I am currently looking for a family car and cannot make up my mind what to get. My budget is £12k-13k and I want a diesel with less than 20k miles on the clock. I have test driven the following:
Vectra Diesel - Nice spec, much less torque than any other car I
have driven, and very annoying indicator system.
Mazda - When I told them the budget they lost interest and couldn't suggest any suitable cars!
Honda - Civic - didn't like it at all, poor equipment level and too small for price
- Jazz - Lovely to drive, but not quite big enough.
Volkswagen - Passat 130bhp - Excellent to drive and good equipment, but no hatchback.
Ford - Mondeo 130bhp - Excellent to drive and good equipment levels.
Toyota - Avensis Hatch D4D - Fair to drive, excellent quality and equipment, haven't found one within price range
Skoda - New Octavia 140bhp - Excellent engine and quality, favourite so far, but think it may be impossible to find a used one within price range.
Are there any I have missed, and which one would users of this board recommend.
Thanks for your help,
Nick
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Skoda - New Octavia 140bhp - Excellent engine and quality, favourite so far, but think it may be impossible to find a used one within price range.
It should be possible to find one on the internet. Virgin Cars are selling the 130 diesel Superb for £13.5k so the Octavia should be cheaper, although I am not sure about the price of the new 140.
BTW, as i am in the market for a new car I though that I would support HJ and go via one of his links. I called the number and the bloke at the other end was a little disinterested but took my details and said that he would e-mail me the prices. 3 weeks later - nothing!
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Volvo S60 D5?
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Runboy, thanks, but prefer a hatchback and also I can't see a <20k mile model coming in under budget, unless you know different?
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I'd be tempted to say that if you can't make your mind up out of that list then any other cars are just going to make the decision more difficult!
I'd go for the Mondeo. But then I'm biased!
Splodgeface
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Splodgeface (!), I tend to agree with you. You get a really well specced car, with a good engine and as far as I am aware good reliability for a very low price (What Car seem to agree). Maybe it is worth putting up with being labelled as 'Mondeo-Man! However, the Avensis and the new Skoda are tempting.
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I\'ve not driven the latest Avensis, but my mother-in-law had the old shape 1.8 petrol auto. Very smooth, roomy and economical. Average about 35mpg on a v fast run and about 30 normally.
Assume new model equally OK.
Not heard any obvious problems on the Skoda other than badge snobbery (I\'m not allowed a Superb by SWMBO, depite a top of the range 2.5TDI auto with all bells and whistles for £15,000 in Warringon)
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Maybe it is worth putting up with being labelled as 'Mondeo-Man!
The way things are going, being labelled something like "BMW-man" has more of a stigma about it.
Back to the Mondeo, I just simply can't believe how good a car this actually is. Those who shun just don't know what they're missing.
For great deals, try Motorpoint or Trade Sales - you could pick up a brand new one for your budget - albeit the 2 yr warranty - but then if you buy 2nd hand, you'll only be getting the remaining warranty (probably 2 yrs) anyway. Yes they're imports but mine came with identical spec to the GB ones (well I haven't found anything missing yet in 18 months of ownership). Its the same car from the same factory at the end of the day.
Splodgeface
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