Car buying

[metalmonkey]

I have got to the point where I must have a car now...I know had a post like this before but my requirements have changed.

I'm looking at getting a diesel estate car the following com to mind;

Ford Focus
VW Passat
Skoda

I don't want a peugot, or citeron build quality is shocking unless it has just all of a sudden got better. Are there any other cars I should look at?

Needs to be;

Reliable
Econimcal
Cost effective to service and maintane
Comfy to drive in town and over long distances
Drives well
Handle being fully loaded

I can spend about 4-5k, maybe more for the right one i'm more interested in getting the right car rather than the price tag. I also need to tint the rear windows, how much should that cost?

[454697819]

no you are about right..

for 4-5k u are looking at 06 /05 plate new shape focus but expect it to have 60-70k on the clock, this is not a problem if it has been serviced.

VW's are higher mileage in the new shape for that money as they are popular rep cars, older ones are good just ensure it has been serviced and the belt done if needed.

Skoda equally as good but wont get a newer model for that money

do the calc if a diesel is right for you as they are all more money to buy than their petrol rivels, will you save this money back?

tinting allow 300£

You will want to see receipts showing parts, not stamps, or verified printed service details from a dealer, good tyres and no nasty knocks or smoke, if the engine is hot when you get to the car walk away, it may mean the car is a bitch to start when cold cause its fooooooked..

good luck.

[Daimo]

Fabia VRS :D
I'd look at an Octava Skoda. Focus are just plain orrible. I can't stand the passats either. Does it have to be an estate?

[454697819]

Fabia VRS :D
I'd look at an Octava Skoda. Focus are just plain orrible. I can't stand the passats either. Does it have to be an estate?

no focus's are not horrible..lol

why have they sold so many? sure it aint the prettiest and it is ford.. but fook me they keep going

[fizzwheel]

We owned a 53 Plate Focus, it was lovely to drive, but Liz was racking up the miles and it started to get expensive, 2 services were over the £500 mark due to bits and pieces wearing out, watch the Suspension bushes or check that they have been replaced especially on a higher millege car, IIRC its quite a common thing that they wear badly.

We had a Skoda Fabia before that and I'd own another one as long as it didnt have the cacky 1.4 litre petrol engine in it. Was good to drive and comfortable.

Driven a few Passats and liked that to. Again with the right Diesel engine in it.

I'd as the others have said be looked at the Octavia as its the same under the skin as the Passat is.

I spent alot of time looking at 2nd Hand A4's as well, but they seem to hold their price well and I'm not sure what you'd get for your budget, but its the same basic floor plan and running gear as the Octavia and Passat, just a bit plusher inside / you are paying for the badge on the front.

[SVforvictory]

Focuses (Foci?) are great cars; I use one at work and my parents have one. They handle nicely, don't cost much to maintain and even the hatchback has a decent amount of room in it.

[Daimo]

no focus's are not horrible..lol

why have they sold so many? sure it aint the prettiest and it is ford.. but fook me they keep going

Ugly
Horrible interior
Horrible plastics
Horrible green dash.
Nasty seats.

I could only deal with a Mk1 RS becuase they handle great, but they still retain that god awful dash, and as thats where you spend all your time behined the wheel, it has to be good.

But those are my reasons.

Honda C90's have sold the most in the world, but is it a good looking, fast, pretty, great sounding, good handling bike?

[collis]

If your after a 1 owner car, avoid the Corsa/Astra/Focus, chances are they've been driven by either a driving school or hire company and probably looked after very badly before selling.
get 2 owner versions of these as the last owner would have got all the faults put right hopefully.

get down your local auction, might get more car for your buck and newer due to reposessions etc.

[metalangel]

no focus's are not horrible..lol

why have they sold so many? sure it aint the prettiest and it is ford.. but fook me they keep going

Because they sell to people who hate cars but need a means of transportation. They might handle fairly well but dear god it's ugly, interior feels cheap and nasty.

