jonlucpicard
Newsdesk Editor
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posted on 3-1-2010 at 14:24
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New car for Mum
My mum is thinking of buying a new (second hand) car.
Her S reg Corsa TD has rust on nearly every panel and now the clutch has gone, so she looking to change it.
My sister has advised her to buy a new car under the scrappage scheme but with a maximum budget of £4000 it would mean taking out finance and she
doesn't want to do that.
Mum is thinking of blowing all the £4000 on a car but my thinking is she should spend £2000 maybe £2500.
My thinking is, at that money she's unlikely to get much of a warranty and that a £4000 car could just as easily go wrong as a £2500 car and if she
spends less on the car then she'll have money to repair it should it go wrong.
What would you do in this situation?
Loving the new Grand scenic.
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gio
Diesel::Driver Guru
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posted on 3-1-2010 at 15:02
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Maybe £3500 would be a better budget to work with,as you could get a car that was not too high mileage and a decent[well as good as any otherwarranty] could be bought for £200/300.
Also, we had a AA style warranty once that cost £50, you had to be a member, it wasn't brilliant as the car had to breakdown, but was well worth the
£50, so both warranties could possibly cover near dam it all things..
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ROCKETRON
Turbocharged
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posted on 4-1-2010 at 10:22
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Depends on her financial situation. If the £4000 is all the money she has then i wouldn't spend it all on a car, probably £2000-2500 and buy
something thats good value and not too popular like say a Fiat. They are good value and you will get similar age car to a £4000 car in a popular make
and they can be just as reliable and good to drive its just that they are not as trendy. She will then have some money left for a rainy day. If she
doesn't do too many miles she should also consider something a bit bigger, as the super mini's are always over-priced or even dare i say it a PETROL
car, particularly if she does lots of short trips as diesels are not at their best under those conditions and in an older cheaper car will invariably
give problems.
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Scanner
Newshound at Large
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posted on 4-1-2010 at 10:39
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| Quote: | Originally posted by ROCKETRON
not too popular like say a Fiat. |
 
| Quote: | | They are good value and you will get similar age car to a £4000 car in a popular make and they can be just as reliable and good
to drive its just that they are not as trendy. |
You start to redeem yourself and then go a spoil it again - nothing trendier than a 500 or Grande Punto ATM.
| Quote: | | If
she doesn't do too many miles she should also consider something a bit bigger, as the super mini's are always over-priced or even dare i say it a
PETROL car, particularly if she does lots of short trips as diesels are not at their best under those conditions |
Wrong, Wrong, Wrong, Ron - it's petrols that aren't at their best on short jouneys - the catalyst doesn't work as it hasn't warmed up and MPG is
abysmal because the choke is on all the time. If you do lots of short journeys (which you shouldn't in ANY car) a diesel is way better.
| Quote: | |
and in an older cheaper car will invariably give problems. |
Hmmmm I think the jury could be out for quite a while on that debate.
The "invariably" bit especially.
My advice would be to go for the scrappage try for the cheapest Panda diesel and get a 3 year warranty. Finance is cheap at the moment so make use of
it while you can.
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jonlucpicard
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posted on 4-1-2010 at 11:33
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I agree with Scanner, diesels are better for short journeys.
She does mostly short journeys around Paignton and Torquay and comes up to Derby and Lancashire 4 or 5 times a year, also my brother borrows her car
to go to Norfolk a couple of times a year.
The corsa is a bit too small for her needs as my Nan has a wheelchair and the corsa has a roof box fitted. She needs something Focus/Astra sized that
can fit 4 adults, luggage and the wheelchair in it.
I'm concerned that if she buys a petrol she will put diesel in it by mistake.
Loving the new Grand scenic.
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ROCKETRON
Turbocharged
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posted on 4-1-2010 at 13:44
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I thought my post would soon cause some comments. If she is regularly doing longer distances then i would agree a diesel will certainly be better to
drive but on short runs petrols with a cat usually warm up very quickly and i feel that if that sort of driving is done and i only wanted to spend
£2-3000 then i would probably get a sounder small petrol car than a diesel for that money. The days are gone when diesel engines were unbreakable,
these days they are complex and more brittle. They all have turbos that are often the variable vein types that tend to be the ones that often go
pop,along with the maf's/egr's/injectors. The performance of the modern diesel is often paid for in reliability when older. The cost of these items
is out of all proportion with the cost of a cheap car and so i feel that a small petrol is the better buy at the cheaper end of the market for low
mileage use.
