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Thread: Used car dilemma

  1. #1
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    Used car dilemma

    I think it's about time I traded in my 2003 black Corsa SXi 1.2 hatchback.

    Apart from the usual hideous nightmare of buying a secondhand car (predatory salesmen, stress) which I fear forumites cannot help me with, there's the agonising decision about make and model - which I'm hoping they might.

    Briefly, I want a fun, economical car that's good for round town but also OK for motorway driving.

    I was convinced I wanted a Yaris, went off that, I quite fancy a Fiesta now. I might even get another Corsa but I don't like the new shape.

    Any recommendations / dire warnings you might like to pass on?

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    Re: Used car dilemma

    PS I'd like it to be pink or orange but I'll settle for red.

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    Re: Used car dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by jivecat View Post

    Briefly, I want a fun, economical car that's good for round town but also OK for motorway driving.
    I'm between cars at the moment but luckily, I have the use of my son's car. He has a new Seat Ibiza 1.4 sport and it drives very nicely. I've driven it around town and on the motorway and its got quite a lot of room for a small car.

    Although I have to confess, I've just gained a new understanding for people who may occasionally cut other drivers up .. I keep forgetting, I can't just simply put my foot down to overtake

    So, my advise is, if your not a bothered about how fast you can accelerate, then its a nice little car
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    Re: Used car dilemma

    I personally would avoid anything French, Italian or Spanish as they can be a right pain in the ass to repair when they go wrong (which they often do)

    I always try and stick with English, Jap , German or American cars. 9/10 you will get a great shell, nice drive and solid engine.

    Have a look at these http://www.whatcar.com/car-reviews/s...mensionIds=310

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    Re: Used car dilemma

    ** A Lot of the newer cars these days have no spare wheels, would recommend you get one of these, or get it included in the deal and check the jack works well.
    Newer Fiestas are holding thier prices very well at the moment so it may be difficult to get a bargain!
    Read the parker and other guides to check for reliability "Jap & German" seems a good rule of thumb.
    (Personally im on to my second new shape honda civic had 1800 petrol from new for 3 years and got 130000 on clock with no problem averaging 40-42 to gallon, just bought 07 civic deisel in may getting 50 to gallon (cost 9000) quite quick too, got it from carquake on internet (ex company cars mostly))

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    Re: Used car dilemma

    On the buying side, it may be a good idea to pay a mechanic to go along with you to check it over (I think AA offer a car check service) and also to take a copy of one of the price guide books to help haggling. A trick of salesmen is to get you to sit in car, but its a psychological trick (you are more likely to buy)

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    Registered User Lynn's Avatar
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    Re: Used car dilemma

    Can't offer comparisons as only ever had two Fiestas - had current one (2002 1.25 Zetec) for over 5 years and its been very economical to run, cheap to service, never had any major problems (though wing mirrors don't 'spring' and I have to park on the road so found them knocked off a couple of times), and nippy to drive.

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    Re: Used car dilemma

    What is your budget??

    One thing that springs to mind is a Mk 5 Golf 1.6 FSI

    You'll get a 2004 model with about 40 odd k on the clock for under £5k.

    It'll be a solid, reliable, well screwed together, & you'll get an average of around 45mpg.

    It's also petrol, ie much quieter than a clattery diesel

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    Re: Used car dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Phil_dB View Post
    One thing that springs to mind is a Mk 5 Golf 1.6 FSI

    You'll get a 2004 model with about 40 odd k on the clock for under £5k.

    It'll be a solid, reliable, well screwed together, & you'll get an average of around 45mpg.

    It's also petrol, ie much quieter than a clattery diesel
    My parents have recently got a golf, after years of BMW's and they actually love it.

    They have a diesel model and they've been extremely impressed with how economical it is and they haven't moaned about it being clattery
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    Re: Used car dilemma

    What are people's views/experiences of the Mini - specifically Cooper/Cooper S?

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    Re: Used car dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    My parents have recently got a golf, after years of BMW's and they actually love it.

    They have a diesel model and they've been extremely impressed with how economical it is and they haven't moaned about it being clattery
    The economy is an attraction, especially for me now I am doing more & more miles these days....

    All VAG (Volkswagon Audi Group) cars seem very loud & clattery to me, but i've only been in them for short journeys and next to them at traffic lights (when i'm on my bike), maybe they're quieter inside, after they've warmed up?

    A colleague has a Golf TDI and he has enough of it because its so unrefined, he's now selling it because he wants a more responsive & quieter petrol car.

    BMW are actually known for their diesels, they tend to be much, much quieter.

    Quote Originally Posted by JiveLad View Post
    What are people's views/experiences of the Mini - specifically Cooper/Cooper S?
    Lovely to be in, very well screwed together when new, - however i've heard that as they get older they tend to get very rattly inside.

