# Help me choose a new car



## Yachtie (18 Feb 2007)

I've spent the whole day on Saturday car shopping. I took several cars out for a test drive and now have to decide between a BMW116i ES and Renault Megane. 

My current car is 3yrs old and the main reason why I want to change it is that it doesn't hold much value and the mileage money I get from work would pay for a substantial chunk of the car finance repayments. 

I drive a good bit for work and safety and comfort are becoming very important while there is also a small bit of vanity involved. 

Any personal experiences with either of the above models or informed opinions will be most welcome. Also, is it common that the car dealers can give you a small percentage discount if you're not trading in but putting down a cash deposit? I was told that you have to ask for this otherwise they'd never mention it. 

Thanks in advance!


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## BlueSpud (19 Feb 2007)

*Re: Help me chose a new car*

Go for a test drive in a Ford Focus and compare the ride.  It's a great car & better value retention than the Renault and much better value than the bmw.


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## tosullivan (19 Feb 2007)

*Re: Help me chose a new car*

of the 2 cars you have driven above, expect big depreciation on both.

Renaults typically dont hold their value well and neither does the 1 series.

Whats your budget?
The Megane must be costing about €23/24k and the BMW would be about €28k.  The ES spec is poor also.  I would take an A3 over a 1 series any day.

You should be able to get big discounts on both the cars you are looking at...prob in the region of €1000-1500.

The focus is a great car, maybe not as nice as the one it replaced, but a better car than the one it replaced.

If you drive a lot for work then maybe you should consider a diesel, which might limit your budget somewhat


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## Frank (19 Feb 2007)

If you do a lot of driving maybe look at a diesel.

Golf 
Focus
BM 320d
corolla or the new replacemet.


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## tommo2 (19 Feb 2007)

When buying a new or even used car you should expect to get at least 10% off the list price if paying cash. All car prices are increased to allow for this discount. This way, when people go looking at trade-ins it looks like they are getting a great trade-in price for their old car.
How many people do you know that tell you that it was MADNESS not to buy the new car considering the price they were getting for their old one. Truth is, if they sold it privately they would get the same amount or more than the dealer was offering. Then they could get a large discount for cash on the new one. Most people find this too much hassle, especially when the dealer is offering the deal of the century (or so they think). Also, they stroll into the dealership just looking to browse, and a good salesman offers them a good deal and instant finance and a car straightaway. Carrot in front of the donkey stuff.
Consider this example:

New car 25K
Old car was 25k two years ago. 
Dealer offers 21k for old car as trade in.
Cost is 4k cash plus old car.

Cash price of new car is 23K
Sell old car for 20.5k
Price for cash is 2.5k plus old car.

Seems like a lot of hassle? Where else could you earn 1.5k for a few hours work and a little patience?

Shop around different dealers and dont be afraid to pitch them against each other saying that dealer X offered a cash discount of Y amount

Best of luck


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## Irish Fire (19 Feb 2007)

If your looking for a nice car to drive believe it or not the Skoda Octavia is a nice car to drive 1.9 Diesel Elegance (top spec model) under 30k, not sure what the trade in value is like in 3 - 4 years but if you are getting an allowance who cares. Drive one and see ya never know......


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## tosullivan (19 Feb 2007)

that 1.9 diesel is a bit agricultural nowadays....


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## Guest125 (20 Feb 2007)

Well if 50mpg,endless pulling power and first tip starting are"agricultural" I don't know what classification could be placed on the opel diesel!!!!!!!!!


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## RS2K (20 Feb 2007)

It's still a Skoda though.


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## RS2K (20 Feb 2007)

tommo2 said:


> When buying a new or even used car you should expect to get at least 10% off the list price if paying cash.



You are most unlikely to get a 10% cash discount the vast majority of new cars.


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## tommo2 (20 Feb 2007)

RS2K said:


> You are most unlikely to get a 10% cash discount the vast majority of new cars.