I had an original (but facelifted) Skoda Octavia for four years, excellent car, would recommend you try them out. I had the wagon version, it did well with loads ranging from Christmas Trees and ladders to helping a friend move house, not to mention commuting to work or taking us halfway across the country.

[454697819]

Which edition are you referring too?

the 05's granted have a feel of ford about them, but for 5k what do you expect...?

[metalmonkey]

Probally have to be an estate becasue I need to get in camera equipment, grips and lights in the back of it the size of the kit varies on the shoot but would make sense to have something a good size if thats my intened use. Also handy for getting push bike into as well.

Doesn't have to be a diesel, thought it may work out better in the long run as in return on mpg, for tax reason so I have bee told not sure if that is correct thought.

I did think about interior and style of the car, however for my uses it would seem a waste of money to spend a lot on that. Been to look at a Focus, jut need to go look at the other makes now. Thanks.

[tactcom7]

Just had my A4 tinted for £150 for 5 back windows, did a good job n all.

[yorkie_chris]

Friend of mine has a new-ish astra that's well on its way to 200,000 miles and is fine. Nothing particularly bad has happened with it AFAIK despite being driven like you would expect a car with someone else paying the fuel and servicing to be driven.
Is also very economical, 500+ miles on a tank of diesel.

Not going to set the world on fire but sits at 100mph in comfort.

Ugly
Horrible interior
Horrible plastics
Horrible green dash.
Nasty seats.

I could only deal with a Mk1 RS becuase they handle great, but they still retain that god awful dash, and as thats where you spend all your time behined the wheel, it has to be good.

But those are my reasons.

Honda C90's have sold the most in the world, but is it a good looking, fast, pretty, great sounding, good handling bike?

A car's just a shed to transport stuff that you can't hold onto a bike with bungies... who cares about all that crap?

[brennan]

Iv got a 08 plate focus and have put all of its 90000 miles on it. Admittidly it does a lot of motorway miles but is also used as a site vehicle. Bar a hole in the sump (my fault for being to ambitious) nothing has gone wrong. And with the 1.6 diesel engine itl give you 65mpg if you sit at 70. im getting over 650miles to a tank.
Like others have said not the best looking interior but comfy enough. Much prefer it to the astra i used to have

[Daimo]

A car's just a shed to transport stuff that you can't hold onto a bike with bungies... who cares about all that crap?

Obviously driving the wrong cars then. :p You can have just as much fun in a car as on a bike, just in different ways.

[davepreston]

have you concidered a subaru impressa estate (deisel) built like a tank ,nippy when required, cheap enought to service, will last forever

[embee]

I had a chat recently with the chap who does my MOT's about what he would recommend based on what he sees. His suggestion was a Skoda diesel (or any of the quivalent VAG versions come to that). He sees a lot of Focuses with issues.

J.D.Power survey results here (http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/jd-power-survey-2010/introduction/250115)

http://www.whatcar.com/NonCar/361010339480.jpg

[metalmonkey]

Well I may have found a car, its an 04 Focus Estate 1.6 Petrol Zetec which seems ok. I saw an ad for Desiel as well but that was £1000 more, not sure I'll be doing enough miles to pay that extra and for fuel could be a while before I break if even was I do that.

It seems that the cam belt doesn't need changing before 100000 miles or 10 years would change it before that? The one i'm going to look at has done 75000 miles.

[The Basket]

I don't want a peugot, or citeron build quality is shocking unless it has just all of a sudden got better. Are there any other cars I should look at?
?

its spelt Citroën.

[Nelson]

Volvo V70. Massive inside, dead comfy and very plush in SE spec, heated seats, great stereo, massive load area, decent to drive, good value. Mines ten years old now and done 170k miles on its 2.5 diesel engine, never put a beat wrong engine wise, only consumables wearing out.

Highly recommended.

