for your use profile. The extra small depreciation in the petrol COULD be offset by the cost of replacing the DPF.

Alternatively, ditch the age and miles requirements, and buy something like an old RS4 (b5). It just wont depreciate. You will be putting hardly any miles on it anyway. And the money you save on depreciation should almost be enough to keep it on the road for that period of time.

Something like this: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...arch-target=usedcars&price-to=13000&logcode=p

Although worst advert ever for such a car. I wouldn't recommend this actual one without a good talk with the owner.
 
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Xenons are standard on the Titanium X Sport.

Not a car you really want if you don't like depreciation :p but great cars.

Considering prefacelift models like mine are still advertised at 8-10k depending on spec and mileage, 11k for that one doesn't seem too wide of the mark.
 
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What about something like this:
Audi A6 2.0 TDIe SE 2011
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201601190211664

or
BMW 520d SE 2012
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201603222230378

or
Audi A5 2.0 TDI SE 5dr Sportback 2011 - pre-facelift
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201603162025839

Feel free to batter these suggestions down. I'm just trying to figure out where in the market to buy. As I said before the residuals concern me on the mondeo. An 8 year old one with 80k miles is £4k so a £7k drop.
 
monkey_boy said:
Feel free to batter these suggestions down. I'm just trying to figure out where in the market to buy. As I said before the residuals concern me on the mondeo. An 8 year old one with 80k miles is £4k so a £7k drop.
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7k drop over 4 years doesn't exactly seem outrageous.

Your focus on residuals seems a bit pointless given your budget. All strong residuals are going to do for you really is get you an older car for your money.

If you spend 10k on a car for 5 years and then push it off a cliff your maximum depreciation is £2k a year, hardly massive.
 
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