 

Yes you will if you shop around different garages and pit them against each other. Cash still has enormous benefit over finance deals. Just try it, you'll see.


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## DeBarr (20 Feb 2007)

Agree with tommo2

Went and took a test drive of the new Corolla diesel saloon and the new Auris hatchback diesel 2 weeks ago at local Toyota dealers and when I said what sort of a deal would he do for cash I got 10% off immediately - also throw in the usual mats and a full tank "for luck".....

Definitley haggle - if you don't ask you won't get.....


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## setanta1 (23 Feb 2007)

Hi Yachtie
A couple of questions that might lead you to a choice:

Do you like driving, i.e. are acceleration, handling etc. important to you?
Do you need 4 doors and 5 seats?


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## Irish Fire (25 Feb 2007)

RS2K said:


> It's still a Skoda though.


 

In our company we looked at a few models in that range (in estate for carrying tools spare parts etc..). The main reason I looked at the Skoda is the lads asked for something in the "Golf / Astra" range for B.I.K. reasons and even they agreed space comfort etc was far better than anything else out there, they all agreed the spec in them was much better than anything else out there to be honest we have ordered 6 of them.


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## RS2K (25 Feb 2007)

As I said it's still a Skoda


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## Irish Fire (25 Feb 2007)

RS2K said:


> As I said it's still a Skoda


 
What do you think of VW?


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## paddyd (25 Feb 2007)

We sold our old car privately for much more than the dealer was offering (through carzone), and then haggled a 10% discount off a Focus. We gained €2k extra for doing pretty much nothing.

The only down-side is that as we pre-booked a Jan 07 car in November, and had sold the old car easily, we only had 1 car for nearly 2 months (woe-betide); which was a nusience at times.


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## Froggie (25 Feb 2007)

A 10% discount is not an unreasonable expectation when paying cash for a new car. true you will have to haggle for it in a lot of dealers but dont forget that some dealers offer their employees a 20% discount.


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## Yachtie (1 Mar 2007)

paddyd said:


> We sold our old car privately for much more than the dealer was offering (through carzone), and then haggled a 10% discount off a Focus. We gained €2k extra for doing pretty much nothing.
> 
> The only down-side is that as we pre-booked a Jan 07 car in November, and had sold the old car easily, we only had 1 car for nearly 2 months (woe-betide); which was a nusience at times.


 
How long did it take you to see your car on carzone.ie? I got my new car last Friday and the old one has been up for sale for over a week but no enquiries...


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## paddyd (2 Mar 2007)

Yachtie said:


> How long did it take you to see your car on carzone.ie? I got my new car last Friday and the old one has been up for sale for over a week but no enquiries...


 
only took a few hours. put it on carzone at 11pm, with no pics, and got a call at 9.30 the following morning, sold at 11am.


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## Squonk (2 Mar 2007)

RS2K said:


> As I said it's still a Skoda


 Ithink that 'joke' is so old at this stage...anybody who knows anytthing about cars knows that the Octavia is a fine vehicle. Those peopkle who joke about Skoda are just showing their ignorance at this stage.


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## Irish Fire (5 Mar 2007)

Squonk said:


> Ithink that 'joke' is so old at this stage...anybody who knows anytthing about cars knows that the Octavia is a fine vehicle. Those peopkle who joke about Skoda are just showing their ignorance at this stage.


 

I'm collecting mine this morning, My first Skoda (sounds like a childs product  ) So I'll tell you this evening what they are like.


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## mirai (6 Mar 2007)

I'm new to this site but was wondering if anyone has any experience of the Volvo S40 SE 1.6 D. I was looking at them at weekend and they look lovely and drive well in my opinion but I'd love to hear others opinions. Does anyone know if they keep their value as trade ins.


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## paddyd (12 Mar 2007)

mirai said:


> Does anyone know if they keep their value as trade ins.


 
Not really. It'll depreciate slighty above average. 