BMW 320D E90 M-Sport Le-mans Blue.
BMW320D SE 150 Touring SOLD
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JDS
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posted on 4-1-2010 at 14:02
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Not very trendy, but good value, the right size and diesel: http://tinyurl.com/yf9lcck
or
this: http://tinyurl.com/ylgk7ur
or
this: http://tinyurl.com/yjk4kfb
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Scanner
Newshound at Large
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posted on 4-1-2010 at 14:58
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| Quote: | Originally posted by ROCKETRON
I thought my post would soon cause some comments. |
Well that's the one bit you did get right.
| Quote: | |
but on short runs petrols with a cat usually warm up very quickly |
No they don't unless they have the rapid warm up thingy that just
wastes even more fuel, they take between 5 and 15 miles to properly warm up and start working especially in cold weather.
| Quote: | |
and i feel that if that sort of driving is done and i only wanted to spend £2-3000 then i would probably get a sounder small petrol car than a diesel
for that money. |
But would you want one? JLP's Mum is used to driving a diesel and quite a torquey old school one at that - is she really going to take to a revvy
gutless little rev box for driving around the hills of Torbay?
| Quote: | | The
days are gone when diesel engines were unbreakable, these days they are complex and more brittle. They all have turbos that are often the variable
vein types that tend to be the ones that often go pop,along with the maf's/egr's/injectors. The performance of the modern diesel is often paid for
in reliability when older. The cost of these items is out of all proportion with the cost of a cheap car and so i feel that a small petrol is the
better buy at the cheaper end of the market for low mileage use. |
I'd still back a diesel against a small petrol any day.
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JDS
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posted on 4-1-2010 at 17:16
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Scanner
is she really going to take to a revvy gutless little rev box for driving around the hills of Torbay? |
Without being rude to JLP's
mum, I doubt she'd notice - it would just be a 'new' car and she'd drive it as such, differently. I know for a fact that my mum would not even
give it a thought - as long as it had a wheel in each corner and starts it's a car to her and that's where it finishes. Also, JLP has stated that
would need to be a Focus sized car - petrol or not, you could not describe them as a "revvy gutless little rev box" .....
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Carl
Features & Photographic Editor
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posted on 4-1-2010 at 17:20
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| Quote: | Originally posted by JDS
Also, JLP has stated that would need to be a Focus sized car - petrol or not, you could not describe them as a "revvy gutless little rev box" .....
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mine is definately not a gutless little rev box  and as JDS said i doubt she would notice the difference if
anything she may think its an improvement on the little old corsa 
-- Ford Focus 1.8 Collection Edition -- (Petrol)
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PAdams
Master::Mind
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posted on 4-1-2010 at 17:44
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| Quote: | Originally posted by ROCKETRON
I thought my post would soon cause some comments. If she is regularly doing longer distances then i would agree a diesel will certainly be better to
drive but on short runs petrols with a cat usually warm up very quickly and i feel that if that sort of driving is done and i only wanted to spend
£2-3000 then i would probably get a sounder small petrol car than a diesel for that money. The days are gone when diesel engines were unbreakable,
these days they are complex and more brittle. They all have turbos that are often the variable vein types that tend to be the ones that often go
pop,along with the maf's/egr's/injectors. The performance of the modern diesel is often paid for in reliability when older. The cost of these items
is out of all proportion with the cost of a cheap car and so i feel that a small petrol is the better buy at the cheaper end of the market for low
mileage use. |
I agree. In this situation I would look to spend around £2,500 on a petrol Astra or Focus. As said above, gone are the days when diesel engines are
reliable and cheap to run/maintain! I keep a careful eye on the Astra forums and it's the diesel engined cars that have the majority of problems.
Vauxhall Astra 1.8 CDX Auto
Skoda Fabia VRS
Peugeot 406 GTX 2.2HDI
Peugeot 405 GLDT
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jonlucpicard
Newsdesk Editor
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posted on 4-1-2010 at 18:09
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I'll leave the petrol or diesel decision to my mum. Last time she was looking for a car i advised her to buy a diesel and she said she wanted a
petrol and then went out and bought the corsa
The corsa is a cracking little car to drive, the 1.5 TD Isuzu engine pulls like a train, it's just a shame the bodywork is shot, it's what comes of
not waxing your bodywork and living at the seaside.