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/VOLVO+V70/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-17-19-51-55-240-4294966705-4294966794/advert.action?R=201046373062292&distance=300&postcode=td1+1ly&channel=CARS&make=VOLVO&model=V70&min_pr=4000&max_pr=5000&max_mileage=&vehicleYearOfManufacture=2002&vehicleRegLetter=52

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/VOLVO+V70/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-17-19-51-55-240-4294966705-4294966794/advert.action?R=201046373170062&distance=132&postcode=td1+1ly&channel=CARS&make=VOLVO&model=V70&min_pr=4000&max_pr=5000&max_mileage=&vehicleYearOfManufacture=2002&vehicleRegLetter=02

(http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/VOLVO+V70/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-17-19-51-55-240-4294966705-4294966794/advert.action?R=201046373062292&distance=300&postcode=td1+1ly&channel=CARS&make=VOLVO&model=V70&min_pr=4000&max_pr=5000&max_mileage=&vehicleYearOfManufacture=2002&vehicleRegLetter=52)

[metalmonkey]

Thanks for the info Nelson as I often do I changed mind on the budget...

Well I finally bought something I now have a Focus 1.6 Zectec Estate 04 plate, which was £2150 75K on the clock looks to be in good condition one of alloys has been kerbed thats it. Got a 3 month warrenty with it.

It drives actually quite good and doesn't feel like its had a hard life, now only time will tell for the rest.

Thanks the input guys, I did lot of reading around the different car this one meets the requirements.

[G]

Congratulations... The warranty will be worthless though. Traders HAVE to provide a warranty legally, and 99% will have a huge excess and have wording that means they will never payout on an older car as they can claim everything is wear and tear. It's a right sham and doesn't protect the consumer.

[metalmonkey]

Congratulations... The warranty will be worthless though. Traders HAVE to provide a warranty legally, and 99% will have a huge excess and have wording that means they will never payout on an older car as they can claim everything is wear and tear. It's a right sham and doesn't protect the consumer.

Its on the engine and gear box so they said, but if stops working them back it will go.

[suicidesam]

It seems that the cam belt doesn't need changing before 100000 miles or 10 years would change it before that? The one i'm going to look at has done 75000 miles.

Next door neighbour knows nothing about motors, own's same zetec'd focus 74k on the clock.. knocked the door asking me to look at his since it had a funny rattle. Turned out to be the cam/timing belt slapping on the plastic cover! I towed it to his garage of choice to get a new one fitted. Not sure why it came slack.. or how it didn't wreck the engine.

[metalmonkey]

Next door neighbour knows nothing about motors, own's same zetec'd focus 74k on the clock.. knocked the door asking me to look at his since it had a funny rattle. Turned out to be the cam/timing belt slapping on the plastic cover! I towed it to his garage of choice to get a new one fitted. Not sure why it came slack.. or how it didn't wreck the engine.

Who knows...mine is sounds okay drives good, I'll take for a good drive which should show any issues but atm i'm happy I have paper work which confirms all checks.

[embee]

.... I have paper work which confirms all checks.

http://bible-matters.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/chamberlain-munich-conference-1938.jpg

[yorkie_chris]

Remember that speech well do you embee? :-P

[Spikenipple]

My parents drive a 2005 2.2 TDI Mondeo Estate, it's a pretty good all-round car. It's the Ghia X model so it's got all-leather seats, heated driver/front passenger seats, 6-cd changer with aux input etc. The interior isn't immense quality but it isn't tacky feeling. The engine is really nice, it's got a small turbo so it kicks in straight away right at the bottom of the rev range and pulls like a train! Last time I checked (a few months back) they were going between 3 and 4 thousand quid with about 80k or so on the clocks. Servicing isn't massively expensive but nice tyres for those 18" standard alloys cost loads!

[embee]

Remember that speech well do you embee? :-P

Cheeky young whipper-snapper.

I don't remember much after 1936 to be honest (after all it's nearly twenty to eight and I'm bladdered by then! :drink: )

[metalmonkey]

http://bible-matters.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/chamberlain-munich-conference-1938.jpg

Yes I know what you mean, by that I have all MOTs for the car, which match the online database HPI check they all match up which is about as much as I can do.