Also, the 1.6D won't be nearly as desirable as the 2.0D when it comes to re-sale. I'd imagine anyone buying one 2nd hand would prefer the 2L.

The 2.0D costs about €36k, and will lose about 5-6k per annum for each of the first 3 years. (or about 45-50% of cost. This is pretty normal in that category).


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## RS2K (12 Mar 2007)

Squonk said:


> Ithink that 'joke' is so old at this stage...anybody who knows anytthing about cars knows that the Octavia is a fine vehicle. Those peopkle who joke about Skoda are just showing their ignorance at this stage.



A matter of opinion only.

I've been in planty of Octvias - usually taxis. They are cheap and cheerful.

The bottom of the VW evolutionary tree.


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## RS2K (12 Mar 2007)

paddyd said:


> Not really. It'll depreciate slighty above average.
> 
> * Also, the 1.6D won't be nearly as desirable as the 2.0D when it comes to re-sale. I'd imagine anyone buying one 2nd hand would prefer the 2L.*
> 
> The 2.0D costs about €36k, and will lose about 5-6k per annum for each of the first 3 years. (or about 45-50% of cost. This is pretty normal in that category).



In the Irish market I'd suggest the opposite is the case. A smaller engined diesel will always be in high demand. The 1.6 peugeot/ford unit is well up to the job in a S40 too. 110bhp and it is very light on fuel.

The 2.0 category is much slower move used.


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## Dubliner16 (12 Mar 2007)

mirai said:


> I'm new to this site but was wondering if anyone has any experience of the Volvo S40 SE 1.6 D. I was looking at them at weekend and they look lovely and drive well in my opinion but I'd love to hear others opinions. Does anyone know if they keep their value as trade ins.


 
I have a volvo S40 SE 05 1.8 Petrol, paid 32K for it.  The Garage I bought it from said they would give me 24K of trade in thats only 25% decrease in two years, pretty good.  He said he has a list of buyers waiting on this spec of car.  The new S40's seem to hold there values well.  

Miria, go for the S40, great spec with leather interior etc.


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## paddyd (13 Mar 2007)

RS2K said:


> In the Irish market I'd suggest the opposite is the case. A smaller engined diesel will always be in high demand. The 1.6 peugeot/ford unit is well up to the job in a S40 too. 110bhp and it is very light on fuel.


 
I see you point for sure. I wasn't aware of the bhp of the 1.6D, but figured that someone searching for a car in the S40 size category would be looking for the 2L diesel workhorse-type car. If I was looking for a 1.6D, I'd chose a 307 or Focus or Corolla etc.


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## galwaytt (13 Mar 2007)

First of all - the Skoda is only the bottom of the VAG tree in terms of price.....in all others, it's at least - if not actually better - their equal.......

The only caveat I'd have on the S60 is depreciation and niggling electronics.  I know somoene who has only now just managed, after nearly a year, with persistant electronic problems, to make them take the car back.  It really was a nightmare.   As for engine size, in the Irish context, the 1.6D will be more attractive in the s/hand market - the 2.0 can be just a step too far for tax/insurance etc.    Btw, that good 25% depreciation figure is only against another Volvo.........I don't believe you'll get anything like that against any other brand if you want something else next time.

And of course, the S60 IS a Focus, so you should look at that - in Ghia spec if you like.......


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## Caveat (13 Mar 2007)

If reliability is a concern I think _everyone_ should try *honestjohn.co.uk* which in turn links to *reliabilityindex.co.uk* 

Between them you should have almost all you need to know about good/bad points and overall reliability rating of most cars - unsurprisingly Japanese cars occupy 9 of the top 10 most reliable in the last decade.

Although some just won't buy Japanese anyway...

Reliability is probably not the sole factor in buying but at least if you have your heart set on something you can be reassured/warned as the case may be - some high spec marques that you would assume are fairly reliable or that are marketed as reliable are often _not -_ according to the above sites anyway


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