Help appreciated on selecting new car

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Sat 4 Sep 2004 02:10
Help appreciated on selecting new car - SlightlyFatRep
I need a new(er) car!! My Mondeo Estate 2.0 Ghia X is dying (reliable until 100,000 miles then bits falling of left, right and centre - £1,900 spent on it this year alone). Aircon packed up today - £300 to replace condensor - arghhhhh!!! Car is a company one and so will be it's replacement.

Want to move to something a bit more prestigious and nearly new. Can live without an Estate and am considering a Volvo S60 D5 Diesel for good performance and fairly low Co2 emmisions but what else would people recommend for my budget of £14-16,000? Want 03 reg to be as old as it gets, ruling out BMW's - any suggestions? Co2 / list price new and budget all important. SAAB 9-5 2.2TiD Estate maybe?

Good suggestions as to where to source, i.e: not main dealer, not car supermarket appreciated! Cheers!
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Sun 5 Sep 2004 12:08
Help appreciated on selecting new car - daveyK_UK
honda accord
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Sun 5 Sep 2004 13:53
Help appreciated on selecting new car - Stuartli
Some of the car mags include the various marques' models available in a range of price bands; choose the price band you have in mind.

After deciding what features you require, body style and similar parameters, you should then be able to narrow down the list to the vehicles that fit your criteria.

You should then seek to test drive them all (if you haven't driven any of the choices previously) and find the one(s) you can/could could comfortably live with on a daily basis. It's then down to whittling down what's left to the actual model you will soon have on your driveway.

Don't forget other considerations such as being able to have the car serviced at a convenient dealership (no point in the nearest one being some distance away).

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Sun 5 Sep 2004 21:42
Help appreciated on selecting new car - flatfour
I just got, don't laugh. A Hyundai Santa Fe, its the best car I have ever driven, 5 years Warranty, all I do is laugh, its just so good 40mpg, and more comfortable than the Saab I just ditched, loads of room for the kids, dog and granny,and its just so quiet, it rides as if you are on an air cushion, even the radio cd is brilliant.
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Sun 5 Sep 2004 23:04
Help appreciated on selecting new car - Ivor E Tower
I keep saying it - try the cars you are thinking about and see which is the most comfortable. If you are not comfortable, you will not be a safe driver.
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Mon 6 Sep 2004 09:13
Help appreciated on selecting new car - Stuartli
>>I just got, don't laugh>>

Why should anyone laugh? There are quite a few of them in my area and the five-year warranty indicates manufacturer confidence in its products; you seem happy with your acquisition and that's what counts.

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Mon 6 Sep 2004 10:06
Help appreciated on selecting new car - Happy Blue!
Just bought a Trajet diesel auto. Loving it. I'm not laughing other than at my good fortune. It is more economical and much larger that the Honda CR-V we also have.
--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Mon 6 Sep 2004 11:00
Help appreciated on selecting new car - Malcolm_L
Honda Accord - not many about but growing.
About the same size as a Mondeo but diesel engine is more refined and more economical.

Good ride/road holding setup, very comfortable seats and quiet inside at motorway speeds.

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Mon 6 Sep 2004 18:33
Help appreciated on selecting new car - PatrickO
Skoda Octavia rs turbo new from £12,500-£13000.
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Mon 6 Sep 2004 22:40
Help appreciated on selecting new car - Vansboy
Plenty X Types coming through, now.

If you liked your Mondeo - you'll be more than pleased, with one.

& you can say I've got a Jaguar!!

VB
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Tue 7 Sep 2004 00:57
Help appreciated on selecting new car - Avant
Just A Granada Under A Reskin....

I looked at an X-type (diesel) and had a test drive when changing cars earlier this year, as I liked the look of the estate.

- Lovely ride and handling
- Seats looked inviting but were too flat for me
- Diesel engine seemed coarse (same as Mondeo's) and I really wanted a 6-cylinder diesel. Petrol engines probably thirsty
- Clutch fierce and heavy
- Some poor finish where they don't expect you to look - e.g. under the boot floor, and the carpet was no better than the one in a Ford Ka, and probably from the same source.

Hope this helps - not for me, but you're right abou the prestige value - probably better than my Audi.

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Tue 7 Sep 2004 09:28
Help appreciated on selecting new car - bazza
There are some cracking deals on the Octavia range at the moment, especially the outgoing model.
Baz
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