And it's only done 80k
Loving the new Grand scenic.
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jonlucpicard
Newsdesk Editor
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posted on 4-1-2010 at 20:29
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I've found a car for her.
CLICKY
Mum just phoned to tell me she took the corsa to a mechanic and he fitted a new clutch cable and it now drives fine, so now she doesn't know wether
to buy a new car or not.
Loving the new Grand scenic.
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SnipeZ999
Diesel::Driver Guru
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posted on 4-1-2010 at 20:53
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Bet your brother would look well cool driving to Norfolk in that 
BMW E60 535d M Sport with 'just a few' (!!) toys. Making way for ........[wait for it, wait for it].
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Scanner
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posted on 4-1-2010 at 21:47
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| Quote: | Originally posted by JDS
| Quote: | Originally posted by Scanner
is she really going to take to a revvy gutless little rev box for driving around the hills of Torbay? |
Without being rude to JLP's
mum, I doubt she'd notice - it would just be a 'new' car and she'd drive it as such, differently. I know for a fact that my mum would not even
give it a thought - as long as it had a wheel in each corner and starts it's a car to her and that's where it finishes. Also, JLP has stated that
would need to be a Focus sized car - petrol or not, you could not describe them as a "revvy gutless little rev box" ..... |
OK leave out the gutless then.
But then LMS had to drive her partner's mother's 1.4 Polo a few times recently after driving her Punto JTD and that's just how she described that -
she actually said it scared her driving it on the A1/A.1M, as she kept forgetting she had to change down 2 gears and really boot it to get past
anything.
She actually thought it must be a 1.0 version and was astonished when she saw the badge on the back.
Given the geography of Torbay I would bet she will notice the difference from a Corsa TD.
But yes I would have a 1.6/8 Astra instead of the awful 1.7 diesel.
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ROCKETRON
Turbocharged
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posted on 4-1-2010 at 22:01
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| Quote: | Originally posted by PAdams
| Quote: | Originally posted by ROCKETRON
I thought my post would soon cause some comments. If she is regularly doing longer distances then i would agree a diesel will certainly be better to
drive but on short runs petrols with a cat usually warm up very quickly and i feel that if that sort of driving is done and i only wanted to spend
£2-3000 then i would probably get a sounder small petrol car than a diesel for that money. The days are gone when diesel engines were unbreakable,
these days they are complex and more brittle. They all have turbos that are often the variable vein types that tend to be the ones that often go
pop,along with the maf's/egr's/injectors. The performance of the modern diesel is often paid for in reliability when older. The cost of these items
is out of all proportion with the cost of a cheap car and so i feel that a small petrol is the better buy at the cheaper end of the market for low
mileage use. |
I agree. In this situation I would look to spend around £2,500 on a petrol Astra or Focus. As said above, gone are the days when diesel engines are
reliable and cheap to run/maintain! I keep a careful eye on the Astra forums and it's the diesel engined cars that have the majority of problems.
|
I also find that on BMW and Audi VAG forums its the diesels that have most of the problems and generally the cures are expensive. These cars are great
when they are fairly new and are better in every way than petrol cars to drive but when they are not in warranty or are getting to 6-10 years old the
cost of fuel pump/turbo/injectors are out of all proportion to the value of the car. I have found also on other forums when someone asks about a 7-10
year old diesel, what to look out for etc, lots of people now say that they should go for a petrol instead as its likely to make for more trouble free
motoring and some of the big bills associated with diesels make a mockery of an extra few miles per gallon and compared with the car value not worth
repairing. Whereas the petrol car of the price will probably be a few years newer with a better spec and lower miles.
As a big fan of diesels over many years i feel diesels are only a sensible purchase if you have the money to get something not too old and preferrably
bigger, and have never been particularly impressed with small car diesels (1.3/1.4)as they feel a bit flat performance wise and quite often small
petrol cars also do good mpg,although not as good as diesel. I felt small cars were better in diesel form years ago when they had a 1.9 NA diesel
(P205) and always felt lively with good torque and low body weight.
Still it looks like she may not want a new car now.
