HELP! Best car choice

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spud26

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For the first time in my life I have a few bob to put towards a car rather than taking a big car loan, will need to borrow a bit but have a lump too. In any case, I am looking to now spend wisely as I would love to for once and for all buy a decent car and maybe keep it updated then every couple if years. I've pretty much always had bangers up till now!

I'd love some input, these are some of my thoughts:

- to have a fairly decent spec, bluetooth, AC, etc and a reversing camera would be fab too
- probably sounds silly bit something fairly trendy, I am in my mid 30s, single with no kids and don't want anything that looks like a family car!
- Would love a decent year, maybe 161 onwards
- Budget €20,000
- Do I go petrol or diesel

I'm am probably asking a lot but if anyone had a few mins to give some input I would so appreciate it!

My top 3 choices are the Nissan Qashqai (but is this really only a family car?!), a Volkswagen Golf or an Audi A3.
I realise I would probably have to go down a year or two for any of these.
I know I could get a Toyota Auris or Ford Focus with decent spec and good year for under 20k, and I like both but feel they are the sensible option. And I always take the sensible route and would love a change!!!

Hmm, I think have rambled on enough now, any help or advice is very welcome!!!
 
From a very quick look on Car Zone - the three that stood out for me in looks/difference were the Alfa Giuletta (wife's friend has one and loves it), Honda Civic and Volvo V40.
There are Audi A3 and Mini's there but not my cup of tea.
 
A few thoughts...


- you sound delighted to be in this position, so getting a car to delight would seem to be the thing to do all right rather than anything too boring or sensible, which would tend to rule out the likes of Fords or Toyotas

- your two statements "I am looking to now spend wisely" and "maybe keep it updated then every couple of years" are more than a little contradictory. I'd look at getting something to really like and hanging on to it for at least five years: changing more frequently will cost you

- Do you have a trade-in? If not, or if it's of very low value, I'd look seriously at purchasing in the UK or NI. There's a vast selection there, even if you stick to the "approved used" schemes from franchised dealers (which is what I'd recommend if you go that route), and sterling is getting weaker by the day. Try looking a few manufacturer's Web sites to see what's on offer: you can typically search based on model and features/options

- as for specific make/model, it's really down to personal choice: whatcar.co.uk is a good site to see the pros/cons of different models
 
20k would get you into a low mileage 2015 Scirocco or 23k would get a 2016 one. Personally prefer them to the Golf. Going down slightly in years would open up far more options...maybe a Toyota GT86.
 
I have just spent the last week car shopping, I flippin hate it! But my 15 yr old car that I love has to go due to insurance hassle and it's beginning to show it's age maintenance wise.

I know exactly what you mean about Focus/Auris, I looked at both of these and know the Focus would be the most suitable for my needs but it's boring as hell to look at. Just drove two of them today and oddly enough when changing gear my elbow keeps hitting the side of the bucket seat bit that sticks out. It's very awkward, I must have short legs and long arms!

I liked the Hyundai 130 but am looking for petrol and hard to find a petrol one, that ad before Corrie makes it look very appealing :)

I was adamant I wanted petrol and not diesel but at this stage the selection is just not there with petrol models as mainly diesel cars have been selling for past few years so there is a shortage of secondhand petrol. Maybe I could live with a diesel? With the rumblings of getting rid of diesel though are these not going to devalue quickly, I am inclined to keep a car for a long time and I don't want to find that I have to get rid of it prematurely due to some new rules/regs yet to be decided.

In my dream world I'd like a BMW in blue please.
 
Single, no kids, mid 30s (which was when I bought my only "new" motorbike - those were the days).

If it was me, Id go for a MX5, but that's just me. ;) or streatch for a Fiat 124 spyder - but that might blow the budget.

It might be the one time you can buy a "frivolous" car, as relationships/house/responsibilities will start looming. Go for it.
 
Wow thank you so much for all of the replies. I am replying on a very fiddly Samsung phone (which probably also needs replacing!!) and couldn't seem to reply to each individual message but I really appreciate all of the input.

Loads of food for thought there, and I definitely appreciate the support in not going down the sensible route!!!!!

One other thing I didn't think to mention is that I am quite tall so smaller cars can sometimes be too tight for me! And also, I had some back bother lately so don't want a car that's too low either that I have to hike out of!

Gosh I sound fierce fussy, I'm really not that bad! I just am delighted to be be this position for once and want to make the right call!
Thank you again!
 
Just happened to get a spin in a new Peugeot GT Line spec 3008 the other day. An absolutely fabulous beast both in looks and on the road. Try and raise another few Euro and get it and i'll buy it off you in a couple of years. Ha ha.
 
Ok, I'm going to write the post you really aren't interested in, but here goes anyway. :D

I never have, and never will, understand the objection to a "sensible" car. Or maybe I understand it -- blokes are easy prey for advertising that equates machismo with having a stupid car -- but I can't empathise with it. A car for me has never been anything but a way of getting comfortably and safely from A to B, and that was as true when I was 20 as it is 30 years later. To be honest after the first rush of excitement of smelling new car seats you very quickly don't really notice the car at all. That's probably a good thing, because you also don't notice the inevitable bangs and scrapes that you are going to accumulate. In short, being obsessed with the looks of a car is a plain silly, and everybody deep down knows it.