    I dont like the image though, - think they've had their day now.

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    Re: Used car dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by jivecat View Post
    Briefly, I want a fun, economical car that's good for round town but also OK for motorway driving.
    I have a 1.4 diesel Skoda Fabia
    economical , good for round town OK for motorway driving.
    but fails on the fun criteria

    To get a bargain; don't buy or sign on the day
    get the sales mans name and number, then get someone else, who is good at bargaining, to phone up one or two days later, to negotiate the deal

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    Re: Used car dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Phil_dB View Post
    The economy is an attraction, especially for me now I am doing more & more miles these days....
    I'm getting a diesel this time. I ummed and arred and finally settled on a petrol and ordered it, then 3 days later they came back to me saying, news had just been announnced, they're no longer making a petrol version anymore

    All VAG (Volkswagon Audi Group) cars seem very loud & clattery to me, but i've only been in them for short journeys and next to them at traffic lights (when i'm on my bike), maybe they're quieter inside, after they've warmed up?
    I think you're right, theirs is quite loud on startup but once inside and the car's warmed up, its OK

    A colleague has a Golf TDI and he has enough of it because its so unrefined, he's now selling it because he wants a more responsive & quieter petrol car.
    Petrol's aren't necessarily more responsive! It depends on the model!
    BMW are actually known for their diesels, they tend to be much, much quieter.
    My parents old BMW had been converted to GAS, which was extremely economical but very temperamental and a nightmare to find stations that sold it
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    Re: Used car dilemma

    While being towed home down the M5 a couple of years ago the 'AA' man told me that he had been in the job for 9 years and in all that time the one make of car that he had never been called out to was Honda. I now have a Honda Jazz and love it.

    Btw - he also said that 90% of the cars he did get called out to where BMWs . . .

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    Re: Used car dilemma

    My smart forfour did 100k miles without needing any work done. (and plenty of that was motorway).

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    Re: Used car dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Phil_dB View Post
    All VAG (Volkswagon Audi Group) cars seem very loud & clattery to me, but i've only been in them for short journeys and next to them at traffic lights (when i'm on my bike), maybe they're quieter inside, after they've warmed up?
    I think VAG are changing their technologies. The clattery ones tended to be "PD" engines which are better for economy but worse for emissions (and clatteriness). The newer "CR" engines are apparently smoother but use more fuel.
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    Re: Used car dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post

    I think you're right, theirs is quite loud on startup but once inside and the car's warmed up, its OK
    Hmmmm - I may revisit the idea of going for an oil burner, - what reg is their car out of interest?


    Quote Originally Posted by Lory View Post
    Petrol's aren't necessarily more responsive! It depends on the model!
    Yes that's true, but more so in terms of overall power, generally i've found though that initial throttle response is generally sharper in a petrol.

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    Re: Used car dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Phil_dB View Post
    Hmmmm - I may revisit the idea of going for an oil burner, - what reg is their car out of interest?
    08


    Yes that's true, but more so in terms of overall power, generally i've found though that initial throttle response is generally sharper in a petrol.
    I'm no expert by any means but I have looked into this a 'little' bit and you're probably right in general terms but its still not the case with all cars..

    However, all this talk of money means little if the diesel isn't any good. Lets go back to the facts and figures again - Power on the 2.7 D is 207bhp, versus the 240bhp of the petrol, but hang on, the important figure comes next - Torque is a massive 320 lb/ft on the diesel, whereas the petrol comes in at 216 lb/ft, meaning that the diesel has a lot more shove. We're getting a bit anoraky here, but the revs that the maximum torque is developed at also play a big part, with the diesel producing maximum torque at 1900 rpm, compared to the petrol's 4100 revs, meaning that you don't need to rev the diesel XF anywhere nearly as hard to get the car really moving. Acceleration figures also back this up, with the diesel posting a 7.7 second 0-60mph time, and the petrol coming in behind the diesel at 7.9 seconds, despite the extra power.
    Quoted from here...
    http://www.jaguar-xf-blog.com/2008/0...or-diesel.html
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    Re: Used car dilemma

    0.2 of a second eh?

    Facts and figures only mean so much, and dont always reflect the driving experience itself when you're behind the wheel. Only way to tell is to drive both & make your own mind up.

    In terms of economy and power, diesels make sense a lot of sense. Like for like, I dont think a diesel will ever match a petrol equivilent for pure driving pleasure. They never sound as good either. But as i get older, this sort of stuff matters less..

    This has reminded me of BMW's claim that their 5 series diesel was as quick as the petrol equivilant

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    Re: Used car dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Phil_dB View Post
    This has reminded me of BMW's claim that their 5 series diesel was as quick as the petrol equivilant
    Oh purlease... 'The STIG' was driving the petrol
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