My mum's in the market for a new motor. She's not really sure what she wants, but I think she will be after a small hatchback/supermini, no more than 3 years old and with no more than around 30k on the clock. She is tempted to have a turbodiesel.
What should she get?
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Skoda Fabia Tdi - if you can find one.
checkout What Car? for recommendations
(as well as Car-by-Car on this site of course)
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Budget? Could be anywhere between 4 and 8 grand.
If you can I'd go for a Fabia or high spec 206.
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I know nothing about Skodas, save for the fact that they are owned by ~VW and have come on in leaps and bounds. Which VW platform is the fabia based on, and why are you both recommending it?
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I know nothing about Skodas, save for the fact that they are owned by ~VW and have come on in leaps and bounds. Which VW platform is the fabia based on, and why are you both recommending it?
Check out
www.honestjohn.co.uk/index.php?url=/carbycar/index...m
and you should find these answers there.
I would also look at Toyota Yaris - I think that is what HJ got for his mum, but I stand to be corrected. Use the "Search button" on this site for these two makes/models for more information.
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At the risk of being burned at the stake for heresy, I would say that it doesn't very much matter these days which small supermini you choose. Whether you go for Fabia, Yaris or whatever, it will be a lovely little thing to drive and will come with the sort of standard equipment that a few years ago would only be seen on luxury cars. So the biggest problem for car buyers in this sector isn't choosing the car, but trying to get it serviced / repaired without massive aggravation.
So my advice to a 'non-enthusiast' car buyer would be to ask everyone you know, what has been their experience with local garages. Identify the dealer which offers the best service, and buy whatever make it is that he happens to sell. From what I have heard, this approach is quite likely to end up with your mum in a Fabia or Yaris anyway....
Richard Hall
bangernomics.tripod.com
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my step-grandmother has a Nissan Micra which she says that she doesn't like. Automatic and all that, I thought it would have been perfect for an octoganarian but apparently it doesn't quite have the performance that she wants!
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Talking of Nissan Micras (Micrae?), and at the risk of getting a virtual slap from Mark, I was amused at the following extract from a "handy tips" email received today:
Nissan Micra drivers. Attach a lighted sparkler to the roof of your car before starting a long journey. You drive the things like dodgem cars anyway, so it may as well look like one.
Sorry
:o)
Terry
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Peugeot 106 diesels have power steering and a very comfortable ride plus 55mpg.
They are generally very good second hand but watch out for corroding radiators ( I was looking and out of 3 under 4 years old, 3 had nasty looking blue/white deposits suggesting advanced radiator corrosion. One came from Southport so it could have been the sea spray:-)
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slightly off topic Joe and no inference that any of the following relates to your mum but it should make her smile.
From todays Guardian
www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,77...l
........ told the story of a woman in a car being driven by her elderly mother. Her mother goes through a red light. Not to undermine her self-confidence, the daughter doesnt mention it .
Then the mother goes through a second red light.
The daughter feels she has to say something.
"Mother - that's the second red light you've gone through."
"Am I driving?" responds the mother.
Which makes me think that, given our ageing population and the
fact that people like Heston are now coming out about
Alzheimers, there may be the ending of the stigma and the
beginning of a boom in jokes about the elderly. And as they say,
the old jokes are always the best.
Happy Motoring Phil I
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