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JDS
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posted on 5-1-2010 at 13:54
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Scanner
But yes I would have a 1.6/8 Astra instead of the awful 1.7 diesel. |
I was unlucky enough to have a non-turbo version of that 1.7 in
a K reg Astra many, many moons ago .... forget about the petrol versions being better, walking had the up on that thing !!!
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gio
Diesel::Driver Guru
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posted on 5-1-2010 at 18:17
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As far as I am Aware there were Two different engines of 1.7TD the cavalier and some Astra's had the Izuzu engine, which was a gem, unlike vauxhall
own version.
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Scanner
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posted on 5-1-2010 at 18:31
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| Quote: | Originally posted by gio
As far as I am Aware there were Two different engines of 1.7TD the cavalier and some Astra's had the Izuzu engine, which was a gem, unlike vauxhall
own version. |
That is quite correct and I'm pretty sure JLP's Mum's Corsa has the Isuzu engine.
That's why I really do think she would notice if she should go for a petrol - those things will pull away on tickover with the handbrake on. I've
not driven many petrols that will pull away on tickover at all without stalling.
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ROCKETRON
Turbocharged
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posted on 5-1-2010 at 19:06
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Yes Vauxhalls 1.7 non turbo engine was the 1.6 petrol engine with a diesel head but the TD 1.7 in the old Astra was the Isuzu engine and that was
sweet. IIRC the later td1.7's in the Cavalier were Vauxhalls own engine witha turbo as the Isuzu lump was a bit too expensive compared to their own.
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jonlucpicard
Newsdesk Editor
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posted on 5-1-2010 at 20:04
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Yes mums corsa has a 1.5TD isuzu engine and being GLS spec it's a nice little car. It just needs 3 doors and a bonnet
Loving the new Grand scenic.
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gio
Diesel::Driver Guru
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posted on 5-1-2010 at 21:40
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Yep I put 85k on a 100K plus, L reg cavalier,to my shame i treated it solely as a workhorse and bar a clutch,and waterpump and normal wear and tear it
was sweet.Gave it to my old man whom twice ran it out of water and overheated it [he was too tight to replace the rad] and yet it still ran OK
afterwards!!!!!!!!!!
On its first proper long journey,at moderate speed certainly not slow it gave me 58mpg over 300 odd miles,and day in day out 50mpg was the
norm,although day in day out was usually 150 miles of A roads. OK 82bhp aint much by todays standards but an indicated 90mph was an able cruising
speed,if you didn't mind being chastised
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jonlucpicard
Newsdesk Editor
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posted on 29-1-2010 at 13:15
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My mum picks up her new car on tomorrow
| Quote: | 2002 02 Reg CITROEN Xsara Picasso 2.0 HDi SX
5 Doors, Manual, Estate, Diesel, Metallic Aztec Silver With Cloth Trim. Adjustable seats, ABS, Air conditioning, Front armrest, Folding rear seats,
Radio/CD, Rear headrests, Driver airbag, Electric windows, Colour coding - Body, Remote locking, Central locking, Factory Fit Alarm Immobiliser, Power
assisted steering, Rear Hatch Load Cover, Tinted glass. An Extremely Nice Locally Owned Example Of This Ever Popular HDi MPV, In A Super Colour With
Loads Of History And Old MOT's Etc, Previously Supplied By Ourselves And Into Us Directly From The Owners. Will Come Supplied With New MOT, PreSale
Inspection Service And Parts And Labour Warranty Included
£2995
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Loving the new Grand scenic.
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ROCKETRON
Turbocharged
Miles: 3236
Registered: 16-9-2004
Location: North West London
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posted on 29-1-2010 at 18:07
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it doesn't say how many miles, does that mean its high? If no mileage is mentioned usually means its high or might not be genuine (dont want anything
in writing) but as they say history and old mot's mileage should be genuine so i assume its high. Good luck with it i hope she likes it they drive
quite nicely.
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jonlucpicard
Newsdesk Editor
Miles: 4841
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posted on 29-1-2010 at 19:10
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It's done 96,000 miles, so not to bad.
I think she would have been better to buy one with over 100k as cars tend to be cheaper when they've done over 100k.
Loving the new Grand scenic.
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j-c
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posted on 29-1-2010 at 19:48
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That Xsara sounds like a good deal, but I would haggle another couple hundred off.
It does have parts and labour warranty, but for how long?
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