Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase

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Thu 25 Nov 2010 00:35
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - jax1970
I am looking to change from my 52 plate Seat Leon 1.8 SE automatic to something a little smaller. I need an automatic due to slight mobility issue with my left arm. I findmyself totally confused by the options, and am hoping for some solid advice from people who actually know about cars (unlike myself!)

My standard month would include a daily commute of just 7 miles round trip, and one or two one hour long jaunts along the motorway network. I am not overly concerned by looks, but value reliability, safety and security. It would be our only car. Any suggestions please??
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Thu 25 Nov 2010 00:42
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - Avant

I'm not sure what your budget is, but your best bet is probably a VW Polo 1.4 automatic.

There's also the Honda Jazz, but the current model has a dreadful semi-automatic transmission: the old model had a CVT which I believe worked well. Avoid any semi-automatics (apart from the DSG on many VW group cars which is fine), particularly the diabolical one in the Vauxhall Corsa.

Older Polo automatics were the conventional type rather than DSG.

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Thu 25 Nov 2010 08:24
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - jax1970
Fairly daft of me to leave out my budget! Sorry!!
I have up to £9000 to spend. Obviously less would be better.

Thanks for your tip on what to avoid. Does the Yaris have a true automatic gearbox do you know?
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Thu 25 Nov 2010 09:02
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - madf

Yaris auto is MMT: semi automatic. Avoid like the plague.. would be my advice...

Edit: pre 2005 is conventional and works well...

Edited by madf on 25/11/2010 at 09:02

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Thu 25 Nov 2010 10:41
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - foxmoth

Mazda 2 and Mazda 3 have conventional automatic transmission available and have excellent reliability records.

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Thu 25 Nov 2010 11:41
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - RicardoB

Previous and the current generation Ford Fiestas have/had conventional 4-speed automatic transmissions.

The current one is a super car although I guess out of the price range at the moment, unless some nearly new ones are now coming onto the market perhaps.

Agree re avoiding those semi automatics, and also the Jazz CVT is also very good. Maybe also consider Nissan Micra?

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Thu 25 Nov 2010 13:52
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - Ethan Edwards

Nissan Note 1.6 petrol Auto.

Conventional 3 speed auto with Overdrive (ie a 4th gear)

Nine grand will buy you as recent an example as an ex demo 2010 from a Nissan main dealer -8K miles on the clock (see autotrader).

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Thu 25 Nov 2010 14:41
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - jax1970

Nissan Note 1.6 petrol Auto.

Conventional 3 speed auto with Overdrive (ie a 4th gear)

Nine grand will buy you as recent an example as an ex demo 2010 from a Nissan main dealer -8K miles on the clock (see autotrader).

Interesting you should say this. This was my first choice of car, btu then I started the engine of one and couldn't hear myself think! Is it just me, or are they really loud???

I might try another, and see if I was just really unlucky.

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Thu 25 Nov 2010 15:12
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - Ethan Edwards

I don't even know where to begin with that one.! With what are you comparing it? 2002 Citroen Xpic 1.8 petrol? -Note is quieter. 2003 X-Trail 2.5 SVE petrol Auto (on LPG) - about the same. Legendary Rolls Royce where the ticking clock is the noisiest thing..then yeah it's noiser than the clock for sure. In an Auto surely your not revving the nuts off the engine all the time are you. At 100mph you can definitely hear the engine sound but thats not unreasonable is it. Just pootling about it's fine.

Why not see a few more examples.

My 2010 NTEC one is quiet enough for me. Makes no difference with the 'noise' but I run mine on LPG and it's very cheap to run. Now done over 10K since April and the conversion paid for itself around the 9K mark.

The NTEC is the version to go for imo.

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Thu 25 Nov 2010 18:17
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - jax1970

I don't even know where to begin with that one.! With what are you comparing it? 2002 Citroen Xpic 1.8 petrol? -Note is quieter. 2003 X-Trail 2.5 SVE petrol Auto (on LPG) - about the same. Legendary Rolls Royce where the ticking clock is the noisiest thing..then yeah it's noiser than the clock for sure. In an Auto surely your not revving the nuts off the engine all the time are you. At 100mph you can definitely hear the engine sound but thats not unreasonable is it. Just pootling about it's fine.

Why not see a few more examples.

My 2010 NTEC one is quiet enough for me. Makes no difference with the 'noise' but I run mine on LPG and it's very cheap to run. Now done over 10K since April and the conversion paid for itself around the 9K mark.

The NTEC is the version to go for imo.

Thanks for this. It's always good to hear from someone with experience of the car. I started one at a car dealership last weekend, and it was far louder than any of the other cars I had sat in(10 or so), all automatics, and all just sitting in Park. It seemed to calm down when in Drive, but was loud in Park and Neutral. I am comparing in particular with my current Seat Leon 1.8 20v automatic, and it really was a lot loader than this. I really do wonder if it was just a "bad" one, so I am going to see what others are availbale locally to view this weekend.

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Fri 26 Nov 2010 00:00
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - Ethan Edwards

I have owned a Leon SE TDI and a Toledo SE TDI some years ago. IIRC they are quite well sound insulated. Isn't the 1.8 20v a 5 cylinder? IMO any 4 cyl will be noisier. The Note is pretty easy to live with.

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Thu 25 Nov 2010 18:41
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - 1066

i had a note auto on a 56plate and it was a very good car. mid 30's were possible if driven well in town. never found the engine intrusive.

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Thu 25 Nov 2010 18:50
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - peg

I have a Hyundai Getz 1.3 auto had it 5yrs+ and it has been very reliable drives well and easy to access,5yr warranty (not used). The i20 has now replaced the Getz and I believe it is just as reliable, there is also the smaller i10, both have good autos 4gears.

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Fri 26 Nov 2010 13:34
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - retgwte

class leader is suzuki swift automatic, fantasic cars, proper auto gearbox not an unrelieable CVT or jerky MMT

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Sat 27 Nov 2010 17:12
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - Avant

You said at the beginning that you were looking for something a little smaller. I'm not sure the Note is all that much smaller than the Leon.

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Sat 27 Nov 2010 19:05
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - jax1970

You said at the beginning that you were looking for something a little smaller. I'm not sure the Note is all that much smaller than the Leon.

Indeed, you are right! I had a test drive in the Note today, a 57 plate 1.6 Tekna, and really enjoyed the drive. It is almost exactly the same size as the Leon though, but is cheaper on road tax and insurance, and I expect would drink slightly less fuel also. After my previous comments on noise, I am pleased to report that this particular car was not at all loud. what do you think of £6100 after trade in for a 57 plate with just 8500 on the clock? The other car I have enjoyed was the Corsa, but I felt that the Note had a lot more power, and the visibility was incredible. It was bit scary sitting "up top" after driving the Leon for 5 years though.... Off to have a look at the Hyundai tomorrow - any thoughts on the i20?
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Sun 28 Nov 2010 15:08
Advice on nearly new small automatic purchase - John Boy

This is an interesting topic for me, because I’m starting to think about automatics for similar reasons to Jax – left leg problems in my case. I’d like to see more information about the transmission in the car specifications on this site. Categories could be used – something like Manual, Conventional auto, CVT, VSG or semi-auto. A suggestion for HJ perhaps?

I drove a manual i20 recently and found it had an incredibly light clutch pedal. I couldn't help wondering if they're all like that.

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