So, in terms of practical advice, try to avoid diesel as they are about to become a dirty word. Don't even consider changing every couple of years, that is just about the most expensive thing you could do. Why not buy new and keep for 10+ years? For the sort of money you are talking about you could easily afford a nice sensible brand new Skoda family car. :eek::eek::eek::D:D:D
 
See, I agree of course with you dub_nerd but to some people looks are important :) It's really a personality type I think myself, some people like to have nice gardens to look at, others couldn't care if it's a sheet of tarmac or concrete! Same with clothes, friend of mine buys all his clothes in Guineys, nothing wrong with it but pretty basic stuff, you could have a black plastic bag on and he wouldn't notice, different things are important to different people. It doesn't mean one want/like is less valid than the other, if you asked my father what sort of car he has he'd say black, he has zero interest in the type/colour of car but he likes to drive a big car, that's equally as pointless as how it looks but that's his preference. I like a smallish car but look/colour is important.

My car is old but I love the shape and colour of it (I actually don't care about the scrapes etc and don't mind it in that way, joys of an old car), I do notice it all the time and often when walking back to when it's parked again think to myself how much I like my car so it does bring me pleasure the same way my nice garden does or my freshly painted house and while yes it is just a means of getting from A to B I still would like one that I like the look of.

Being obsessed with the look of anything is silly but a large percentage of the population are, not quite obsessed I would say but obviously appearance matters in lots of areas of life. I'd still like a car that looks nice to me, I know most people probably can't figure out what I like about the one I have but I like it. :)
 
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How about a Lexus CT200 hybrid? Cheap to tax and run, very reliable and high spec.

Or you could buy a perfectly good car for 10k and invest the rest.
 
I purchased a Citroen C4 with a view to keeping it forever. It is now 12 years old and beginning to cause me problems. It has only 50k on the clock. I thought about changing it but I find the selection of cars out there very boring. I spent some money on it recently. The mechanic suggested that a number of other things will need to be replaced over the next few years. The cost to do these jobs will be close to €1k. I am trying to decide if I will pay to have these jobs done and stick with my original plan and keep it forever. Cheaper than spending money on a new car.

I am concerned that when the car reaches 15 years of age the insurance industry will milk me for ever increasing premiums. I am in a similar situation to Montbretia. Personally I just want to turn the key and switch on the engine and drive. I don't need a dashboard that will read my DNA for me.

The Scirocco caught my eye, some of the Audi cars are nice but as I only do about two thousand miles a year it makes no sense to be spending that kind of money. Also looking at the selfish way people park their cars and are happy to hit their car doors against other cars, causing dinges and dents would annoy me constantly.
 
Oh you made me laugh out loud there with the dashboard DNA comment. I know exactly what you mean, I don't need all the new fancy bits either on a car and I do want to turn a key! I tried one with a button ignition yesterday and have to say I like the feel of a proper key in my hand, didn't want it's fancy park assist either, quite proud of my parking skills actually!
 
Am I right in thinking that after aprox 3 years most new cars have lost roughly half their value against a new one of similar price/quality? Some people say they'd never buy new and that they would buy a demo, or a year old car, thinking they're getting better value, but i've found out that that is not really true. Most of us have a trade in when we go looking to buy again, if we buy new we trade what we have against it, if our trade in is 3yrs or so we'll be given a price but lets say it's the back end of the year and we decide to leave it until January and we'll get a better bargain then. Oh no we won't. The new car might stay the same price but our trade in will be priced against it as another year older, same withy buying the demo we think is a bargain, that now is 2 years old as well. I'm beginning to think that the right way to go is buy new, keep forever until it goes no more and repeat the process. Add up the costs yourself and if you buy a car every few years it can add up to buying a new one and keeping it for a long time. The only other option is to buy second hand and take your chances. If that goes wrong it can be just as expensive.
 
Hi spud26,

Hmmm....I remember being young, free and single with a few bob to spare...ah the days! Sadly though I bought a sensible car but if I had my time back I would buy something older but classy like a (2004?) BMW 6 series or Mercedes SL. Serious car for your money and a lot of fun.

Firefly.
 
michaelm said:
New Nissan Leaf maybe?
Click to expand...

Main reservation I'd have with those is battery life and replacement costs if you're planning on long-term owership. There are reports from the US of some replacements required after 5 years, with the cost there at $5,500 plus 3 hours labour.
 
spud26 said:
My top 3 choices are the Nissan Qashqai (but is this really only a family car?!)
Click to expand...

If you're after something fun to drive, avoid the Qashqai or any of the cross-overs or SUVs. The 1.6l petrol Qashqai has an upgraded independent multi-link rear suspension, but cornering is still nowhere as good as on a decent saloon.
 
Leo said:
Main reservation I'd have with those is battery life and replacement costs
Click to expand...
Mine too. But I think the US failures were related to high millage Leafs (Leaves?o_O) in hot climates and that they've improved the design since it was launched.

According to Nissan . .
Basic Warranty Coverage is 3 years/100,000kms
The Lithiumion battery & drivetrain electric’s (traction motor/invertor etc) warranty is 5 years
The battery is modular in format and consists of 48 modules with 4 cells in each. These modules can be repaired or replaced independent of each other. Replacing the battery is very unlikely. However in the unlikely event that you feel the need to change it after 5 years, the cost is set in line with the costs one would expect of replacing an engine.
 
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